All Things Conflict

In this profound and inspiring episode of All Things Conflict -Justice Redesigned, Maria welcomes Kelechi Ezeigwe, a remarkable activist, educator, and author based in Nigeria. Kelechi is the founder of the Saint Abigail’s Women’s Initiative, an organisation dedicated to empowering women through financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and life skills.

Kelechi shares her transition from a secure corporate career in banking to the "restless" pursuit of building a school system that prioritizes critical thinking over rote memorisation. We explore the themes of her powerful book, Vultures of a Kind, which serves as a poetic outcry against leadership failure and the systemic oppression of women. From navigating culturally entrenched domestic violence to advocating for women’s voices in boardrooms, Kelechi's story is a masterclass in using "love in action" and education to disrupt toxic cycles.

Key Takeaways


The "Hyena" Metaphor: Collette discusses the powerful imagery in her writing, comparing failed leadership to a predator that "kisses its prey" before consuming it, reflecting the broken promises of government.

Education as Liberation: Why Collette walked away from the financial sector to build a preschool and primary school that teaches children to "question things" rather than simply follow rules.


The Struggle for Women’s Autonomy: A raw look at the stigma surrounding divorced or independent women in Nigeria and the ongoing battle against domestic violence.


Financial Literacy as Power: How the Saint Abigail’s Initiative teaches women financial education to build integrity with banks and secure their own economic futures.The Art of Patient Activism: Collette reflects on shifting from "fierce" activism to a model based on "listening to understand," inspired by Nelson Mandela and her work with Maria on conflict resolution.


A Call for Global Sisterhood: Collette’s plea to women everywhere to keep opening doors for one another and to ensure their voices are never shut down, whether in small communities or global boardrooms.

Vultures of a Kind
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vultures-Kind-Kelechi-Ezeigwe/dp/1914560280/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Kelechi Links

https://ng.linkedin.com/in/kelechi-ezeigwe-2b4b74171

https://www.stabigailintlschools.org/

Social Links
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centreforpeacefulsolutions.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.peacefulsolutions.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.workplacehuddle.com⁠

HOST BIO


Maria founded the Centre for Peaceful Solutions in response to the fatal shooting of a 7 year old in her neighbourhood. She developed a model of conflict resolution for violent crime using her brainchild, the Dialogue Road Map (DRM).  

Over 30 years she has mediated everything from threat to life gang disputes to high stakes business deals gone wrong, Maria empowers people to resolve conflict without reliance on experts. So she trains violent prisoners to be facilitators, leaders to be effective communicators, teenagers to be peer mediators and neighbours to be tenant listeners within their respective communities.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠⁠

In this episode of All Things Conflcit - Justice Redesigned, Maria sits down with Shahab (Shab) Hashtroudi, a former high-flying entrepreneur and "Nightclub King" who saw his world collapse following a dawn raid and a grueling seven-week trial. After losing his business empire, Shab found himself in the "darkness" of the British prison system—but he didn't just serve his time.

Shab became a powerhouse of peer-led rehabilitation, clocking over 700 hours as a Dialogue Roadmap facilitator. He shares the shocking details of his trial—including a juror who wore a T-shirt signaling bias—and discusses the profound "ego death" that allowed him to find true happiness behind bars. This conversation is a piercing look at the failures of the jury system, the psychological impact of incarceration, and why peer-to-peer support is the most effective tool for saving lives in prison.

Key Takeaways


The Jury System Scandal: Shab recounts the unbelievable moment a juror wore a T-shirt mocking the defendants during his trial, and why the judge’s refusal to dismiss that juror highlights a systemic lack of accountability.


The Tax Authority Trap: A discussion on how UK authorities often treat business errors as criminal "theft" rather than civil mistakes, destroying viable companies and jobs in the process.


The Trust Gap in Prisons: Why inmates are often unwilling to speak to "outside" psychiatrists but will share their deepest traumas with a fellow prisoner who has "lived it."


Peer-Led Rehabilitation: How Shab used the Dialogue Roadmap to help fellow inmates move off suicide watch, proving that the most effective therapy in prison often comes from the cell next door.


The "Ego Death" of Incarceration: Shab reflects on how losing his millions, his cars, and his status actually made him a happier, more grounded man by forcing him to focus on internal value rather than external labels.


The 700-Hour Lesson: A look at the resilience required to facilitate change in a high-pressure environment and why Shab believes "punishment is not a resolution."


A Message for Entrepreneurs: Insights from Shab’s book, Legacy of a Shooting Star, on how to handle failure and find the energy to restart when everything is taken away.

Legacy of a Shooting Star

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Legacy-Shooting-Star-Beyond-Alcatraz/dp/1839529458

Shab Hashtroudi

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shab-hashtroudi-b51b99243/?originalSubdomain=uk

Social Links
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centreforpeacefulsolutions.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.peacefulsolutions.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.workplacehuddle.com⁠

HOST BIO

Maria founded the Centre for Peaceful Solutions in response to the fatal shooting of a 7 year old in her neighbourhood. She developed a model of conflict resolution for violent crime using her brainchild, the Dialogue Road Map (DRM).  

Over 30 years she has mediated everything from threat to life gang disputes to high stakes business deals gone wrong, Maria empowers people to resolve conflict without reliance on experts. So she trains violent prisoners to be facilitators, leaders to be effective communicators, teenagers to be peer mediators and neighbours to be tenant listeners within their respective communities.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠

In this deeply moving episode of All Things Conflict - Justice Redesigned, Maria sits down with Joan, a mother whose life was irrevocably changed in 2011 when her son was killed in a "one-punch" attack. While many would remain locked in a cycle of bitterness and anger, Joan chose a different path one that led her to the heart of Restorative Justice.

Joan shares the raw reality of her journey: from the initial fury of losing her son to the groundbreaking decision to meet his attacker, Jacob, face-to-face. This conversation explores the transformative power of being heard, the flaws in the "manslaughter" sentencing guidelines, and the incredible friendship that emerged from a tragedy. Joan’s story is a powerful testament to the fact that forgiveness isn't about forgetting; it’s about healing the "lion’s den" and finding a way forward for two families caught in the same tragedy.

Key Takeaways


The Weight of "One Punch": Understanding the devastating impact of a single moment of violence and how it ripples through a community, affecting both the victim's and the offender's families.


Moving Beyond Bitterness: Joan discusses her transition from being "very bitter and very angry" to realizing that holding onto hatred was only hurting her own healing process.


The Power of the Face-to-Face Meeting: The pivotal moment when Joan met Jacob in prison. She describes how seeing his remorse and his own "lost" nature allowed her to see him as a human being rather than just a "monster."


Flaws in the Justice System: A critique of the current sentencing for manslaughter (often as low as 14 months), which Joan argues fails to reflect the value of the life lost or provide adequate time for rehabilitation.


Restorative Justice as a Right: Why Joan believes every victim of a serious crime should be offered the opportunity to participate in Restorative Justice as a standard part of the legal process.


The Impact of "Punch": A look at how Joan’s story was adapted into a successful play, helping to educate the public on the consequences of violence and the possibility of reconciliation.


Two Families, One Tragedy: The unique perspective that Jacob’s family also suffered a loss, and how the two families eventually found common ground and support in each other.

Social Links
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centreforpeacefulsolutions.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.peacefulsolutions.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.workplacehuddle.com⁠

Resources mentioned

https://www.theforgivenessproject.com/

https://www.commongroundjustice.uk/

The Play - Punch

https://punchtheplay.com/uk-tour/

Appologies for the guests internet connection!

In this deeply moving episode of All Things Conflict - Justice Redesigned, Maria Arpa sits down with Andrew Morris, an advocate and survivor of the Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence. Described as one of the most significant human rights stains on the UK justice system, the IPP sentence has left thousands of individuals in a state of "legal limbo" trapped in prison indefinitely with no set release date.

Andrew shares his firsthand account of the psychological "torture" inherent in indeterminate sentencing, where hope is systematically stripped away and replaced by a cycle of despair and high-stakes recall. We explore the staggering statistics of the 2,700+ people still caught in this system, the tragic rates of self-harm and suicide, and the systemic failure of "abolition without retrospection." This is a conversation about the desperate need for Healing Justice and the human faces behind the forgotten statistics.

Key Takeaways


The Definition of "Indeterminate": Unlike standard sentences, an IPP sentence has a minimum "tariff" but no maximum end date. Once the tariff expires, the prisoner is not released until they can prove to a Parole Board they are no longer a risk - a test that is notoriously difficult to pass.


The Psychological "Torture": Andrew describes the mental health impact of not having a release date. Without a "finish line," the brain enters a constant state of fight-or-flight, leading to catastrophic levels of self-harm and hopelessness within the IPP population.


Abolition Without Retrospection: While the IPP sentence was abolished in 2012 because it was deemed unjust, the law was not made retrospective. This left thousands of people serving a sentence that the government admitted should never have existed.


The "Recall" Trap: Even after release, IPP prisoners are on license for at least 10 years (previously for life). A minor technicality or a single mistake can lead to an immediate return to prison with no clear path back out.


The Suicide Crisis: The episode highlights the harrowing reality that the IPP population has some of the highest rates of suicide and self-harm in the entire prison estate, driven by the lack of a "light at the end of the tunnel."


Healing Justice vs. Punitive Justice: Andrew argues for a shift toward "Healing Justice"—a system that prioritises rehabilitation, emotional intelligence, and empathy over bureaucratic box-ticking and endless punishment.


The Role of Lived Experience: Why it is essential for survivors like Andrew to lead the conversation on reform, as they understand the visceral reality of the system in a way policymakers cannot.

Social Links
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centreforpeacefulsolutions.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.peacefulsolutions.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.workplacehuddle.com⁠

Andrew Morris
https://howardleague.org/andrew-morris/
https://www.instagram.com/thehowardleague/

In this riveting episode of All Things Conflict - Justice Redesigned, Maria welcomes Andrew Pritchard, a man who lived an extraordinary life as a high-level "architect" of global supply lines and criminal empires. After a spectacular collapse that led to a 15-year sentence in some of Britain’s toughest high-security prisons, Andrew didn't just serve time—he studied the system.

Andrew shares his journey from the streets of North London to the high-security wings of Belmarsh and Whitemoor. He discusses the powerful moment of remorse that changed his trajectory and how he utilised his entrepreneurial skills to reduce prison violence by 97%. This conversation explores the "Hindsight" curriculum, the reality of "Joint Enterprise" laws, and a radical vision for a self-sustaining, non-profit prison system.

Key Takeaways


The Reality of Remorse: Andrew distinguishes between "feeling sorry for yourself" because of a long sentence and true remorse, which comes from finally recognising the destructive impact of one's actions on thousands of victims.


The Postcode Trap: A tragic look at how young "enemies" in prison often discover they share deep family connections but remain locked in violent conflicts over postcodes they don't even own.

Joint Enterprise & Legal Pitfalls: Andrew critiques how the legal system and unscrupulous law firms use "Joint Enterprise" to secure easy convictions, often landing young people 30-year sentences for crimes they didn't personally commit.


The 97% Success Rate: While in Belmarsh, Andrew and other senior prisoners created a mediation program that utilised "spotters" to identify gang members at reception, successfully resolving nearly all internal conflicts.


The "Hindsight" Curriculum: A proposal to replace useless prison courses (like "money management" for drug smugglers) with entrepreneurial training that applies a criminal's existing skills to legitimate, low-risk business models.


Maslow’s Hierarchy in Prison: Understanding that a prisoner’s focus shifts from survival to relationships and eventually to a desire for recognition and legacy as they age.


The Non-Profit Prison Model: A radical idea to replace for-profit private prisons with self-sustaining communities where inmates run businesses to pay for their own keep, creating a zero-cost system for taxpayers.


A Message of Hope: Andrew’s life proves that even from a "rock bottom" situation, it is possible to rise, change, and leave a positive legacy for the next generation.

Andrew Pritchard

Andrew's Book - Empire of Dirt

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Empire-Dirt-Identity-Corruption-Redemption/dp/1919372601

Andrews Website

www.apfoundation.org.uk

Social Links

⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centreforpeacefulsolutions.org⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠www.peacefulsolutions.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠www.workplacehuddle.com

This podcast is distributed by Disruptive Media