It is trite to say that History teaches us that nations have against fought nations, tribes against tribes as a result of which millions of people died and ambulatory and non-ambulatory properties worth billions of Naira destroyed. The recent cases of Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Burundi and even Congo as well as Biafra are fresh in our collective memory.
History equally makes it clear to us that at the end of this incalculable and immeasurable wanton destruction of lives and property, the disputes that led to such ghastly wastage were often settled amicably after so much irrevocable losses.
And so everywhere in the world today, from the family level to the larger society, people are praying and clamouring for peace to reign through instrumentality of seminars, workshops and symposiums and other allied phora. They have put in place different measures and strategies to ensure that peace stand in the place of conflict and crises.
But for peace to be restored, political interests and power struggle, land dispute and religion differences which have always been the major issues giving birth to or escalating crisis and terrorism should therefore be properly addressed to forestall conflict in the society.
It was pursuant to this that the Durban, South African-based Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), in partnership with the Centre for African Peace and Conflict (CAPCR) recently organized and concluded the 4th International Africa Peace and Conflict Resolution Conference held at Protea Hotel Balalaika Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa last month.
The purpose of the Conference was to proffer alternative dispute resolution and peace studies in Africa and to create African solutions to the challenges posed by conflict on the continent. The conference also sought to address the gap in knowledge and research on various mechanisms as well as peace and conflict resolution initiatives and their impact on reducing conflict, restoring peace, enhancing development and promoting social justice in Africa.
The workshop which drew and featured scholars across the world had Mr. Oyeniyi Abe, a Lecturer from the College of Law, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, who delivered a paper on “Traditional Conflict Resolution Method” in attendance.
Abe traced the history of traditional means of settling disputes to pre-colonial era and extolled the efficacy of such measures on quick resolution of conflicts. In his presentation, he assessed efforts to bridge theory and practice within the field of conflict engagement and considered the effect of oath taking on speedy resolution of conflict.
Other speakers at the Conference were Advocate Dumisa Buhle Ntsebeza, SC – a member of the Victoria Mxenge Group of Advocate, Johannesburg Bar, Professor Chucks Emmanuel Ezedum, Vice Chancellor, Madonna University, Nigeria and Dr. Jose Pascal Da Rocha, Columbia University as well as Professor Ernest Uwazie of California State University, Sacramento.