The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stefan Roessel, has reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to peace, security and community development in Kaduna State during a direct engagement with beneficiaries of a women-led peacebuilding project at the SA-Gbagyi Palace in Chikun Local Government Area.
The visit on Monday was a learning engagement for beneficiaries of the project titled “Strengthening Women Interfaith Leadership for Human Rights, Transitional Justice and Democratic Stability,” being implemented by the Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC) with support from the German Government.
The highlight of the visit was the conferment of a traditional title on the envoy by the Esu Chikun Sa Gbagyi, Mr Ishaku Yari, who turbaned Ambassador Roessel as the Ase Manai Chikun Chiefdom*, meaning Ambassador of Peace of Chikun Chiefdom.
The visit provided an opportunity for the Ambassador to hear directly from the women and youth beneficiaries about the impact of the project, their experiences and expectations, particularly on promoting women’s participation in peacebuilding, human rights and democratic stability.
Speaking at the palace, Ambassador Roessel described the relationship between Germany and Nigeria as longstanding, stressing his country’s commitment to supporting peace and mutual understanding among Nigerians irrespective of ethnic and religious differences.
He expressed satisfaction with the achievements of the project, especially in strengthening women’s participation in society, politics, peacebuilding and security.
“I’m very glad that Germany could contribute to that kind of understanding and further strengthening of communities in Kaduna State,” he said.
Roessel assured the beneficiaries that their appeal for extension of the programme would be communicated to relevant authorities in Abuja and Berlin, expressing hope that the intervention would be sustained.
He also emphasized youth empowerment, noting that Nigeria’s youthful population makes investment in vocational training, education and skills development imperative, adding that Germany is already supporting such initiatives through its development cooperation programmes.
The German envoy further reaffirmed his country’s support for peace and security initiatives in Northern Nigeria, particularly in areas affected by insecurity and the crisis in the Lake Chad Basin, noting that the challenges have wider regional and international implications.
He thanked the Esu Chikun Sa Gbagyi and his traditional council for the honour and warm reception.
Earlier, the Project Coordinator, Mr Samson Auta, said the initiative was designed to amplify women’s voices and strengthen their role in building peaceful and inclusive communities. He explained that empowering women has multiplier effects on society through their influence on children, youths and community members.
Auta said participants had been equipped with knowledge and skills in women’s rights, interfaith leadership and democratic stability, noting that women remain central to achieving sustainable peace.
He expressed concern over hate speech and inflammatory political rhetoric ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging beneficiaries to reject violence and promote peaceful coexistence. He disclosed that the nine-month project is scheduled to close on November 26, with plans to involve the Ministry of Internal Security in its closing and sustainability activities.
In his goodwill message, peace advocate, Pastor Dr Yohanna Buru, commended the German Government and its Embassy for supporting peacebuilding in Nigeria, describing promoters of peaceful coexistence as life savers.
Buru appealed for an extension of the project to enable beneficiaries deepen their knowledge.
One of the beneficiaries from Kafanchan, Mrs Alice Simikin, said the project empowered her to advocate for women and contribute to community development, adding that she is now training youths in vocational skills for self-reliance.
Simikin, whose father benefited from a German Government training programme in Germany over 38 years ago, appealed for similar opportunities for Nigerian youths to acquire skills abroad and return to contribute to national development.
Another beneficiary from Kaduna Central, Mr Shadrach David, described the intervention as impactful, saying it had improved participants’ capacity and practical skills for community development, while appealing for its continuity.
On behalf of youth beneficiaries, Ms Peace Jerry from Kajuru LGA said the training equipped them with knowledge on religious freedom, women’s rights, gender-based violence and referral pathways for survivors.
She noted that many victims of abuse in rural communities do not know where to seek help, adding that as a community facilitator, she now shares knowledge on identifying abuse and referring survivors to appropriate services.