The Forum for National Restoration has launched the National Reconciliation and Restoration Movement to address divisions rooted in the Nigerian civil war.
The movement, unveiled at a summit in Abuja, has as its
members: Afenifere, the Northern Elders Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Igbo Elders
Consultative Forum, the Pan Niger Delta Forum, and the Ijaw National Congress.
Other member groups include the Nigerian Labour Congress
(NLC), National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), National Youth Council of
Nigeria (NYCN), National Youth Parliament (NYP), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI),
the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council — comprising the Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) —
and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), among others.
In a communiqué released after the meeting, the group said
the initiative aims to address the scars of the coups and civil war that “have
continued to divide and hold the nation back”.
“The national process will unfold in two stages: first, a
conference to establish and verify the facts of the events; and second, a
reconciliation stage where leaders from all regions will publicly commit to
forgiveness and unity. Every activity will be anchored on truth, objectivity,
respect for religion and ethnicity, dignity of all parties, and strict
non-political engagement,” the communiqué reads.
“The participants agreed that there will be a committee of
the whole house known as the National Reconciliation and Restoration Committee,
involving all the members, and shall be divided into sub-committees to spread
responsibilities, such as Contact and Mobilisation, Finance, Youth
Research/Review, Strategy/Planning, and Media/Publicity.
“The movement unanimously denounced military intervention as
an illegitimate means of governance, stressing that only lawful processes
should address grievances.
“Research publications will be launched to document and
clarify contested historical narratives. In between conferences, elders will
embark on symbolic visits to regions scarred by past violence to demonstrate
unity in action.”
D.N. Okechukwu, convener and chairman of the Forum for
National Restoration, described the initiative as a patriotic mission.
“Nigeria cannot continue to stumble forward under the weight
of unresolved pain and distrust. This movement is about truth, reconciliation,
and restoring our nation to her rightful place of glory. The time has come for
honest dialogue, forgiveness, and the courage to heal,” he said.
A.B Mamman, the movement’s patron, sought support from the
government, saying reconciliation without state backing risks remaining a mere
aspiration
“This is not about reopening old wounds but about stitching
them up properly so that they do not continue to bleed. If Nigeria must become
the nation we dream of, then we must summon the courage to face our past,
forgive one another, and move forward together,” Mamman said.
Yakubu Gowon, former military ruler, launched the three Rs
programme — reconstruction, rehabilitation and reintegration — to heal and
rebuild the country after the civil war, which lasted from July 6, 1967, to
January 13, 1970. However, debates persist that genuine healing has yet to take
place.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com