The Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Oyo State command, Dr. Michael Adaralewa has identified peace as a major element that is relevant to the significant development of a nation.
Dr. Adaralewa disclosed this during the celebration of International Day of Peace organized by the Peace and Conflicts Resolution Unit, NSCDC, Oyo State, held at command headquarters, Old Nitel Building, Agodi, Ibadan.
The Commandant, during the lecture, said that community conflict is inevitable among diverse groups of people with different needs, interests and perspectives.
He also added that without peaceful coexistence among all these various groups of people, there would not be any significant development in the community, state and the nation at large.
Adaralewa, therefore, charged all ethnic groups, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo to maintain peaceful coexistence, saying that they are all children of the same mother.
He said that one of the visions of Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi for the corps is to maintaining peace and conflict resolution in the country.
“Let us give peace a chance, let there be cessation of enmity, hatred, violence, war, kidnapping, murder, armed robbery and all vices in our community and let them be replaced with law and order, love, unity, security, dialogue, patience and development,” Commandant Adaralewa stated.
Meanwhile, Head of the Peace and Conflicts Resolution Unit of the Command, Assistant Commandant Toriola Olanrewaju, said that peace involves understanding each other and working together to find solutions to problems.
He stated further that the unit has settled over 250 cases from marital issues, land disputes, breach of agreement, chieftaincy dispute and market disputes just to mention a few with the help of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
Guest Lecturer, Comrade Abiodun Bangboye, who is from Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights (CDWR), expressed the need for everyone to live in peace, talk peace and display peace in everywhere we find ourselves as a peaceful environment helps to build a developed nation.
International Peace Day (IPD) is observed all over the world every 21st of September yearly. The UN secretary Antonio Guiberres declared this as a day devoted to strengthen the idea of peace through observing 24 hours of NON-VIOLENCE.
The event was attended by representatives from all ethnic groups in the country including Eze Indigbo of Oyo State, His Royal Highness Eze, Eze Indigbo of Ibadan land, Dr. Alex Anozie, representative of Aare Mogaji of Ibadanland, Alhaji Adeleke Lukman, the Ohinoyi of Ibira Ibadanland, HRH, Lamidi Aliu Balogun and representative of Seriki Shasha Alhaji Kabiru Sarki.
Others are Alhaji Chief Bolanle, Ibadan Mogaji Omoteji, Reverend father Jerome Ajakaye Director, Justice Development and Peace Commission (JPDC) Ibadan, landlord chairmen association and other stakeholders on peace.
