Last week, Wednesday17th of June 2021, Kara Bisichi Community elders converged at the Kent Computer training center to look at issues bewildering or affecting their unity and the way forward.
To the community leaders, Kent Computer training center is one
of the best projects done in their community to unite them. The Kent Computer
training center in Kara Bisichi was established around 2017 shortly after the community came out of crisis to unite most especially Christian and Muslim
youths who were at loggerheads. Like other computer training centers established
by Christian Faith Ministries, the Bisichi computer center was a deliberate attempt to
bring peace and unite the community which was divided by religion and
culture.
Kara Bisichi, a community in the Barkin Ladi Local government area
of Plateau State, comprises of Hausa, Fulani, and Berom peoples, and all these tribes had an understanding of each other that fueled widening gaps and crises between them.
As many of them testified during the community meeting last week, the
establishment of Kent Computer Training Center brought calm in the community to
the extent that Christian and Muslim youths could sit together to learn computer skills under one roof. For this to be even more effective, students were not asked to pay
money before accessing the training. Even as Christian Faith Ministries
is a Christian body, Muslims gladly gave out their old Mosque to be used as the
venue for the learning. After a few years, the computer center was moved to a larger venue in Bisichi, to accommodate a wider spectrum of students. A hall within a government
primary school was given out to be used, up to
this moment.
But over time, what everyone perceived as the solution
to the community’s division was gradually overlooked and youth of the other religion,
precisely Christian youths, began to withdraw from the computer training leaving
only Muslim youths behind. The instead travel each day to CFM's Du computer centre. This defeats the philosophy behind the establishment
of Kara Bisichi computer center and therefore there is a need for a quick solution to
curtail the impending ills that this may result in.
For the meeting with the elders last week to carry weight, an invitation card was sent
out to every person that matters in the community, including all religious
leaders. The meeting was impressive, as
those who attended gladly contributed to the issues raised.
One of the major questions considered was what possibly went
wrong, resulting in low patronage, most especially on the side of Christian youths
who now prefer the computer center within Du, which also has only Christian youths.
In response to the above question, a Christian Community
leader, Javlanda G. Choji said, “Some of the major issues that are gradually destroying
the unity which is also affecting Kent Computer Center in Kara Bisichi are conspiracy
theories. This is bringing harm, not just
to our community, but we are being unnecessarily wicked to our own children. In today’s
world, ICT is the basic knowledge that every child needs. Without computer
knowledge, or ICT skills, no one can be effective in his or field of study. The world
is going digital and it takes a lot of money to learn all these things and if
we ignore this opportunity our children will suffer. Today, most of the teachers we have in public
primary or secondary schools are obsolete because of this same issue. I am now retired as an education officer, so I know what I am saying. By the grace of God, I have supervised many schools
and discovered that most teachers are obsolete and I can say this without apology. It's a great thing for a religious body (CFM) to open a school for the benefit of all people in a community, so if we overlook this we will have ourselves to blame. And let
me tell you people this, if we don’t educate our children today, they will be tomorrow's security issues. This is to tell you how
important education is to peacebuilding. I have a computer business center
and I know how important it is. Let us stand up for our community and our
children’s future. Conspiracy theories that separate us won’t help us. You cannot even defeat
the enemy with conspiracy theories, if you want to defeat the enemy, simply do
the right thing.”
Mr. Choji Javlanda contributing to issues raised during the stakeholders' meeting at Kent Computer Centre, Bisichi.
Before the meeting ended, several issues were agreed upon. The meeting unanimously agreed on another door-to-door campaign, but this time around it will involve every community leader in attendance. According to them, this will also destroy conspiracy theories that are pulling them apart. The meeting also agreed on a bulletin which contains useful information concerning the computer center and its importance to the community. This bulletin will be taken to churches and mosques within the community. The meeting pleaded that adult education which includes government staff or civil servants should be included in the timetable. Its also the purpose to train children from the government school. even oping the centre up to other children's government school in the wider region.
Finally, all at the meeting agreed to work harder to make sure
peace is possible. A good foundation has been laid by Christian Faith Ministries
and they must overcome division and build on it.
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