By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – As Nigeria joins the rest world to celebrate the International Peace Day, the Director General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Dr Bakut Tswah Bakut has urged Nigerian citizens on join hands with the federal government and other stakeholders in insuring peace in the country.
Dr Bakut made the call in Abuja on Thursday during a media briefing with journalists in preparation for the commemoration of the International Day of Peace which is the United Nations day meant to inform the media on activities lined up by the institute from effective Monday 20th of September.
Recall that countries all over the world will on Tuesday 21st of October, 2021 mark the international Day of peace or World Peace Day with the theme: “Recovering Better for an Equitable and Sustainable World”.
The Director General stated that the activities lined up are targeted at realizing the objectives of the theme for the year’s Peace Day which is aimed at promoting the culture of peace amongst people across the world, particularly those in conflict settings or threatened by violence.
According to Bakut, the United Nations (UN) also uses the opportunity to call for the observation of a ceasefire by combatants or parties in violent conflict and generally requests that people across the world, spread the ideals of peace, love, compassion, kindness and hope. Stressing that United Nation has prioritized assistance for recovery from COVID-19- in the celebration of Peace Day this year.
He noted that Nigeria’s disquieting conflict dynamics and manifestation have necessitated the prioritization of conflict while also attending to recovering from COVID-19, due to the nexus between both incidences.
Adding that in its quest to galvanize cooperation on conflict de-escalation and strengthen national cohesion on the promotion of peace in the country, the institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) which annually celebrates the Peace Day in collaboration with diverse stakeholders is once again working with partners to advocate and sensitize parties in violent conflict across the country on the need to observe a ceasefire on the 21st of September and adopt a non-violent approach to the further resolution of conflict.
He further informed that many of the stakeholders drawn from the security sector, civil society group Ministries. Department and Agencies (MDAs) and development partners are leveraging on various on-going peace-building programmes in communities to achieve a ‘ceasefire’ or Silent the Guns.
“Some have initiated new programmes towards promoting peace orientation among children and youths. Five of the Institute’s newly created Peace-building Zonal Offices will be fully engaged with partners in their different locations, he stated.
He also hinted that the entries of activities so far received are for those to be conducted in the following 14 states and the FCT; Plateau, Enugu, Ekiti, Lagos, Osun, Bauchi, Borno, Adamawa, Kano, Kaduna, FCT, Delta, Bayelsa and Cross River.
“The Defence Headquarters, the Nigeria Army and the Air Force are intensifying peace-building and sensitization activities around civil-military relations theme in Nigeria’s conflict theatres.”
He listed the 2021 Peace events to include: Novelty Match by veterans, the Annual Peace Lecture and Open Air events which will feature art exhibitions, music, poem and peace messages will be posted on the Institute’s Facebook page.
Dr Dakut therefore tasked all Nigerians to work, make peace happen by the little they can to ensure that Nigeria returns fully to peace.
The DG charged all to join the Institute in popularizing the hostages:#Ceasefirenaija,#Takeresponsibilitynaija and #InternationalPeaceDayNG