MOVEMENT FOR COGNITIVE JUSTICE (MCJ) Debuts

REPORTING THIS HISTORIC EVENT

Kajit JP meeting guests at the Flag-off

In a bid to report on the above titled event, the Foundation for the Move for Cognitive Justice has decided to write this report which merely mirrors the statement given to the Media personnel present or represented.

Declaring the event started, Mr Kamil Kemanci the Chairman, President UFUK Dialogue Foundation and former Registrar Turkish-Nile University Abuja, Nigeria.

This to us, was a historic event which ushers-in the era of a new level of consciousness in the quest to build a better world through Cognitive Justice.

Media matters were handled by Mr Reuben Buhari, former spokesman to Late Governor Patrick I Yakowa of Kaduna State, Nigeria, and media personnel in attendance or reflected on record via him were, among others thus:

1. Tega Nwaiwu: CHANNELS TV
2. Husayn Zaguru: SOUND ENTERTAINMENT RECORDS LTD
3. Abdulgafar Alabelowe: THE NATION
4. Midat Joseph: LEADERSHIP
5. Luka Binniyat: VANGUARD
6. Andrew Ibidim Mshelia: outfit not indicated
7. Mayen Etim: NATIONAL EXPRESS
8. Walter Uba: NUJ
9. Christiana Alabi: DAILY TRUST
10. Noah: THE SUN
11. BLUEPRINT NEWSPAPER
12. Shiklam John: THISDAY NEWSPAPER

DATE: TUESDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2016

VENUE: KADUNA, AREWA HOUSE AUDITORIUM, 1 RABAH ROAD

TIME: 9.30 TO 2.00PM

CHAIR: MR KAMIL KEMANCI, PRESIDENT UFUK DIALOGUE FOUNDATION AND FORMER REGISTRAR TURKISH-NILE UNIVERSITY ABUJA

SPECIAL COMMENTATOR: DR MUSA USMAN ABUBAKAR, BAYERO UNIVERSITY KANO

KEYNOTE COMMENTATOR: LATE PROFESSOR STEVEN A NKOM (Honoured with Tributes).

STORY BY REUBEN BUHARI

In the quest for an equal, just, peaceful and a sustainable global society, Cognitive Justice was flagged-off/launched today in Kaduna state by the Foundation for the Move for Cognitive Justice.

 

Mr Reuben Buhari welcoming guests at the venue.

Cognitive Justice whose motto is ‘a better world is attainable’ seeks the attainment of an equal society through the fostering of effective peace building and human dignity mechanism in diverse communities, and for creating awareness/education on Cognitive Justice Peacebuilding (CJP).

The idea, according to the founder Dr Kajit J Bagu (John Paul), came up because of the problems afflicting the African Continent in particular, as well as the global South and the world.

He added that these problems are particularly the mass atrocities of Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes, as well as dehumanisation. Others include armed conflict, especially those based on ethnic and religious plurality, social injustice, inequality and the racism which makes some people seem inferior in the present world order, while others seem superior to others by virtue of identity.

Dr Kajit said the ultimate objective of Cognitive Justice is the equal recognition and treatment of different identities in democratic constitutional society, with the aim of fostering peace through the elimination of legal, political, institutional, structural, social and economic inequality of different identities, whether such inequality be direct or indirect, express or implied, visible or invisible, and whether contemporary or historical

At the launch held at the Arewa House Kaduna, Mr Kamil Kemanci, the President of UFUK Dialogue Foundation and former Registrar of the Turkish-Nile University Chaired the Occasion. He stressed the importance of dialogue as a peacebuilding strategy toward the attainment of a peaceful society.

Dr Kajit comparing notes with Mr Abdiel the Master of Ceremonies.

Dr Musa Usman Abubakar, the Sub-Dean of Law at Bayero University Kano (BUK) who also presented a paper on ‘the Prospects and Challenges of Cognitive Justice in Muslim Northern Nigeria’, said Cognitive Justice as a concept calls for recognition and respect of our differences, without any stint of inferiority or superiority in any society.
During the question and answer session of the programme, the issue of the continuous killings in the Southern part of Kaduna came up. It was the view of the people at the seminar that Cognitive Justice stands in a very good position to help in addressing the ongoing killings by playing a mediatory role and championing the framework for a plurinational democratic constitutional order as the antidote.

Part of the activities also saw the presentation of certificates to Cognitive Justice Peacebuilding (CJP) Ambassadors who had gone through a 6-week training.

YouTube Video of MCJ Flag-off: Certifications of CJP Ambassadors I

HIGH POINTS OF ACTIVITY AS WRITTEN BY CLEMENT N KULIYAK AND REUBEN BUHARI)- Distributed to the listed media outfits accordingly

FLAG-OFF/LAUNCHING OF MOVE FOR COGNITIVE JUSTICE

THE FOUNDATION FOR THE MOVE FOR COGNITIVE JUSTICE was officially launched today the 22nd of November 2016, including the presentation of certificates to trained Cognitive Justice Peacebuilding (CJP) Ambassadors at Arewa House Auditorium, Rabah Road Kaduna state. The Master of Ceremonies was Mr Abdiel Kude.Motto: A better world is Attainable.

The Cognitive Justice Banner proclaiming:  A BETTER WORLD IS ATTAINABLE!

Tributes in honour of Late Professor Steven A Nkom: Sir JWB

MISSION: To advance the attainment of an equal, just, pluralistic, peaceful and sustainable world through Cognitive Justice Peacebuilding (CJP).

The core values of THE FOUNDATION are Equality, Justice, Plurality, Peacebuilding and Sustainability.
The occasion served as an opportunity to further create awareness, education and enlightenment concerning the concept of Cognitive Justice and Cognitive Justice Peacebuilding.

A minute of silence was observed and a tribute paid to Late Professor Steven Adamu Nkom (Ahmadu Bello University Zaria), who was supposed to be the Keynote Commentator but passed-on (on the 16th of November 2016). Tributes were also paid by Sir JW Bagu (KSG, KSM, Sarkin Mallamai Moro’a) and Dr Zwahu KA Bonat a lecturer at the Department of History, Kaduna State University (KASU), after his biography was read by Mr Alphonsus Bako.
Mr Kamil Kemanci, the President of UFUK Dialogue and former Registrar of the Turkish-Nile University – Abuja who was the Chairman of the Occasion, made remarks on Peacebuilding in UFUK and the HIZMET Movement. While reflecting on Cognitive Justice, he opined that dialogue is the key to establishing peacebuilding and societies where everyone is happy. Dialogue is crucial in every case, in every means, and on every occasion. Unfortunately today on the earth, majority are in pains due to violent conflicts, he emphasized the need for dialogue of civilizations following the clash of civilization caused by religion and cultures. We have many tribes, languages and cultures. He said the concept of Cognitive Justice is a sure path to maintaining and sustaining peace, where people maintain their identities without rancour. There must be recognition and respect for all identities especially that these differences were not created by us. People always find reasons to clash, to fight and to kill… but a better world is attainable as stressed in the Motto of Cognitive Justice.

Mr Kemanci Delivering his message on Peacebuilding and in support of Cognitive Justice

Mr Kamil stressed that justice connects people in a very beautiful way, the character and personalities, including the practices that make the world a better place are virtues to imbibe and preserve. Identity politics have a way of making us act not like human beings, and in the process other people are dehumanized. The problems can be solved by dialogue and education to address the ignorance causing divisions, suspicion and violence. He concluded that the HIZMET Movement share similar ideals with Cognitive Justice and they would partner with and support the organization in any way they can for the attainment of a better world.

 

Speaking on Hismet Movement and Peacebuillding: Nile University Abuja Lecturer in International Relations.

Talking about the HIZMET Movement, a lecturer in International Relations from the Turkish-Nile University gave an inspiring talk where he emphasised the importance of respecting diversity and emphasising the things that are common and promote peace. He drew from the example of the Ottoman Empire and how it avoided aspects of Islam which promoted the exclusion of non-Muslims. He illustrated this with the inscription which emphasised the Abrahamic connection between Jews, Christians and Muslims, adding the he would rather be under a Barack Obama than an Osama Bin Laden.

A section of the audience at the event.

Dr. Musa Usman Abubakar, the Sub-Dean of Law (Academics) at Bayero University Kano (BUK) spoke on the Prospects and Challenges of Cognitive Justice in Muslim Northern Nigeria. He said that Cognitive Justice as a concept calls for recognition and respect of our differences, without any stint of inferiority or superiority. Islam was founded on such principles and they were exemplified by Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) as he was against any form of injustice. He gave an example of the Charter of Medina among others which saw to peaceful coexistence between the Jews and Muslims in Medina. True Muslims abhor injustice and marginalization, so recognition of diversity as espoused by Cognitive Justice will hold sway in Northern Nigeria, and our Constitution should recognize the diverse languages not recognised in the constitutional framework. He stressed that people should develop their cultures and literature because most of our heritages in culture are going into extinction.

Dr Musa Abubakar the Special Commentator on 'The Prospects of Cognitive Justice in Muslim Northern Nigeria', beside the Chairman Mr Kemanci.

 He stressed that Law and Constitution making are crucial in constructing a socio-political order which recognises and protects diversity. He referred especially to Bolivia and Ecuador as examples.

According to Dr. Kajit J Bagu (John Paul) the initiator of the FOUNDATION FOR THE MOVE FOR COGNITIVE JUSTICE, the idea of Cognitive Justice has been developed into a framework with human identity as central. He mentioned that identity is difficult to define though it can be easily referred to. When two cultures interact, there should be mutual recognition and respect. Even with environmental degradation that we are all aware of, there is the gross neglect of the depletion of cultures and identities. 

COGNITIVE JUSTICE is an expression coined by Shiv Visvanathan (1997), an Indian Professor, to refer to the need for equality in treating different human knowledges and communities by recognizing the diverse ways in which human beings understand the world and give meaning to life. It gained widespread acceptance among global scholars interested in defending human dignity. Leading global scholars and advocates of the idea include Professors Shiv Visvanathan, Maja Van Der Velden and Boaventura De Sousa Santos.

In 2011, during the course of study at Warwick in United Kingdom, Dr. Kajit who is from Kaura local government area of Kaduna state in Nigeria, picked-up the idea from a Seminar with Prof. Boaventura De Sousa Santos and started working to see how it could be developed to generate effective solutions to problems afflicting the African Continent in particular, as well as the global South and the world. These problems are particularly the mass atrocities of Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes, as well as dehumanization generally construed. Others include armed conflict, especially those based on ethnic and religious plurality, social injustice, inequality and the racism which makes some people seem inferior in the present world order, while others seem superior to others by virtue of identity.

This interest led him to a multi-disciplinary Doctorate in Law at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, it was awarded in 2014. The Ph.D. Thesis in question used the situation in Nigeria as a case-study in highlighting the problems mentioned. 

Dr Kajit and Professor Stephen Tierney on graduation day in Edinburgh, Scotland.

 This research developed Cognitive Justice from where it was, into a Political Philosophy, a Constitutional Theory, and a Theory of Justice for pluralistic/diverse or multi-identity societies, especially those experiencing the problems mentioned. The Thesis was titled ‘Cognitive Justice, Plurinational Constitutionalism and Post-Colonial Peacebuilding: A Constitutional Philosophy on Identity; the Global South, Central Nigeria’. Following the completion of this ground-breaking research in the UK, the researcher decided to start a grassroots global organization by the name: Movement for Cognitive Justice (MCJ) while in Scotland.

While in Scotland and during an international Conference in Washington, a number of global thinkers felt that a ground breaking research of this nature demanded immediate networking especially in Europe, the researcher reasoned that it was best to have the organization rooted in the global South, specifically Africa, and eventually taking root in other parts of the world. It is very important for us to know that pluralism is a phenomenon that is natural because it cannot be wished away, meaning that people need to strive to have understanding of their differences, appreciate and respect differences for constructive and progressive relations.

Special interventions during the flag-off included a talk on ‘The Endangered Nations’ by Mr Alphonsus Bako where he highlighted the death of languages, including the original ‘Ajemi’ Hausa which was ‘Romanised’ by Lugard. A college student (JSS2) belonging to the Cognitive Justice Society by name Ene also made a powerful rendition of a poem titled ‘Africa my Pride’.

FOUNDATION FOR THE MOVE FOR COGNITIVE JUSTICE is the name by which the organization was incorporated in Nigeria in 2016 as a legal entity, with the aim of fostering effective peacebuilding and human dignity in diverse communities; and for creating awareness/education on Cognitive Justice Peacebuilding.

The ultimate objective is the attainment of Cognitive Justice Peacebuilding (CJP), defined as ‘the equal recognition and treatment of different identities in democratic constitutional society, with the aim of fostering peace through the elimination of legal, political, institutional, structural, social and economic inequality of different identities, whether such inequality be direct or indirect, express or implied, visible or invisible, and whether contemporary or historical.’

Worthy of note is the sharp difference in the conception of peacebuilding in Cognitive Justice, against conventional view and practice of peacebuilding on the globe, including the UN conception coined in 1992 by Boutrous Ghali. Cognitive Justice as an ethical philosophy aims for a preventive system as against the general understanding of peacebuilding where peacebuilding normally takes place after violent conflicts to prevent relapse. Peacebuilding in Cognitive Justice seeks ethics in coexistence as a preventive measure, not merely ethics after crises or war.

A Training Session sometime in mid-2016, Jos.

 THE FOUNDATION FOR THE MOVE FOR COGNITIVE JUSTICE organizes trainings to create awareness through building the necessary skills and knowledge for its quest. It has branches in a few states here in Nigeria. Our desire in Cognitive Justice is durable and sustainable peace, what we are experiencing especially in Nigeria, is a fluctuation from unstable peace to violent conflicts and outright terrorism in some cases. Change here means that we should take responsibility and choose what will work and do us the most good.

Societal rupture, instability and crime are on the increase today in our country Nigeria, armed robbery, kidnappings, ethnic and religious crises, clashes between herders and farmers, Niger-Delta militancy, Boko haram insurgency, internal displacement over the past 4 years have resulted in the displacement of well over 2 million people in the north east region of the country alone. We are aware that the Internally Displaced People are in other geopolitical regions including the north central and the southern geopolitical zones.

We have sections of society clamouring for secession with a call for the actualization of the Republic of Biafra; we are also aware of the situation leading to the killings of members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) by the Nigerian security agencies late in 2015, then the recent incidents with the Nigerian Police Force at Kano where deaths were recorded as well as other attacks by members of the public. There have also been mass killings by Herdsmen in several parts of Nigeria especially Zamfara State, and several towns and villages in Kaduna State inluding Godogodo, Gidan Waya, Tsam (Chawai) and Pasakori. These constitute some of the boiling issues as far as we as a people are concerned. 

Mr Kuliyak receiving his certification.

We have not helped matters due to lack of the needed imagination over time to conceptualize result-oriented systems, structures and modus operandi based on pluralistic principles which respect peculiarities of diverse identities. Our leaders too have been found to be part and parcel of the destruction of the needed self-consciousness by omission or commission; most of them have ignorantly adopted the oppressive posture that only leads to non-recognition of our national identities and maintenance of the imposed morally illegitimate cartography bequeathed by our colonizers. Obviously, the non-recognition, non-protection and lack of preservation of our national identities, including the maintenance of an alien or unnatural cartography are the major causes of conflicts in the country. 

Mr Alphonsus being certified

As a diverse people, we should be able to make well informed demands the will bring the needed change, not political change we normally chant, but change that will better manage our diversity, be beneficial to everyone and bring about durable peace.

The ultimate demand in Africa, from a Cognitive Justice perspective, is the demand for reconstruction of present orders from destructive and violent-prone, oppressive ‘Nation-States’, to Plurinational States across the continent and beyond.
 
During the question and answer session the issue of the continuous killings in the southern part of Kaduna came up. It was the view of the people at the seminar that cognitive justice stands in a very good position to help in addressing the ongoing killings by playing mediatory role and prescribing a form of constitutional restructuring aimed at effective peacebuilding.

Maryam A, another graduate of Warwick University who was present very early in the day. Also a researcher with the National Judicial Institute Abuja.

We have not helped matters due to lack of the needed imagination over time to conceptualize result-oriented systems, structures and modus operandi based on pluralistic principles which respect peculiarities of diverse identities. Our leaders too have been found to be part and parcel of the destruction of the needed self-consciousness by omission or commission; most of them have ignorantly adopted the oppressive posture that only leads to non-recognition of our national identities and maintenance of the imposed morally illegitimate cartography bequeathed by our colonizers.

In his closing remarks, the Sa Gbagyi expressed gratitute for the event being organised and expressed the need for government and its functionaries to listen to the kinds of ideas being expressed by the speakers at the venue. He made positive pronouncements in favour of the movement and said indeed a better world is attainable with such efforts.

Sa Gbagyi (Traditional leader of the indigenous Gbagyi Nation of Kaduna) as represented

Obviously, the non-recognition, non-protection and lack of preservation of our national identities, including the maintenance of an alien or unnatural cartography are the major causes of conflicts in the country.

The event successfully came to a close at about 2pm

 A Better World is Attainable!