By Victor Bieni
ASABA- The Special Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Peace Building and Conflict Resolutions, Chief Edwin Uzor has said that the best global approaches to conflict Resolutions is the act of truthfulness, and fear of God while resolving crises in the Society at a given point or time.
Chief Edwin Uzor disclosed this to our reporter today in his office at Asaba, Delta State Capital while Fielding questions from some group of Journalists on his achievements so far since his appointment in the office, inception of Governor Okowa’s administration.
Chief Uzor Commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on his fatherly advice , efforts and massive support given to the office towards the maintenance of sustainable peace and security in the State which he said is in line with the Governor’s stronger Delta agenda on promotion of viable Socio-economic growth and development in the state.
Chief Edwin Uzor, the immediate past Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), Delta State chapter is indeed a peace- builder, conflict manager, an administrator per Excellence and political scientist both in Profession and experience, yet his trust and confidence in God as well as his truthful dispositions towards resolving Community crises is unwavering using global best practices.
In his words: “Governor Okowa wants peace and Security in all Communities of the state. He believed that without peace development will not thrive so he is determined to make Delta peaceful just like what you are witnessing today in every part of the state”.
” Administration is number one in all Profession. Am very conversant with Community Leadership as a one time Community president in my town for a great number of years. At times Conflict will erupt in Communities. One group will write the Government for help. But they will tell the Government to provide for transportation and other logistics before they will come for settlement. And we usually do it because we need peace. This is because without peace there will be no development”.
The Governor’s aide stated that conflicts Resolution, management is a job that must be done with passion, adding that with the help of God some major Community crises witnessed in the state were resolved amicable which included amongst others: Aladja/ Ogbe-Ijor crisis, where persons were killed and over sixty (60) houses were burnt, which bothers on land disputes, Emu /Ebedei Crises in Ndokwa West, where persons were killed which bothers on the killing of Police officer, where persons were killed and over sixty (60) houses burn otheris in riverine Communities, the crises in Utchi/ Oboma and Obocha which strangers cannot pass which bothers on Sambis forest, now opened and the conflicts resolved and the people are now living in peace with one another in their various Communities.
Chief Uzor, a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Public administration, Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitration, Member, African Institute of Arbitration and Nigerian Arbitration body, an excellent material for any political office when asked on the best approaches used in handling some of the conflicts in oil bearing Communities noted that, “the issue of conflicts is a daily exercise, that his office had accomplished much in terms of conflict Resolutions, urged Communities to remain peaceful, while stating that advocacy on Peace, truthfulness and fear of God top the approaches.
Chief Uzor, an expert and World class conflicts Resolution Manager, who had his fist degree in political science, Second degree in Public Administration, and currently doing his Ph.D in Peace-building and Conflict Resolutions told our reporter most of the Communities in the riverine, oil bearing or all other Communities in the state were caused by
some greedy Community Leaders such as Traditional rulers, Community Presidents, and Youth Leaders in their quest for tenure elongation.
That some of them do plot to exceed the normal 3yrs to 6yrs as a result of greed and not obeying mutual agreements, Rotational principles, equity in their various Communities amongst families, greed, and lack of contentment, adding that though conflicts in some oil bearing Communities had been a very difficult terrain but God i his wisdom is helping them to restore peace in every Communities of the State.
Chief Uzor while urging individuals and groups in the state to remain peaceful then suggested some of the ways of mitigating conflicts in the Society, Communities, States, Nigeria and globally.
According to him, as a matter of urgency the underlisted approaches should be embraced towards conflicts Resolution: Cultivating the fear of God, Practice of equality before God and the law, protection of fundamental human rights, obedience to procedural agreements, MOUs, avoidance of unusual quest for power, avoidance of minority dormination, learning how to accommodate one another, live and let live method, leadership by example and tolerance.
He finally noted that if Society will imbibe all these coupled with genuine elements of truthfulness and honesty, that no doubt, Communities in the state will continue to enjoy peaceful coexistence as it is seeing in Delta State today as a peaceful State in Nigeria.
