Mercy Corps, USAID seek end to conflicts, train Nasarawa, Benue Journalists

By David Odama

Journalists in Nigeria have been advised against use of provocative words in reporting conflicts rather, they should propagate peace in their reportage.

Leading partner of mercy Corps, Dawop Danjuma Saudi gave the advice in Makurdi on Wednesday at the state-level Strategic Stakeholders Engagement Workshop urged journalists to deploy their professionalism to educate, encourage and preach peaceful coexistence rather than fueling conflicts through the use of provocative languages.

“Use your professionalism to educate, entertain, encourage and promote peaceful coexistence through the use of mechanism at their disposals to quel conflicts or crisis”.

Danwop Danjuma Saidu said because the media have a critical role in reshaping and redirecting the society especially conflict resolution, there was urgent need for the media to be proactive in their reportage.

According to him, for conflict free society media must not shy away from their statutory responsibility as the watch dog of the society to avoid religion, ethnicity and political sentiment in there reportage adding that the society will be free of conflict when the society’s mind set is redirected and tailored towards peaceful coexistence.

“We are supporting media practitioners to understand the concept of digital peace building and for them to realize their role can make a constructive difference during times of conflict” he said.

According to him, some of the conflicts in Nigeria are caused by resource control, lands, psychology, culture, values, tradition, speculations and assumptions based on individual’s sense of understanding and sentiments.

Dawup, also attributed the cause of conflicts between farmers and herders to outer layers, saying the farmer is protecting his farm because he has tied his budget to the farm, while the herder is also looking at his 50 cows to enable him be an ardo.

The lead principal partner said conflict situations are dynamic, normally triggered by ethnic or religious disagreement which is expected of a journalist not too bring his interest, emotion and sentiment to bear while reporting rather than fueling the crisis.

The workshop was organised by Peace Action for Rapid and Transformative Nigeria Early Response (PARTNER), in conjunction with Mercy Corps Nigeria (MCN), West Africa Network for Peace-Building (WANEP), Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Kaduna State Peace Commission (KSPC), Plateau Peace Building Institute (PPBA).

Others are Nasarawa and Benue State Peace Institutes, KUKAH Centre, Independent Based Peace Architectures and other consortium partners, sponsored by mercy Corps aid (USAID).

The one day workshop put together by consortium partners and sponsored by USAID and Mercy Corps drew over 45 journalists from Nasarawa and Benue States with the aim of equipping media practitioners with the techniques of understanding conflict sensitivity especially in the area of providing accurate and comprehensive coverage of crisis situations.