By Auwalu Birnin Kudu
Mani – wife of Katsina State Governor, Hajiya Zakiya Masari has set up peace clubs in 36 senior secondary schools in Daura zone of the state, to promote peaceful coexistence.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the clubs were formed under the auspices of her NGO, Women, Youth and Children Improvement Support Initiative.
Hajiya Masari, who was represented by Mrs Basira Lawal at a workshop on peace building held at Government Day Pilot Secondary School Mani, said the students were being sensitised to imbibe the habit of peaceful coexistence and intervene in conflicts to engender peace and harmony.
She said schools were fertile grounds to promote early knowledge of the value of peace among the youth population who were open used by selfish agents to jeopardize peace and stability.
The governor’s wife explained that the clubs would be managed by the schools and supported by the NGO to “ensure stability and functionality of the clubs without hitches”.
She added that the clubs would be assisted to organize seminars, meetings, symposiums and peace talks in schools and the larger society including public forum with a view to promote peaceful coexistence among the people.
Malam Lurwan Mohammed, the acting Director of Bauchi State Orphan and Vulnerable Children Agency, who delivered a lecture at the event, described as unfortunate the sporadic breach of the peace in parts of the country.
He said peace was essential to development and urged the students and all Nigerians to work for peace wherever they are.
Mohammed advised the clubs to engage traditional and religious leaders in its activities, so as to actualize its mission.
The state Commissioner for Education, Dr Badamasi Charanchi, in a message, described the formation of the clubs as desirous and timely.
He said the clubs would play vital roles in promoting peace among students and teachers, especially as teachers serve as mirror to their students in character molding and orientation.
The Commissioner said the ministry would support the clubs through counselling, supervision and other issues that would strengthen their performance.
Charanchi lauded the efforts of the governor’s wife for the initiative, adding however that the state had not recorded any serious breach of the peace in its schools.