The conference was jointly organized by the Institute for Crisis Resolution, Peacebuilding and Conciliation (ICRPC) and the United for Peace.

It has the theme: Mediation, Negotiation Skills, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding.

During the conference, some participants were inducted into different categories of the membership of the institute, and eminent personalities honoured with Peace Ambassadors for their commitments to peacebuilding in various capacities.

Speaking on the occasion, Imo State Coordinator, Institute for Crisis Resolution, Peacebuilding and Conciliation, Reverend Dr. Austin Uchegbu  thanked Governor Hope Uzodimma for his tireless efforts in tackling the security challenges in the state.

He said the conference was organized to compliment the governor’s efforts in the bid to contribute to a peaceful second tenure of his administration, geared towards sustainable development.

Uchegbu, who is also the Imo State Coordinator of United for Peace, noted that crisis and violent conflicts have trans-generational transfer of trauma, as according to him,  “in each conflict, everyone has interests and needs, and if the interests and needs are  addressed, the conflict will be resolved.”

He solicited the support of the state government, corporate entities and good spirited individuals to enhance the capacity of the Institute.

Chairman of the occasion and Director General, Bureau for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Amb. Eng. Peter Ohagwa regretted that  the federal and state government had invested enormous resources in the prevention and management of violent conflict, yet the causes and manifestation of the detective conflicts have persisted.

Proffering solution towards a  peace-loving society, Amb. Ohagwa, who is also the Commander of Imo Peace Corps, suggested that government at all levels should upgrade, train, equip forestry officers with arms and deploy them into the forests to forestall continuous occupation by bandits and kidnappers.

In his lecture titled, “Conflict Transformation, Peace Building and National Development in Nigeria”, Mr. Emmanuel Achus of the Department of Political Science, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution Unit, Nigerian Army University, Biu, Borno State, stated that insecurity in the form of ethnic, communal, and religious crisis is one of the biggest problems facing Nigeria and most countries in the world, whether developed or developing countries.

He recommended a periodic multi-stakeholders parley that involves all ethnic nationalities, insisting that discussion around Nigeria structural imbalance must be addressed in order to chart a way forward for the nation.

Ofo Dim Ubulu Ihejiofo ancient kingdom in Oru West Local Government Council, HRM Eze Dr. Goodluck Obi had defined Peacebuilding as a multidisciplinary cross sector technique that becomes strategic when it works over the long run and at all levels of society to establish and sustain relationships among people locally and globally and thus engenders sustainable peace.

Eze Obi, therefore submitted that “in building sustainable peace, we should cultivate the spirit of non violent approach to conflict resolution, which is adjudged the best way to a sustainable peace where justice will flow like water and righteousness like an unending stream.”

Rt. Hon Chike Olemgbe, Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, HRH, Eze Matthew Nwokoma of Umuokanne Ancient Kingdom, Chief Mrs. Loveth Adaji (Nee Uzodimma) – Managing Director, DAJ Continental Hotel, Okwu-Ozuh Omuma were among those honoured at the conference while the Managing Director of Imo State Microfinance Bank – Lady Blessing Nwaoba was among the newly inductees.

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