By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
Ilorin – Prof. Oyeronke Olademo of the University of Ilorin says the institution has advised two Kwara communities, Share in Ifelodun LGA and Tsaragi in Edu LGA to embrace dialogue as conflict resolution.
Olademo, who is the leader of the research team, disclosed this on Tuesday during the presentation of the Faculty of Arts Share/Tsaragi Research Group in the university.
She urged the warring communities to address issues of communal rift amongst themselves.
Olademo said that the institution had intervened in the long-standing communal clashes between Share and Tsaragi communities in Kwara with a view to finding a lasting solution to the perennial crisis.
She said that the intervention was part of the effort to discharge its community service mandate to the state.
“The university, through its Faculty of Arts Research Team set up to foster peace and harmony between the two neighbouring communities, has identified internal mechanisms as the only potent tool that can bring permanent solution to the land dispute between the two communities,’’ she said.
Olademo, who is also a Professor of Comparative Religion, recommended inter-marriage, joint projects such as religious and social competitions as some of the internal mechanisms that could stem the tide of the crisis between the two communities.
She advised traditional and religious leaders in Share and Tsaragi communities to imbibe the culture of communication and dialogue among themselves rather than being confrontational.
The don said that the research team began its exercise in January 2019, adding that the team was sponsored by TETFund to foster peace between Share and Tsaragi communities.
She said that the research team looked into the internal mechanisms to solve their crises having understood that all the external mechanisms provided in the past did not work.
The Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof. Abdulrasheed
Adeoye, appealed to the two communities to sheathe their swords and continue to live together in peace.
Adeoye said that the land should not become an object of rift because “we all met the land and we shall all go to the world beyond one day and leave the land behind.’’
The dean urged the people to be mindful of the fact that “the same land everybody is fighting over will swallow us one day as the ultimate end of every one is the grave.’’
(NAN)