Embrace Peace, avoid violence, Sunday tells Youths

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has charged Nigerian youths to embrace Peace Building and conflict Resolution as Alternative means of resolving conflicts  than the current confrontational and violent approach employed in their attempt to settling

differences. The Ministry is pledging its support to provide enabling environment to ensure that  peace methods are put to use.

The Minister Mr Sunday  Dare ably represented by the Permanent Secretary Mr Olusade Adesola gave this charge at the opening ceremony of a 4 day workshop organised by the Ministry for Youths from the Six Geopolitical Zones of the country on National Peace Building, Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution held at Ibadan the Oyo State Capital.

The Minister in his speech, said “young people all over the world who are vast and experienced in this Alternative Dispute and Resolution mechanism transform conflict they face into disagreement and disagreement into agreements”.

 Globally peaceful management and Resolution of disputes and Conflicts is a catalyst to  peaceful coexistence, political stability and sustainable socioeconomic  development of any Nation the Minister      The Minister reiterated that, the youths will be given necessary training to enhance their advocacy and arbitration techniques to enable them act as advocates, initiators, mediators and facilitators of peace process and conflict resolution in the country.

Earlier in his speech , the Permanent Secretary Mr Olusade Adesola who was represented by the Director Planning, Research and Statistics MrJide Ode Martins stressed the need to involve the youths who have formed the greater part of the population of the country in the search for enduring peace particularly in our communities.

The workshop he said is targeted at enhancing the capacity of young people,community, religions youth leaders and other stakeholders to evolve techniques and strategies for resolving disputes and Conflicts without resorting to violence. This will enable them act as agents of peaceful coexistence.

While declaring the workshop open, the Governor, Mr Seyi Makinde represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development Hon. Seun Fakorede,  urged youths to emulate the virtues of hard work of our founding fathers who believed in the unity of the nation and worked for her development. “The youths he said are the oasis in our desert of despair, our strength, hope at the stage of hopelessness and every society rely on the youth for its sustainable human and material resource development”.

He tasked the youths to be pivots of peace through this conflict prevention and management  mechanism.

The  Speaker of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Rt. Hon. Mubarak Mijiyawa, the African Union audio voiced, Civil Society Partner from “Mind The Gap”   Mr.Tayo Olusunde, all gave goodwill messages. Amongst the resource persons are, Rtd Permanent Secretary, Dr Abdulahi Aliyu, Prof. Tajudeen Akanji, from UI,  Prof Dafe Otobo, from Eastern Palm University in Imo state, Mr Samie Ihejerika, the Executive Directive Strategic Empowerment and Mediation Agency, Abuja and a good number of the youth participants from across the country.

Ulor Chioma

Information Officer

For : Director Press