University for Peace
Université pour la Paix
UNIVERSITY FOR PEACE AFRICA PROGRAMME
WORKSHOP REPORT
YOUTH LEADERS TRAINING WORKSHOP ON
NONVIOLENT TRANSFORMATION OF CONFLICT
PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA
13 - 17 NOVEMBER 2005
Addis Ababa Office
Geneva Office
Main Campus & Headquarters
UPEACE Africa Programme
P.O. Box 2794 code 1250
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel: (251) 11 618 0991
Fax: (251) 11 618 0993
Cell: (251) 911 837 022
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.africa.upeace.org
5 chemin du Rivage
1292 Chambésy/Geneva
Switzerland
Tel: (41-22) 737-3080
Fax: (41-22) 737-3090
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.upeace.org
P.O. Box 138-6100,
San José, Costa Rica
Tel: (506) 205-9000
Fax: (506) 249-1929
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.upeace.org
The Africa Programme of the University for Peace would like to express its
sincere appreciation to its donors for the generous funding which has
enabled the realization of this important programme activity.
Final Report
Canadian International
Development Agency
Government of The Netherlands
Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency
Swiss Agency for
Development and Cooperation
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
Executive Summary
N
igeria, the most populous country in Africa, is the world’s seventh-largest exporter of petroleum.
With daily production of 2.5 million barrels of oil, more than 90 per cent of Nigeria’s national
income comes from its oil earnings. Nearly all of the nation’s oil reserves are found in the Niger
Delta, perhaps the most conflict-ridden region of Nigeria. In spite of the enormous wealth accruing from
oil production, most of the region’s oil-producing communities lack basic necessities and amenities.
Widespread frustration among the populace is deep and has triggered two levels of acute conflicts:
amongst the various peoples, and between the citizenry on the one hand and the oil companies and
Nigerian government on the other. Oil and gas exploration activities affect human rights, appropriation
of scarce land, population shifts and displacements, generation and distribution of wealth, democracy,
rule of law or the lack thereof, and governance. Grievances associated with petroleum and the
government’s management of the ‘oil curse’ have led to political, social, and economic struggles, which
have been fought by both violent and nonviolent means.
Youth leaders from the region posed an explicit request for information and skills on how better to use
nonviolent methods following a UPEACE curriculum development workshop for West African
universities in Abuja, 8-12 March 2004. In response, a youth leaders’ workshop on Nonviolent
Transformation of Conflict was planned for 13-17 November 2005 by UPEACE; the Nigerian National
Universities Commission (NUC); the University of Jos; the Centre for Social and Corporate
Responsibility (CSCR), Port Harcourt; and the Joint UNDP/UNESCO Foundations for Africa Future
Leadership, Dakar.
An advance mission identified a stellar group of local resource persons, facilitators, and leaders in the
Niger Delta, and thus 29 formally selected participants were designated by 24 civil society organisations.
The diverse representatives came from women’s groups, environmental organisations, human rights
advocacy groups, fishermen and farmers’ organisations, faith-based groups, and academia. The workshop
introduced the principles, theories, and methods of strategic nonviolent struggle, while also focusing on
the link between conflict management and leadership skills. Led by a seasoned senior trainer and globallyrecognised author on the subject, the workshop rekindled participants’ interest in the potential of
nonviolent struggle. During small breakout group sessions, it emerged that most participants, if not all,
had previously been involved in some form of nonviolent action. The final day of the workshop was
devoted to leadership training.
Professional evaluators found the participants’ appraisal of the workshop overwhelmingly positive.
Among the strengths cited were course content, clarity on the importance of strategy, essentials of joint
decision making and sharing responsibilities, value of decentralisation, necessity for collective action, and
most of all the supremacy and practicality of the nonviolent action technique. Participants understood
and seemed to internalise the significant connexion between strategic nonviolent struggle and conflict
transformation—the inherent link between the means and ends in conflict engagement. Power
configurations can be altered by nonviolent struggle, thereby bringing about effective and practical social
change, even in the face of institutional failures and asymmetries in power. Nonviolent struggle―unlike
armed struggle or guerrilla warfare―can lead to stable, long-term results that benefit all parties to a
conflict, without bloodshed or physical and economic destruction. Attendees expressed a resolve to
renew their efforts in attempting to transform the acute conflicts of the Niger Delta through application
of disciplined nonviolent methods. Through the articulated understanding and satisfaction of participants,
UPEACE is overwhelmingly pleased with the results of the workshop. Four publications are forthcoming
from the UPEACE Africa Programme as a by-product of the workshop, which can reinforce this success.
The participants also discussed the value of a network amongst themselves, to share experiences and
communications, an encouraging outcome given the depth of the disputes in and among the peoples of
the Niger Delta.
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BACKGROUND
The University for Peace (UPEACE), an affiliate of the UN; the Nigerian National Universities
Commission (NUC); the University of Jos; the Centre for Social and Corporate Responsibility
(CSCR) in Port Harcourt, and the Joint UNDP/UNESCO Foundations for Africa Future
Leadership jointly sponsored a youth leaders training workshop on Nonviolent Transformation
of Conflict in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, 13 to 17 November 2005.
Some twenty-nine formally selected participants attended the workshop, as designated by twenty-four civil
society organisations, in Port Harcourt, 13 to 17 November 2005.
Nigeria contains the Federal Capital Territory and six geo-political zones, namely the SouthSouth, South-West, South-East, North-Central, North-West and North-East. The area referred
to as the ‘Niger Delta’ was originally limited to the South-South geo-political zone and is
primarily inhabited by the ethnic minorities of southern Nigeria, including, among others, the
Ijaw, Ibibio, Efik, Bini, Urhobo, Itsekiri, Ikwerre and Ogoni. Of these peoples, the largest are the
Ijaw. Politically, the Niger Delta currently comprises the Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River,
Delta, Edo and Rivers States. In recent years, particularly within the context of Nigeria’s oil
politics, and for the purposes of the Niger Delta Development Commission, established by the
Nigerian government ostensibly to address the needs of the people, the term ‘Niger Delta’ has
often been used interchangeably with the phrase ‘oil-producing states’—a term meant to describe
the original six states of the Niger Delta plus three contiguous marginal oil-producing states.
The new states of Abia, Imo and Ondo have, therefore, been added to the original six,
comprising nine states that make up what is broadly termed the Niger Delta.
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CONFLICT IN THE NIGER DELTA
The fact that the workshop took place in the Niger Delta for youth leaders from the region is apt
because the Niger Delta region is arguably the most conflict-ridden of the six geo-political zones
of Nigeria. The mainstay of the Nigerian economy is oil, and nearly all of the nation’s oil reserves
are found in the Niger Delta region. In spite of the enormous wealth accruing from oil
production, however, most oil-producing communities lack basic necessities such as potable
water, electricity, roads, health-care facilities, and basic
communications. Acute conflicts in the region derive mostly
from issues relating to crude oil and natural gas exploration.
Exploitation is undeniable and profound, and readily visible
are the attendant problems of underdevelopment,
environmental degradation, and the deprivation and
marginalisation of the communities where the vast oil
resources are located. Oil and gas exploration activities have
also affected issues relating to human rights, appropriation of
scarce land, population shifts and displacements, the
generation of wealth, rule of law, democracy, and good
Ken Saro Wiwa
governance, to name a few concerns. Violations of human
rights have ranged from violent repression of peaceful protests, to the 1995 judicial murder of a
celebrated environmentalist, Ken Saro Wiwa, who had mobilized his Ogoni people to protest
peacefully the environmental damage that had been caused by the transnational corporation Shell
Oil, including even the sacking of whole villages.
Hence widespread frustration among the populace of the Niger Delta has triggered conflicts
amongst the various peoples on the one hand, pitting one group against another in internecine
strife. On the other hand, disputes rage between the citizenry and the oil companies and the
Nigerian government. Without sufficient political space, institutionalised mechanisms of political
action, and trusted procedures for redressing the apparent inequities, the conflict has in recent
years taken on a new dimension whereupon some youths in the region have engaged the federal
government and multinational oil companies in sustained violent conflicts, resulting in deaths
and wanton destruction of property and whole villages and towns. Even as we write, headlines
blare in the international news media about guerrilla warfare, armed struggle, and violent seizures
of oil-producing facilities, accompanied by injury to life and limb.
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The conflict in the Niger Delta has thus
neither been managed nor resolved.
Rather, it is increasing in intensity. The
reputation of Nigeria’s government, and
that of the oil companies, and the
profits of international shareholders are
at stake, to say nothing of the security of
the local peoples of the Delta. The local
communities in the region are
additionally engulfed in rising violent
crimes and a situation of general and
pervasive insecurity. Almost no one
would disagree with the statement that
there is now compelling need to seek
appropriate means and intention to
On 23 December 2003, an oil spill occurred in Rukpokwu community, in
the Obio-Akpor local government area of Rivers State, Niger Delta, on
the Trans-Niger trunk line of Shell Nigeria. Bursting as a result of
equipment failure, the spill had devastating effects on the local farmers'
farmlands, fishermen's fish ponds, and other economic crops. This was
but one catastrophic spill, yet it is indicative of the environmental ruin
faced by countless agrarian communities, which, due to governmental
and corporate policies, have seen little restitution for damages or
recourse to justice. Photo: Courtesy of CSCR
manage, resolve, and transform the
conflict.
‘To the people of the Niger Delta, the conflict in the region is one of existence, survival, and humanity’.
– Elias Courson, Rapporteur
As diverse as are the peoples of the Niger Delta, so also have been the effects of oil exploration
and exploitation, and the ensuing strife and conflicts. Men, women, youth, boys and girls,
farmers, and fishermen have been affected by the conflict in different ways. Women and girls
who were already marginalized by the social structures in place before the conflicts have become
even more vulnerable.
ORIGINS OF THE WORKSHOP
The genesis for the Port Harcourt workshop was a UPEACE Curriculum Development
Workshop for universities in West Africa, which took place in Abuja, Nigeria, from 8 to 12
March 2004. Jointly sponsored with the Nigerian National Universities Commission (NUC), and
the University of Jos, after the formal end of the workshop a Youth Forum was additionally
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attended by 35 youth leaders from different parts of Nigeria. The Youth Forum, 11 to 12 March
2004, was conducted ‘to examine the content of training materials for youth on peace education
and conflict prevention, and to explore mechanisms for the delivery of such training’. (For a
report on the Abuja curriculum development workshop, go to http://www.upeace.org.) During
the course of the forum, youth leaders sought help on how to use nonviolent methods in conflict
transformation. They expressed concern that in their schools they had never been taught that
there is an historic method for fighting for social justice without violence, and that even in dire
circumstances it is possible to engage in practical alternatives to armed struggle. In particular,
they were fascinated to learn that, as now widely acknowledged, the student-led 1986 boycott in
Port Elizabeth, South Africa, which was led by young people approximately their age or
somewhat older, had sparked the application of international third-party sanctions against the
apartheid state, eventually bringing the South African government to negotiations with the antiapartheid movements and free elections in 1994. They had never been told of the pivotal role
played by youth leaders, nor had their teachers introduced them to nonviolent approaches. This
was the spark for the November 2005 Youth Leaders Training Workshop on the Nonviolent
Transformation of Conflict in Port Harcourt, more than a year later, specifically organized to
respond to the urgent requests and felt needs expressed by the youth leaders who had been
present in Abuja.
PURPOSE AND ORGANISATION OF THE WORKSHOP
The workshop offered the participants a concise alternative to armed insurrection and violent
struggle in the search for social justice, especially when institutionalised political procedures have
failed. Given the on-going conflicts in the Niger Delta region, the choice of a means of
engagement for local disputants is of great importance. UPEACE is neither advocating nor
promoting groups or individuals to identify or perpetuate conflict. Rather, UPEACE in general is
concerned with offering nonviolent struggle as an effective, efficacious, and less volatile means
for groups to work to achieve social, economic, and political justice—a technique that increases
the odds for results that can benefit all parties. In emphasizing nonviolent action as a realistic
alternative to armed struggle, the workshop gave an introduction to the philosophies, principles,
theories, and methods of strategic nonviolent struggle. The action methods may be individual or
collective efforts to persuade and pressure others, conducted by nonviolent means as part of the
project of affecting the course and conclusion of a conflict. The meeting also focused on the
nexus between conflict management and leadership skills, hence a full day of training on
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leadership development was conducted by the joint UNDP/UNESCO Foundations for Africa
Future Leadership.
Advance Planning Mission
To assure the success of the workshop, a planning mission to the region was undertaken in
advance in August 2005, in order to meet and consult with a broad range of civil society leaders
from academia, youth groups, faith-based organizations, environmental groups, and other
identified non-governmental organisations (NGOs) across the Niger Delta. A team was led by
the respected Nigerian journalist Dapo Olorunyomi, accompanied by Dominic Voloninno and
Jide Fajoyomi, which spent four days travelling in the Niger Delta to search out diverse
representatives from a variety of institutions and sectors, with a view to seeking their opinion on
how best to manage the process, since the UPEACE Africa Programme did not wish to impose
an agenda, but, rather, wanted a cross-section of communities to own the process. The advance
meetings also sought the support of a number of constituencies in identifying resource persons
and facilitators, who would help to steer events at the programme, identify the most appropriate
local partners among the host of available organizations, and decide a suitable venue for the
event. The eventual selection of participants and location for the workshop was based to a very
large extent on this firsthand assessment, which had taken place three months earlier. As a result
of the advance mission, it was possible to enlist a stellar group of local resource persons and
facilitators, including academicians from universities in the Niger Delta, for the workshop.
Local Partners
The Centre for Social and Corporate Responsibility (CSCR), an NGO based in Port Harcourt,
acted as the key local partner for the workshop. CSCR works to promote transparency, best
practices, and respect for human rights within the Niger Delta justice system, and among the
multinational corporations operating in the area, although, in a sense, all of the participants
represented groups that were in effect local partners.
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Centre for Social and Corporate Responsibility organisers, faculty and staff of the University for Peace, and
professional evaluators from the UPEACE Africa Programme at the workshop. The senior instructor,
Robert L. Helvey, is fourth from left, front row. The coordinator of the workshop, Nigerian journalist Dapo
Olorunyomi, is fifth from right, front row.
Through a process and model known as ‘shareholder leverage’, CSCR brokers relationships and
facilitates dialogue between the peoples of the Niger Delta and the oil-producing companies
whose activities have an impact on the populace. CSCR acts as a neutral liaison between the
multinational oil companies and the local communities, and, by so doing, promotes dialogue
rather than violence. It is an organization committed to:
•
facilitating the healing process of traumatized individuals and communities in the Niger
Delta,
•
promoting access to justice for individuals and communities in the Niger Delta,
•
establishing and maintaining corporate and social responsibility for all citizen and
constituency stakeholders in the Niger Delta.
Acting on the advice of its advance team to the Niger Delta, the UPEACE Africa Programme
chose CSCR based on the organisation’s track record and avowed commitment to nonviolent
resolution of the Niger Delta conflicts, the closeness of the organisation to the grass roots, and
the presence of an existing structure that could enhance the benefits of the programme for the
people.
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Facilitators, External Resource Persons, Local Resource Persons, and Rapporteurs
The team of facilitators was led by Dapo Olorunyomi, who in
addition to a distinguished record as a journalist had most
recently served as country director for Freedom House in
Nigeria. It included Professor Mary E. King of UPEACE and
Oxford University, the acclaimed author Robert L. Helvey, and
Aminu Isa Waziri of the UNDP/UNESCO Foundations for
Africa’s Future Leadership. Resource persons were drawn from
academic institutions including Professor Olawale Albert of the
University of Ibadan and Oxford and Harvard Universities;
Professor Lucky Akaruese of the University of Port Harcourt;
Dapo Olorunyomi
the Reverend Mother Marie Pauline B. Eboh, a former university don at the University of Port
Harcourt and now clergy who is leading the development of a new college in Abia State; Dr.
Owolabi Babalola of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Ibadan; and
Courson Elias of Niger Delta University, Bayelsa, who also served as one of the rapporteurs for
the sessions on nonviolent transformation of conflict.
Participants
In all, twenty-nine formally selected participants attended the workshop, as designated by
twenty-four civil society organisations. There was thus great diversity in representation—
women’s groups, environmental organisations, human rights advocacy groups, fishermen and
farmers organisations, faith-based groups, and other civil society organizations that are working
in the Niger Delta and whose activities are focused on conflict management for the region.
Participants came from all nine of the states that make up the Niger Delta. Part of the criteria for
their selection—as recommended to the advance mission—included their closeness to the
grassroots and level of involvement in issues that directly affect men and women across the oilrich area. According to the team leader, Dapo Olorunyomi, only groups that would give
something back to their communities were invited.
PROGRAMME
During the first three days of the four-day workshop, participants were exposed to the major
characteristics of strategic nonviolent action, an essential area of knowledge for the peace maker,
its advantages and benefits, as well as the training considerations involved. Led by a seasoned
trainer and globally-recognised author on the subject, the workshop rekindled participants’
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interest in the field of nonviolent struggle; it became evident in the
small group discussions that many participants, if not all, had in the
past been part of efforts to pursue social justice through disciplined
nonviolent action. A central point was that there are always realistic
alternatives for fighting to resolve your grievance without armed
struggle and violence, and for highly practical reasons. Properly
planned and prepared, with discipline, and depending on timing,
organised popular dissent can enable a society to oppose tyranny or
despotism effectively, yet without making the fundamental grievance
Robert L. Helvey
worse. Scholars and practitioners alike have gathered a body of
experience, which shows that the use of nonviolent struggle can lead to stable, long-term results
that benefit all parties to a conflict—without bloodshed or physical and economic destruction.
By the 1970s, scholars had shown that nonviolent resistance has historically improved the odds
of reaching negotiations and enhances the potential for reconciliation between adversaries.
On each of the three days, breakout group discussions
followed each training session. (See Appendix 1 for details).
The fourth and last day of the workshop was devoted to
leadership training, ably conducted by Aminu Isa Waziri of
the Joint UNDP/UNESCO Foundations for Africa Future
Leadership Programme, based in Dakar, Senegal. This activity
was based on the recognition that the leaders of organisations
involved in conflict management require necessary leadership
skills for their activities, as do youth leaders in order to
become effective agents for positive, constructive social
change, and to be able to pursue their goals with rigorously
nonviolent action. This part of the training usefully highlighted
Aminu Isa Waziri
and re-echoed the links between leadership and the use of nonviolent action in conflict
transformation. During the day’s sessions, presentations by Mr. Waziri were followed by group
discussions. What had earlier been addressed by Mr. Helvey on the need for self-discipline, selfreliance, and other leadership capacities to use nonviolent tactics effectively were reinforced by
the sessions on leadership development. (See Appendix 2 for highlights.)
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EVALUATION
The UPEACE Africa Programme insists on professional evaluation of every activity to measure
the success of the seminar or workshop, identify the lessons learnt, and recommend the way
forward. A two-person team of trained professional evaluators carried out the evaluation of the
workshop, based on a methodology developed by Dr Amr Abdalla, Professor and Dean of
Academic Programmes for UPEACE at its main campus in Costa Rica. Dr. Phoebe Nyawalo, a
seasoned educator from Kenya, led the team, and was assisted by Joan Mbagwu, a
nongovernmental leader from Lagos. Dr. Nyawalo expressed approval that the programme had
been conceived for Africa, noting that ‘the UPEACE Africa Programme should be considered as
being for Africa’, meaning that it is specific to the realities and needs of Africans. The evaluation
was conducted through individual questionnaires, direct one-on-one interviews, and summary
group discussion at the end of the programme. Pre-test questionnaires were administered to
participants on the first day to gauge their familiarity with the subject matter. A second set of
questionnaires were provided at the end of the programme, to assess the value of the workshop
for the participants, and the results were scored and quantified. The evaluating team also
conducted direct interviews with the participants at different stages of the workshop. The
evaluation provided the organisers an opportunity to get confidential and in-depth feedback
from the participants on their assessment of the workshop. For instance, they praised the
organisers on the design of the course content, which, they agreed, had responded to their needs
on issues such as the need for a clear vision, importance of strategy, essential need for joint
decision making and sharing of responsibility, value of decentralisation, necessity for collective
action through allied organisations, and most of all the supremacy and practicality of the
nonviolent action technique. They gave high praise to the eight films that were shown as having
made concrete the theoretical material that had been presented. Participants, however, suggested
that gender should be main-streamed in future courses, particularly in the sessions on leadership.
They also strongly expressed the sentiment that, given the importance and relevance of the
course, UPEACE should offer to other parts of Nigeria and Africa the opportunity to benefit
from such a workshop. Helpful suggestions were also made for improving future programmes,
including the necessity for better logistical support, and timely arrival of the planned educational
materials.
RESULTS OF THE WORKSHOP
Participants commended the workshop as a success on many fronts. While participants were
advised to develop contacts and share their experiences with others, the attendees also expressed
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their resolve to renew their efforts in the attempt to transform the acute conflicts of the Niger
Delta through application of disciplined nonviolent methods. They pledged to go back to their
different communities to spread the significance and realism of nonviolent action rather than
violent struggle against oppressive policies, indicating that they felt more empowered and
strengthened to carry out this responsibility effectively as a consequence of the workshop. They
expressed high interest in the four publications to be published by the UPEACE Africa
Programme as a by-product of the workshop (two of whose authors, Desmond George-Williams
and Christopher A. Miller, were among the facilitators present), and they committed themselves
to their use.
‘Sustenance of the struggle will be of benefit to the Niger Delta. UPEACE has contributed greatly in organising
this programme. We are the leaders. We should take this message to our people to make a change. It is time for us
to start working. Let’s take the message back to our people’.
– David Alagoa, Coordinator, Peacemakers International, Bayelsa, Nigeria
In the course of small breakout group sessions, it emerged that most participants, if not all, had
previously been involved in some form of nonviolent action. Of course, not everything that is
not violent qualifies as nonviolent action, by which is meant a specific body of action methods
and strategic principles that involve risk and which have the capacity to apply nonviolent
pressure or nonviolent coercion, often involving withdrawal of cooperation or obedience with
the opponent or target group. The participants agreed that the workshop had energized them to
continue with the struggle for equity, justice, and environmental preservation with a deepened
appreciation of the necessity to seek social justice without injury to the life or limb of the target
group. They said that they were now informed and prepared advocates of nonviolent action,
whose methods are different from those of violent resistance and institutionalised political
action. Implicit in this understanding is the recognition that representative and institutionalised
political processes had failed to bring justice in the Niger Delta, yet the attendees are now in
possession of a way to press for transformation of the conflict and fairness without violence. A
fundamental principle of nonviolent struggle is based on symbolic expressions of protest and
communication, withdrawal of anticipated cooperation or submission, or possibly direct
intervention or disruption of the normal operation of a system. The knowledge acquired at the
workshop had increased their capacity, they asserted, even as they agreed that the organisers of
the meeting had helped in the process of initiating positive and constructive social change long
overdue in Nigeria.
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The participants agreed amongst themselves that a network
should be set up to enhance the sharing of experiences and
communications. This is particularly important because of
disputes within and among the peoples of the Niger Delta,
which, as noted in the opening background section, had
divided groups that might be allies and prevented the unity
that is essential for effective nonviolent action. Participants
were advised not to limit their networking to the Niger
Delta area, but to reach out across Nigeria and beyond, in
order to allow for the hybridisation of knowledge and
lessons. In this regard, extensive use of the World Wide
Mr. Chizor Wisdom Dike
Executive Director, Community
Rights Initiative (CORI)
Web was recommended, because of the abundant materials
available. Mr. Helvey’s book, On Strategic Nonviolent Conflict: Thinking about the Fundamentals, as an
example, can be downloaded from the Albert Einstein Institution www.aeinstein.org, under
Publications. Networking, the participants noted, will enhance the sharing of responsibility,
maintain the spirit of cooperation, and help in creating the necessary links and publicizing of
activities. Participants, however, warned that any network that might be created should be a
departure from previous such efforts that had failed.
The participants pledged to go back to their communities to continue working against the
injustices that they believe have precipitated violence, yet with enhanced effectiveness resulting
from understanding that nonviolent struggle can be realistic and effective, even against a target
group that uses violent sanctions. Concerned that issues of ethnicity had pitted the different
communities in the Niger Delta against themselves, they resolved to return to their communities
with improved awareness of the need to plan with clarity of goals and objectives based on a
shared vision, carry out careful research, define concrete and achievable goals, use
communications and electronic technologies more effectively, prepare for opposition and
retaliation, and understand that risks are involved in any struggle for justice.
Interestingly, two participants at the workshop who had been at loggerheads as a result of
belonging to different communities in the Niger Delta and who had previously been arch rivals,
to their own detriment, spoke openly about how each had harmed his own cause. The two
attendees said they had not spoken to each other for a long time because of differences, even
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while working on the same issues that are related to transforming an acute conflict. Thanks to
the workshop, they said, they had become friends and colleagues again in a mutual struggle for
justice and fairness. The workshop thus served as a catalyst for competing groups to come
together.
The workshop also exposed the cost differential between the nonviolent strategy and other
means of struggle. Participants agreed that their rights as citizens and inhabitants of the oil-rich
Niger Delta could better be achieved at the least social cost through the nonviolent strategic
approach, saying that it did not matter if the process were slow. Participants said they believed
that wider knowledge of the principles of nonviolent struggle would benefit their people, who
have continued to suffer from policies that allow negative effects from oil exploration and
production. They thanked UPEACE for its efforts in putting together the programme in
cooperation with impressive local partners, in response to the heartfelt plea of the Nigerian
youths who were present in Abuja in 2004, saying that they would be able to work with resolve
and new tools for effectiveness, and with hope of initiating nonviolent social-change processes
that could improve life for all the citizens of Nigeria.
In his closing remarks, Dapo Olorunyomi observed that the workshop
had shown that there is a promising future for the work of the
participants. He highlighted the necessity to build high-quality
leadership, while noting that this goal requires strong efforts. Although
he had carried much of the responsibility, and his judgement was
crucial to the success of the endeavour, he thanked the organisers and
the participants for making the programme a success. He specifically
thanked the Rev. Fr. Kevin O’Hara, the executive director of CSCR,
Rev. Fr. Kevin O’Hara,
Executive Director,
CSCR
for the effort and commitment of his organisation to the cause of the
Niger Delta people. Earlier in a brief comment, Father O’Hara spoke
of his organisation’s deep involvement in the struggle to finding a lasting solution for the Niger
Delta impasse, and he urged participants to return to their communities and use the skills they
had acquired in searching for positive impact on their communities.
‘Looking at conflict resolution, Nigeria is empty, and an empty sack cannot stand upright. We are the ones to fill
this sack and fill it well’.
– Bassey Archibong, Programme Director, SHED Africa
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CONCLUSION
The workshop achieved its aim of exposing the participants to a realistic, alternative technique of
seeking social justice, which does not seek to achieve legitimate goals by injury or harm to the
lives or limbs of the opponent. This does not mean that the target group will throw down its
weaponry when faced with disciplined nonviolent protagonists, but that power configurations
can be changed by nonviolent struggle that are effective and practical in bringing about social
change. Considering the spate of conflicts in the region, and, in fact, in Nigeria as a whole, the
knowledge derived from this workshop was both apt and empowering for positive social change.
Responding to the constituency of youth was highly appropriate. As one of the participants
noted, ‘The youth are the ones who carry out the violence in the inter-communal and intracommunal conflicts. We, the youth, can also be the solution’. In a number of comments,
participants urged that similar training and instruction should be taken across the country and
throughout the continent on a Pan-African basis.
Iyenemi Wokoma, Esq., M.A.,
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Jide Fajoyomi, M.A.
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
APPENDIX 1: REPORT ON THE TRAINING SESSIONS ON NONVIOLENT
TRANSFORMATION OF CONFLICT (DAYS 1 - 4)
In the opening ceremony on 13 November 2005, Dapo Olorunyomi welcomed participants,
faculty, and facilitators to the workshop. Professor Mary E. King gave a keynote address
welcoming the guests. She reviewed briefly the history of the University for Peace (UPEACE) as
a treaty organization of the UN, set up by the General Assembly of the UN in 1980. Dr.
Boniface Dumpe spoke about the Centre for Social and Corporate Responsibility (CSCR), giving
the origin of the organisation and its activities. Participants were entertained by a cultural troupe
from Rivers State Council of Arts and Culture, Port Harcourt, followed by a movie on the Port
Elizabeth Boycott (part of the series by filmmaker Steve York ‘A Force More Powerful’) which
focuses specifically on the 1986 economic boycott led by student in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
It highlighted basic elements of organising a consumers’ boycott, which utilised economic
relationships as a context of working to end apartheid through popularly-based nonviolent
resistance, steering militant youth away from violence, which would be crushed by the state. It is
now generally agreed that the Port Elizabeth Boycott catalysed the international third-party
sanctions that effectively ended apartheid.
Dapo Olorunyomi opened the training session on 14 November, introducing the workshop team
of organisers, the facilitators, resource persons, and rapporteurs. He offered ground rules for the
conduct of the workshop. Dr. King briefly commented and introduced two Nigerian former
students of the University for Peace, who prepared the final report of the workshop: Iyenemi
Wokoma, a lawyer, and Jide Fajoyomi. She introduced Christopher A. Miller, author of Only
Young Once: A Youth Introduction to Nonviolent Struggle and of a training manual for directors of
youth groups, and Desmond George Williams, author of ‘Bite Not One Another: Selected Accounts of
Nonviolent Struggle in Africa, among four publications related to the workshop being published by
the UPEACE Africa Programme.
Workshop evaluators gave participants a pre-test questionnaire to return before the lead trainer
(retired U.S. Colonel Robert L. Helvey) commenced the training process.
Helvey reviewed the focus of the training course on the fundamentals of strategic thinking in
nonviolent struggle, a technique for promoting political reform and achieving social change
without bloodshed. He distinguished between pacifism and nonviolent action, noting that the
latter aims at achieving social change without violence, whereas pacifism refers to opposition to
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
all wars, two different schools of thought. In emphasising the importance of vision-driven
nonviolent action, he said that strong motivation for him had come from the final moments of
the late Ken Saro-Wiwa, leader of a nonviolent movement in the Niger Delta, while undergoing
trial at a tribunal set up by a Nigerian military government to try him and nine other Ogoni
activists over the alleged murder of four Ogoni men. Saro-Wiwa was executed in a judicial killing
in 1995. The episode, Mr Helvey noted, had affected him personally, and he noted that he had
derived insights from Professor Omo Omoruyi’s work ‘The Politics of Oil: Who Owns Oil,
Nigeria, States, or Communities?’ (For Omoruyi’s paper, go to
http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/particles/politics_of_oil.htm.)
In nonviolent action, Helvey said, it is important not only to have a vision but to establish
objectives that take into consideration all of the parties, including the opponents. The workshop
thereafter broke into small breakout groups, each to identify its own Vision of Tomorrow. The
groups returned and presented the results of their envisioning exercise, which included such
elements as social security, job creation, infrastructure development, health facilities,
participatory decision-making, and responsive and responsible leadership, among others.
In nonviolent struggle, Helvey pointed out, power relations are important, and understanding the
sources of power makes it possible for the struggle to be successful. All systems need constant
replenishment to sustain them. Their sources of power include authority (legitimacy), human
resources, skills and knowledge (technology), intangible factors that contribute to obedience such
as religion or cultural values (psychology, ideology, and habit), material resources such as
property and finances, and the capacity to enforce sanctions. The sources of power find
expression in institutions and organisations, or pillars of support. A critical session in the
workshop allowed participants to identify the pillars of support for those in power, as well as for
those who are fighting for changes in power relationships in order to accomplish positive change
without armed struggle.
A movie on the struggles of the Itshekiri people of Ugborodo, Delta State of Nigeria, produced
by CSCR, was shown to the participants, after which they broke again into small groups to
brainstorm on the strength and degree of support of each pillar. Helvey narrated the 1987-1988
case of the pro-democracy movement in Burma, to show how the pillars of support for the
authoritarian regime were gradually won over by the nonviolent action of the people, led by the
students and other social groups.
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
The day’s session focused on appreciation that the nonviolent activist is fighting for better,
equitable power relations in society, but not fighting against people or individuals. The training
showed that power is fragile and transient, and can be changed. The first full day of training
ended with a movie on the nonviolent resistance of the civil society in Chile, during the era of
military dictatorship under General Augi\usto Pinochet, which showed how the military generals
were obliged to give way to democratic rule, nonviolently.
Sessions on 15 November further brainstormed on power asymmetries. Nonviolent struggle may
be the only way that groups in steeply unbalanced power relationships can equalise themselves.
Helvey explained how a power asymmetry between an adversary and those struggling to bring
about social change from popular action requires planning strategically. This entails learning how
to take advantage of the power inequality itself. Thereafter, discussion shifted to the
mechanisms of change involved in nonviolent struggle, that is, the aim or the result of initiating
change through nonviolent action. Mechanisms explain what you are intending to achieve, or
describe what change resulted. Scholars have identified the mechanisms of change as follows:
1. Conversion
2. Accommodation
3. Nonviolent coercion
4. Disintegration.
In conversion, the target group accepts a new point of view and the goals of the nonviolent
protagonists. The mechanism experienced most frequently world-wide and historically in
nonviolent struggles is accommodation, wherein the target group does not necessarily have a change
of heart or alteration of beliefs, but accedes to the nonviolent protagonists because it would be
easier or cheaper to do so, adjusting to new circumstances produced by the nonviolent
movement, but without changing its positions on the underlying issues. It is often an
acknowledgement that outright refusal to accommodate the demands of the nonviolent
movement would be too difficult and not worth the cost politically. Nonviolent coercion occurs
when internal divisions develop in the ranks of the opponent, which can happen without the
adversary’s will or consent. The target group may retain control and the capability to use the
security apparatus, but its capacity for repressing the nonviolent resisters may be circumscribed,
because its own citizenry has paralysed the system. A participant asked whether nonviolent
coercion does not amount to violent action. Helvey explained that this mechanism explains a
situation in which the opponent or target group has no choice but to accept the perspective of
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
the nonviolent protagonists, it does not imply violence, and he was adamant in saying that that
the greatest contaminant to any nonviolent struggle is the employment of violence—which must
be avoided at all costs, particularly because today it will result in a label of ‘terrorist’. The fourth
mechanism, disintegration, or collapse of the opponent’s power system, is exceedingly rare, but has
occurred.
Three categories of action methods—largely symbolic and peaceful actions—were identified:
•
Protest and persuasion, or actions to send a message, since it is essential to communicate the
grievance clearly. Common methods in this category include vigils, parades, or
demonstrations.
•
Noncooperation, or actions to suspend co-operation and withdrawal of obeisance, of which the
most frequent methods used are probably the boycott and strike.
•
Nonviolent intervention, or forceful acts that either disrupt established patterns of behaviour or
create new ones. Sit-ins and hunger strikes would fall into this classification of methods.
Participants were given a list of 198 action methods of nonviolent struggle, a now classic
tabulation by the scholar Gene Sharp, and the workshop broke into syndicate groups to enable
participants to identify from among the 198 methods those that they had personally
encountered, participated in, or had seen employed in Nigeria in the past. When the small groups
reported back, it became clear that a very high number of the action methods had been utilised,
yet very few of them fell into the categories of noncooperation and nonviolent intervention.
Helvey observed that there is a great need to learn and strategise on the use of such action
methods, because they can be highly effective in changing power configurations, so that
seemingly indomitable adversaries are forced to listen, stop doing something, start doing
something, or change. Helvey urged participants to ruminate on the list of methods they already
used in the past, and examine carefully what had worked and what was not effective.
After lunch, a movie on the student sit-ins against segregated lunch counters in the 1960s U.S.
civil rights movement was shown. The civil rights movement in America was largely
decentralized, but, as the film revealed, a high degree of networking contributed to its successes.
The importance of research and strategic planning in nonviolent action also became visible in the
film. A number of planning tools were discussed as follows:
Planning tools
A plan should be followed sequentially:
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
•
Statement of the problem: do not write symptoms of the problem, but, rather, the real
underlying problem
•
Make your assumptions explicit
•
State the facts related to the predicament and discuss these facts
•
From the examination of the facts, reach your conclusions
•
Make recommendations
Ask yourself whether the recommendations are:
•
Suitable
•
Feasible
•
Acceptable
Plan format
•
Situation (an appraisal or observation of the environment)
•
Mission (vision concept, tasks, and people to carry them out)
•
Execution
•
Logistics and administration
•
Communications
In using the planning tool, one may decide to carry out the activities in phases. One must not
forget training and identification of organisations with which to network. Importantly, the
objectives and methods of achieving them must be linked; the is the connexion between the ends
and means, also important in strategy.
Christopher A. Miller led a session on communications, of which the highlights were as follows:
•
communication must support what is being done
•
communication should aim to influence attitude and beliefs, similarly to commercial
advertisers
•
the target audience must be identified
•
messages must be brief, short, and to the point
•
messages must be credible
•
language must be simple
•
the message must be visible
•
messages should be repeated over and over again
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
•
the messenger is also a key factor
•
feedback must be ensured, so that you can make changes and adaptations.
Participants discussed the phenomenon of propaganda. Questions, observations, and comments
flew, and ultimately there was consensus that a central plank of nonviolent struggle is to hold
onto the Truth and pass messages which are credible to the people whose support is needed.
Dr. Mary King concluded by saying that nonviolent groups in the Niger Delta can benefit from
international solidarity, but only if they resist the temptation to exaggerate, because
embellishment and overstatement destroys the reputation and credibility of the communicator.
A film on the nonviolent struggle of the Polish workers’ union Solidarity in the 1980s came as
the last event of the day.
Helvey started the day’s activities on 16 November by identifying the contaminants of
nonviolent struggles. Violence remains the major contaminant, and, if introduced into the
struggle for whatever reasons or in response to whatever provocation, it gives the wrong signal
to the opponents about the intentions of the nonviolent activists. Several other contaminants
were noted that could equally render a nonviolent campaign ineffective, for example, excessive
secrecy, rigidity in decision making, not keeping to time commitments, partisanship and
bickering, lack of commitment, and so on.
The workshop reconvened to deliberate issues of group mobilisation for nonviolent struggles. It
was observed that students have always been in the vanguard of social movements calling for
positive change in social and power relations. Other social groups, such as labourers and
workers, were also identified as critical to the success of a nonviolent endeavour. To obtain the
support of the segments of society needed for successful nonviolent advocacy for social justice,
Helvey emphasized the need to understand the sociology of groups whose support is sought.
The workshop broke into small groups to identify the particular situations of different subgroups in society, and how their specific perspectives could affect their support for nonviolent
action. The breakout groups discovered that all sorts of groups are potential supporters of
nonviolent struggles for social justice, because of their social location and their position, even if
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
asymmetrical. A series of exercises enabled participants to appreciate the intricacies of mobilizing
certain segments of society in nonviolent actions.
The workshop reconvened to watch a film on the Danish nonviolent resistance to the German
Nazi military occupation during the Second World War. The entire society of Denmark unified
itself against Hitler, and its collective nonviolent action saved most of the country’s Jews. The
film reinforced the efficacy and benefits of planned and strategic nonviolent action.
After participants had a short break, Helvey recapitulated the issues treated from the first day.
Participants made a number of comments and interpretations. Professor Lucky Akaruese
observed that government agencies need this kind of training more than the masses or the civil
society organisations attending the workshop, because the discipline and peaceful symbolic
nonviolent protests in Nigeria have been greeted with violence by government agencies’
responses to carefully planned demonstrations. Patrick Naagbaton stressed the importance of
networking, in order to continue what has been learnt at the workshop. He suggested the
creation of a Web site. Bassey Achibong urged that the organisers and participants to take
decisive action on the issues discussed, noting that the workshop should not be allowed to go the
way of others in the past; there should be follow up. Dr. Owolabi Babalola urged participants to
bring leadership to the grass roots following what has been learnt at the workshop, advising that
a way should be created for nonviolent action groups to be strengthened as a result of the
workshop.
Miabiye Kuromiema noted that the process should be thought through very carefully, so that
people and leaders can emerge from this activity understanding the requirements of working
towards the realisation of nonviolent action in the Niger Delta. Barrister David Alagoa asked
participants to develop on existing network and make it inclusive, the better to start a networking
process. Barrister Uche Okwukwu said the cause of the crisis in the Niger Delta can be
attributed to ‘ethnicisation’ and unjust allocation of resources. He urged the group to speak
against unjust allocation of resources and enjoined all organisations present to preach peace,
equity, and justice. Iyenemi Wokoma advised on the need to develop a culture of documenting
what has been done in the Niger Delta to enable others to build on that; it is important to write
reports and case studies, she said, so that other Nigerians and Africans as a whole can learn from
the experiences of the many groups that are seeking positive social change in the Niger Delta.
Randolph Okosi, of Bayelsa State, who represented a youth group and a fishermans’ association,
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
appealed to the leaders present to endeavour to take the message of nonviolent struggle to the
grass roots in the Delta and reach out to those involved in advocacy, those who are based in
communities. Dapo Olorunyomi advised that participants should learn from what has been
discussed and commit themselves to further continuing education bit by bit.
The day’s activities ended with the movie ‘Bringing down a Dictator’, about the student-led
nonviolent resistance of Serbian civil society against the dictatorship of Slobodan Milosevic.
CONCLUSION
It was evident that the participants found the workshop exciting, educational, and participatory.
It responded to deeply felt needs. They each departed better informed and ready to commit
themselves to nonviolent peace-building, drawing from the trove of methodologies, practical
insights, and protocols learnt during the workshop.
– Elias Courson and Niyi Ibietan, Rapporteurs
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
APPENDIX 2: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TRAINING
A full day of the workshop was set aside for training in leadership development, led by Mallam
Aminu Isa Waziri, from Kano, Nigeria, and professional staff of the Joint UNDP/UNESCO
Foundations for Africa’s Future Leadership programme, based in Dakar, Senegal. The
participants explored what makes leadership effective, from their own experiences.
Waziri remarked that his organisation focuses on leadership training and internships for young
people, in order to lay the foundations for developing a new breed of leaders among all the
sectors of African societies. He thanked UPEACE Africa Programme for the collaborative
efforts with the Joint UNDP/UNESCO Programme which, he noted, had taken shape with
positive prospects for continuing involvement of the two organizations in a number of activities
aimed at leadership development in Africa.
In his presentation, Waziri raised core issues and questions on leadership. According to Waziri,
leadership is about the development of vision and strategies, the alignment of relevant persons
behind these strategies, and the empowerment of individuals to make the vision a reality, despite
inevitable obstacles. As noted by Waziri, leadership motivates, encourages the abilities of other
people, plans strategically, coordinates, catalyses, and gives a spur to the vision of the populace.
He noted that leaders help in setting direction, aligning constituencies, giving motivation,
inspiring people as well as empowering others toward goal attainment, solving big problems,
taking major decision, and managing change, including dealing with conflicts and creating
resources.
A good leader, Waziri noted, must be able to develop others into leaders, noting that continuity
was necessary in leadership. However, he observed, performing effectively as a leader entails
developing the necessary leadership skills. He therefore enjoined the participants to develop
themselves in order to have an impact on the people.
Noting that there are different types of leaders, Waziri pointed out that a good leader was one
that combined basic competencies including integrity, knowledge and skills, with other related
competencies. He spoke extensively on issues regarding leadership such as leadership virtues,
advising that participants should lead by example in their respective positions.
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
The session ended with opportunities for the participants to ask questions and share their views
on what they had learnt. Among other barriers to achieving leadership goals within the Nigerian
context, participants identified lack of integrity and corruption. They reasoned that addressing
the perennial problems bedevilling development in the region, particularly in the Niger Delta
area, called for an objective mind, the judicious use of funds, and renewed commitments to
serving the people
Participants were able to identify the inter-connexions between leadership development and
conflict management. The organisers were commended for their ingenuity and initiative in
including the leadership module in the training, even as they expressed their satisfaction with the
trainer and their readiness to be guided in their activities with their newly acquired knowledge of
leadership development.
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
APPENDIX 3: Participant List
Name
Abigor
Ms. Rebecca
Title/ Organization
Centre for Conflict
Management and Dispute
Resolution
Delta State
Role
Participant
Contact
Tel: +234 08027645982
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
2
Agwana
Ms. Violet
ERA, Port Harcourt
Participant
Tel: +234 08035535228
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
3
Akaruese
Prof. Lucky
Head, Department of
Philosophy
Faculty of Humanities
University of Port Harcourt
Rivers State
Local
Resource
Person
Tel: +234 08035200219
08037108410
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
4
Alagoa
Mr. David (Esquire)
Coordinator
Peacemakers International
Bayelsa State
Participant
Tel: +234 0803-7078472
Email: [email protected]
5
Archibong
Mr. Bassey
Programme Director
SHED Africa
Cross River State
Participant
Tel: +234 08063577424
08054007645
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
1
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
6
Ayemi
Mr. Abba
Centre for Social and
Corporate Responsibility
(CSCR)
Rivers State
Local
Resource
Person
Tel: +234 08035005530
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
7
Babalola
Dr. Owolabi
Institute of African Studies
Peace & Conflict Studies
Programme
Participant
Tel: +234 08023403382
60397177
Email: [email protected]
8
Chiekwe
Mr. Patrick A.
Save Earth Nigeria (SEN)
Rivers State
Participant
Tel: +234 08056577801
Email: [email protected]
9
Courson
Mr. Elias
Niger Delta University
Department of Philosophy
Wilberforce Island
Bayelsa State
Rapporteur
Tel: +234 08034105679
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Executive Director
Community Rights Initiative
(CORI)
Rivers State
Local
Resource
Person
Tel: +234 0803-3409171
Email: [email protected]
10 Dike
Mr. Chizor Wisdom
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
11 Draper
Ms. Tracey
Pro-Nigeria International
Bayelsa/ Akwa Ibom
Participant
Tel: +234 08030921938
Email: [email protected]
12 Eboh
Marie Pauline (Rev.
Mother Prof.)
Daughters of Mary Mother of
Mercy, DMMM.
Generalate
Umuahia, Abia State
Local
Resource
Person
Tel: +234 08035619476
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
13 Eboh
Mr. Uzoma Kingsley
President, Programme
Coordinator
Universalist Club
Participant
Tel: +234 08035505593
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
14 Edem
Mr. Edem O.
Akpabuyo Bakassi Green
Movement (ABGREMO)
Cross River State
Participant
Tel: +234 08037114770
08065292379
Email: [email protected]
15 Ehinmosan
Mr. Abraham
Coordinator
Participant
Ilaje National Youth Congress
Ondo State
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Tel: +234 08034752136
Email: [email protected]
NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
16 Emori
Mr. M. N. I. (Esquire)
Executive Director
Citizens’ Right Protection
Society (has consultancy
status with the UN)
Cross River State
Participant
16, Target Road
Calabar, CRS, Nigeria
Tel: +234 08036726474
Email: [email protected]
17 Ereba
Mr. Patrick
Centre for Social and
Corporate Responsibility
(CSCR)
Rivers State
Local
Resource
Person
Tel: +234 08035005387
Email: [email protected]
18 Etela
Mr. Dabo Owgn
University of Port Harcourt
Department of Political
Science
Participant
174 Niger Street
Port Harcourt
Rivers State
Email: [email protected]
19 Famuyiwa
Ms. Motunrayo
Foundation of Truth
Assembly (Lagos)
Participant
Tel: +234 08028302436
Email: [email protected]
20 Fajoyomi
Mr. Jide
UPEACE
Resource
Person
Tel: +234 08060458859
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
21 George-Williams
Mr. Desmond
Centre for Peace & Conflict
Studies FBC
Participant
Email: [email protected]
22 Helvey
Mr. Robert L.
Robert Helvey Associates
Resource
Person
Email: [email protected]
23 Ibietan
Mr. Niyi
ECO-OUTREACH
Rivers State
Rapporteur
International Institute of Journalism
NUJ National Secretariat Complex
Area 11 Garki-Abuja
Federal Capital Territory
Tel: +234 08034232098
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
24 Jaja
Ms. Gloria
Community Rights Initiative
Participant
Tel: +234 08036703674
Email: [email protected]
25 King
Dr. Mary E.
Professor of Peace & Conflict
Studies, UPEACE
Resource
Person
Email: [email protected]
26 Kpalap
Mr. Bariara
Information Officer
Movement for the Survival of
the Ogoni People (MOSOP)
Rivers State
Participant
Tel: +234 08033416796
Email: [email protected]
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
27 Kuromiema
Mr. Miabiye
Coordinator
Ijaw Youth Council (ITC) /
Our Niger Delta
Bayelsa/ Delta/ Rivers State
Participant
Tel: +234 08036690584
Email: [email protected]
28 Liondjo
Mr. Philippe
IT Assistant
UPEACE
Resource
Person
University for Peace
5, chemin du Rivage ; 1292
Chambésy/Geneva
Tel: +41 (0)22 737 3080
Fax: +41 (0)22 737 3090
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.upeace.org
29 Mbagwu
Ms. Joan
UPEACE Evaluator
Evaluator
Olive Branch Konsult
31, Lagos-Abeokuta Exp way
Lagos, Nigeria
Tel: +234 08033400846
Email: [email protected]
30 Mene
Mr. A. Sunny
Coordinator
Niger Delta Foundation for
Skill Acquisition and Youth
Empowerment
Edo State
Participant
Tel: +234 08023380127
Email: [email protected]
31 Miller
Mr. Chris
Consultant, Researcher
Resource
Person
Email: [email protected]
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NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
32 Mislaw
Ms. Esther J.
Mangrove Women
Development Foundation
Delta State
Participant
Tel: +234 08035204148
Email: [email protected]
33 Muzan
Mr. Menes Abinami
Universalist Club
Participant
Tel: +234 850-617-8257
Email: [email protected]
34 Naagbanton
Mr. Patrick
Coordinator
Niger Delta Project for
Environment
Human Rights and
Development (NDPEHRD)
Participant
Tel: +234 08033367823
Email:
[email protected]
35 Njoku
Prof. Placid
Director
National Universities
Commission (NUC)
36 Nyawalo
Dr. Phoebe
Lead Evaluator
UPEACE
Final Report
Plot 430, Aguiyi-Ironsi Street
Maitama District
P.M.B. 237 Garki G.P.O.
Abuja, Nigeria
Tel: +234 9 413 3184
Email: [email protected]
Evaluator
Page 33
P.O. Box 29
Masend, Kenya
Email: [email protected]
NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
37 Okwaraofum
Ms. Grace
Observer
Participant
Email: [email protected]
38 Okon
Ms. Emem J.
Executive Director
KEBETKACHE
Woman Development and
Resource Centre
Rivers State
Participant
Tel: +234 08033363172
Email: [email protected]
39 Okosi
Mr. Randolph
Akassa Youth
Akassa National Surveillance
Brotherhood
Bayelsa State
Participant
Email: care of:
[email protected]
Tel: +234 08060558495
08051246218
40 Okwukwu
Mr. Uche
President
Participant
Congress for the Liberation of
Ikwerre People (COLIP)
Rivers State
Tel: +234 08037087483
084572934
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
41 Olawale
Mr. Albert
Peace & Conflict Studies
Programme, University of
Ibadan
Tel: +234 0803384639
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
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Participant
NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005
42 Olorunyomi
Mr. Dapo
Freedom House, Nigeria
Lagos
Planning
Team
Leader
Tel: +234 08056125881
Email: [email protected]
43 Onofiok
Mr. Wilson
Coordinator
Akpakip-Oro Youth Forum
Akwa Ibom State
Participant
Tel: +234 08035501771
Email: [email protected]
44 Reyenieju
Mr. Daniel
Itesekiri National Youth
Council
Participant
Tel: +234 08056012991
Email:
[email protected]
45 Ristau
Prof. Carolyn
Pro Natura International
Nigeria
University of Pennsylvania
Participant
Tel: +234 0806-394-8099
Email: [email protected]
46 Sampson
Mr. James
Coordinator
Odiomna Fishermen and
Farmers Association
Bayelsa State
Participant
Tel: +234 08037974956
Email:
[email protected]
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47 Sigalo
Mr. Marvin Barivure
Universalist Club
Participant
Tel: +234-802-329-0865
Email: [email protected]
48 Usanga
Mr. Chidi
Centre for Social and
Corporate Responsibility
(CSCR)
Rivers State
Local
Resource
Person
Tel: +234 08032671230
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
49 Volonnino
Mr. Dominic
Programme Assistant
UPEACE
Resource
Person
UPEACE
5, Chemin du Rivage
1292 Chambesy/ Geneva
Switzerland
Tel: +41 (0)22 737 3080
Fax: +41 (0)22 737 3090
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Website: www.africa.upeace.org
50 Wokoma
Ms. Iyenemi
UPEACE
Resource
Person
Tel: +234 08057435031
Email: [email protected]
Final Report
Page 36
NVTC Youth Leaders Training, Nigeria 2005