Dr. Anisah Ari, an Associate Professor at the University of Florida, has emphasized that women’s courage and grassroots leadership are vital tools for sustaining peace in Nigeria’s conflict-affected communities.
Ari made this known in a paper titled “Reclaiming Peace Through Truth Appeal: The Imperative of Tough Conversations in Nigeria’s Fragile Landscape,” which she shared on Sunday in Abuja.
She cited widespread banditry, abductions, armed robbery, and killings as factors destabilising communities and exposing the country’s fractured national identity and fragile security architecture.
“The country is overdue for a shift from reactive security to proactive dialogue. Peace cannot be imposed; it must be nurtured through truth and sustained civic engagement,” she stated.
Referencing her doctoral research, “Emerging Leadership Practices in Extremity,” Ari highlighted how women in Plateau State assumed peacebuilding roles when traditional institutions failed to act effectively.
According to her, Plateau women redefined peace not as an endpoint but
