by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
Former Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Chief Solomon Selcap Dalung, has vehemently disagreed with the question from journalists, that, the Middle-Belt Journalist Forum (MBJF) is a ‘baby organization,’ saying, “because, after the Southwest’s intern of journalism profession, I think it’s the Middle-Belt that remains the hub of media practice; but the concept we have in Nigeria is that we only heard about the Middle-Belt back to what has happened here – it’s the greatest thing that ever happened in this Nigeria.
“The pen is mightier than the sword. Who are the custodians of communication in this region? Those, who are custodians in this zone, came together to build a better synergy on how to promote peace, unity and enhance better relationship between the military and civilian populace,” Chief Dalung noted.
Speaking shortly after receiving an award presented by MBJF in Jos, recently, Dalung said he thinks this is the best thing that has ever happened to the populace in this country, while he decried the lack of unity and oneness between the stakeholders – accusing them of “promoting selfish agenda” that can only benefit them and their immediate families.
While commending the leadership of the Middle-Belt Journalists Forum, Dalung prayed that they should continue to make greater progress, despite the fact that the people they invited didn’t attend, and he wasn’t even surprised that they were not at the venue.
He equally lamented on the low turnout of the Middle-Belt politicians and stakeholders – as they have vehemently refused coming to stamp the initiative of unity and oneness towards promoting and preventing the incessant attacks, killings and sacking communities by suspected land-grabbers.
According to him, “With the invitation to all the appointees of government, politicians, traditional rulers – including major stakeholders – that failed to come to discuss the problem of lingering crises of attacks it’s quite unfortunate that our people are living in disunity and acrimony between them.”
But, the former Minister for Youth and Sports Dev commended the media “for taking this bold step to bring to the table how the attacks had continued since the return of democracy, in 1999,” where he pointed out that the exercise recorded successful outing for the geopolitical zone.
He stated that the absence of the key players in the peace building process signified that they are happy with the dastardly attacks and killings currently being experienced.
Dalung warned the North against converting key Middle-Belt appointments to better a particular religion, saying, “We might be patient to tolerate you, but our children and grandchildren might not do so. This zone, the Federal Government should reverse appointments and recognize the natives.”
He did not hesitate to accuse the leadership of the Middle-Belt politicians that their attitudes had contributed in destroying the zone.
Dalung blamed them, saying, their political leadership only comes for help when they are in trouble, adding, “You see what stops other political office holders, traditional rulers, businessmen in this zone not to grace the occasion! This is a very important conference. Nonetheless, we shouldn’t be discouraged. This idea is very noble; it would go a long way,” he noted.
He stressed that “The contemporary crises here in Plateau, Benue, Niger, Taraba, Southern Kaduna States somehow locate blames to military and other agencies; but this conference is trying to improve on synergy of understanding on the role of military and civilian populace, who are stakeholders in security.”
He charged the military to do more, because the responsibility of engaging stakeholders to understand their operations is solely on military. If we misunderstand them, there is very tendency to align them with the crises.
“The military needs to do more and, on the side of political leaders, make better use of this position now to get our people. They can mobilize during campaign on how to snatch ballots to run away with it and, at times like this – when we need this type of voices to ‘snatch the peace’ now, but we can’t find them.
He reiterated that “the political actors have rejected the peace process and embraced what would divide us.”