The Chairman of Capital oil and Gas, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, Gov. Lalong, Gov. Geidam, NNPC GMD, others conferred with the prestigious Fellowship award of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC)

The Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Governor of Yobe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Geidam and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, today, bagged the prestigious Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators award in Abuja.

The Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) is a professional body of practitioners in Nigeria that regulates and set standards for the practice of mediation and conciliation.

Others who were conferred with the prestigious Fellowship award of the ICMC during the Annual Conference and Induction Ceremony 2017 in Abuja include: Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, DG, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Abaloma, DG of the Nigerian Law School, Dr. Olanrewaju Onadeko (SAN) and the Chair of the Delta State Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Emmanuel Onyidike Efeizomor.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the induction ceremony for the awardees, Ubah said alternative dispute resolution mechanism remained the best way of resolving any conflict.

He also noted that there was so much work to be done in order to promote this noble Institute and its work. He summed it up by charging his fellow awardees to continue steadfastly in preaching their message of peace among Nigerians.

In his goodwill message, Governor Lalong stated that his "state is a direct beneficiary of mediation and conciliation", urging both public and private institutions to embrace the concept for swift conflict management. Lalong further declared that the deployment of security operatives during conflict was no longer yielding fruitful results, but called for the use of ADR as a veritable means of managing disputes.

The NNPC boss, Dr. Maikanti Baru while expressing his gratitude to the institute, revealed that his corporation had adopted the twin concepts of mediation conciliation as the first route of dispute resolution, adding that they are cheaper than litigation. 

President of the ICMC, Mr. Emeka Obegolu said his Institute preferred the promotion of mediation and conciliation for dispute resolution, adding that "they are a vehicle to the enthronement of political, communal and ethnic/tribal peace and harmony in Nigeria."

Emeka noted: "We are challenged to continue to interrogate the incessant crisis that bedevils the polity and threatens to tear the social fabric of our society apart."

In his presentation as a keynote speaker, Deputy Senate President, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu who spoke on the theme of the conference: "Myth and Reality of Agitations; The Place of Consensus Building," said Nigeria as presently constituted is not working. Ekweremadu lamented that Nigerians were split along ethnic and religious lines. "As a nation, however, we have to tell ourselves the hard truth. Nigeria, as currently constituted, is certainly not working well. Nigerians are not only dangerously split along ethnic, religious, and sectional lines, the gap is widening on a daily basis. The trend of insults and divisive verbal attacks traded by younger ones against one another’s ethnicities, sections, and religions on the social media on every matter do not also inspire any hope of a brighter future. "Therefore, I believe the constituent parts of this country must come together around the table immediately to discuss and agree on how to fix the country. I also believe that the 2014 National Conference Report is a starting point.

"It is the most recent roadmap produced by every shade of opinion and group in the country. Sadly, it has been abandoned to gather dust. It is rather unfortunate that several months after the Senate requested Mr. President to transmit the Report to the National Assembly for legislative actions, nothing has happened. We only read a recent statement credited to the presidency to the effect that it has no confidence in the Confab Report. I do not believe, in good conscience, that a report produced by the cream of all spheres and units of the Nigerian society is worthless. Does the present government intend is to set in motion a process to convoke another conference, which outcome it can trust? That will be a waste of time and resources. But, whichever way we look at it, Nigerians must work out a blueprint for a workable, equitable, and prosperous nation. We cannot continue to play the ostrich while our world appears to sink. It is heartwarming that ADR now thrives in the country and practitioners are eager to lend their expertise and weight to the consensus building efforts," the Deputy Senate President said.