“All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart”.
The above words of empathy and sympathy carefully crafted by Tahereh Mafi in a book “Shatter Me” found relevance on Monday 1st April, 2024 when Hon Caroline Panglang Dafur, Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development in the demonstration of her intrinsically built empathetic and sympathetic nature reached out and touched the lives of her people
From Fungyallang in Langtang North to all the four districts of Mikang Local Government Area, the love for humanity by Hon Dafur reveberated across the length and breadth of the places affected by the needless communal clash.
An uncommon sacrifice yet an explicit justification of her position as the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, a position synonymous with maternal affection and philanthropic gestures, Hon Dafur mobilized all resources amounting to millions of naira within her disposable and acquired materials such as wrappers and other essential things including cash donations to alleviate the hardship of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the whole Local Government
It would be recalled that following the unfortunate communal clash between the Tehl and Tarok people of Mikang and Langtang North LGAs, Hon Dafur in a statement on Sunday, 24th March 2024 said “I am devastated by what I saw today. This betrays the age long peaceful relationship between the Two Local Governments that have been intimately interwoven in communal, mutual and cordial coexistence”.
She added that “what dialogue cannot give, monologue cannot give, so therefore, it is imperative that we embrace dialogue to resolve our differences”
Going beyond words to demonstration of empathy to alleviate the suffering of the Internally Displaced Persons, Hon Dafur, a pragmatic and passionate leader who is the voice of the Mikang people in the State Executive Council mobilized and sacrificed resources and distributed same to her people.
During the presentation the emotionally touched commissioner emphasized that “I lack the right words to adequately describe my sadness over what happened. It was really regrettable that because of a parcel of land, many lost their lives and property burnt”.
“Please let always use dialogue to resolve issues in the family and community. With understanding, we will find solution to every problem. Seeing people made homeless in their own homeland because of communal clash in this era is sad” she added
“Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has always preached peace and forgiveness and as his people, we must emulate his footsteps to ensure that we reconcile and renew our relationship with our neigbours, with whom we share so many things in common”.
“In the spirit of Easter which signifies forgiveness, reconciliation and renewal, we must reconstruct our relationship again with our neighbours no matter how hurt it feels because there is no alternative to peace”
“The little I have made efforts to provide may not be enough to make you comfortable but I because I know what it means not to have especially under this circumstances, I had to provide these items within the scarce resources I could mobilized. It is my prayers that the issues leading to this clash are resolved amicably”.
“As your voice in the state I assure that Governor Mutfwang shares in our grief as a father and prioritizes the plight of internally displaced persons and he treats it with outmost importance and the urgency it requires because people have been forced to flee their homes due to this conflict while their property and means of livelihoods are destroyed”.
“In these perplexing conditions, it is crucial for National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), political and community leaders to step up and provide assistance to our people that are in dire need of basic amenities
Hon Caroline Panglang Dafur whose sole aim of joining politics is to serve humanity has again reaffirmed this high held ideology with this act of kindness which does not only showcases her commitment to serving the most vulnerable members of society but also highlights the importance of providing support to those in need, especially during times of celebration like Easter and reflection such as this post communal clash
Also, in fulfilment of the biblical injunctions to mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice, the Commissioner described family as the breeding ground for peace and community advancement.
Hon Dafur stated this when she graced two wedding solemnization in Mikang. She noted that “the family is the most important nucleus of the society. When there is peace in our homes, there will be peace in the society, so therefore we must strive always to ensure peace in our homes”.
“As you begin your marital journey today, I pray yours to be amongst the best. Always show love and respect to each other and peace will naturally abide in your home”.
Also, in an incongruous blend of pleasure with pains, Hon Dafur in poignant moment, visited and consoled with her people who lost their loved ones. She prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed and urged the relations to see death as a transition path from mortality to immortality
The Commissioner’s Easter in summary was the tour the four districts of Mikang, attending two weddings and equally accompanying Sen Naopleon Binkap Bali, Chairman, State Committee on Security to Fungyallang for on the spot assessment of the extends of damages the ugly conflict caused.
