THE IGBO GIANT STRIDES AGAINST ALL ODDS
9 years ago
- “If you want peace, prepare for war”, so says a time honoured dictum. The import of this dictum cannot be lost on us as a nation especially with the realities of recent events around us.
- Down south, just last year (2012) a large portion of that part of the country mostly the coastal cities were submerged as rivers burst their banks after incessant rainfalls, resulting in the loss of lives and properties worth billions of naira. For weeks, displaced families relied on relief materials for their survival in hastily erected refugee camps where they took shelters. Critical link roads to city centres were cut off by the ravaging floods with catastrophic social and economic consequences.
- Up north, the growing trends of desertification has not only destroyed large portions of arable lands and deprived many farmers of their source of livelihoods but has also forced more nomadic herdsmen down into the hinterlands in search of pastures for their livestock. These migration trajectories often bring the herdsmen in direct conflict with farmers whose crops fall unto the paths of these grazing animals. The inherent conflictual tendencies have been economically costly as both crops and animals are destroyed in the ensuing cross fire. This has given rise to tension with the security of lives and properties gravely undermined in a self perpetuating circle of killings and counter killings among the contending forces.
- These incidences of desertification in the north and flooding in the south have a common denominator- climate change. Over the years, there has been growing recurrence of disasters induced by climatic changes across the world. These disasters have claimed large numbers of lives and destroyed properties as evidenced by the recent typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in the Philippines and the not too distant Hurricane Catherina in the US. While Nigeria as a nation has not experienced disasters of such magnitudes, it has however not been immune to the turbulence of horrendous adverse climatic changes finding expressions in droughts, flooding, off season rains, dry spell and rising temperatures, all of which have combined to alter the growing season of a nation largely dependent on rain fed agriculture. We have also seen lakes drying up in arid and semi arid lands resulting in limited water supplies for use not only in agriculture but hydro power generation.
- Faced with these challenges and as concerned Nigerians, it is imperative for us to imbibe a sound understanding of the monumental threats that climatic changes pose to us and so strive to go beyond the ad hoc coping mechanism typical of governments’ reactionary approaches over the years. We urgently need to tow the path of a comprehensive environmental planning/management strategy as a more realistic means of curbing dangers posed by climate change. It was against this backdrop that I applied for admission to pursue an MA Programme: Environmental Security and Peace, specialization in Climate Change and Security at the United Nations mandated University of Peace in Costa Rica.
- This MA Programme among other things helps to explore conflict, insecurity and collaboration in relation to scarcity, poor quality, and variability of resources. During the course, an understanding of the complex and interconnected challenges to peace will be developed along with an understanding of the need for multi-faceted approaches to meeting these challenges. Students will also engage critically with theories of conflict, and will develop their understanding of the theoretical resources available in the area of conflict studies. Students are expected to examine disputes and conflict over access to fresh water resources and rivers, including dam construction. Throughout the course, mechanisms and instruments will be introduced to assist the resolution and prevention of water-related conflict and insecurity including: international law; institutional arrangements; governance and policy reform; and involvement of civil society organizations. Also, we know forests play an important role in many aspects of life like mitigation of global climate change, conservation of soil and water resources, enhancement of agricultural systems, conservation of biological diversity, improvement of urban and rural living conditions, protection of natural and cultural heritage, provision of timber and other non-timber forest products, and the generation of employment. This course will look at the links between forests, forestry, and poverty with a special focus on tropical forests. Specifically, it looks at the links between poverty and deforestation, some of the possible strategies to reduce poverty through forest-based activities, and analyzes and discusses economic and policy instruments for the conservation of forests while assuring economic and social sustainability. It also analyzes the importance of forests for humans in rural populations of countries and regions in the “developing world”, different values of forests, the threats they are facing, and the challenges faced by those who try to manage them sustainably. Some of the strategies and tools to possibly reduce poverty through forests and forestry are: Payment for Environmental Services, Community Based Forestry, certification, and secure property rights.
- From the foregoing, I have no doubt that Nigeria as a nation will benefit enormously from the wealth of the knowledge I will gather from undertaking this MA Programme: Environmental Security and Peace, specialization in Climate Change and Security. The major obstacle now standing in my quest to pursue this programme is the financial cost involved and which I have attached herewith. As an indigent student, the cost implication is way beyond my reach and so I hereby wish to solicit your assistance in order to help me realise my dreams.
- Thanks in anticipation of your favourable response.
- Yours faithfully,Asogwa
- UPEACE
