Group Trains Youths to Promote Peace in Ifon, Ilobu, Erin-Osun Communities

A peace and conflict scholar, Mr. Wasiu Adebiyi, has called on the Osun state government to incorporate young people into its peace-building agenda as part of efforts to provide a lasting solution to the crisis affecting Ifon in Orolu Local Government Area and Ilobu in Irepodun Local Government Area of the State.

Adebiyi made the call on Thursday during a three-day training programme on Conflict Resolution, Mediation, Non-violent Communication and Civic Advocacy for 30 Youth Ambassadors for Peace drawn from the affected communities.

The training organized by Future Builders Initiative (FBI) in partnership with Peace Education Advocacy and Climate Action for Development (PEACAD Network) with support from the German Federal Foreign office through the IFA Zivik funding programme.

Speaking at the programme, Adebiyi noted that youths are often the ones used to perpetrate violence during communal conflicts, stressing that their involvement in peace-building efforts is critical to achieving sustainable peace.

He explained that educating youths on conflict resolution and civic engagement would help transform them into ambassadors of peace rather than agents of violence.

According to him, engaging young people in peace initiatives would help curb recurring clashes and foster lasting harmony among residents of the communities. The larger percentage of people who are often instrumental to the conflict the youths have largely been left out of the reconciliation process.

“The government should incorporate young people into its peace-building agenda because they are often the ones being used to perpetrate violence in these communities. If they are properly informed about the dangers and consequences of their actions, they can instead become change agents and promote peaceful coexistence among their people.”

He said, “This programme is aimed at providing a lasting solution to the conflict and violence currently taking place in Ifon, Ilobu and Erin-Osun.

“My session is to introduce participants to the concepts of peace, conflict and violence. I explained that when conflict is not properly managed, it can escalate into violence. I also taught them how to be good ambassadors of Future Builders Initiative, the organisers of this programme.

“I commend the organisers for taking this initiative to the grassroots. For the past seven to eight years, the government has been trying to resolve the crisis mainly through community elders.

Also speaking, Executive Director of Peace Education Advocacy and Climate Action for Development, Akinremi Olawale, said the group in partnership with Future Builders Initiative (FBI) organised a three-day training programme aimed at promoting peace and preventing recurring conflicts among the communities of Ifon, Ilobu and Erin-Osun in Osun State.

Olawale, said the initiative was designed to address the recurring conflicts that have plagued the communities for decades.

According to him, the communities of Ifon, Ilobu and Erin-Osun have experienced repeated clashes for over 20 to 30 years, with about six incidents recorded between 2022 and 2025 alone.

He said, “One thing about youths is that they are the pillars of development in every society. That is why we brought together 30 youths from the three communities so they can interact, understand one another and see themselves as one people.

“Our findings showed that many of those who participated in the conflicts do not even fully understand the root causes. Most people believe it is only about land or border disputes, but there are deeper issues involved.

“As part of the project, we will organise town hall meetings in the three communities and later hold a joint summit involving all stakeholders. At the end of the six-month initiative, we aim to produce practical recommendations for the communities and the government,” he said.

Meanwhile, the programme team lead for the project, Fareedat Igbayilola, said the programme was organized to promote harmony within the disputed communities in the state.

She stated, “We aimed to develop ambassadors of peace and foster peaceful coexistence to bridge the communal clashes occurring in the three communities. We also wanted to show them why peacebuilding is important and why they should live together in harmony.”

In separate interactions, three ambassadors who spoke on behalf of others Nafisat Olanrewaju from Erin-Osun, Oyedele Olamilekan from Ifon-Osun, and Oyedokun Rukayat from Ilobu commended Peace Education Advocacy and Climate Action for Development, in partnership with Future Builders Initiative (FBI), for organizing a programme that can provide lasting solutions to the long-standing conflicts in the three communities.

They expressed their delight at seeing a programme designed to resolve communal crises.

“We are very happy because this programme provides an opportunity for youth to restore the harmony and peace that has been lost over the years,” they said.

The title of this project is “Preach for Peace: Bridging the Gap for Harmonious Coexistence in Osun Communities,” which runs from February 2026 to July 2026.