Udo Ka Nma Project Kicks Off In Imo With Training Of Youths On Peace And Conflict Prevention

Initiative Targets 27 LGAs, Tasks Participants On Community-Based Training

By Grace Ofurum

The Udo Ka Nma Project has commenced in Imo State with the training of youths drawn from the 27 local government areas on peacebuilding, conflict management and violence prevention.

The two-day training, held in Owerri, was organised by the SALTI Initiative with support from the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund.

The programme aims to equip young people, including persons with disabilities, with practical skills to identify early warning signs of conflict, improve communication and resolve disputes peacefully before they escalate into violence.

The training featured sessions on conflict analysis, gender equality in peacebuilding, misinformation in conflict reporting and building trust between communities and security institutions.

Speaking at the event, Team Lead of the SALTI Initiative and Project Manager of Udo Ka Nma, Chimezie Ebosie, said the project was inspired by a tragic incident in his community involving a young man accused of stealing a power bank.

According to him, the young man died after being beaten, while the incident triggered further violence, resulting in the burning of two houses and the destruction of a government-installed solar power facility.

Ebosie said the incident demonstrated how a seemingly minor disagreement, if poorly managed, could lead to loss of life, destruction of property and wider community unrest.

He explained that the six-month project was designed to develop young peace champions who would return to their respective local government areas to conduct step-down training for other young people, thereby extending the programme’s impact to more communities.

He urged participants to take the training seriously and become advocates of peaceful conflict resolution in their schools, workplaces and communities.

The project manager also called on community leaders to establish early warning systems for identifying and reporting emerging disputes before they degenerate into violence.

He condemned jungle justice, stressing that suspected offenders should be handed over to the police rather than subjected to mob action. He urged residents to respect human rights and channel complaints through lawful means.

One of the facilitators, Dr Austin Onuoha, Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Corporate Responsibility and a lecturer at the National Peace Academy, Abuja, spoke on *Conflict Analysis: Understanding the Causes, Parties, Context and Dynamics of Conflict*, among other topics.

Onuoha explained that effective conflict resolution required a proper understanding of the causes of a dispute, the parties involved, their interests and the circumstances surrounding the disagreement.

He noted that conflict was not necessarily negative, as disagreements could be resolved constructively or destructively depending on how the parties involved handled them.

He urged participants to adopt non-violent approaches to dispute resolution and ensure that efforts to resolve conflicts did not result in human rights violations.

Another facilitator, Peace Dike of the Virgin Hearts Foundation, spoke on *Advancing Gender Equality in Peacebuilding and Conflict Management*.

Her session highlighted the importance of gender equality and inclusive participation in peacebuilding, particularly in ensuring that different groups had a voice in resolving disputes and promoting peaceful coexistence.

Paschal Chukwuemeka facilitated a session on Fact-Checking Misinformation in Conflict Reporting, emphasising the need to verify information before sharing or publishing it, especially in situations where unverified claims could heighten tension and trigger violence.

Some participants who spoke after the training expressed appreciation for the knowledge acquired, describing the programme as an opportunity to correct misconceptions and develop better approaches to handling disagreements.

A participant, Nlemadim Jude from Owerri North Local Government Area, said the training had changed his understanding of information sharing and conflict resolution.

Jude, who said he previously shared information and comments on WhatsApp without necessarily verifying their authenticity, explained that he had learnt the importance of fact-checking before circulating information.

He noted that unverified information could be driven by personal interests and potentially expose people to legal issues, including impersonation.

According to him, the training also taught him that effective conflict resolution requires understanding the feelings and perspectives of the parties involved rather than concentrating solely on determining who is right or wrong.

He said he had learnt to seek solutions that would be acceptable to the parties involved, adding that understanding people’s thoughts and feelings could help prevent disagreements from escalating.

Another participant, Igwilo Hossana from Orsu Local Government Area, described the training as an opportunity to acquire new knowledge and correct previously held misconceptions.

Hossana, a student who is also involved in baking and fashion designing, said she joined the programme to advance her knowledge but was particularly pleased with the lessons on peacebuilding.

She said the training broadened her understanding of peace, noting that it involved several issues, including justice, communication and the different factors surrounding conflicts.

According to her, the experience reinforced the need to continually learn and acquire the right knowledge to contribute meaningfully to peacebuilding.

The two-day programme also featured group presentations through which participants demonstrated their understanding of the topics discussed and their application to conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

Certificates were presented to participants at the end of the training.

As part of the expected outcomes, participants were tasked with developing action plans and conducting step-down training in their respective communities to share the knowledge and skills acquired with other young people.

They were also encouraged to establish a conflict-reporting WhatsApp group to sustain communication, facilitate information sharing and strengthen collaboration among the trained peace champions.