Not a few stakeholders, especially the various administrations that have governed Yobe State have attempted to weigh in on the historical circumstances in Potiskum, where the legacy of colonialism persists, and have created a situation of perpetual conflict any rivalry between two First Class emirs, each claiming legitimacy. In this report Arewa PUNCH in Damaturu delivers the thoughts of Dr. Suleiman A. Jaji, the Talban Potiskum who is an accomplished academician and seasoned administrator on the need to sensitise citizens to the importance of peace, reconciliation, and peaceful coexistence, which cannot be overstated.

Dr. Jaji examines the historical antecedents of this condition and offers solutions to preventing future catastrophes.

In the wake of the devastating Boko Haram insurgency and other security issues in the Northeast, Nigeria, and in Potiskum city in particular, the need to sensitise the citizenry of the imperatives of peace, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence cannot be underestimated. This need is heightened given the peculiar historical circumstances in Potiskum in which the legacy, or more correctly put, the bane of colonialism still lingers in the ancient settlement. As a result, a situation of permanent, perineal conflict and rivalry that has the potential to explode into violence exists in the form of a situation of two First Class emirs inhabiting the same city, each laying a claim to legitimacy. This essay is an attempt to examine the historical antecedents of the condition in Potiskum with a view to offer, tentatively, a permanent solution that may prevent a possible future catastrophe in the area.

On the 25th of January 2025, the Yobe State Hisbah Commission, Damaturu organised a one – day engagement with religious leaders, women and youth on the “Imperatives of Peace Building, Tolerance and Reconciliation” in Potiskum in one of its efforts to fulfil its core mandate of promoting sustainable peace, deepening communication and harmonious coexistence. This was a two – hour sensitisation or discussion event with religious leaders, women, and youth, which I had the privilege of representing H R H the Mai of Potiskum. In attendance were the representatives of the Moi of Fika and high-ranking security agents as well as the Deputy Chairman of the Local Government and other dignitaries such as State Hisbah Commander and many others. It was a well-attended event, and the insights provided at the occasion were worthy of commendation.

Moreover, the video and audio clips I was able to see and listen to, though not so comprehensive, indicated to me that the paper presenters did their best to do justice to the topic.

However, since our youthful Hisbah Commission is just taking off, I think that it is not out of place for one to offer to contribute on the topic as one’s own personal view and interpretations of the theme of the occasion. This way, one may have contributed not only to assisting but also to improving the efforts of the state Hisbah at creating the necessary peace and tranquillity in our state. Consequently, this may fill in some of the gaps or expectations that the workshop might have inadvertently not covered. This, however, is merely tentative, given the longstanding historical situation and the numerous efforts by concerned authorities to tackle the ever-present uneasy calm in Potiskum.

Since this is the second of such engagements organised in Yobe State, which I attended, it is my hope that this effort at sensitising the public will be sustained for the benefit of our people. Moreover, it is my hope that this tentative and modest proposal will go a long way in ameliorating the uncertainty and silent fear of the unknown in the area.

I wish to highlight the imperatives of peace – building, tolerance and reconciliation in Yobe State in general and Zone B in particular which I thought the workshop should have largely dwelt on. In my final analysis, I suggested strategies for sustainable peace, tolerance, reconciliation, and mutual coexistence in the Potiskum community.

The Wider Perspective of Imperatives of Peace and Reconciliation

To fully understand and appreciate the importance and relevance or otherwise of the imperatives of peace, reconciliation and mutual coexistence in Potiskum and environ, one needs to bring out the whole historical context to do justice to not only the objectives of the engagement but also the political, cultural and economic importance of the theme of the engagement. This requires an examination of the whole gamut of the historical, cultural, social, and political relations of not only the people of the area but also that of the two paramount traditional rulers of Potiskum and Fika.

https://punchng.com/don-charts-ways-to-peaceful-coexistence-reconciliation-in-yobe-emirate/