Experts to proffer solution to herders/farmers clashes

SOLUTIONS to the incessant herders/farmers clashes across the country will be the focus of discussion at the Summit on conflict resolution being jointly promoted by The Nation and Television Continental (TVC).

The National Summit on Conflict Resolution is billed for the Airforce Conference Centre, Abuja on Monday and Tuesday.

Prof Daniel Musa Gwary will deliver the major paper on the topic: Towards an enduring peace: practical approaches to ending farmers-herders conflict.

There will be presentations by the Miyetti Allah and farmers association.

Senior lecturers -Prof. Abiodun Adeliye of the University of Ilorin, Prof. N. A Gworgwor of the University of Jos and Dr. Eustace Iyayi of the Institute of Ania Science, will discuss Prof. Gwary’s paper.

On the second day, there will be presentations by Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Ondo and Enugu states on their experience and the effect of the clashes.

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To serve as rapporteurs are Prof. Olukemi Rotimi, Dr. Kayide Samuel and Dr. Aliyu Tilde.

There will also be perspectives from the private sector and companies.

Also to play key roles in the event are Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II who will be the chairman, Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari, Minister of Agriculture Audu Ogbe and elder statesman Edwin Clark.

Managing Director/Editor-in-chief of The Nation, Mr Victor Ifijeh, in a statement yesterday identified the objectives of the summit as: provision of a forum to interested parties in the farmers- herders clashes to explain their perspectives and cross fertilise ideas, educate the public on the complexities of the situation, disabuse the minds of the public of unhelpful stereotypical depictions; and assessment of possible solutions to end the clashes and establish enduring peace.

Ifijeh added that “There is, therefore, a need to seek a fuller understanding of the situation that will enable the crafting of better solutions that engender enduring peace in the country.

“A unique aspect of the Summit is that it will feature direct presentations and interventions from groups that are central to the issues to be discussed, especially cattle breeders associations, herders representatives, farmers associations as well as militant and other groups central to the Niger Delta crisis”.