Ouagadougou: Followers of traditional religion and evangelicals signed agreements marking the end of the religious conflict in Ioba province during a ceremony organized by the High Commission of Dano in partnership with the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD). The High Commissioner of Ioba province, Innocents Ouattara, presided over the ceremony.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the purpose of this ceremony was for the two conflicting parties to sign written commitments aimed at restoring lasting peace to the Ioba province. This signing marks the culmination of a dialogue process undertaken following several meetings to diagnose and analyze the causes of the tensions, identify the parties involved, and seek lasting solutions to the interreligious conflicts in the province.
The main conflict identified in Ioba is that between evangelicals and traditional leaders, which emerged in 2016 and turned violent in 2024 and 2025. Faced with this situation, the provincial authorities called upon everyone to contribute to resolving the conflict. This led to the intervention of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), with the aim of fostering the return of social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
A facilitators' committee, composed of influential leaders and representatives of the parties concerned, was established to conduct discussions aimed at resolving the crisis. According to the representative of the facilitators, Father S©verin Dabir©, parish priest of Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes in Dano, the various consultations enabled the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) to develop a draft commitment based on proposals from leaders of both sides. The document was submitted to the communities to gather their support and amendments.
The leaders of all religious denominations, the customary leaders, the High Commissioner of the province of Ioba, as well as the prefects-presidents of the special delegations of the communes of Dano, Gu©gu©r©, Ni©go, and Oronkua freely agreed to sign these commitments in front of the administrative, judicial, military, and paramilitary authorities, their followers, as well as the head of the HD office.
The canton chief of Dano, His Majesty Naonfa II, and the president of the Federation of Evangelical Churches and Missions of Ioba, Pastor Dominique Ayoro, were the first to sign the commitment documents. To ensure the consolidation of peace, a fifteen-member committee has been established to monitor the commitments. According to the Secretary General of Ioba Province, Andr© Lankoand©, this body includes five representatives from the administration, five traditionalists, and five evangelicals.
"They are responsible for ensuring that commitments are respected in order to detect signs that could compromise their implementation and to intervene in time to get the signatories to keep their word," explained Mr. Lankoand©. This ceremony was punctuated by speeches, the signing of commitments, and musical performances. The chief of the Dano canton, His Majesty Naonfa II, offered blessings for the holding of the ceremony.
The president of the special delegation (PDS) of Dano, Denis Zanr©, welcomed the presence of representatives of the NGO HD at this ceremony, synonymous with the promotion of social cohesion, peace, and the improvement of the quality of living together. He thanked the diaspora for their open-mindedness and support.
For the head of the HD office, Moussa Tall, the ceremony of this memorable day constitutes the culmination of an endogenous process carried out by the sons and daughters of Ioba. "The decentralized authorities, namely the High Commissioner of the Ioba province, Innocents Ouattara, and the Governor of the Dj´r´ region, Siaka Barro, actively supported this process," he continued.
According to Mr. Tall, the conflicting parties methodically exchanged views on their misunderstandings and perceptions and reached solutions to their differences. The HD representative noted that the commitments made demonstrate the magnanimity of the parties available and committed to peace. They also testify to the fact that customs and traditions are rich in resources that can help resolve differences.
Furthermore, they highlight the willingness of the authorities to work tirelessly alongside the people to preserve the common heritage of peace. Moussa Tall thanked all the actors who contributed to the process and expressed the wish that this experience would inspire the sons and daughters of Burkina Faso so that peace and social cohesion, the foundations of all development, would return everywhere in the land of upright men.
For the High Commissioner of the Ioba province, Innocents Ouattara, this ceremony represents the happy culmination of a fraternal dialogue initiated following the religious crises that the province experienced. He recalled that misunderstandings related to religious practices had generated mistrust, verbal attacks, and sometimes hatred and violence between communities.
For Mr. Ouattara, these conflicts were beginning to take on a worrying scale at a time when enormous efforts were being made in the fight against the aggressors of the homeland. Several steps have been taken to establish a climate of peace, notably through the Decentralization and Social Cohesion Program. Subsequently, the mediation phase took place with the support of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD).
"This process has helped to restore trust between communities. This approach demonstrates our ability to find solutions ourselves to the problems that threaten our society," he said. Innocents Ouattara invited the signatories of these commitments, formulated in a consensual manner, to do everything possible to honor their word before God and the ancestors in order to consolidate lasting peace in the beautiful province of Ioba.
He also stressed that the signed commitments represent the end of several crises recorded for almost fifteen years in the communes of Dano, Gu©gu©r©, Oronkua, and Ni©go. He expressed his gratitude to the NGO HD for its invaluable contribution to the conduct of the process.
Mr. Ouattara expressed his gratitude to the Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility, the Governor of the Dj´r´ region, the judicial authorities, the Defense and Security Forces, the members of the facilitators committee, and all those of goodwill for their efforts in promoting peace and hope for a peaceful future.