NSIKAK EKANEM
More often, International Days, set aside for observance by the United Nations, UN, are overwhelmed with ceremonies, even to the detriment of the core essence of which the day was so named. That notion might have informed Mojima Etokudo, Nigeria’s Peace representative of May Peace Prevail On Earth International, to address participants at the 2024 edition of International Day of Peace on September 21 thus: “We gather here today not for optics and fanfare but for the ennobling ideals of the pursuit of a peaceful world, which is the pre-requisite of our individual and collective fulfillment.”
That “collective yearnings and shared aspirations”, which he said “lies first in the entrenchment of peace” in the society is what he said had led the dedication of a day for World Peace by the UN.
The 2024 International Day of Peace in Nigeria, which was held in Abuja, was organized under the auspices of May Peace Prevail On Earth International, a non-profit, non-sectarian and member-supported body affiliated with the Public Information Department of the UN. According to Etokudo, the 48-year old organisation, founded by Masahisa Goi in Japan and headquartered in New York in the United States, has got the mandate to be commemorating the world peace day. He added that the world wide body has been at the centre-stage of “organizing the event and other UN peace observances” for over two decades so far.
Attended by clerics of both Christian and Islamic faiths, academics, politicians, music icons, including Russell Gerlach, a global music producer and peace ambassador from Los Angeles in the United States, it was a gathering of people of all walks of life at the Merit House in the Nigeria’s capital city.
In the spirit of significance of International Day, the event seized the opportunity in raising awareness, establishing unity of purpose and making solemn cries on pressing issues of challenges to, and imperative of having, peace in the Nigerian nation. Discussions where centered on the theme of “Cultivating a Culture of Peace”.
In some sort of saying that the struggle for peace goes beyond the day, Etokudo launched a call for continuous clamour for peace with this message: “The work for peace is not a walk in the park but a sustainable, sacrificial and sometimes tiring unyielding commitment towards creating enabling conditions for the wellbeing of others that we too might be well”. In his words, continuous advocacy for enduring peace, “requires resilience and commitment”.
Etokudo, whose ecclesiastical engagement within a Christian organization is predominantly on evangelism, further sermonized that “A culture of peace is a set of values, attributes, traditions and modes of behaviour and ways of life based on shared respect for human values and dignity irrespective of tribe, gender, religion, race or circumstance of birth. It is hinged on the international law principle of humanity as espoused by the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the United Nations Charter”.
Without shying away from reality, he craved the understanding that “conflict lives with man and there is no way we can live a life without conflict, but all we needed to understand is how we can overcome this (the unpleasant reality).”
With apparent drive to getting political buy-in, which is still in synch with the objective of observing international days, and with direct touch on topical national issues, the senior advocate of global peace implored Nigeria’s national leadership “to give a listening ears to the people”, admonishing that “the hardship that is going on is not only a Nigerian thing but a global thing”, he enjoined Nigeria to “learn from other countries on how they overcome hardship”.
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In his keynote presentation, Michael Udam, an ICT expert, specializing in cloud computing, dwelt essentially on measures that could be intentionally geared towards “cultivating a culture of peace.” He identified such measures to include “dialogue and community engagement”, “economic empowerment and social justice”, “traditional conflict resolution mechanisms”, “empowering women and youth” and promotion of “national identity and patriotism”.
Udam opined that “Nigeria with its rich diversity of over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages, presents a unique canvas for painting a picture of peace”. Adding that one should not ignore the challenges that come with the diversity, he asserted that for a culture of peace to be cultivated, Nigerians, collectively and individually, “must first recognized and respect” the existing differences in the country.
Arising from the priorities he outlined, Udam called on the government to patronize peace education and community engagement initiatives. While charging on civil society organizations “to promote inter-cultural understanding and social justice”, he impressed on individuals “to embrace tolerance, empathy and compassion”.
In an interview, Victor Eshiet, a veteran Nigerian artiste based in the United States, placed emphasis on the need “to win the hearts of the people to let the people understand that patriotism is very necessary for nation-building.”
Another highlight of the day was awards to some individuals as global peace ambassadors. Referring to those at the event, Etokudo said he saw “a squadron of peace enthusiasts who will neither back off from the task of giving back hope to our many hopeless countrymen and women across the nooks and corners of Nigeria”.
Others who spoke at the event included Mohammed Sagir Usman, the Chief Imam of Maitama, Abuja, and Mary Paninga, the Chairperson of Adamawa State Planning Commission.
However, Etokubo disclosed that “Aside from advocacy programmes through the yearly commemoration of the International Day of Peace, May Peace Prevail on Earth International has also embarked on humanitarian programmes geared towards alleviating the plight of less privileged persons struck down by life’s bitter throes.”
In line with that digression to humanitarian ventures, and grassroots-based engagement of the organization, Etokudo on September 9 packaged an outreach programme for teenage girls at his sleepy but historic community of Ikot Akpa Idem in Akwa Ibom. The young girls in the village were empowered with skill acquisition on many areas.
Meanwhile, amidst the thrilling and drilling of the day, two things were uncertain. One, achieving financial commitment for the issue in question, which is also what such a day is expected to achieve. Another, which the first gives rise to, is the fears as to whether Nigeria’s axis of ‘May Peace Prevail On Earth International’ would have the needed human and material capacity to walk the talk of the 2024 International Peace Day.
Time would tell.
