Exclusive: THE BAHUMONO PEACE PLAN- By Austin Oyom Inyang

It was the late US President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who said, “Peace is NOT the absence of war; it is the absence of the CAUSES of war.” His great compatriot, the civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. went further to say that “Peace is … the PRESENCE of justice.”

A lot has been said about the need for peace in Bahumono land.  But wishing for peace is not going to bring it about; on the contrary, there are way in which NOT to seek peace, for doing so will actually bring war. The Bible puts it this way in Thessalonians 5: 3 (NIV): “While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”

[embedded content]

Experts in the study of war and peace have come to the conclusion the Peace is not something you wish for or dream about; it is something you PURSUE, like you pursue happiness or success in any worthwhile endeavor. You WAGE peace – and it is an effort that, in the view of these experts, sometimes demands even greater courage and sacrifice than the waging of war.

So, peace-loving Bahumonos must WAGE and PURSUE peace, and in my humble opinion, we can do so through the following means:

THE PRESENCE OF JUSTICE

 There is a clear imbalance in the distribution of political power (and the benefits and privileges that accrue from it) in Bahumono land. There is an urgent need for this imbalance to be addressed in favour, especially, of those communities which have been at its receiving end in the past. I do not need to name names, but I do think Afafanyi, for one, has not had its fair share in the distribution of political goods, nor has it had a seat at the top table of decision-making so far. Yes, we’ve had representatives at the LGA level – such as our late Hon. Michael Atta (may his soul rest in peace), but how effective has this representation been in addressing the concerns of disadvantaged communities like Afafanyi? Justice and equity, therefore, demand that each of the eight or so communities in Bahumono land gets a sense of belonging that helps to douse the feelings of resentment which, in turn, leads to conflict.

DIALOGUE

 It is better to jaw-jaw, someone has said, than to war-war.

Dialogue, as opposed to monologue, means that when you talk and air your concerns and grievances, you must then LISTEN as others also air their concerns and grievances. (Most often, you’ll find that you’re all SAYING THE SAME THING.)

Then you must find COMMON GROUND. There is always at least one area, one point, on which you all agree. Build on that, and soon enough, you’ll find many other areas of common concern and potential cooperation. I don’t know how often our leaders and relevant stakeholders engage in such dialogue (where they actually talk – and listen – to one another, rather than just shout at each other), but the spirit of dialogue must encouraged by the periodic holding of a Bahumono Summit.

Yes, we have our personal and communal dreams, but Bahumonos are ONE. We share one ancestry, and in the yet untold story of our evolution as a people, I’m sure there are common narrative threads we can weave to create a fabric of lasting unity.

Let’s weave it through frank, open and respectful dialogue.

CULTURAL FESTIVALS

Culture is dynamic, never static – and our cultural evolution in Bahumono land is no exception. More importantly, culture is a glue that bonds people together. It is time for us in Bahumono land to exploit our collective as a bond in the service of unity. This we can do by holding festivals of song, dance and drama where we celebrate our unique heritage among the human family. It has to be structured, of course, and planned well in advance. It can be an annual or bi-annual event and we can rotate it among the various communities, with sizeable contributions and support from the rest. In the course of time, we could even solicit crucial support and sponsorship from corporate and other organizations – like the Leboku Festivals in Yakurr is getting from MTN and the like. And in the not-so-distant future, such a festival may well be a major plank of our tourism profile, like the Calabar Carnival right there in our state capital (renowned to be Africa’s biggest street party).

4. SPORTING COMPETITION

The role of sports as a unifying factor is no longer a matter for debate. Also undeniable is its role as a useful channel for the energies of young people. I’m sure our young people are as passionate about sports like football (soccer) as youths elsewhere. On both counts, then, I’m sure the quest for unity and peace among our people can use this beautiful game as an ally. So why not tap into it? Like the cultural festival I discussed above, we could organize periodic soccer championships among our youths, rotated among communities with support from the rest, and eventually from any corporate organization desirous of enhancing its marketing profile and fortunes in Bahumno land. From such a competition, we could fish out young talents and launch them on the way to stardom. I still remember, as a child, the pride we felt when Etta Egbe won his first cap as a goalkeeper for the Nigerian national team (then known as the Green Eagles) at an invitational soccer tournament in South Korea. I dare say we have more Etta Egbes in Bahumono land. Let’s give them a chance to make us proud, all of us. Let’s not leave their discovery to chance – or to the antics of some exploitative agent for some obscure club in Eastern Europe. Let’s kill the proverbial two birds with one stone: improve our prospects for unity, and empower our youths through healthy sporting competition.

Again, as I said in my earlier piece, THE BAHUMONO AGENDA, I realize that this will take visionary, purposeful and diligent leadership. We need leadership that is open-hearted, not clannish; a leadership with a global, rather than parochial, mindset; a leadership that is committed to the general good, rather than a selfish personal agenda.

Do we have such leadership? The answer, as the old song goes, is blowing in the wind.

Related