The Director-General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, has acknowledged the “unwavering commitment and remarkable resilience” of the Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC) in promoting the culture of interfaith dialogue, ethno-religious tolerance, mutual understanding and human rights across the divides.
The Head of Information and Public Relations, IPCR, Josephine Ademu, said in a press statement on Thursday that Ochogwu made the assertion at the celebration of the IMC’s 30 years of dedicated interfaith peace building, national healing and conflict transformation across Nigeria and beyond.
The anniversary, held in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), was marked recently in Abuja.
Speaking on the event, Dr. Ochogwu said: “Our gathering today is not for ceremony alone, but a testament to our collective commitment to building bridges among our religious divides, advancing early warning systems, strengthening mediation and dialogue structures, and also driving inclusive growth and socio-economic development in our communities and beyond.”
In the midst of conflict and insecurity challenges in the country, he maintained that through collaboration, the IPCR and the IMC have consistently demonstrated resilience and played a key role in breaking cycles of protracted violent conflicts across the nation.
The director-general noted the two organisations’ roles of direct mediation in interfaith and ethnic crises, training of peace mediators, religious leaders and empowerment of youths and women.
He also identified the timeliness of the theme of the event, ”A legacy of Dialogue, Future of Peace,” in the light of current tensions and protracted conflicts and insecurity world wide, noting that the mismanagement of ethno-religious diversity and interfaith intolerance remained the core of these challenges.
Addressing current challenges, Ochogwu also declared that ethno-religious intolerance, misinformation and political manipulation continues to fuel conflict in the country.
He warned against divisive narrative such as claims of ”Christian genocide” in parts of the North-central region, emphasising that violent actors target people of all faiths.
He re-affirmed the commitment of the IPCR to further strengthen it’s collaboration to amplify the tenets of IMC’s Vision 2035 for sustainable peace and development.
In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd.), stressed that peace builders often go unrecognised, compared to those who spread violence, adding that sustainable peace can only be achieved if the root causes of violent conflicts are genuinely tackled.
He noted further that there is no society that is free from conflicts, urging leaders at all levels to encourage the use of dialogue rather than kinetic means of restoring peace.
In their remarks, the co-founders of the IMC, Imam Dr. Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa and Rev. Dr. James Movel Wuye, acknowledged how the Centre grew from local mediation initiative to one of Africa’s most respected community-driven peace institution, globally known for its practical model of interreligious dialogue, mediation and reconciliation.
