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Nigeria urged to cultivate culturally educated citizens for lasting peace

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\The Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Mr. Chris Maiyaki, has emphasized the urgent need for Nigeria to foster culturally educated individuals to promote peaceful coexistence.

Maiyaki pointed out that conflicts often originate in the minds of individuals, stressing that it is essential for stakeholders to confront this issue directly.

He made these remarks at the grand finale of the 2024 Peace Art Competition, organized by the Idimuwem Peace and Governance Initiative (IPGI) in partnership with the Black Montessori Education Fund and the Belgian Embassy in Abuja.

The event was part of the celebrations for the 2024 International Peace Day, observed on September 21.

“Peace is a function of education, and this is where the National Universities Commission and all education stakeholders gathered here are preoccupied with, trying to pool consensus around platforms like the Peace Art Competition,” he stated.

“Nigeria is in a hurry to produce culturally educated people; where you come from, what you wear, and what you eat shouldn’t be a problem to me.”

“This event is taking place at a time when the call for a reinvention and reimagination of peace and harmony is getting louder by the day.”

Maiyaki reiterated that addressing the roots of conflict is crucial: “It is well-known that war, instability, or any fracas begins in the minds of men, and it is where we need to tackle the matter head-on in such a multi-stakeholder collegiate.”

Belgium’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Pieter Leenknegt, highlighted the connection between societal peace and the empowerment of all its members. He stated, “There would be no peace in a society where women are locked up at home, entire ethnic groups are suppressed, and one religion is allowed, as it is the case with Afghanistan where I had served as an ambassador.”

Leenknegt further elaborated that true peace encompasses more than the absence of conflict: “It’s about actively working for a society where everybody is at peace with one another. It’s about culture, it’s about education. That’s why in the UN resolution of 1999, the programme of action was the culture of peace.”

He encouraged the children involved in the competition to continue their creative pursuits in promoting peace.

The convener of the Peace Art Competition, Uduak-Abasi Akpabio, shared her perspective that peace is a skill that can be developed. She emphasized the vast potential of Nigeria, stating, “One of the things I did was to write books because I was interested in peace education getting into the curriculum, but I realized that beyond that, we need to start early to build capacity among children and youth.”

Akpabio added, “Identifying one medium that children enjoy is how we started the peace art competition. This year, we were targeting 8-10-year-olds because children do understand if you use a medium they can engage with.”

She explained, “For children, one of the mediums that has been identified is arts. A child may not be able to speak, but he can identify and make drawings.”

Emphasizing a broader definition of peace, she remarked, “If we look at peace beyond the state of no violence, and we see peace as a capacity under our interactions—whether political, economic, or social—it should be considered a life skill that must be cultivated.”

Dr. Ayuba Caleb, representing the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, highlighted the ongoing suffering caused by armed conflicts and humanitarian crises, urging stakeholders to intensify efforts to resolve these challenges. “Peace guarantees the triumph of the human spirit,” he concluded.