CONAECDA 2017 COMMUNIQUE

COMMUNIQUE OF THE FOURTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF AUTOCHTHONOUS ETHNIC NATIONALITIES COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS (CONAECDA 2017), HELD AT ELIEL CENTER AND GREEN VALLEY SUITES, JOS, PLATEAU STATE, FROM 2^ND TO 5^TH NOVEMBER, 2017

PREAMBLE

The Fourth Annual Conference Of Autochthonous Ethnic Nationalities Community Development Associations (CONAECDA) 2017, Held at Eliel Center and Green Valley Suites, Jos, from Thursday 2^nd to Sunday 5^th November, 2017. The conference of leaders of Northern Ethnic Minority Nationalities had as its theme, Unity in Diversity: the Roles and Challenges of the Autochthonous Ethnic Communities In attendance at the opening ceremony were dignitaries, delegates and observers. The Executive Governor of Plateau State was represented the Deputy Governor, Professor Sonni G. Tyoden, who declared the conference open. Delegates of the Community Development Associations and Socio-Cultural Organizations, comprising Presidents, Secretaries, Women and Youth Leaders, came from the North West, North East and North Central geopolitical zones.

In his speech, the Deputy Governor called on delegates to work together for unity and to commit themselves to the values that will build a vibrant Nigeria. He also cautioned against the use of ethnicity and identity politics as tools to divide the people, but call on the Conference to use the CONAECDA platform to harness and utilize our ethnicity and diversity towards creating a culturally rich and united country.

In his remarks, the Tor Tiv represented by the Ter Tiv Plateau State, Chief Peter Aper, called on the secretariat to always be transparent and carry the people along; as the Tiv saying goes, “ He who roasts yam for a blind man should be whistling to assure the blind man that he is not eating his yam.”  He also assured the participants of his continued support towards the attainment of the noble objectives of CONAECDA.

The National Coordinator of CONAECDA, Dr. Z.K.A. Bonat, delivered the keynote address. In the keynote address the speaker highlighted the vital role minorities play in keeping Nigeria together. He identified minorities as the unifying force in Nigeria and called on the delegates to produce a blueprint that would ensure the preservation of our rich cultural diversity while ensuring our unity.

During the business and plenary sessions, reports were received from the Conference Secretariat, whose Annual Report was received and adopted. The Conference also received reports from various State Forums and some community associations that the member organizations of CONAECDA. Position papers covering various subjects and issues were presented and thoroughly deliberated upon.

Following deliberations the Conference adopted the following resolutions.

RESOLUTION 1: NATIONAL UNITY

Conference observed that Nigeria as a multi-ethnic and multi-national state, but whose ruling elites and institutions have failed to recognize and appreciate these distinctive features of the country. This is due in part to;

a.     Pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial narratives that seek to diminish or destroy ethnic identities and to replace them with a false Nation State Identity.

b.     Policies and constitutional provisions that have personalized citizenship and residency rights, while ignoring and degrading Indigeneship and community rights and obligations that are enshrined in United Nations Declarations and Instruments.

c.      A faulty federal structure.

d.     Lack of good governance.

e.     Primordial tendencies and latent animosity among Nigerian peoples purposely driven by the ruling elites.

f.       Non Justiciability of human and peoples rights.

g.     Lack of recognition of Minority and indigenous peoples rights.

h.     Lack of fairness and justice among the various classes and the component ethnic nationalities of the Nigerian State.

Conference therefore resolved as follows:

1.     That we, the Ethnic Minority Nationalities of the Northern States remain committed to the Unity of Nigeria and shall resist any attempt to dominate, subjugate, exterminate or forcefully assimilate us by any group in the Nigerian Federation.

2.     That we are committed to the preservation of our independence and rights, and will work together with all ethnic Nationalities who share our values in promoting national cohesion, justice and equality among all Nigerians.

3.     That we are committed to work with all Nigerians and the international community to build a vibrant Nigeria where every Nigerian is respected and every ethnic group recognized and empowered to maintain their identity and develop their communities and cultures.

4.     We therefore agree to set forth the following as our demands and recommendations towards national unity and development.

i.        Nigerians should, and the Nigerian State must, work to stop the genocidal attacks on northern minorities.

ii.                  We demand a Review  of the land use act to guarantee the rights of communities over their lands.

iii.                We demand that Communities should have reasonable control over natural resources on their land.

iv.               We support the 2014 National Conference recommendation to create new states

v.                 We call for urgent steps by governments and community organisations to control land grabbing in the Middle Belt and the minority areas.

vi.               We call on government to address environmental degradation that has caused migrations and conflicts in the country.

vii.             We demand a stop to the attacks by some northern states governments against our traditional institutions and a guarantee of their dignity in line with the articles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Minorities and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

viii.           We demand that government addresses violations of the rights of religious minorities in the Northern States, and the establishment of National Religious Rights Commission on the same lines as the National Human Rights Commission.

ix.                We ask for a holistic, systems-based approach to the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

x.                  We demand that the National Assembly should amend the Constitution to make human rights and the right to development justiceable.

xi.                We demand the Federal and State Governments should be neutral on matters of religion.

xii.              We demand the full implementation of National Policy on Education on the use of mother tongue as language of instruction in all pre-primary and primary education in all communities in Nigeria.

xiii.            We demand that government address the injustices being suffered by the Original Inhabitants and Aboriginal Peoples of the FCT.

xiv.           We demand a clear distinction and enunciation of Citizens, indigenes and residence rights in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

xv.             We demand Constitutional provisions for Minority and Indigenous peoples rights.

xvi.           We recommend improved security by Multi-tier policing (Federal, State, Local and Community Policing) as was the case in the First Republic before the military rulers changed it.

RESOLUTION 2: RURAL BANDITRY AND CONFLICTS WITH HERDSMEN

Conference observed with dismay the increase in conflicts affecting our rural communities and resulting in deaths, injuries and material losses to rural dwellers, farmers and herders.

Conference therefore resolved as follows:

1.     That we support the gradual and strategic control of open grazing and its eventual replacement with ranching as was done in North and South America, in Europe and other advanced nations in response to development and violence experienced by farmers and herders.

2.     That we sympathize with and extend our condolence to all who lost loved ones in the conflicts, this is especially to those in Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Kaduna, Kogi and many other States. Accordingly;

a.     We sympathize we the Irigwe for the loss of over 100 lives within one week and wonder how the Irigwe, who are the host communities to the 3^rd Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army can be subjected to a weeklong massacre without the knowledge of the security agencies knowing that such militias are operating within their vicinity.

b.     We demand a thorough investigation of the massacre of the Irigwe people in Plateau State, and especially the role of the security forces, and that the report of the investigation be made public and those found to have shirked their responsibilities should be sanctioned in accordance with the law.

c.      We condemn in totality the lopsided response of the government to the Farmers-Herders conflicts.

d.     We demand that the federal government puts a stop to this wanton destruction of lives and properties of Nigerians.

e.     Conference hereby restates its position that communities reserve the moral and legal rights to defend themselves and to protect their lives and communities.

3.     That we support the peoples of Benue and Taraba states in their effort to resolve violent conflicts through control and modernization of animal husbandry as embodied in the open grazing prohibition laws.

RESOLUTION 3: PEOPLES’ HISTORY PROJECT

Conference observed the unfortunate but deliberate distortions of ethnic Minority history, the destruction of historical materials and the poor documentation and preservation of the history of Minority ethnic nationalities.

Conference therefore resoles as follows:

1.     That a people’s history of all ethnic groups be written by the ethnic groups and documented by CONAECDA, starting from January 2018 to December 2023.

2.     That CONAECDA shall establish archives and libraries for the documentation and preservation of historical materials and documents.

3.     That the history of our peoples should be taught in all primary and secondary schools in the respective northern states.

4.     That we support on-going efforts to restore the teaching of history in our schools, and that history should be made compulsory at all levels of education in Nigeria.

RESOLUTION 4: RELIGION

Conference observed the unfavorable abuse of religion as a divisive tool among its member communities.

Conference therefore resolves as follows:

1.     To put in place a committee on religious relationships.

2.     To hold periodic religious conferences that will bring together religious leaders across the various faiths.

RESOLUTION 5: FUNDING OF CONAECDA AND ITS PROGRAMMES

Conference observed the financial challenges involved in running its secretariat and programmes. Conference, having received the recommendations of the North East Community Intervention Programme on funding hereby resolved as follows:

1.     That a Community Development contribution of a minimum of 100 Naira payable by all adult autochthons annually is hereby instituted.

2.     That a community intervention and development fund (CIDF) is hereby established.

3.     That a General and Special Funds under the CIDF are hereby established to cover the following areas.

a.     North East Community Fund/ Community Intervention Fund

b.     Minority Languages Development Fund

c.      Community Development Fund

d.     Investment Trust Fund

e.     Fund for Minority and Indigenous Peoples Rights

f.       Governance and Leadership Development Fund

4.     That the month of March every year shall be the CONAECDA Fundraising Month and shall be observed internationally.

RESOLUTION 6: ROYAL AMBASSADORS

Conference in line with its resolution in CONAECDA 2016 to engage appropriately with the traditional institutions, further resolved to establish and appoint traditional rulers into the following offices.

1.     The Royal Ambassador on Preservation and Development of Minority Languages

2.     The Royal Ambassador on Community Development

3.     The Royal Ambassador on Minority and Indigenous Peoples Rights

4.     The Royal Ambassador on the North East Intervention.

RESOLUTION 7: DISCOURSE ON RESTRUCTURING NIGERIA

Conference took cognizance of the on-going national discourse on restructuring, and the working papers on the subject produced and circulated by the National Secretariat. Conference considered the advice by His Excellency the Deputy Governor of Plateau State over engaging in the discourse with the unity of Nigeria in view. Conference further received and thoroughly discussed a paper by the Conference Secretariat on proposed Minorities and Indigenous Peoples Agenda, and resolved as follows.

1.     That Northern Minorities shall not be involved in any discussion with any group over the dismemberment of Nigeria.

2.     Conference adopts the Minorities and Indigenous Peoples Agenda, and directs the Secretariat to circulate it to all member organisations of CONAECDA for guidance on our struggles for equity and justice in the restructuring of the Nigerian federation.

3.     That we support the 2014 National Conference resolution that the states shall remain the federating units of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

4.     That all ethnic minorities in their dealings with one another across and within states, local governments and communities, shall observe the hallowed principles of justice, equity and inclusive governance.

The Conference was concluded with a prayer for National Unity at the COCIN Headquarters Church Jos, on Sunday 5^th having planned similar prayers for Ansar-u-deen Central Mosque, Jos on Friday 3^rd November 2017.

Signed

Da Erickson Fom

Conference President

Dr. Z.K. A. Bonat

National Coordinator

Suleman A. D. Sukukum

Conference Secretary