Peace Building: Ntui Oben Obi Agbor, Rising To the Top

Ntui Oben at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Edition of the University of Peace in Africa program, Butare-Rwanda

Ntui Oben Obi Agbor is one person who has put himself to promote peace and good leadership skills in young people. Ntui Oben hails from Manyu Division, South West region of Cameroon. He is a leadership and peace building trainer, a peace builder and a youth development actor.

Engaging himself in a field where you don't find many young people is laudable. To him, he decided to get into this field because young persons have been neglected for a very long time as far as peace building is concerned. This was so until 2015 when the United Nations adopted resolution 2250 which includes young people in the peace building process.

"Waiting till that time tells you that in the past, young persons were seen as criminals, suicide bombers etc", Ntui Oben Obi Agbor said.

Ntui Oben at the 4th Training of Trainers workshop in Bafoussam

It is very rare to see young people dedicate themselves to promoting peace and good leadership in Cameroon. Basically, peace is a state of tranquillity, quiet, and harmony; absence of violence. While leadership has to do with the capacity of someone to lead others.

His Journey into Peace Building...

Ntui Oben at the 2nd United Nations Global Citizenship Education Program, Busan-South Korea

Ntui Oben's journey into peace building started when he was in Form 4. He founded the Pan African Writers (PAW). PAW brought together young people to write about the problems and challenges of Africa and how youths can participate in the peace building process.

Later, he gained admission into the University of Buea. While there, he was president of the Commonwealth Students Union and the Faculty of Arts students Association. He later co-founded Action for Change Cameroon, ACC and Voices for the Young Initiative. 

To him, the purpose of all these was to have an influence in the society and to contribute his own part in the peace building process. "I organized workshops, seminars, leadership programs that touches on aspects of peace, leadership, conflict, security, violence and nonviolence", Ntui Oben said.

With all these, Ntui Oben Obi Agbor got motivated and decided to enrol into a masters program in Peace, Conflict and Security in the University of Buea which he completed in 2018.

Replication of Knowledge...

Ntui Oben facilitating at the 4th Training of Trainers workshop in Bafoussam

Currently, Ntui Oben Obi Agbor facilitates workshops and trainings on peace building, and development issues. He is also a mentor to so many young people. In 2016, he mentored over 20 young girls from the North West and South west regions of Cameroon for a US Embassy sponsored project. He was also a frontline actor in the Engage for Peace Campaign.

Ntui Oben at the 2nd United Nations Global Citizenship Education Program, Busan-South Korea

Considering the importance of peace education, Ntui Oben and his crew visits schools and talk to students about the importance and necessity of peace in the society.

"My desire is to build the capacity of young people in Cameroon, Africa and why not in the world. I want to train more young people to transform their lives because I believe that, if we must promote peace, then all the actors must be involved", Oben said about his desire for the future.

Ntui Oben Obi Agbor currently works with the Peace Office of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon as the National Program Officer.

By Nji Nelson Chefor