PREAMBLE:
The clamour for war and crisis is a call that must always be seen as step back in any society, bar the cause, motive or any driving force behind such conflict, peace is always better.
In one of Ronald Keagan's famous quotes, he said; "Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means."
Could it be that the rumour which attempts to escalate but luckily dies off at its latent stage on 27th August, 2022 in Shendam town be an indication of a long standing injustice? This is a topic for another day. We marvel that the timely intervention of security agencies was enough to avert the perceived danger.
Civilly, irrespective of our difference in choices, interest and perceptions, we must peacefully handle such dividing opinions using dialogue or any other acceptable conflict resolution procedure.
BRIEF HISTORY OF YELWA-NSHAR
Yelwa is a commercial town in Shendam LGA, about 20km away from the town of Shendam - Southern Plateau State with people from different ethnic groups settling there over the years.
However, the majority of residents in the heart of the town are Muslims. Shendam, which is slightly greater in size and urban development than Yelwa, is the administrative headquarters of both Government and traditional leaders with most of such leaders and entire inhabitants predominantly Christians.
CONFLICTS/CRISIS IN YELWA
Visiting history in most cases is a critical issue as it has the potential to arouse sleeping nerves and raise tension, but presenting it in a more objective and careful manner can only help in curbing future occurrence - which is the case here.
The disputes in Yelwa just like any other on the Plateau have involved several ethnic groups, though according to Human Rights Watch, the principal protagonists in the conflict is Gamai, the majority ethnic group in Shendam LGA, and the Jarawa - based in Yelwa.
In 2004 Members of both communities gave Human Rights Watch several explanations for the conflict in Yelwa which, according to them, dated back to the nineteenth century and early part of the twentieth century, but had only turned violent in early 2000s. The causes they cited included competing claims to the status of “indigeneship;” disputes over the process of selection of traditional chiefs; and at some points, political rivalry in the context of local elections for the chairmanship of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the PDP ward congress in Yelwa, in April 2002, when tension increased as voters supported candidates along religious lines.
The Gamai, who include both Christians and Muslims, consider themselves to be “indigenes” and regard the Jarawa as “settlers”. The Jarawa, who are predominantly Muslim, claim to be the original founders of Yelwa. Until the 1990, the Jarawa, and other predominantly Muslim groups such as the Borghom and the Pyem, were granted indigene certificates, but claim that from then on, the traditional leader of Shendam, known as the Long Gamai, began denying them indigene rights.
LOSSES COUNT AND THE NEED TO RESTRAINT FROM FURTHER DAMAGE
The major reason why governments, organizations and individuals advocate for peaceful coexistence in any given community is because of the adverse effects of war and crisis - destruction of lives and properties.
Looking at the costly effect of the Yelwa-Shendam crisis, anyone who witnessed or read about it can never wish for or sit to watch a repetition of such tragic event again.
It was reported that between the period of 2002 - 2004, an estimated number of nearly 1,000 people have lost their lives in one incident or the other in the Yelwa crisis.
A town of over 32,000 residents was displaced leaving only about 1,000 people, raising the number of Internally displaced people in the country. People ran to neighbouring states like Bauchi, Nasarawa and Jos, the state capital. This halts economic activities and adds to poverty rate.
Burning and destruction of places of worships, private homes and business places, cases of women and children abduction, sexual abuse were also recorded.
CAN THERE BE LASTING SOLUTION?
In the best interest of everyone in Yelwa, the most important thing is to settle in a peaceful and harmonious environment where everyone can go about doing their businesses without fear or anxiety.
But in both the real and ideal situation, it has been popularly said; "where there's no justice, peace can only be temporal".
Hence, the prerequisite steps needed to be taken is for the people concerned as well as relevant authorities to try and find a lasting solution to the problem even as it looks as though digging deep into the real owners of Yelwa and who can be regarded as settlers now is one of the most difficult justice to be served from the kitchen of any authority because of political and religious interests, but at the end of it all, peace is worth it all.
Lagya Chindongnaan (Qracker)
08037358915
josbusinesshub@gmail.com
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