The Commandant-General of Nigerian Peace Corps (NPC), Dr. Mustapha Mohammed Abubakar has said that Nigeria has not achieved the much-desired peace and development due to disunity among Nigerians.
He said this on Wednesday in Abuja during the commemoration of the United Nations (UN) International Day of Peace, with the theme: ‘End Racism. Build Peace’.
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He said that the day is observed worldwide every 21 September as part of activities to strengthen the ideals of peace, through simple non-violence approach strategies known as Civil Functionality Modality (CFM) thereby generating revenue through various means included in the Establishment Act.
“Like COVID-19, racism is a contagious killer. We need to come together and continue working together for the common good with conviction and determination. In other to achieve true peace, it requires love and togetherness. It requires the building of young people and youth.
“The unemployed that will go beneath the society. Where all members feel that they can flourish together in love not minding their differences in faith to build a formidable society for better Nigeria.
“One thing we fail to understand is racism destabilizes our society, it undermines our democracy, it erodes the legitimacy of governments, and the linkages between racism and gender inequality are unmistakable,” Abubakar said.
He also called for the empowerment of the younger generation, so that the adults can help them shape the world to come.
He said, “So, stop watching from the sideline. Read observe, learn and listen. We must hold ourselves accountable, we must hold a society accountable, we are all one family. Keeping quiet is not an option, speak up. speak up by taking action.”
Abubakar who urged Nigerians to be more security conscious, assured that the corps, will continue to support other security agencies in the area of intelligence gathering to end insecurity in the country.
Also speaking at the event, the Director General National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr. Garba Abari, urged Nigerians to champion their efforts towards uniting the country and ensuring a peaceful 2023 general elections.
Dr. Garba Abari represented by a Deputy Director in the Agency Mr. Williams Borgu, said the appeal became imperative due to the fact that political campaigns would soon commence across the country.
He said that citizens must promote peace and imbibe political tolerance for free, fair and peaceful 2023 general election.
Also speaking the Ambassador Special Envoy, Hussain Coomassie, said the event is apt and urged the youths to be law abiding and always use dialogue to channel grievances for sustainable peaceful coexistence, rather than resolve to violence.