Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Director-General Otunba Olusegun Runsewe rounded off the corporation's “National Peace Week in Plateau'' on Sunday with a declaration that only a “sincere approach can totally end'' the protracted hostilities.
“In the past one week, we spoke with many groups and stakeholders, both in private and in the open, and I can honestly tell you that the people are willing and ready to embrace peace.
A large segment of the population has shown a deep desire for the return of peace and normalcy.
“All we need is a sustained, sincere approach that will address the lingering mutual suspicion and Plateau will be very peaceful once again”' Runsewe said.
He expressed satisfaction with the Christmas week programme toward a stable Plateau, saying that he now had “more insight'' into the persistent violence.
The director-general said that he had been able to “get to the root of the matter'', adding that he had told the people that “crisis will do no one any good. I have told them their future and that of their children is only assured if there is peace.”
“In one of the areas we visited, I felt encouraged when a 55-year old man told me that he was worried about the future of his children; that shows that everyone, irrespective of tribe or religion, is tired of the violence and wants peace.”
Runsewe said he was moved to tears when residents in war-torn communities such as Giring Dogon Karfe, Dutse Uku, Tina-Jarawa, all in the Jos North Local Government Area, embraced each other and pledged to live in peace from now.
Christians and Muslims in the communities openly regretted their actions over the years, reconciled their differences and promised never to fight again.
“It was emotionally touching to listen to youths relay how they had been deceived into taking up arms against friends.”
“It was also gladdening to listen to such youths promise to ask people instigating them to first bring their children to the battle field.”
Runsewe, a Yoruba man, whose proficiency in the Hausa language aided his reconciliation efforts, said that many people opened up during the discussions because he spoke their language.
He advised stakeholders in the peace process to always speak with the people in a language they understood.
The director-general said he was happy that some people who had left their settlements had agreed to return, noting that a man who said he had lost 13 children was convinced to forgive and forget the misfortune of the past to have peace of mind.
He commissioned some people to specially pray for peace in Plateau, pointing that only a “significant few” was still distracting the people from their goal of united, prosperous and peaceful Plateau.
Runsewe agreed on the need to release the white papers on findings by various commissions of inquiry on the protracted violence over the years, but declared that the people themselves “must be willing to live in peace.
“It will be good to release the white papers and implement their recommendations, but the people must resolve to accept and love each other and live in peace.”
“In life, you can never get peace unless there is peace within you and that is our mission here, to make the people have peace inside them so that it can radiate to others.”
The NTDC boss, who noted that many Nigerians would normally travel for Christmas to celebrate with their families, said that his team had to make a sacrifice for the “sake of peace'' and described peace as a “key ingredient'' of tourism.
“I am happy that the sacrifice was not in vain; Plateau has lots of tourism potential.
“Foreign and local investors want to come here, but they are scared of the violence. I am happy that the people have received the message to plan for a better Plateau rather than destroy it.''
To sustain the efforts, Runsewe said the NTDC and the Plateau Government had agreed to hold a peace carnival every year to encourage the people to accept each other and restore mutual confidence.
The week-long peace programme which ended on Sunday witnessed discussions with religious, traditional and youth groups.
It featured a peace concert, carnivals, golf and lawn tennis tournaments, the planting of a “Peace Tree'' and the cutting of a “Peace Cake''.
The week also witnessed the symbolic embrace of each other by youths and elders of rival communities that had been at each other's throats since hostilities broke out in the North-Central state more than a decade ago.
A youth leader, the Rev. Joseph Bot, described the NTDC initiative as “fresh and very open'', noting that the people had found it “very timely'' because they were tired of destruction.
“We have resolved to live in peace despite our differences; we believe we have a future together and must work in concert to realise that goal.”