Managing Conflicts
OPENING ADDRESS DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, ALH. (DR.) ABDULLAHI ADAMU (SARKIN YAKING KEFF), THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF NASARAWA STATE, ON THE OCCASION AT A 2-DAY WORKSHOP ON SECURITY AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT FOR ELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN NASARAWA STATE, HELD ON WEDNESDAY 25TH – THURSDAY 26TH AUGUST, 2004
Your Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State;
The Hon. Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly;
My Lord, the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State;
The Grand Kadi of Nasarawa State;
The President, Customary Court of Appeal, Nasarawa State;
Principal Officers and Members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly;
Members of the State Executive and Security Council;
Secretary to the State Government;
Head of Civil Service;
Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants;
Chief of Staff to the Executive Governor;
Chairmen of Government Boards and Commissions;
Executive Chairmen of Local Government Councils;
The Chairman, State Council of Chiefs;
Other Royal Fathers here present;
Organisers of this workshop;
Distinguished Resource Persons;
Elected Councilors of Local Government Councils;
Distinguished invited guests;
Members of the Press;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is with a sense of duty, humility and joy that I address this gathering of Executive Chairmen and Councilors of Local Government Councils and Development Areas on the occasion of a two-day workshop on Security and Conflict Management for elected officials of Local Government Councils in the State.
May I seize this opportunity to congratulate you once more over your victory at the last Local Government Polls where all of you were elected to represent your people at the third tier of government.
As leaders at that level of government, you are closest to the people. Researches have shown that our people are mostly rural dwellers and are least informed about global trends. As we are all aware, the rural people are weighed down by poverty and other social deprivations. These, as we all know, have been the baseline for crises like ethnic/communal rivalry, religious and political intolerance, chieftaincy, land and boundary disputes and similar communal disorders. These constitute great threat to the security of our community. Thus, consciously and sub-consciously, we must embrace all values that can help to nip these threats in the bud.
It is in consideration of the enormous task before you that this administration deemed it fit to organize this workshop to help sensitize and keep you alert as you pilot the affairs of your people.
Conflict, as we all know is intrinsic and inevitable to human existence. What matters most is how conflicts are managed. As chief executives and representatives of your communities in the Local Government, it is expected that at the end of this workshop you will be better equipped to ensure your personal and the general security of the electorate and the management of conflicts as they rear their ugly heads in your respective Local Government Areas.
I wish to remind you that all responsible Governments always endeavour to create enabling environment for its people to carry out their legitimate activities. You therefore, owe the people a duty to ensure justice and fair play in all your dealings. You must be seen to live in accordance with your Oath or office.
I wish to use this medium to thank the organizers of this workshop for identifying the need for the workshop which seeks to address the horrible problem of insecurity and conflict that has bedevilled our dear State in the past. I wish to recall with every sense of melancholy the Bassa-Igbirra ethnic clashes, the Nasarawa State Southern Senatorial Crisis, the Yelwa-Shendam crisis which spilled over to the State, just but to mention a few.
It is however my belief that with the caliber of resource persons drawn from various field of studies in security and conflict management, justice will be done to all the topics carefully ear-marked for discussion.
You are therefore enjoined to pay adequate attention to the lectures to be delivered by the resource persons and participate actively in the workshop.
You are also expected to bring to bear all the knowledge acquired during the workshop in your respective domain. This is the only way you can justify the mandate given by the electorates, the time spent and the resources invested in the workshop.
To the resource persons, I wish to thank you for making time out of your crowded schedules to share with us, your wealth of experience. It is my sincere hope that you will enjoy your stay with us through out the duration of the workshop. On this note, I welcome you to enjoy the hospitality of the people of Nasarawa State. It is my pleasure now to declare the workshop open.
Thank you and God Bless.
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