Agwam Takad Lauds IMC’s Peace Initiatives, As CMMRC, CPOs Meet In Kaduna

By Frederick Peters, KADUNA

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA- The Paramount Ruler of Takad Chiefdom of Kaduna state, HRH Chief Tobias Nkom Wada, has commended the laudable peace initiatives of the Interfaith Mediation Centre in advancing peaceful coexistence in the state and country.

While calling for support and cooperation of all and sundry on issues of peaceful coexistence noted that their duty and focus as traditional rulers is to ensure that there’s Peace and harmonious relationship in their domain irrespective of creed and tongue.

He disclosed this at the end of a Two Day early warning and early response structure engagement for IMC’s  Conflict Mitigation and Management Regional Council, (CMMRC) and Community Peace Observers, (CPOs) in Kaduna on Thursday and Friday.
The Paramount ruler, who incidentally, is a member of the Conflict Mitigation and Management Regional Council (CMMRC), Kaduna State, said ” honestly, the commitment of the Interfaith Mediation Centre, through the CMMRC/ CPOs has been commendable

“Infact, the outcome has been very impressive in a way that initially Kaduna used to be a turbulent town and people use to say that anytime Kaduna sneezes the whole country go into flames, but since the advent of Interfaith Mediation centre, IMC, in Kaduna, things have changed completely; Kaduna is more or less a peaceful town ” he added

While reiterating their role as traditional rulers on issues of peace, he lamented the state of insecurity,  “Our work as traditional rulers is to make sure there’s peace, adding that, no traditional ruler will like to have insurgency or unrest in his Kingdom, so our work  basically, is to make sure people are coexisting peacefully with one another irrespective of their religion and tribe” he stressed

Similarly, the Vice Chairman, CMMRC, Kaduna state, Dr. Mrs Ruth Magaji, said the essence of the 2-Days EWER structure engagement meeting with the CPOs is ” to ensure that peace in Kaduna state is achieved, not just Kaduna State, but since we are residing in the State, we are concerned about Kaduna State for now.

“We have been having such meetings, we take interventions to communities and we also sensitize them at the same time, and we always ensure that the structures mitigate issues within communities, thereby contributing to peaceful coexistence, adding that “We organize the activity to interact between the Community Peace Observers, (CPOs) and CMMRC from the State and selected local government areas so as to assess their performance” she said.

According to her, from reports gathered from CMMRC/CPOs within the State, it shows that they are working assiduously and yielding results ” we have testimonies of the good work that our people are doing, observing that from time to time you have misunderstandings and misinformation here and there ” but  we’ll continue to ensure that we educate our people to do the right thing.

She further noted they are trying  to re-oreinted them on proper communication and disabuse their minds on the ills  associated to ” lack of understanding, misinformation or misrepresentation, rumour mongering, fake news and so on, so that we can live together; we have gone a long way, we cannot afford to separate now” she stressed.

In the same vein, the Coordinator, Community Peace Observers,( CPOs) Kaduna state, Comrade Mohammed Zakariyya, said the meeting has helped them review their activities within the period under review and draw an action plan of what need to be done in the next month,

‘We expect all the members of the CPOs to show us what they intend to do and challenges they are facing, adding that, the programme has been enlightening and an eye opener for them to know their roles and responsibilities in the area of peace and other issues, he added by scoring the success of the program very high in terms of delivery, giving thanks to God.

On her part, one of the the CPOs from Kachia LGA, Mallama Hussaina Sanusi Yakubu, speaking in Hausa appreciated the success of the 2 Day engagement and said as a Community Peace Observers (CPO), they  carry out activities aimed at enhancing peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians.

According to her, they also intervene in marital issues, force marriages, rape cases, gender based matters among others ” we get support from our traditional rulers, religious leaders, women leaders/groups, we really appreciate their support ” she stated

NewsDailyNigeria further gathered that the Conflict Mitigation and Management Regional Council, (CMMRC) which is an Early Warning and Early Response system structure  was established by the Interfaith Mediation Centre, Kaduna, aimed at implementing, the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP) program in 6 selected States of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Plateau

While the Community Peace Observers, (CPOs) in Kaduna, exists and operates also in four (4) LGAs, namely Kaduna North, Kajuru, Zaria and Kachia in the State.