Right Reverend Nathan N Inyom
The Rt Rev Nathan Inyom is Bishop of the Anglican diocese of Makurdi, Nigeria. As well as his ministry as an evangelist, preacher and church planter. Bishop Inyom continually advocates for peace and justice for all people. Among many other activities he is founder of the Ecumenical Commission for Justice and Peace (ECJP), Peace Builders Association of Nigeria (PBAN) and a member of National Conflict Resolution and the Institute of Conflict Mediators and Conciliation.
Below are some excerpts from chapter ten of his book,
"A Handbook on Conflict Management, Resolution and Peace Building" published in 2013, selected by WTNs Mary Crickmore
Chapter Ten is “Nature of Conflicts in Benue State and the Role of the CSOs/NGOs” Pages 108 to 109 have a table of 46 communal (ethnic) conflicts in Benue State Nigeria from 1978 to 2004. Over 95% of the conflicts were over land. Only two involved Fulani herders versus farmers.
“The activities of the colonialists produced lots of conflicts in Benue State, Nigeria, and elsewhere the world over. The institutional and authority/structures introduced by the colonial authority which occasioned the restructuring of the existing political structures to be in tune with western political forms of government had far reaching implications on the Benue State people and has served as a production plant for well organized conflicts…” p. 110
Another cause of conflict in Benue State is the “Land Use Act of 1978” … This has been another breeding ground for some conflicts in Benue State. This act gives the government right to all lands, and the government issues out Rights of Occupancy, but has not specifically and clearly stipulated the rights of the nomadic or pastoralist (Fulani) nor has it guaranteed their access to land resources. This oversight has occasioned several conflicts between the Fulani and the Tiv indigenes…” p. 110
“It is no doubt that Benue State stands out as the “Food Basket of the Nation”. This makes land a major resource of the state as every food item grows on land. It is upon this that the majority of the indigenes of the state depend on for both livelihood and subsistence. Agriculture being the main source of livelihood, land is so dear and, as such, a major cause of conflict in the state.” p. 110
“Another cause is the denial of the people’s mandate in political exercises as also identified in the Kwande crisis in 2004. The Kwande crisis was a direct shoot out of the 2004 Local Government Elections in the state with a background to the 2003 General Elections, where a group of aggrieved persons rose in defense of an alleged “stolen mandate.” p. 111
“The struggle for political prominence or leadership is also explained to a large extent in the occurrence of conflicts in the state…the report of the Prof. Martin Dent on the Kusuv-Ikurav armed conflict indicted some prominent politicians from the communities as “acting shadows” in the conflict. They sponsored these conflicts because of their desire to exert prominence and control of votes in their communities. It is, therefore, a show of “who is who” between combatting sides.” P. 111
“Presently, the NGOs working on Peace in Benue State seem inadequate, given the scenario in the state: “…the harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few…” These NGOs have been able to reach out and provide the needed intervention where the government agencies have failed in their primary assignments, and have provided a road map to peace and conflict management in the entire Benue valley.” P. 122