The President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Daniel Okoh has identified reasons the citizens must embrace peace, arguing that human capital and the expected national development will continue to elude the country if durable peace is established.
Archbishop Okoh disclosed this at the peace week conference in Abuja, calling on Nigerians to champion peace by defending their rights to religious freedom and at the same time, protecting the rights of the people of the other faiths from being violated.
He disclosed that the peace week conference was organized by the Ufuk Dialogue in collaboration with the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Muslim Student Society, and the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution.
The CAN President, however, emphasized on youths as major drivers of peace and national development, hence he challenged the youths to desist from actions that would ruin the country.
He said, “A peaceful country is happy country. If peace prevails, we would be able to harness abundant human and material resources in our country to bring about much desired sustainable development. Be a champion of peace by defending your rights to religious freedom and at the same time, protecting the rights of the people of the other faiths from being violated.
“Join peace movements and support other organizations that advocate for social justice, fairness, equity, equality and right to human life and dignity, and also refrain from sharing and spreading fake news that devalue others particularly in this era of advanced communication tools like the internet. Misguided use of the internet has the potential to trigger unmitigable violence just at the touch of a button.”
The cleric also enjoined religious leaders to take advantage of their positions and influence in the society to preach love and mutual respect for people of all faith, while the youths should ensure they establish a network of intelligent and committed people that are dedicated to peace building and national development.
“While the elites in Nigeria are highly united, they tend to divide us when it comes to politics, based on differences in interests and positions, regardless of political party affiliations. Therefore, it is crucial for us, as a nation, to remain united because we are the future leaders.”
President of UFUK Dialogue Foundation, Emrah Ilgen, affirmed that peace is not merely the absence of war, but a state of well-being and peacefulness where all individuals can succeed.
“It’s a fundamental right and a universal aspiration, transcending boundaries and ideologies. As we reflect upon the theme of this year’s International Day of Peace, “Actions for peace”, we are reminded that peace and sustainable development are interconnected.
“Together, we can recover better and build a more equitable and sustainable world for all. Let us work tirelessly to make peace a reality in our lifetime for the benefit of this generation and generations to come.”
