Let’s shun division, pursue peace — Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called on Africans, especially Nigerians, to eschew division and pursue peace at all time.

He said this at a peace summit organised by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) on Tuesday in Abuja.

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The summit was aimed at analysing and strategising for peace on the Korean Peninsula and its relevance to the African Region.

According to him, having suffered the excruciating pain of distrust among African people, especially in the wake of the struggle of independence and liberation, the time has come to toll the part of peace and eschew division.

“This must begin with the transcending ideals that can overcome the current division of our current world.

“We must enable people to connect through different religions, races, beliefs and build upon it as a key foundation to peace in families, communities and nations.

“Let us all rise up to this challenge and constructively recruit every support for the goals to be attained.

“Let us all work collaboratively at finding lasting solutions to the challenges of our time; promote constructive dialogue and multilateral cooperation for the sake of peace and human development,” he added.

In his keynote address, the Director, Abuja Leadership Centre University of Abuja, Prof. Philip Afaha, said that one of the resolutions to foster peace in Africa “is centered on confidence building.

“Confidence building among the warring people in Africa, especially the leadership in Africa is important.

“There has to be a way that the leaders know that they have to build confidence.

“The leaders must always have fear of the people and there must be dialogue,” Jonathan said.

Earlier in his remark, the Chairman, UPF International, Dr Thomas Walsh, who joined the summit virtually, said that the UPF was committed to promoting peace in Africa and in all countries of the world.

“We truly believe that Africa can be a shining light and be the way for a turnaround of this world that is looking like it is entering into a new cold war era,” he said.

NAN reports that the highpoint of the event was the induction of no fewer than 10 “Ambassadors of Peace” drawn from across the country.

Amb. Emonyon Odion, one of the inductees who spoke on the sideline of the event, said that injustice, unfairness and inequity remained a stumbling block to achieving peace in Nigeria. NAN