Purpose of Capacity Building Activity... Improving Opportunities for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Benue State to Contribute to Peaceful Coexistence in Nigeria. Expected Outcomes... 1. Increased awareness of participants on their roles in building a culture of peace and nonviolence in Nigeria; 2. Enhanced capacity to contribute to conflict prevention interventions including early warning and early response to conflict risks in their communities; 3. Well informed opportunities to increase personal & organizational impact through partnership with WANEP. Finally... CORAFID has started discussions with a view to establish a Peacebuilding Community of Practice in Nigeria. This is seen as a direct response to the the level of conflict and human security risks in the area of concern.

1. Capacity Building for Non-
state Actors in Benue State

2. This Capacity Building Event is Organised by
CORAFID and supported by WANEP Nigeria
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3. Purpose of Capacity Building Activity
• Improving Opportunities for Civil Society
Organizations (CSOs) in Benue State to
Contribute to Peaceful Coexistence in
Nigeria.
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4. Expected Outcomes
1. Increased awareness of participants on their
roles in building a culture of peace and
nonviolence in Nigeria;
2. Enhanced capacity to contribute to conflict
prevention interventions including early
warning and early response to conflict risks
in their communities;
3. Well informed opportunities to increase
personal & organizational impact through
partnership with WANEP.
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5. Self-introduction: getting to know one another
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6. Participant expectations
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7. Group norms
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8. Capacity Building for Non-
state Actors in Benue State
Nathaniel Msen Awuapila, fspsp, fiim

9. KEY CONCEPTS IN THE FIELD
OF PEACEBUILDING
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10. Key terms and concepts
CONFLICT:
Social conflict is “a struggle over values and claims to
scarce status, power and resources”
— Lewis Coser, 1956).
“A mental struggle resulting from incompatible or
opposing needs, drives, wishes, or external or internal
demands” (Warea, 2013).
Any situation in which two or more individuals or groups
perceive their interests as mutually incompatible, and act
on the basis of this perception.
—Matt Levinger, Conflict Analysis (USIP 2013)
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11. Conflict Levels
• Intrapersonal or intrapsychic
conflict
–When it occurs within an individual
(e.g. a clash of wishes, aspirations)
• Interpersonal conflict
–When it is between individuals (e.g.
where they disagree over an issue)
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12. • Intragroup Conflict
–When it occurs within a group (e.g.
among team or committee members,
within families, etc.)
• Intergroup Conflict
–When it occurs between organizations,
nations, feuding families)
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13. CONFLICT: DIMENSIONS
• There are 3 dimensions to conflict:
– Perception
– Feeling
– Action
• Perception: it involves perception of a person’s interests, needs
or values are incompatible with those of others or another
person.
• Feelings: it involves feelings such as anger, fear, frustration,
etc.
• Actions: it manifests through the actions of people in conflict
and this may range from speech (what is said) to acts of
violence.
• These vary individually but can mutually affect one another.
Thus, a person’s perception may ignite certain feelings, which
provoke some feelings = conflagration of conflict and violence.
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14. Peace
• Johan Galtung conceived peace in two
forms which referred to as negative peace
and positive peace.
• Negative peace refers to the absence of
direct violence only.
• Positive peace refers to the absence of
direct and structural violence with
mechanisms to promote inclusive social
and structural relationships.
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15. Peacebuilding
• “Peacebuilding represents a way to achieve
societal reconciliation”.
• It is a people-centered, relationship-building,
and participatory process and can be
practiced either before the eruption of violent
conflict (conflict prevention), or after violent
conflict has ended.
• Peacebuilding involves activities to increase
tolerance and promote coexistence, and to
address structural sources of injustice or
conflict (Neufeldt, et.al 2002).
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16. Violence
• The concept of violence refers to psychological or
physical force exerted for the purpose of injuring,
damaging, or abusing people or property.
• Violence can be direct, structural, or/and cultural.
• Violence is direct when it involves the use or threat of
physical force or verbal attacks by a perpetrator that
can be clearly identified.
• It is structural when it involves discrimination against
another or others through social, political, and
economic systems.
• It is cultural where it involves deeply ingrained
attitudes and beliefs that justify the necessity of
violence.
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17. 2/6/2018 17
“WE ARE ALL FACED WITH A SERIES OF
GREAT OPPORTUNITIES BRILLIANTLY ”
DISGUISED AS IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS.
- CHUCK SWINDOLL
Interlude
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18. CONFLICT
HANDLING
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19. CONFLICT STYLES
• Competition (win-lose situation)
• Accommodation/Yielding (win-win or
win-lose situation )
• Avoidance (lose-lose situation)
• Compromise (win-win or lose-lose
situation)
• Collaboration (win-win situation)
• Joint Problem solving (win-win
situation)
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20. Competition/Confrontation
• It is a win-lose approach. Here
conflict actors try strongly to
pursue own outcomes and may
impose their ideas on other
parties. They have little concern
for other parties obtaining their
own outcomes.
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21. Avoidance
• The avoidance style is often
associated with ‘withdrawal, buck-
passing, or sidestepping situation’.
Those who practice withdrawal
have little interest in whether they
attain own outcomes, and little
interest in whether others attain
their own outcomes.
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22. Compromise
• This approach portrays
conflict actors with moderate
concern in obtaining own
outcomes, and moderate
concern for others. It depicts a
give-and-take disposition.
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23. Joint Problem Solving
Actors show high concern in
obtaining own outcomes, as well
as high concern for the other
party obtaining their outcomes. It
demonstrates significant degree
of openness to difference.
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24. Collaboration
• In this case all parties strategically
choose to cooperate in order to
achieve shared or overlapping
objectives. Both or all parties
demonstrate willingness to make
maximum sacrifices for others. This
represents strong interest both in own
outcomes and those of others.
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25. Accommodation/yielding
Actors show little interest in
whether they attain own outcomes,
but are quite interested in seeing
that other parties attains theirs.
These actors usually hold
different/conflicting opinions but
surprisingly are able to reach
decisions that satisfy everyone.
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26. Your Choice…
• Which conflict handling approach(es)
would you rather practice?
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27. Why build the capacity of non-
state actors? The Motivation
• The first motivation for this intervention is the
reality of Violence and Violent Conflict in Nigeria
and we will take our bearing from 1985.
• 1985 arguably provides a contextual starting point
for a discussion on the problem of violence and
insecurity in Nigeria.
• This is because in that year Nigeria did not appear
on the map of countries with major episodes of
armed conflict (Monty G. Marshall, 2016).
• Nigeria started to appear on that map the
following year (1986), which also marked the
United Nations International Year of Peace.
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28. Why build the capacity of non-state actors?
The Motivation contd.
• The second motivation for this intervention is the famous
Seville Statement on Violence which was drafted by leading
scientists from around the world during the UN International
Year for Peace in 1986.
• The statement stated that: The same species that invented war is
capable of inventing peace and it was backed by scientific
arguments based on evolution, genetics, animal behavior,
brain research and social psychology.
• Effectively the Seville State revealed the lie in the age-long
belief that war is intrinsic to human nature by proving that in
spite of the influence of ecology and social environment on
human behavior, humankind have the ability to cooperate
and to fulfill social functions that are relevant to the structure
of their groups – an INDICATOR that humans are capable of
determining our personal and collective destiny devoid of a
culture of violence.
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29. Why build the capacity of non-state actors?
The Motivation contd.
• However, between 1985 and 1999 Nigeria recorded eighteen major
violent conflicts compared to 1985 when no major incident was
reported.
• Between May 1999 and June 2005, up to 121 conflicts were reported
across the country (Yakubu A.M. et.al., 2005).
• In September 2013 alone 120 violent conflicts were recorded and
about 800 fatalities reported for that month (Clionadh Raleigh &
Caitriona Dowd, November 2013). The violent conflicts involved
rioters, protesters, the police, Boko Haram, and certain unidentified
armed groups (UAGs).
• In January 2012 about 100 conflict events were recorded across
Nigeria while the Boko Haram sect registered attacks in 34
locations. Government forces appeared to have been overwhelmed
as they did not respond to attacks in 17 locations and it took till
sometime in 2015 before Nigerian armed forces recovered most of
Nigeria’s hijacked territories. But the war on terrorism is still being
fought till date.
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30. Why build the capacity of non-state actors?
The Motivation contd.
• So, Nigeria moved from a country with zero episodes of
major armed conflict in 1985 to a country with record of 120
violent conflicts in a single month by September 2013.
• In comparison, however, the year 2012 recorded the highest
impact of violent events and became known as the most
violent on record for Nigeria.
• According to Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of
Disasters, about 19 million Nigerians were affected by conflict
in 2012. In that year Nigeria ranked 3rd on the list of top 10
most violent countries, 2nd in highest recorded fatalities, 2nd in
violence against civilians (VAC); and, 4th in riots and protests
(Clionadh Raleigh & Caitriona Dowd, April 2012; May 2012;
June 2012; July 2012; October 2012; January 2013).
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31. Reality of violence and violent
conflict in Nigeria
Estimates of violence against civilians as a
proportion of overall violence recorded for Nigeria
(1997-2013)
Name of State Violence against civilians Battles Riots/protests
Kebbi 60% 5% 35%
Zamfara 58% 4% 36%
Borno 57% 2% 41%
Abuja FCT 30% 20% 50%
Benue 40% 40% 20%
Nasarawa 55% 35% 15%
Edo 40% 30% 30%
Kogi 40% 40% 20%
Akwa Ibom 50% 20% 30%
Ebonyi 20% 75% 5%
Imo 37% 20% 43%
Ekiti 20% 30% 50%2/6/2018
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32. Why build the capacity of non-state actors?
The Motivation contd.
• In 2015 WANEP Nigeria commissioned CORAFID to carry out an assessment,
which was known as An Assessment of WANEP and other CSO’s Interventions in Peace
Work between 1999-2014 in North Central Zone, Nigeria.
• The study revealed some of the factors responsible for failure to address violent
conflict in the geopolitical zone including in Benue State:
1) Peacebuilding organizations do not respond when action is most needed. E.g.
in NC Nigeria conflict was most prevalent 2001-2008 but highest response came
2013-2014.
2) Use of inappropriate methodologies: emerging peace and security issue in NC
zone is, problem of herdsmen attacks on farmers. However, intervening
organisations prefer to organize peacebuilding workshops as measure for
addressing the challenge and that of religious crises.
3) Conflict issues tend to be addressed at their trigger points rather than at their
source points and some critical stakeholders are usually not engaged.
4) Government approach to conflict is STILL the security approach: security
forces are dispatched for peacekeeping operations and usually disengage
without tackling the root and proximate factors.
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33. Why build the capacity of non-state
actors? The Motivation contd.
• In that same year Catholic Relief Services
(CRS) contracted the author to carry out a
conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding
assessment in Benue and Nasarawa State.
The study revealed among other things, as
shown below:
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34. – In all the communities, conflict was regarded as: bad
thing/event, something that causes sadness, something to fear
and be restless about.
– Dominant conflict handling practices during conflict were that
people:
• Tended to run for their lives or stay away from scene of conflict or
avoid getting involved or would start immediately to plan
retaliation strategies.
• Women’s roles in all of this were often limited to provision of relief
supplies to affected persons.
• Religious groups engaged in prayers and counselling of their
adherents and, like the mass media, they did advocacy.
• Traditional rulers engaged in ‘peace talks’, supervised oath-taking
rituals and punished offenders among them.
– Regarding the role of government the assessment found that:
• Government tended to stay from community conflicts as long as
they had not become a risk to state security.
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35. Key findings: Risk Likelihood
TABLE 31: SUMMARY OF RISK LIKELIHOOD, RISK SEVERITY ESTIMATES
RISKINDICATOR
THEMATIC AREA
BENUE NASARAWA
ADO KATSINA-ALA KWANDE OTUKPO LOGO DOMA OBI
Inter-communal
clashes
High Risk High Risk High Risk High Risk ** * *
***
** * * High Risk
Intra-communal
clashes
High Risk High Risk High Risk Medium risk ** * * ** * * High Risk
Circulation of arms High Risk Very High Risk Very High
Risk
High Risk ** * * ** * * Very High
Risk
Environmental stress Medium risk High Risk Medium risk Medium risk ** * * ** * * Very High
Risk
Ethnic/tribal
consciousness
High Risk High Risk High Risk High Risk ** * * ** * * Very High
Risk
Social amenities High Risk High Risk High Risk Medium risk ** * * ** * * Medium risk
Siting of projects High Risk High Risk Medium risk Medium risk ** * * ** * * Medium risk
Women and youths
involvement in
governance
High Risk Very High Risk Medium risk Medium risk ** * * ** * * High Risk
People with
Disabilities (PWDs)
High Risk Very High Risk High Risk High Risk ** * * ** * * Very High
Risk
Local Government High Risk Very High Risk High Risk High Risk ** * * ** * * High Risk
Aggregate Risk
Likelihood Estimate
High Risk High Risk Medium risk Medium risk High
Risk
High Risk High Risk
Overall Risk Severity
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36. Key findings: Frequency of
Occurrence
TABLE 15: ANALYSIS OF CONFLICT BY PERIOD/YEAR OF OCCURRENCE
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE
2015 34 56.66
2014 5 8.33
2013 10 16.66
2012 4 6.66
2010 1 1.66
2008 1 1.66
2000 1 1.66
1990 1 1.66
2011-2014 1 1.66
2012-2013 1 1.66
2000/2001 1 1.66
11 60 100%
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37. Why build the capacity of non-state
actors? The Motivation contd.
• Nigeria lacks a policy or law that establishes
adequate standards and guidelines for violence
prevention and the pursuit of peace
• The Federal Constitution is inadequate for the
implementation of a peace agenda as it contains
clauses that permit or promote violence against
vulnerable members of society.
• Nigeria’s National Peace Policy is yet to be ratified
since 2009 after it was first drafted and CEDAW
(1993) is yet to be domesticated after about 23
years of existence as a UN Convention.
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38. Why build the capacity of non-state
actors? The Motivation contd.
• Nigeria thus presents obvious gaps in the
thinking, design and operationalization of
plans to address societal violence through
constructive and sustainable peacebuilding
processes.
• Nigeria surely is in need of an effective
peacebuilding architecture that is
comprehensive and which can adequately
address the root causes, proximate and
trigger factors of conflict in society. To do
this, capacity for evaluation is required.
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39. The motivation summarized
• There was a time in the past when Nigeria
did not experience the current proportion
of violence incidence, indeed a culture of
violence.
• Today Nigeria ranks very high on the list
of countries experiencing terrorism and
every description of violence.
• Capacity for addressing these challenges
is still low in Nigeria.
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40. So then, how can we move
beyond the current cycle of
violence?
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41. Closing Session
• A discussion of options for addressing
current peacebuilding challenges:
• Membership of WANEP
• Peacebuilding Community of Practice
(Peacebuilding CoP)
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42. THANK
YOU!
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