WE SHALL OVERCOME This past week has been an extremely sad week for us as a community, the State and the Country as a whole. We are distraught by the growing threats of violence as evident by the resurgence of nocturnal attacks in some communities across Plateau state. This ugly turn of events have indeed sapped out our energy and left us teary-eyed. It is therefore with a deep sense of sadness that we once again offer our deepest condolences to the people of Ncha Village, Taagbe village, Nkedonwhro Village of Irigwe Chiefdom, Miango of Bassa LGA of Plateau State. The victims were mostly children, women, and men whose potentials and contributions to the community, state, and country at large were gruesomely cut short. This renewed episode of violence has left us wounded, hurt and angry at being confronted with naked reminders of the gory dark days of the past. Once again, we join other people of good conscience to condemn these attacks. We understand how our people must be feeling- despair, pain, and verbs too numerous to be put in writing. We know that the dark days of crisis are not far behind, they didn't just vanish or wished away by the passing of time. Our society is a transitional society, we have only stepped our toes out of a perpetual or rather endless vicious cycle of violence. Yet, the possibility of some wicked and Godless individuals exploiting our fragile vulnerabilities still linger high. In times likes this, we must also remind ourselves of what we are, a shiny beacon of a united human strength. We have weathered darker days, risen up to tougher contending challenges and we have met the baser form of humanity, and despite the trying times, we responded with what we are, a testament to our human strength in seemingly impossible adversity. Our long walk to peace has only begun; our resolve will be repeatedly tested, our unity will be questioned, and at other times, we may feel overwhelmed by the challenges that may abound. We must not waver or falter; we must draw strength from our collective unity which is the sure way of seeing us out of these dark days. Peace is not political, and violence is never about policies that work or not, but are a test of our unity of purpose. There are no points to be gained in the loss of human life, we as a people need to bond together as in the days of old, reignite our age-long values of community oneness and the hallmark of our very being. With a loud voice, we urge our people to draw strength from these challenges and not to hold on to resentment, feel weak nor afraid. We only ask you to take courage, as the brave soul can mend any disaster. We assure our people, that even though the wheels of justice turn slowly, they will surely turn. We appeal that we guard against reckless rhetoric’s and language going forward, a lot of us have resorted to using languages suggesting harm and violence, some persons are still testing our resolve by using spiteful words to further enflame and annoy us. They are trying not only to break our bonds of unity but also to sow yeasts of dissent and hate in the minds of our people and even children. We cannot afford to have the next generation making enemies instead of bonding over our shared human ancestry. It is not the time to apportion blame to any one corner, as these acts of violence have revealed lapses in our unity of purpose, the fault in our community spirit were exploited against us and it is a time we work on our unity above all else. We have seen how inadequate our words and actions have been, especially the hate speeches and internet bullying of each other. This is an indicator for us to pick up the gauntlet of peace and unity; to envision what is possible when we remember that we are one. Ugliness as such proffers us the sad opportunity of making beautiful, we live with our mistakes, but we strive to leave better societies for our future generation. We must also guard against the negative influence of certain social media users who enjoy beating the drums of war in order to whip our people into a state of ethnic and religious fervor. Their shallow sense of patriotism is nothing but a double-edged sword that heats up the blood yet narrows the mind.For when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood simmers with hate and the mind has closed, such people gain some sense of Pyrrhic victory. Yet the problem persists. We appreciate all those who showed their human love to the communities affected in both Bassa and Barkin Ladi local government areas of Plateau state. We ask for prayers and support for the orphans, widows, and widowers in the affected communities. Today we ask for your help in preventing further bloodshed and building enduring Peace in our state. No Government, security agencies, organization and individuals can do it all alone. we ask for a united effort towards an enduring Peace in Plateau state and Nigeria as a whole. But today should be the day, the day we unite in our resolve for Peace, Mercy, Truth, and above all, Justice for all people. PLATEAU MUST UNITE and PLATEAU SHALL OVERCOME!! Joseph Lengmang Director General Plateau peace Building Agency