PEACE IS NOT ACCIDENTAL, IT IS INTENTIONAL: PLATEAU STATE PEACE BUILDING AGENCY AT 10
At Plateau State Peace Building Agency’s 10th anniversary held at Odilins Event Centre, stakeholders gathered under the powerful theme “A Decade of Building Peace Together: Learning, Institutional Memory, and Sustaining Peace for the Future.” More than a celebration, the event marked a defining moment, highlighting ten years of institutionalised peacebuilding and launching a bold Knowledge Management Framework and Communication Strategy. Indeed, it was both a reflection on the journey so far and a renewed commitment to a more peaceful Plateau.
Her Excellency, Ngo Josephine Piyo, Deputy Governor of Plateau State, expressed sincere appreciation to security agencies, government officials, religious leaders, civil society actors, and development partners for standing firm in the pursuit of peace. In particular, she commended the military and other operatives for their sacrifices and prayed for divine strength upon them. Moreover, she praised the Director General, Dr. Julie Sanda, for her dedication, stressing that peace is not accidental but intentional, built through dialogue, early warning systems, and community engagement. Ultimately, she reaffirmed hope that lasting peace will continue to flourish across Plateau State and Nigeria.
In an opening remark, the Director General of the Plateau State Peace Building Agency: Dr. Julie Sanda welcomed stakeholders to the Plateau Peace Architecture Forum, recalling that the agency’s creation on February 2, 2016, marked a shift from reactive crisis management to preventive and structured peacebuilding. Over the years, she noted, the agency has deepened dialogue platforms, strengthened mediation, trained leaders in conflict-sensitive governance, and actively engaged youths, women, traditional rulers, and vulnerable groups. In addition, she emphasized youth empowerment, responsible communication, and linking peacebuilding with humanitarian and livelihood support. While celebrating gains, she acknowledged existing challenges and called for sustained, collective effort.
In a keynote address, Professor Chris Kwaja reflected on the broader journey of institutional peace efforts in Plateau State. He explained that the vision behind the agency was to move from response to prevention, from fragmentation to coordination. Notably, he observed that conflict has touched every citizen: through loss, displacement, and trauma, making peace everyone’s responsibility. Therefore, he urged stakeholders to preserve institutional memory, learn from past experiences, and sustain collaborative structures for a more stable future.
A major highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Knowledge Management Framework and Roadmap, as well as the 10th anniversary logo, performed by the Deputy Governor. Furthermore, goodwill messages enriched the occasion. Mr. Bali, President of PPNF, applauded the agency’s consistency; Mrs. Susan of GIZ Peacecore reaffirmed development partners’ support; M.A. Fana, representing the GOC, emphasized security-civil cooperation; Mrs. Helen Hagai underscored NGO collaboration; and Barr. Olivia Dazam stressed gender inclusion in peace processes.
The gathering also drew heads of Civil Defence, Immigration, Police, the Forest Guard, Correctional Service, and representatives of persons with disabilities, youth, and women groups—reflecting broad ownership of the peace agenda. During an interactive session, stakeholders shared candid feedback, acknowledging progress in dialogue and early warning systems while calling for deeper grassroots engagement and sustained funding.
Closing Paragraph
In a closing remarks, Mr. Elkanah Izam, Director of Administration, expressed gratitude to the state government, partners including GIZ, staff, security agencies, community leaders, youths, and the resilient people of Plateau State. He emphasized that sustainable peace is achieved not by words alone but by shared action, trust, and continuous collaboration. Therefore, as the celebration ended, the message was clear: building peace together remains the surest path to securing Plateau’s future.
