Global Initiative will reduce unemployment – Omini

Mrs Elizabeth Omini, is the founder of Global Initiative for Harmony in Nigeria (GIHN) which was founded 30th March 30, 2013. In this interview with BINTA SHAMA, she stressed the need to have national and global peace for Nigeria to move forward

How has it been at GIHN? Th e most recent place I worked before establishing GIHN was Peace Corp and due to my hard work within a year I was promoted as a commander here at FCT but when I got frustrated and uncomfortable in the job, I pulled out to start mine with integrity. Here our very objectives are to strengthen coerciveness both at the local and the international levels in order to transform the society where harmony and brotherhood reigns leading to national and global peace. Allowing sentiments to jeopardize our religious, political, ethnical liberty with the happenings around us, is a disservice and so it is very necessary to establish such an organisation. Th e existence of GIHN is to erase this negative notion from our society irrespective of our religion and beliefs, we don’t discriminate. We have been in existence for four years now, starting with 500 volunteers with our branches at Maiduguri, Port Harcourt and the western part of the country.

What motivated you? Actually God motivated me, because every day I see negative incidences everywhere, it gives me the creeps and that prompted me to do my best on seeing how this could be erased. I have come to the conclusion that life itself is a journey asking myself the reason for my creation and it all boiled down to this. If we can embrace love and harmony, the insurgency and crime will reduce.

Has there been support from any organisation or group? For now, no support from the government or private organisation, it has been from individuals that showed admiration and desire in my work and desire to see that nuisance is eradicated from the society like my grand patron prof. Chimle Abengowe whom I will not fail to mention has been so supportive and also my second in command Dr. Ibrahim Amadu Coomassie who has also been selfl ess in all his dealings with me. We have an act which a motion has been Omini Interview Mrs Elizabeth Omini, is the founder of Global Initiative for Harmony in Nigeria (GIHN) which was founded 30th March 30, 2013. In this interview with BINTA SHAMA, she stressed the need to have national and global peace for Nigeria to move forward moved already so that the people am pulling along will benefi t from this and not work in vain, to be a government established organization that at least at the end of the month they will receive a reward for a job welldone which I now would make me confi dent and more honorable in the eyes of all. Yes I pray for good hearted Nigerians that desire to see our society in a serene and peaceful way to locate and support the work and objectives of this organization, so that wherever Nigerians are mentioned globally it will follow with an applaud and not fright. Th is support can come through any individual not just the government or organization because we have able Nigerians.

Any challenge so far?  Yes, in the past three years, we have organised many programmes. Partnering with diff erent organisations like ICPC way back 2015, attending many programmes on invitation and I have also held programmes which great people in the country have honoured. I have been privileged to receive awards from organisations like National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), African Union Student Club, Pan-African Student of West Africa, and also from Commonwealth Society of Nigeria very recently. With all this I know God’s hands are in it all. I have been able to educate the youths and my staff on diff erent topics and lectures that there is gain living as one and, eradicating antisocial behaviour knowing that whatever challenge you are faced with should not drive you to do wrong. Th ere has been series of issues that we have resolved, for instance in Ogun, Nasarawa, Benue, CrossRiver states respectively, that even their Chiefs commended us for a job well-done.

Any challenge so far? Yes, especially in times of fi nances like I mentioned earlier. Most of the youths working under me are either orphans or without jobs, I single handedly fend for them like an orphanage home with uniform. Another great and bitter challenge is the killing of my son in 2015 in the course of this job. It was rubbed in my face that he was murdered, that they want to see my connection, weigh me down and distract me from my passion but with God and support from loved ones I have been able to come out of the shock and move on to prove the killing of my child not to be in vain for this same purpose. Whatever I have achieved so far is God and not my making. I am contented with my career, but the only pain I will forever remember is the killing of my son.

You mentioned that you started with 500 staff , presently how many are they? Now the staff strength of this organisation is four thousand, though when we started we purchased a form for fi ve thousand people whom I know we will surpass soon as time goes on and God increasing us on every side. We are actually volunteers and from the little that comes in, we use it for the administrative necessities here at the national headquarters before peradventure distributing to the other branches in order to keep the organisation strong and moving. As far as am concerned God attends to their needs and I only supplement them because if we are to weigh it thoroughly nothing is been done on that for now.

So far, how do you encourage them to get by? Yes, thank you. You see they say anything worth doing is worth doing well, most of this people have responsibilities and liabilities and dependants on them that is why I said it has been God all the way. Once you don’t have determination or focus, you deviate from the initial plan but I am glad that most people working around me are genuinely serving to see their ability in the society, understanding and also believe in me and the strength of this organisation that some day we will grow beyond this height.

In October 2015, you sent a bill to the national assembly. Can you enlighten us on that? Yes that is true; it is an amendment bill under National Orientation Agency. And this is what I refer to as if any good Nigerian can help facilitate this, the youth that are volunteers in the GIHN will not continue being volunteers but rather the government will carry them along which will be a credit both to us and the federal government that through me this organisation is established by the government. I thank God today that both the Senate and House of Representatives have been able to give us reading, if we become a government agency I believe things will get better for the organisation and reduce unemployment in Nigeria.

Going into record of such uniformed NGOs, how do you feel being a woman doing what is common amongst men? Well, I feel honored and privileged to come with such initiative. It’s been God all the way and I acknowledge and owe it to Him alone and hope to stand out and pass it from generation to generation as the Lord pleases. I run an organisation with full integrity less of any contradictions or discrimination.

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