THE NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE PEACE IN PLATEAU STATE

(By Hon. Alphonsus Longapp Komsol

Member Representing Mikang/Shendam/Qua'an Pan Federal Constituency, National Assembly)

Last week was hellish in, my dear state Plateau, due to the skirmishes in some parts of the state capital over a conflict that manifested through attacks and destruction of farm crops, and later snowballed into attacks on communities in some parts of Riyom and Bassa Local Government Areas. And then the attack on commuters coming from Bauchi heading to Ondo State and pockets of reprisals leading to deaths of students and other people in Jos North LGA where the Plateau State Government imposed dusk to dawn curfew in Jos South, and 24 hours curfew in Jos North before relaxing it to dusk to dawn.

At this juncture, I sincerely condemn in all facets the destruction of lives and properties, and send my condolences to the families of all who lost their love ones in the senseless skirmishes, and my heart felt sympathy to those who lost their homes and properties.

As a stakeholder, I am a believer in one Plateau, and whatever happen to one section happens to all, in light of this, am constrained to appeal and draw the attention of all citizens of Plateau on the need to establish a sustainable peace for our betterment and for future generation. Living a legacy of incessant upheavals will only invoke the wrath of posterity who will live to curse our memory, as no society thrives and progresses in bloodbath situation.

It's very unfortunate and heartbreaking that having been optimistic that with the giant strides of the Plateau State Governor, Rt. Hon. Simon Lalong, in the restoration of peace which led to the picking up of economic activities and attraction of investors, some individuals best described as criminals, are bent on taking us back to the dark days of bloodbath, mutual suspicion, economic retrogression and confusion.

Plateau state, is one of the most fortunate states in Nigeria being blessed with rich mineral resources, numerous human resources and great agricultural potentialities, which if properly harnessed will bring about high economic boost, colossal employment opportunities and rapid development.

We cannot tap the divine blessings and make the best use of our natural resources without peace.

We have gained nothing from the skirmishes, but pain, agony, anger, destruction of lives, livestock and crops and other properties. These things only lead to poverty, mediocrity, starvation and malnutrition.

Also, we are only driving away prospective investors from coming to invest in the state, and projecting a bad image of ourselves to the world.

Our diversity in ethnicity and religion are supposed to propel us into life of symbiosis and not violence. For instance, the farmer needs manure of the cattle, and the cattle need the stalk of the harvested crops. But if the criminals among the Fulani destroy farm crops, there will be no harvest, and by extension, there will be no food. The farmer will starve, the Fulani will starve and their cattle too, because we all need food to survive. With starvation, how can the Fulani rear his cattle? When the crops are destroyed, there will be no grains for fura and dambu, the farmer will have no money to buy yoghurt, milk, meat and cheese from Fulani. But if the Fulani and Farmers will work in synergy as was the tradition in those days, there will be food and money for both of them.

If the criminals amongst other tribes attack cattle rearers to scare them and rustle their cattle, they are scaring them from rearing their cattle. And if they don't rear them, the cattle will be underfed, and there will be no meat, milk, yoghurt and cheese to buy.

On the aspect of religion, our diversity should not lead us to war, but brotherhood.

Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe said, "Our ancestors, in spite of their heterogenous languages and cultures bequeathed to us a legacy of political, social, economic, legal philosophy and religious ideologies which had sustained and enabled them to survive. Now that we are confronted with problems of coexistence and are reensconced in a wilderness of alien ideologies, which are making a terrific impact on our ways of life, the obvious solution is for us, like a seaman who has drifted from salt water to fresh water assuage our thirst. We must drink deep from our roots to discover this the secret of successful coexistence." 

On a final note, I wish to state categorically that a criminal's mind is to steal, to kill and to destroy. We should not give them the chance to gag our future by keeping us in perpetual crises. We should endeavour to expose them to security agents whenever they embark on their nefarious activities.

I am appealing to them to sheathe their swords of crime and to think of their future and that of their children and do the right thing. No condition is permanent. If it's harsh for them today, it will be better tomorrow, all you need is to keep your faith alive.

Those of us as representatives of the people and in the corridor of power need to do the needful by doing our best to eradicate poverty and illiteracy and carry everyone along. We also need your prayers and support to serve you better by delivering dividends of democracy and dispensing justice to all.

Security makes governance, business, development, trade, and every ingredient associated with governance, possible.

Let's join hands and cooperate with the government in enthroning lasting peace so that we progress and have a bright future for ourselves and posterity.

God bless us all.