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URGENT PEACE-BUILDING IN PLATEAU STATE NIGERIA: THE ROLE 

OF STEFANOS FOUNDATION 

 

 

Longkat Daniel Dajwan 

Gindiri Theological Seminary, 

Affiliated To University of Jos, Nigeria 

Email: longkatdan@gmail.mom 

+2347068134337/ +2349058592657 

 

 

ABSTRACT 

This paper argues for peace-building measures through the practice of the faith-based 

organizations and the role of Stefano’s foundation for just peace to be sustained and 

possibly return to Plateau Nigeria. The paper makes the case that the prevailing cycle 

of recurrent violence across Plateau Nigeria cannot be truly solved through peace-

enforcement strategy that is being pursued by the Federal Government. This is 

because peace enforcement fails to address the underlying causes of the violence. The 

article posits that only peace-building measures can produce just peace and being 

intensify by the sacrificial roles of the faith-based organizations especially the 

Stefano’s Foundation. Using a systematic and historical interpretation review of 

related literature with conceptual clarifications to gather data, the researcher argues 

for peace-building strategies by the State and Country. The Stefano’s Foundation 

needs to intensify the religion of love because it is said “love is more than a weapon 

of warfare”. The paper holds religious and faith-based organizations leaders 

accountable for failure to uphold love and unity in their leadership. The research 

question driving this argument states: What is the best peace-building strategy that 

could be used to restore just peace in Plateau Nigeria to address the root causes of 

Plateau Nigerians’ grievances and security challenges? 

 

Key words: Peace-building, Faith-based Organizations, Stefanos Foundation 

 

Introduction 

Looking into peace building issues and the role of faith-based organizations, it can be 

said to have positively impacted on human’s development. The activities of FBOs 

extended to recovery from violent conflicts. Though the conflicts are largely said to 

have their effects on both parties (Christians and Muslims but 90 percent are the 

Followers of Christ) in the state. The Stefanos Foundation focuses their roles on 

Christians in terms of humanitarian and peace building interventions. Therefore, 

among the Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) in Plateau Nigeria and working under 

the Umbrella of CAN as the biggest body is the Stefanos Foundation. 

 

The need for urgent peace-building is not just an urgent call in Plateau Nigeria but an 

emergency because of the life-denying violence that has characterized Plateau 

mailto:longkatdan@gmail.mom


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Nigeria. The post-conflict roles of Christian FBOs have been wide and varied, 

spanning spiritual, psychological, and material support to victims especially the 

Stefano’s foundation. In terms of spiritual support, the Church under the auspices of 

CAN organized fasting and prayer sessions after each of the two major conflicts 

researched (September 2001 and November 2008). Other Church groups also 

organized separate congregation-based prayers for victims. In the words of the 

Anglican Bishop of Bukuru, “like other CAN groups we first prayed for the victims.” 

(Interview with Anglican Bishop Jwan B.N. Zhumbes, Jos, January 2009) (Best and 

Kathrine, 2011:130).   

 

Outstanding among these FBOs is, Stefanos Foundation, a Christian foundation 

which has been assisting with the reconstruction of homes and places of worship 

across the conflict divide. Their work has been focused on Jos and the conflict 

flashpoints of southern Plateau State like Yilwa, Garkawa, Namu, etc. For each room 

victims are able to build, they provide two additional rooms to encourage displaced 

persons return to their homes. Through this scheme, many residents who did not 

receive help from government were able to return to their destroyed homes (interview 

with Stefano’s Representative in Jos, March 2009) (Best and Kathrine, 2011:137).  

 

Conceptual Clarifications 

 

Peace-building  

An urgent call for peace-building in Plateau Nigeria constitutes the thrust of this 

paper. This is premised on the fact that peace has remained elusive in the state and 

country because government has failed to utilize the relevant strategy for attaining 

lasting peace. Peace-building down-up means much more than just sending security 

tax forces in violent conflict zones to enforce peace or the provision of relief 

materials to victims of violence. Ambulance peace-building also transcends peace-

making because peace-making fails to address the root cause(s) of violence by 

providing peace-sustaining structures in place to forestall future occurrence of 

violence (Pokol, 2019:439). Elizabeth Porter also argues that “peace-building 

involves all processes that build positive relationships, heal wounds, reconciles 

antagonistic differences, restores esteem, respects rights, meets basic needs, enhances 

equality, instills feelings of security, empowers moral agency and democratic 

participation, inclusiveness, and promotion of justice” (Pokol, 2019:440). The former 

UN Secretary General, Boutros-Boutros-Ghali, also conceptualized peace-building as 

“involving broad responsibilities in the economic, social, humanitarian, and human 

rights fields” (Boutros-Ghali, 1992). From the foregone conceptualizations of peace-

building, one could conclude that peace-building does not wait for violence to begin; 

rather, it is as perceived by Pokol and the researcher deliberately quote this at length 

because of its importance to the paper: 

[Peace-building] involves those activities and processes that: focus on the root 

causes of the conflict, rather than just the effects; support the rebuilding and 

rehabilitation of all sectors of the war-ton society; encourage and support 



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interaction between all sectors of society in order to repair damaged relations 

and start the process of restoring dignity and trust; recognize the specifics of 

each post conflict situation; encourage and support the participation of 

indigenous resources in the design, implementation and sustainment of 

activities and processes; and promote processes that will endure after the 

initial emergency recovery phase has passed (Pokol, 2019:440). 

 

From Pokol’s argument, one could argue that the Plateau Nigerian Government has, 

and is continuing to waste material and human resources in its attempt to restore 

peace through peace-enforcement. Indeed, government deals mostly with peace-

enforcement while faith-based organizations especially Stefano’s foundation deals 

with peace-building. The military personnel and Para-military personnel that are 

engaged in maintaining peace in Plateau Nigeria have only worsened the security 

situation of the state and the country respectively (Danfulani, 2018). Without the pro-

active measures of restoring just peace in Plateau Nigeria, only fragile peace may be 

secured by the military presence on our streets except just peace. Love and the 

activities of faith-based organizations are the strongholds of just peace. Plateau 

Nigerian masses want to see that some people or sections of the State and Country are 

not taking more than their share. They want to see that appointments into civil service 

positions are fairly distributed across the so-called geo-political zones of the country. 

Peace that is just or positive is an outflow of love and activities of faith-based 

organizations as in care for the needy integrity. What this paper means by just peace 

is what Johan Galtung, on the one hand, refers to as “positive peace”, which is a 

situation where there is absence of direct violence as well as absence of structural 

violence. On the other hand, negative peace is the absence of direct violence (e.g 

people killing each other) but lacking social justice, Godly values and fairness in the 

structures of the society (Pokol, 2019). The researcher uses just peace and positive 

peace interchangeably in this paper because they mean the same thing. 

 

To sum up this section of the paper, the researcher summarized peace-building by 

Boutros-Ghali to mean a preventive diplomacy is purposed to prevent the escalation 

of conflict into violent confrontation by dealing with its underlying contradictions. 

Again, peace-making aims to bring about the cessation of hostilities by working on 

parties and persuading them to look for and utilize non-violent alternatives. Peace-

keeping and peace-making are involved in peace building. Peace-keeping tries to 

maintain the state of non-violence that is achieved by peace-making. Finally, peace-

building consolidates conflict solutions aiming at sustainable settlements (Boutros-

Ghali, 1992). 

 

Faith-based Organizations (FBOs)  

Faith-based organizations mean a particular religious ideology. It has religiously 

oriented mission statement and often draws its activists (leaders, staff and volunteers) 

from a particular religious group. (Dajwan, 2016:24). Two broad types of 

organization associated with religion can be identified: religious organizations (the 



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organizational expressions of a faith tradition and their leaders), FBOs (meaning the 

NGO-like organizations engaged in advocacy, welfare and development activities that 

have explicit religious motivations). The second types are the congregation-based 

groups that are tied to a group of persons who worship and pray in the same location. 

In Plateau Nigeria, political organizations structured along religious lines are 

disallowed by law and so they do not exist, as such. Adherents to a particular faith 

may generally be associated with a local congregation (Church or Mosque), or to an 

organization. The proliferation of religious congregations makes these congregations 

too numerous to account for. In peace-building and development, both religious 

organizations and FBOs have been nearly equally active, especially in the 2011 post-

conflict period. It is also worth noting that in Plateau Nigeria, certain religious 

organizations like Izala Movement have NGO-like outfits (the aid group), and both 

normally get involved with post-conflict activities simultaneously (Best and 

Katherine, 2011:11). 

 

Faith-based organization often organizes week-long prayer and fasting declared and 

observed, CAN also organized reconciliatory meetings between Christians and 

Muslims at the TEKAN Conference Hall in Jos. However, Muslim attendance was 

poor, as the few Muslims that came were not opinion leaders. The venue and the 

convener lacked the required neutrality and suspicion was still rife. CAN also 

admonish Christians to live in peace, holding up unto to Christ (interview with Rev. 

Ezekiel Lesmore, Jos January 2009) (Best and Kathrine, 2011). 

 

Church leaders and leaders of groups within the church also provided counseling 

services to injured victims and those who lost their houses, businesses, relations, etc. 

according to many informants, Christians were not used to camp life and most often 

Christian victims got absorbed into other Christian families temporarily, as many 

Christian families took in victims. Mrs. Naomi Noma, the former Coordinator of 

COCIN Women Fellowship expressed this situation in the 2001 crisis this way: 

We helped displaced people by absorbing them into members’ homes. I 

hosted 17 people for two months. We counseled them as they stayed with our 

families and we also prayed for them (interview in Jos, January 2009) (Best 

and Kathrine, 2011). 

 

She adds further that in crisis situations like the 2001 and 2008 conflicts, different 

Christian homes could share out internally displaced members of the same family 

among themselves; the children might stay with one family, while the parents could 

stay with another family. 

 

The most elaborate role of Christians and their FBOs in the most Plateau Nigeria 

conflicts was the area of relief measures. This was organized at various levels. There 

is CAN at general level; there are CAN blocks and local assemblies at the other 

levels. There are also various FBOs/NGOs at other levels and also gender-based 

groups. After the 2001 crisis, for instance, CAN distributed food and clothing 



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materials to IDPs in Churches used as camps, including MuryarBishara (Voice of the 

Gospel), COCIN Nasarawa, COCIN Jos Jarawa, COCIN Kabong, St. Micheals 

Nasarawa, Sacred Heart GadaBiyu, St. Augustine Major Seminary Katako. Funds and 

support in this direction came from CAN bodies in other states like Kaduna, Local 

governments, individuals and the Plateau State Government. Beyond the CAN effort, 

CAN blocks like PFN also raised financial and material support for members. RCCG 

alone gave N400, 000. All cash and material support received were distributed to 

Churches and individuals members affected (Best and Kathrine, 2011). 

 

Plateau Nigeria has a recurring problem of violent urban conflict. These conflicts 

manifest mostly in the forms of ethnic and religious identity conflicts as attackers and 

their sympathizers instrumentalise these forms of identity. Of all Nigeria’s cities, 

Kano leads in persistent violent urban conflict. Incidents of urban violence have also 

of late been on the increase in Jos Plateau, a city previously known for its tranquility. 

Presently, the north east of the country, Borno, Yobe, Katsina and also Kaduna South 

have been inundated by the menace called Boko Haram (literally meaning Western 

education and other forms of Westernization are forbidden) and Arm bandits 

(Terrorism). This paper examines the roles played by FBOs and especially Stefano’s 

Foundation in peace-building, and did begin with the assumption that such roles exist, 

especially in the long term, and are under-researched (Best and Katherine, 2011). 

 

There is, indeed, evidence of work by FBOs and other governmental and non-

governmental interveners in the post-conflict crises of Plateau Nigeria, but longer-

term work is deficient and comparatively backward. Most of the FBOs lack the 

capacity to do post-conflict peace-building and development work, but have to pick 

up humanitarian services because there was none else to provide such services to the 

needy victims of violence. This article summarizes the FBOs and religious 

interventions as follows: 

a. FBOs indeed played tangible roles in peace-building and development; 

b. That such roles were mostly short-term rather than long-term, 

c. That expectation from the state for victims was not met. 

d.  The peace-building activities and roles played by FBOs and religious 

organizations were not cross cutting but confined to their respective faith borders. 

By so doing, FBOs contribute to reinforcing and consolidating religious 

boundaries. 

e. FBOs quite often played the roles the state did not or could not play well. FBOs 

and religious organizations also supported especially the rebuilding and 

reconstruction of places of worship destroyed by violence, but gave little support 

to the rebuilding of residences and businesses of their members affected by 

violence (this is often done by Stefanos Foundation). 

f. In terms of longer-term work, FBOs often led in the rebuilding of social 

relationships as well as reconstructing other forms of social capital, and are 

assisted by NGOs external to the conflict areas (Best and Katherine, 2011). 

 



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Christian Based Interventions 

As earlier mention above, the post conflict roles of Christian FBOs have been wide 

and varied, spamming spiritual, Psychological and material support as in 

humanitarian aids to victims. Implementation of peace projects through 

enlightenment programmes through the media, workshops, rallies, production of 

information education and communication materials helped in the wide spread of the 

messaged of peace and its responsibility by both the government, religious leaders 

and bodies, and the people. The justice development and peace commission was part 

of the intervening parties that made serious efforts to see that the state once again 

experience peace, thereby creating opportunities for development (Kaigama, 2010: 

11). 

 

In terms of spiritual support, the church under CAN organized prayer and fasting 

sessions praying for the victims (by CAN and other denominations like; Anglican, 

COCIN and ECWA among many). They also organized special church service like 

clothes. Also in addition to the one week prayer and fasting declared and observed, 

CAN also organized reconciliation meetings between Christians and Muslims at the 

TEKAN conference Hall in Jos. even though the Muslims attendance was poor, even 

the few that were in attendance were not opinion leaders. The JDPC/EPRT FBOs also 

did house reconstruction work at Namu in 2004 which was interested in the wake of 

the ethnic conflict that occurs there (Best and Katherine, 2011). 

 

Muslims Based Interventions 

The Christian Faith-Based Organization are doing well but not without challenges. 

On the other hand the Muslims based Interventions Organizations also tap into the 

communal social Organization that operates in most Muslim communities to mobilize 

local resources. Charity, in the traditional sense of a transfer of material resources 

from the rich to the poor, falls into two major categories in the Islamic faith: 

obligatory charity is that category that is institutionalized in Islam through Zakat 

principle which is a mechanism which Muslims donate a portion of their wealth every 

year for the needy. The Zakat is one of the major Islamic five tenant’s teachings. 

Traditionally the amount of Zakat payable is one-fortieth of a person’s assets per year 

providing their wealth reaches a certain threshold, in addition to a small annual 

payment (Zakat al-fitr) that all Muslims are expected to pay during Ramadan. 

Sadaqah too is a voluntary charity through which Muslims can donate any amount, at 

any time. This also is among the five basic tenants or teachings of Islamic faith. 

Therefore, a common form of Sadaqah is Waaf, an endowment often given in the 

form of land or property that is either used directly for charitable purposes or used to 

support charitable activities through the return from its investment (Miriam, 2012: 93-

94). On the other hand, humanitarianism in Muslim communities is however, not 

confined to the transfer of resources from rich to the poor. Often when conflict occurs 

or in times of conflict, members of the Muslim faith-community could offer special 

donations beyond Zakat and Sadaqah the two categories in Islam to assist those 

affected by conflict (Miriam, 2012: 94). 



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Stefano’s Foundation  

The concept of Stefano’s Foundation is derived from the Greek word for Stephen, the 

first martyred Christian. This is the idea behind the name and vision “Stefanos 

Foundation”. 

 

Historicizing Peace Building in Nigeria 

The history and term “peace-building” has been generally associated with former 

United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali in his An Agenda for Peace 

launch in 1992. In that material, Boutros-Ghali discussed a number of interrelated 

peace concepts and outlined various options for outside intervention into conflict 

situations that had become rampant in the aftermath of the Cold War. He noted that 

preventive diplomacy is purposed to prevent the escalation of conflict into violent 

confrontation by dealing with its underlying contradictions. Peacemaking aims to 

bring about the cessation of hostilities by working on parties and persuading them to 

look for and utilize non-violent alternatives. Peacekeeping tries to maintain the state 

of non-violence achieved by peacemaking; while peace-building consolidates conflict 

solutions aiming at sustainable settlements (Boutros-Ghali, 1992). 

 

The conceptual approach has been criticized as being unduly preoccupied with the 

post-conflict stage of conflict, whereas peace-building could take place at all stages of 

the conflict process. Secondly, it is seen as being narrowly in favour of non-violent 

conflict, thereby ignoring for instance the classical doctrine of “structural violence” 

introduced by Galtung (1969) to which many peace scholars subscribe. Structural 

violence refers to situations that are inherent in social systems that on their own are 

tense and could lead to conflict, such as inequities and inequalities, forms of 

deprivation and social injustice, etc. Critics also indicate that the Boutros-Ghali 

approach places too much emphasis on outside intervention, mainly military; many of 

the limitations of which have now been seen in a number of conflict formations in 

Africa (Wolfgang, 1997). 

 

Be that as it may, the historical concept of peace-building has come to stay in the 

nomenclature of conflict and peace practice. It has been further popularized by other 

scholars like John Paul Lederach of the Eastern Mennonite University and the work 

of the United States Institute of Peace, for instance. Lederach in reacting to Boutros-

Ghali differs with him on the placement of peace-building at post-conflict: 

Peace-building is more than post-accord reconstruction. Here, peace-building 

is understood as a comprehensive concept that encompasses, generates and 

sustains the full array of processes, approaches and stages needed to transform 

conflict toward more sustainable, peaceful relationships (Lederach, 1997:20). 

 

Lederach further likens peace-building to the metaphor of building a house, a process 

requiring different components and stages. It includes, for instance, a vision usually 

contemplated in the architectural design, the structure and its details, sourcing for 

materials, a strong foundation with strategically placed pillars, cross-cutting beams, 



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and boards to strengthen the structure, detailed finishing and maintenance, etc. 

(Lederach, 2001). He provides what he calls a “comprehensive framework” for 

peace-building that should incorporate structure, process, relationships, resources, and 

coordination. Peace-building is not a one-off event that can be started and completed, 

after which its main stakeholders can walk away believing has been achieved. Peace-

building is a continuous exercise needing constant investment, re-investment and 

counter-investment. It gulps resources and these have to be sourced for and provided. 

Peace-building at the maintenance stage, like the metaphor of building a house should 

be taken seriously; otherwise the structure will deteriorate (Lederach, 2001). 

 

The question begging for answer is whether or not a peace-building process exists, or 

can be said to be in existence in Plateau Nigeria? Who are its builders and what is the 

content of the building? Is religion an item on the agenda of such process? If indeed 

there is peace-building process, why do we have the repeated episodes of violent 

confrontation among religious identity groups in the region? Is there a shared vision 

of peace-building between the religious identity groups in the religious organizations 

and faith-based organizations? Is this based on compromise or based on competition 

and a win-lose approach? These are rhetorical questions, many of which need to be 

answered by religious authorities, FBOs leaders, political authorities and other peace 

stakeholders in Plateau Nigeria in searching for “just peace” (Best, 2011:27). 

 

On the other hand the history of peace-building in Plateau State is not yearly different 

to that of faith-Based organizations in Plateau State. Peace-building efforts started in 

Plateau State since before the ugly incident of September 2001 conflict. But it became 

obvious in the after math of the crisis of September 2001 with the coming of NGOs, 

faith-based organizations and civil societies aiming at restoring and sustaining peace 

on the Plateau. 

In September 2001, a more devastating urban violence broke out leading to 

the death of over a thousand of people. This happened again in May 2992, and 

in November 2008, thereby raising deep concerns about the peace ability of 

Jos (Best, 2011:95). 

 

Therefore, peace-building in Jos, Plateau State is structured as in the sense of FBOs 

which are dominated mostly by Christians and few Muslims organizations. They bear 

resemblance to the organization of faith-based and social activity delivery in the 

United States. 

 

In the words of United States institute of peace: Global peace-building center 

“Religious and political crisis in Jos, Plateau State Nigeria. Mark Lipdo said on the 

February 27, 2015 that; I began to serve my community in Jos, Plateau State for 

peace-building by late 2009, as a volunteer for JCAF (Jos crisis Appeal found) 

initiative. That was after I witnessed the terrible violence, with gruesome killings, 

destruction of houses and all that occurred of during the 2008 crisis in Jos. I even saw 

a kid of about 10 years at most help finish up dying man; he put fuel on him and light 



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the man. I tried to stop some Christian youths not to kill a guy, and I got stabled with 

broken beer bottle in my back. I also almost fell victim of running into a mob while 

trying to go and see if my brothers where safe at the other part of the town. 

 

All of these sad occurrences were what moved me to be part of any sort of peace-

building scheme. Some of our university students died in the clashes too. JCAF is a 

partnership of CAN Jama’atuNasril Islam (JNI), Banks, media, and civil society in 

Jos, to raise funds for Jos (interview with Mark Lipdo Coordinator of Stefanos 

Foundation July 2016). 

 

Stefanos Foundation as a Faith-Based Organization (FBO) 

The concept of Stefano’s Foundation is derived from the Greek word for Stephen, the 

first martyred Christian. This is the idea behind the name and vision “Stefanos 

Foundation”. The pioneer of the vision, Engr. Mark Lipdo, and his family have been 

working to help vulnerable communities, until 2001 when the ethno religious crises 

engulfed Jos the Plateau State capital and then their attention was shifted to caring for 

victims of the crisis. In 2002 Released International came in touch with Mark. 

Released International is a UK-based charity organization and a member of 

International Christian Assembly, founded by Pastor Richard Wumbrand whose work 

is to help persecuted Christians around the world. It was at this point that Released 

international started supporting Mark to care for Christian victims of the crises 

through the provision of Relief materials and trauma healing. 

 

But the crises became persistent and continued to escalate to other parts of Northern 

Nigeria. This brought about a high rise in the profile of the victims and the 

overwhelming need to cater for them. As a result, the decision to start an indigenous 

organization that would help to care for the growing number of victims became 

necessary. Nevertheless, the activities of Stefanos foundation started since 2001 

through providing relief and support for victims. Stefanos Foundation was registered 

officially with the Corporate Affairs Commission in February 2006 as Non-

Governmental, Human rights, Advocacy, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction 

organization. The organization is registered with six members of the Board of 

Trustees, which include Engr. Samuel LadoSalifu (Chairman), Rev. Dr. Obed Dashan 

mni (Vice Chairman), Prof. Isaac Lar (Secretary), Mrs Esther Naja (Member), Pst. 

MrsTaiwo Dina (Member), Engr. Mark Lipdo (Member). Barrister Gregory Lar is the 

legal adviser to the Board (Stefanos Foundation Pamphlet, Unpublished Material).  

 

The Role of Stefanos Foundation in Peace-Building in Plateau State Nigeria 

The administrative arm is saddled with the responsibility of the day to day running of 

the organization while the ministry arm is involved with the victims through various 

projects (Stefanos Foundation Pamphlet). 

 

 



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1. Re-Construction: This is basically re-roofing of burnt buildings and homes 

belonging to Christians in crises areas. 

2. Trauma Healing: Many crises victims have heart wounds that have eaten deep 

without proper attention to them. Stefanos Foundation often organizes trauma 

healing and counseling to help treat such wounds. 

3. Children Welfare (Education): Children of martyred Pastors and Orphans’ 

education are paid for to enable them continue in school-building up a future in 

them. 

4. Converts’ Care: Converts from Islamic faith and other faiths who face 

persecution are taken care of in thorough discipleship training schools (DTS). 

5. Basic Response: Medical aids are given to victims who are maimed as a result of 

the crisis. 

6. Pastor Support Program: Stefanos Foundation again brought up a modality on 

how to keep and protect the interest of Pastors the interest of Pastors who located 

in those crisis prone areas. The Foundation also supports them with substance in 

order that they will continue to serve God in spite of all odds. 

7. Relief: Stefanos Foundation has over the period of this crisis engaged in sharing 

relief materials to victims of this mayhem. These relief materials are given to 

these victims in order to meet up their immediate needs of food, clothing, 

medicine and even temporary accommodation as the case may be. 

8. Advocacy: Stefanos Foundation through its advocacy programs speak for the 

voiceless in the society who are daily denied their rights. This enables Christians 

live and survive well in the Muslim-dominated areas within Nigeria. 

9. Conflict Resolutions: Because of the various crises recorded, there is no doubt 

that conflicts have been on the increase thereby providing the platform on which 

to resolve them. Stefanos Foundation has been very instrumental in resolving 

these conflicts that could otherwise escalate or lead to more. 

10. Development Office: This office helps to create awareness on persecution of 

Christians. They also networks with concerned bodies in order to surmount this 

seemingly unending challenge that is before the Church today. The Foundation 

goes round Churches to create awareness and also to some relevant bodies who 

would give them the needed attention and maximum co-operation. 

 

Therefore, the above roles of the Foundation (the 5 S acronyms) are hereby 

summarized into the following five (5) dimensions: 

a. Show God’s Compassion 

b. Serve God’s Church 

c. Share God’s Love 

d. Spread God’s Word 

e. Speak as God’s Advocate 

a. Showing God’s compassion: This is explain to mean, providing for the needs of 

the families of the martyred and prisoners of faith. 



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b. Serving God’s Church: This is explain to mean, enabling them survive 

persecution and its effects-giving practical help to persecuted Christians through 

livelihood projects, training and support for Pastors and Churches. 

c. Showing God’s Love: A clear demonstration of God’s Love is seen in the Bible 

in John 3:16 “for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that 

whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. 

d. Spreading God’s word: This is explaining to mean, supplying Bibles and 

literature to meet the need for growth in spiritual matters and knowledge of the 

word of God and evangelism as well. 

e. Speaking as God’s Advocate: This is also explaining to mean, being the voice of 

the martyred and the ill-treated in the society, especially the Christian 

communities. 

 

The Achievement of Stefanos Foundation in Plateau State Nigeria 

The impact of Stefanos Foundation’s charitable work on the victims of Plateau crises 

(A CASE STUDY OF 2008 JOS CRISES) cannot be overemphasized (Stefanos 

Foundation Pamphlet). It is true that a lot has been done by Stefanos Foundation in 

the area of charity and humanitarian services in the 2008 crises. During the November 

28, 2008 unrest in Plateau Nigeria, Stefanos Foundation did a lot to see that 

Christians who were in one way or the other affected actually received some help 

from the organization. After the crisis, Stefanos Foundation did go round the city of 

Jos to; 

1. Verify and give statistical reports of what actually happened. In the November 28, 

2008 crisis, they established the fact that there are no records adequately enough 

to ascertain losses procured in the crisis generally, especially as it affects 

Christians. 

2. In a memorandum submitted to Plateau State Judicial Commission of Inquiry into 

the Jos November 28, 2008 unrest, Stefanos Foundation is quoted to have said 

that at the course of their providing medical support to the victims of the unrest, 

most hospitals and clinics testified that they treated most injured people as out-

patients for whom they couldn’t provide substantial information. According to the 

report, only those in critical conditions were found receiving treatment sponsored 

by Stefanos Foundation. These people supposedly under critical conditions were 

about 30 Christians who were at either, Evangel Hospital, JUTH, Ola Hospital 

and Plateau Hospitals. 

3. Stefanos Foundation got the information that over 129 Christians were killed 

excluding those declared missing. At the end the foundation was able to gather 

only 103 names of those reported to have been killed in the unrest and catered for 

their families through the (IDPs) home in Zang Commercial Secondary School. 

4. Stefanos Foundation also discovered that the overall incident left over 30 Widows 

and 5 Orphans to fend for themselves. 

5. Again, according to the report as established, 71 Church buildings and other 

Christian premises were burnt or vandalized in which Stefanos Foundation were 

helpful in the rebuilding. 



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6. Stefano Foundation also said that during their shelter need assessment campaign, 

they registered 1,700 Christian families who lost their homes and over 700 

landlords lost their houses. 

7. According to their findings, over 462 Christian businesses were reported burnt, 

looted or vandalized. 

8. Stefanos Foundation established the fact that during their activities, some families 

raised concern for their relations who were taken to prison as a result of the crisis. 

According to the report, the foundation had contacted 26 Christians arrested and 

taken to Jos prison-where it is said that one Emmanuel Gonina unfortunately lost 

his life while in the prison. Stefanos Foundation also made provision of water, 

sleeping mats and provided temporay toilet facilities for victims of the crisis who 

were camping at the (NDLEA) office at Rikos in Jos. 

 

With this fact above, it could be deduced that Stefanos Foundation played a vital role 

in helping the victims and especially through the advocacy arm of the organization 

with regard to the crisis situation. This confirms the memorandum submitted to the 

Plateau State Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Jos crisis of November 28, 

2008. They brought victims of the crisis to the Commission hearing them speak for 

themselves and where they were not able to speak for themselves, Stefanos 

Foundation spoke for them. In fact it was reported that the day Stefanos Foundation 

gave her report to the commission, no one else could give any other report because of 

the impact of their presentation. Stefanos Foundation came down with the victims as 

evidence of the effect of the violence on non-Muslims. (A Memorandum Submitted 

to the Plateau State Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Jos November 28, 2008 

Unrest, 2009 Production of Stefanos Foundation). 

 

Conclusion 

The article has argued for urgent peace-building strategies to replace the current 

peace-enforcement strategy being used by the State and Federal Government of 

Plateau Nigeria. The paper has made a case that unless religious organizations and 

faith-based organizations especially Stefanos Foundation intensify peace-building 

activities of love, advocacy, and etc. Plateau Nigeria will never know just peace. It is 

believed that the application of the roles of Stefanos Foundation could be a way out 

for the progressing and peaceful Plateau Nigeria. The mission to build a peaceful 

society must be the passion of every Religious Organizations and Faith-based 

Organizations and the State of Nigeria in general. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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http://jrs.oxford/

