A non-governmental organisation, Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, has urged the public, especially leaders in Kaduna State, to seek alternative ways of resolving issues instead of resorting to litigation and Violence.
The country director, Rev John Joseph Hayab, issued the challenge on Wednesday during a one-day workshop on Alternative Dispute Resolution, organised by the Foundation in collaboration with S.H Makeri Consult, for traditional, religious, and community leaders in Kachia local government area of Kaduna State.
Rev Hayab lamented that rather than coming to the negotiation table to resolve their differences, some family members sometimes go to extremes by taking cases to court or resort to violence motivated by ego and the desire to assert dominance.
He pointed out that alternative dispute resolution can significantly reduce hatred among people, especially relatives, by fostering reconciliation and encouraging compromise.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of S.H Makeri Consult, Justice Stephen Haruna Makeri, a retired Customary Court of Appeal President, urged participants to take the training seriously to pass the knowledge to others for greater effectiveness. He also announced plans to expand the training to other communities to reduce the volume of cases brought to court and the violence that we see in our communities.
Earlier, the Northern Coordinator of Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, Sheikh Halliru Maraya, explained that selecting participants was intentional, as they serve as the first point of contact whenever disputes arise in the community.
In her presentation on Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms, the Director General of Multi-Door Court House Kaduna State, Barr. Dorcas Levy Daniel highlighted that mediation effectively resolves various disputes, including commercial and criminal issues.
In a separate presentation on the role of Sulhu in contemporary dispute resolution, Usman Idris, Esq., noted that this approach is essential in both Islamic and Christian faiths, as it promotes social cohesion, encourages forgiveness and mercy, and enables peaceful conflict resolution.
Participants who spoke at the event commended the organisers for the training, which they said enhanced their understanding of handling cases within their communities without overstepping their boundaries.
The Chairman of Kachia Local Government Area, Manzo Maigari, represented by his Vice, pledged to partner with the organisations to promote peaceful and harmonious relations.
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