The University of Uyo and its host communities have reached a peace agreement to end a 35-year-old dispute, paving the way for a new relationship anchored on dialogue, cooperation and mutual understanding.
The breakthrough came on Saturday during a peace and mediation meeting held at the office of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Christopher Nyong Ekong, with university officials and representatives of the host communities participating.
The development marks a major departure from decades of strained relations which had been characterised by disagreements over access, boundaries and other community interests, with earlier efforts by successive administrations to resolve the issues reportedly yielding no lasting solution.
Speaking during the meeting, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ekong, welcomed the reconciliation and stressed the importance of maintaining peaceful relations between the university and its host communities. He noted that a stable relationship was essential to creating an environment where the institution could effectively pursue its academic and developmental responsibilities.
The new understanding is expected to strengthen cooperation in key areas, particularly security, protection of university property, community partnership, development and the advancement of academic excellence.
For the host communities, however, the peace agreement must also address some of the issues that had contributed to the prolonged disagreement. Their delegation identified the provision and improvement of an access road and the resolution of the boundary question as two major matters requiring attention.
The issues were presented by the delegation leader and mediator, Chief Kenneth Ekponudim Ntong, LL.M, who urged the university management to give them serious consideration as part of efforts to consolidate the reconciliation.
Ntong said the demands were not aimed at reopening old wounds, but at addressing the underlying concerns that had repeatedly created tension between the university and surrounding communities, adding that lasting peace would require both sides to embrace dialogue and mutual accommodation.
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