From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
A Non Governmental Organisation, Search for Common Ground has promised to use the diverse cultures in southern Kaduna to foster peace and unity in the area .
The Associate State Coordinator of the NGO, Mr Chorbe Joshua disclosed this during a cross cultural peace festival in Kachia local government yesterday.
Mr. Chorbe also called on residents in the zone to imbibe the spirit of respecting their diverse cultures as a way of living, because in doing this, they will strengthen the bone of unity and end violent conflicts in some parts of southern Kaduna affected by crisis.
He explained that, the organization has organized series of workshops and meetings across the local government with the aim of building their capacity of how to solve their problems as a people in a non adversarial manner.
The programme, according to him, was organised in partnership with the Justice Development and Peace Center Jos.
He added that, the purpose of the programme was not to only celebrate peace, but to also encourage the people to imbibe the spirit of respecting their diverse cultures as a way of living and to also bring farmers and herders together to complement each other.
The coordinator urged those present to take the message of peace and tolerance to their various communities for lasting peace among farmers and herders.
“I want to challenge you to spread the message and importance of peace to at least five people in your community and to replicate this program at the grass root level,” he added.
In a remark, the Overseer Kachia Local government area, Hajiya Zullai Rabiu Jafaru said the state and local governments remains committed to ensuring a conducive atmosphere for all to live and co habit together freely and called on all to partner government to achieve lasting peace for rapid development.
The administrator who spoke through a representative in the local government commended the organizers for the foresight in organizing the cross cultural peace festival and complimenting the efforts of government in the area of building and strengthening peaceful coexistence amongst it’s people.
Various speakers in their goodwill messages while commending the efforts of the organizers, emphasised that we all need each other to succeed in live, hence, respect for each other’s differences and imbibe the spirit of discussing their problems amicably instead of confrontations.
Highpoint of the festival was the cultural display by different cultural groups in kachia local government including Adara, Ham, Fulani, Bajju, Hausa and Kuturmi cultural groups and a drama presentation emphasising the need for community dialogue in resolving issues that may cause crisis.
