Twenty Nigerians are undergoing two weeks intensive training organised by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), on negotiation and mediation.
The director-general of the institute, Mr Joseph Ochogwu, said the well-thought out and customized courses are targeted at building the participants’ skills on negotiation and mediation to enable them become change agents that can transform lives in their families, communities, the nation and the world.
Spanning civil servants, politicians, legal practitioners, bureaucrats, the academia, and entrepreneurs, the participants were encouraged to deploy their acquired skills, knowledge and certificate wherever they are to engender peace and abate violence.
“The world we live in today is a very turbulent one. The turbulence permeates our communities, nation, and individual families. Multilateral organisations face similar turbulence like the Israel- Palestinian crisis, the crisis in Niger Republic, Burkina Faso etc. Back home we talk about the crisis in the South-South, North West, North East etc.
“This course is building our skills to manage some of these crises, as we contend with them daily.
“As an institution, we are ready to provide a platform for your individual projects and aspirations as you pursue your quest for peace in our society. We are ready to partner with you to enhance your voice on peace in Nigeria, West Africa, and the world,” said Ochogwu.
Legal practitioner and participant in the training, Ezenwoko Anthony, looks forward to applying the knowledge and skills, beyond his legal profession.
“Lawyers are largely trained in litigation and corporate work. When I attended the basic course on this at IPCR, they focused on alternative dispute resolution and what they do. This particular course, which focuses on peace, looks deeper to the root of the problem, and finds an approach or solution for which everyone goes home satisfied. Unlike arbitration, which focuses on awards, which may not appeal to all parties.
“Peace is deeper, and for me, as I grow older, I relate more to peace than war. It will help my perception in viewing cases, not just to resolve litigation issues but to go deeper to the root of a problem to solve it, which makes everyone happier,” he said.
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