Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa

Saturday, 18 June 2022

SFCG's TOOLKIT FOR TRANSFORMING VIOLENT EXTREMISM & OTHER CONFLICTS

Between the 15th and 16th of June 2022, the Forum on Farmer-Herder Relations (FFARN) 'cum' SFCG conference was held in Abuja at the Wells Carlton Hotel, Asokoro. I have been a valued member of FFARN since inception. On the 15th of June, FFARN took stock of her activities so far (since 2017) when it was established as a forum of academics, practitioners and policy makers working towards the peaceful transformation of the farmer-herder conflict. FFARN members did their work at the conference with a view to making recommendations to the incoming administration in 2023 as regards what to do to mitigate conflict between farmers and herders.

@ dinner (the Wells Carlton Hotel, Asokoro, Abuja)

About the Toolkit:

The Toolkit is labelled: 'Prepared for peace: A cross-cutting conflict transformation toolkit for conflict & in '. I congratulate SFCG for employing the '' rather than the '' approach. I have a soft spot for the CT approach, the reasons why could detain us here...

L-R: Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa & SFCG's CEO, Shamil Idriss @ dinner

The toolkit includes the three fields of practice: , and and the four sources of conflict: violent extremism, conflicts among farmers and herders, vigilantism & banditry. The seven objectives for developing the Toolkit are:

For a breakdown of the seven concepts above, please read the original text on . Lest I forget: A little bird told me that the Toolkit had such a strong influence on its audience that members of FFARN, who were earlier winding down and putting finishing touches to their to the incoming government of Nigeria, said they were prepared to spend a few more days studying the contents of the newly launched Toolkit, with a view to incorporating relevant aspects of same into the method of formulating the White Paper/subsequent ! So you see, a good product like the Toolkit has no hiding place.

However, in my opinion, the Toolkit should be simplified for the Northern Nigeria audience, for which it is meant. This should entail translating the Toolkit into with pictorial illustration for the benefit of un-lettered citizens. The maximum number of pages for such a 'democratised' version should be four pages instead of the current English version of 102 pages! Once again, I congratulate SFCG for blazing the trail in the field of conflict transformation in Northern Nigeria.

Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa @ the

Dayo @ the dinner

Dayo outside the conference hall

STRATEGIES FOR INCLUDING WOMEN & YOUTH IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS IN NIGERIA

The 14th of June 2022 was another day when a critical mass of the populace took stock of the low level of involvement of women and youth in the political process in Nigeria. The 'x-ray' was under the auspices of the Conference of Civil Society of Nigeria (CCSN) powered by the able leadership of the Convener, Engr. Adams Otaku. The thrust of the clarion call was for Political Parties to field women and youths as running mates in the 2023 elections.

Photo L-R: & (MD & FCT Senatorial candidate for the @ the just concluded

About two months ago, the Nigeria Women Trust Fund (NWTF) challenged the Federal Government in Court and got judgement to the effect that the stipulated be respected at all levels of government. The implication of this is that in every establishment women should constitute at least 35% of the employed or appointed. Obviously, this has not been effected in Nigeria. The Federal Government has challenged the judgement in Court.

Conference banner

According to Adams Otakwu, Political Parties should field more female candidates. Less than 5% of gubernatorial candidates are women, while over 95% are men. Less than 10% of candidates for the Federal Parliament are women, while 90% are men. Less than 20% of state Parliaments are women, while 80% are men.

These figures fall far below the global average. In other climes, women constitute about 23% of the seats in Parliament according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union data. These abysmal statistics make it clear that the current process of recruitment into politics is not sustainable. Humanity cannot continue to walk on one leg, that of men.

All hands must be on deck to ensure the inclusion of women, youth, PWDs and other vulnerable groups in the political process...

Friday, 10 June 2022

THE DYNAMICS OF FARMER-HERDER RELATIONS IN NORTH-WEST NIGERIA

The Centre for Democracy & Development (CDD) held a two-day dialogue on the current dynamics of the farmer-herder crisis in North-West Nigeria between the 7th and 8th of June 2022. The dialogue was held at Hotel 2020, Wuye, Abuja. Specifically, the dialogue was to formulate/articulate a plan of action for the incoming administration at all levels of government - federal, state and local government as regards the strengthening of farmer-herder relations in North-West Nigeria.

with the (), on the first day of the dialogue...

*HRH Samaila Muh'd Mera, CON - Emir of Argungu, Kebbi state

*Dr. Kwasari - SA to the President on Agriculture

*Samuel Aruwan - Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security & Home Affairs

*Ms. Khadija Gambo - Permanent Commissioner, Kaduna State Peace Commission

*Dr. Chris Kwaja - Modibo Adamawa University of Technology, Yola

*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - Independent Conflict Transformation Strategist/Gender Specialist, Abuja

*Dr. Bakut tswah Bakut - DG Institute for Peace & Conflict Resolution (IPCR)

*Prof. Jude Momodu - Modibo Adamawa University of Technology, Yola

*Dr. James Barnett - Researcher on the CDD book project

*Barr. Yusuf Anka - Researcher on the CDD book projct

*Dr. Saeed Husaini - Research Fellow, CDD

*Dr. Aishatu Yushau Armiyau - Psychiatrist @ Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi

After intensive deliberation and exhaustive debate, the following recommendations were made for mitigating the farmer-herder crisis in North-West Nigeria.

*The herders need to be listened to more. They need to further articulate their position vis-a-vis their own perception of the farmer-herder crisis and mitigation of same.

*There should be specific sanctions for 'ethnic profiling' in the farmer-herder crisis. This should entail a proper definition and agreement on what constitutes ethnic profiling.

*There should be sanctions for impunity.

*State capacity needs to be beefed up in order to ensure that the preponderance of the use of force remains with the state and not in the hands of non-state actors. In this regard, small arms & light weapons (SALWs) need to be mopped up more effectively.

*Politics determines the economy, and by extension social relations (including farmer-herder relations). The selection process into the political space in Nigeria needs to be further interrogated in order to keep prebendalism (money politics), corruption, weaponising of religion/identity.

*The intersection between the farmer-herder crisis and banditry, kidnapping, abduction,etc needs to be further interrogated in order to sever this unholy alliance that keeps fueling the crisis.

*The influx of various ideological groups - ISWAP, ISIS, etc. needs to be focused upon. The tend to finance the crisis on a big scale while exacerbating same.

*The positive role of traditional leaders in the crisis cannot be overemphsised. A clearer mention of their mediatory/conciliatry role could be inserted into the Constitution.

*Ungoverned spaces need to be harnessed for better management, which should include effective community policing.

*Federal Government's NLTP programme needs to be expanded beyond the pilot states for more effective and efficient trickle down effect of the benefits of the concept for mitigating farmer-herder crisis.

*ADR and traditional methods of conflict transformation need to be deployed for effective management of the farmer-herder crisis.

*The Forum on Farmer-Herder Relations in Nigeria (FFARN) needs a higher level of visibility to be able to impartially intervene further in the crisis from the civil society view point.

*The gender dimensions need to be brought to the fore. Women feel the pinch of the farmer-herder crisis differently from men. For example, women become heads of households when their husbands and grown up sons are killed in the crisis. Raped women/girls, traumatised men/boys need psycho-social support which psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers,etc can provide.

*The criminal justice system, where corruption allows an innocent citizen to be substituted for a criminal in Correctional Centres needs to be properly investigated and indeed stopped in order to stop impunity in its tracks.

The recommendations above are not exhaustive. The conversation continues on the corridors, at crucial formal and informal meetings...

'COUNCIL OF THE WISE' & THE CHALLENGE OF NATIONAL UNITY

The Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy & Development (SCDDD) inaugurated its 'Council of the Wise' with a national dialogue on the Leadership Effectiveness & Accountability Dialogue (LEAD) Project in Abuja on the 6th of June 2022. I was a valued participant at the event. The two partners of SCDDD were MacArthur Foundation and Policy & Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC). Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa, OFR, CFR, President of the Court of Appeal (Rtd) is the Chair of the Council. The keynote speaker was Rev. Fr. (Dr) George Ehusani, Executive Director, Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, Abuja. Obinna Simon, (M.C. Kazuaye) and Comedian/President Muhammadu Buhari's look alike, is the represemtative of the youth on the Council.

@ the venue of the dialogue

Some of the participants are:

*Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa - President Court of Appeal (Rtd)

* - ED SCDDD & Wamban Katsina

* -

* ED Policy & Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC)

*Rev. Fr. (Dr) George Ehusani - ED, Lux Terra Foundation, Abuja/Keynote Speaker

*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - , Abuja

* - Former President, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO)

*Ms. Ann Kio Briggs - Founder, Agape Birthright(s)

* - Chairman, Partners for Electoral Reform (PER)

Photo 2nd L-R: ()/Member of Council, Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa & Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa (Retired President of the Court of Appeal)/Chair of Council

SCDDD shall provide all the logistics necessary to ensure the success of the Council in the onerous task of '' bestowed on it. Please join me in wishing the Council of the Wise all the very best in this labour of love...

Thursday, 26 May 2022

CIVIL-MILITARY COOPERATION FOR ELECTORAL INTEGRITY

On the 23rd of May 2022, I was the anchor at the Civil-Military Summit on Security & Elections with theme: 'Securing the electoral process, infrastructure & integrity in Nigeria through civil-military cooperation (CIMICO): 2023 in focus'. The convener of the summit was Engr. Adams Otakwu.

Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa (Anchor), speaking @ the Summit

In his opening address, the Convener, Engr. Adams Otakwu called attention to the fact that the Summit was a follow-up to the inaugural conference of CIMICO held between the 28th and 30th of March 'to foster civil-military cooperation and galvanise the entire citizenry to own, work together and win the war on insecurity. CIMICO is a all-encompassing initiative to protect national interest, security and assets, including elections.'

Adams reminded the audience that elections in Nigeria in the post-independence era have more often than not, been marred by various degrees of violent confrontation in the build-up,during elections and the immediate post election period. A stable and sovereign country must be in place in the first instance before anyone can freely canvass for votes, conduct or win elections...

Three major topics were discussed:

*Towards the 2023 elections in Nigeria: Preparedness & challenges - ACP N.A. Sabo (Repesentative of the I.G. of Police)

*Quality assurance & integrity of the 2023 elections: The role of citizens & stakeholders - Auwal Rafsanjani, ED, Civil Society Legislative & Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) & Chair BOT Amnesty International/Member Transparency International

*Safeguarding elections from foreign interference - Prof. Godswill Nnaji, 1st Chairman Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC)

Photo 3rd L-R: Engr. Comrade Adams Otakwu (Convener), (Minister for Women Affairs), Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa (Independent Conflict Transformation Strategist & Former Director, Institute for Peace & Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Abuja/Anchor...

Some of the participants are:

*Dame Pauline Tallen - Minister of Women Affairs

*Major-General M.A. Alkali - Representative of INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakub

*Barr. Mohammed Abubakar - Former Governor, Bauchi state

*Samuel Victor Makwe, Nigeria's Permanent Mission to ECOWAS - Representative of H.E. Amb Musa Sani Nuhu, Permanent Representative of Nigeria to ECOWAS

*Engr. Comrade Adams Otakwu - Engineer/Convener

*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - Independent Conflict Transformation Strategist & Former Director, IPCR, Abuja/Anchor

*Amb. Gabriel Aduda - Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs

*ACP N.A. Sabo - Representative of the IG of Police

*Col. Melvin Usman (Rtd) - Special Adviser to the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, on Strategic Security

*Agrih Dauda Sukukum - Representative of the DG, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr. Gabriel Abari/

*Assistant Corps Marshall - Representative of the Corps Marshall Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)

*Dahiru Isan Goronyo - Representative of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of defense

*Col p. Elayo, Deputy Director, Civil Sponsorship Desk, Civil-Military Affairs, Dept. of Civil Affairs, Army HQs

*Col. T.O. Bukoye - Director, Special Forces Operations, Nigeria Army HQs

*Ms. Ene Ede - Development Programming Strategist

*Peace Corps of Nigeria

*Sowo Smart - Centre for Prison Reforms & Inmates' Rights (CENPRIR)

*Amb. Richards Amanze - Whistle Blowers Anti-Corruption Reporting Network

Some of the issues addressed by various speakers were:

-Prebendalism (money politics) and its negative effects on election outcomes in Nigeria.

-The need for collaboration between/among the armed forces before, during and after the elections.

-Desperation of candidates could affect the quality of elections.

-Protection of voters.

-Negative effect of 'hate speech' in elections.

-Our elections need to be safeguarded against foreign interference.

-CIMICO need to intensify grassroots mobilisation towards elections.

It was indeed a fruitful summit that added a distinct voice to the on-going discourse on electoral integrity...

Dayo @ the Summit

Sunday, 22 May 2022

STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING RESPONSE TO TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS IN NIGERIA

The setting up of Task Forces on Human Trafficking in some states in Nigeria is indeed a viable strategy for improving response to trafficking in persons in Nigeria. I was a valued facilitator at the UN Office on Drug & Crime (UNODC)/National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) workshop on 'Victim identification, rescue, report and referral/review of findings of needs assessment/process of work planning/2022 alignment with the National Action Plan (NAP)'. The workshop was held between the 16th and 20th of May 2022 at Sunview hotel, Akure, Ondo state, Nigeria. My 64th birthday fell on 17th May, the second day of the workshop, and I was lavishly celebrated by colleagues and trainees. Once again, I thank you all...

cutting her birthday cake provided by colleagues & trainees @ the workshop

Some of the facilitators were:

* - UNODC

*Ms. Abimbola Adewunmi - UNODC

*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - Independent Conflict Transformation Strategist/Gender Specialist & Former Director, Institute for Peace & Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Abuja

*Morka - UNODC Consultant

* - NAPTIP

* - UNOV/UNODC Executive Director

* - EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator

* - UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking (Video Message)

* - Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan

* - Chairperson of the

During the workshop, trainees and facilitators joined two meetings via Zoom in order to have a feel of progress made by other countries like Pakistan, etc. on , referral and rescue of victims of human trafficking.

L-R: Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa & Ms. Abimbola Adewunmi (Programme Manager, UNODC). Bimbo was my student in the Dept. of Political Science, Lagos State University, LASU in the 1990s (this was a pleasant surprise for me @ the workshop)

Some of the papers delivered were:

*UNTOC Protocol on Trfficking in Persons/Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by land, sea and air.

*National framework on TIP

-The powers & functions of NAPTIP in line with the TIPPEA Act

-The structure of NAPTIP/Framework for cooperation with states

*Group work: Environment scanning - List of human trafficking & exploitation crimes in Ekiti and Ondo states.

*Refresher of knowledge of TIP and associated concepts

*The two papers I presented were:

-Sexual and gender-based violence as an element of human trafficking

-Understanding exploitation and abuse in the context of human rights

*How to strengthen & increase cooperation & referral with NAPTIP

*Exchange of information on HT between state & federal actors

*Bridging the gap: Review of findings of needs assessment

On the whole the trainee Human Trafficking Task Forces in Ondo & Ekiti states underwent intensive training under the tutelage of experienced faculty members. They developed their work-plans for the 2022-2023 at the workshop. We look forward to monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of their strides vis-a-vis their work-plans...

L-R: Dayo & Mrs. Shirley Atane, a trainee & Special Assistant Gender & Legal Matters/SA to the Attorney-General of Ekiti state on Gender

L-R: Dayo & Mrs. Kemi Okupe, a trainee and Director Youth, Ondo state Ministry of Youth & Sports Development

Colleagues & trainees celebrating Dayo on her 64th birtday

Dayo @ the workshop

L-R: Yinka Adeosun (UNODC official) & Dayo

Dayo on the 4th day of the workshop

Thursday, 28 April 2022

HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNDER THE KALEIDOSCOPE

On the 28th of April 2022 in Abuja, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), held its 25th National Stakeholders' Consultative Forum (NSCF) on Human Trafficking & Presentation of three National Policy Documents. The documents launched are:

*The National Policy on Protection & Assistance to Trafficked Persons in Nigeria

*The National Action Plan on Human Trafficking in Nigeria

*Protocol for Identification, Safe Return & Rehabilitation of Trafficked Persons

L-R: Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi (DG NAPTIP) &

The minutes of the last NSCF held on the 21st of November 2019 (pre-Covid19), were presented. Dame (Barr.) Julie Okah-Donli was DG NAPTIP then.

*Mrs. Sadiya Umar Farouk - Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management & Social Development, Represented

*Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi - DG NAPTIP

*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - Independent Conflict Transformation Strtegist/Gender Expert

*Olubiyi Olusayo - Director, Research & Programmes Dept., NAPTIP

*STF Chairman/HSAGs or Co-Chair/NAPTIP Zonal Directors

*Olatunji Rasheed - Asst. Director, Research & Programmes Dept.

*Arize Orakwe - Director, Training & Manpower Development Dept., NAPTIP

Stakeholders were very frank in their discussion. A communique was then issued. It is indeed noteworthy that the NAPTIP 25th Stakeholders' Meeting was successfully held. I look forward to the 26th edition, which I'm sure would build on the gains so far.