The United Nations Ambassadors of Peace (UNAP) has congratulated Team Nigeria for exploits at the just concluded 2022 Commonwealth Games staged at Birmingham, United Kingdom with a plea for youth to always embrace peace in the country.
Its coordinator, Captain Kafu-Ata Hounakey, who handed the congratulation message at a press briefing ahead of upcoming International Youth Summit for Peace 2022, reckoned that the place of youth in achieving peaceful co-existence was paramount in any society.
The summit which will be staged on September 3, 2022 is organised by UNAP in collaboration with International Organisation of Youth Promoters of Peace as well as the Foundation for the support of Nigeria Veterans.
While highlighting the leading role role of Nigeria in Africa, Hounakey, a United Nations Peace Ambassador said there was need to galvanise the youth to champion peace as a way to enrich interactions in playing key part among the citizens.
He said, “Over the years, governments in Africa have taken it upon themselves to the idea of upscaling rural development to enhance the alleviation of poverty and unemployment, thereby improving the livelihood of citizens residing in the countryside.
“One of the fastest ways of empowering the inhabitants or our communities to become self-reliant is by providing them with basic infrastructure for them to use, create wealth and better their lots.”
To this end, the peace ambassador disclosed plans to train Nigerian youth through the World Chaplains Association of Human Rights, thereafter establish a chaplaincy in the country.
“The establishment of our representatives is focused on the defence of human rights, training of justices of peace, mediator judges and chaplain officers of human rights.
“Our areas of focus include Anti-clandestine immigration, Anti-gender violence and Anti-violence against children…
“After the training, those that have judicial background, will have to open state arbitration centres… and others would be posted to states and other countries to serve or work as Police Chaplains.
Also speaking, the founder Foundation for the support of Nigeria Veterans Brigadier General Lonsdale Adeoye (Rtd) advocated for peace as a veritable tool for sustainable development.
General Adeoye who is the President of Nigeria Shooting Federation said, “If the youth say no to violence, there won’t be destruction. This country is too big and greater than a few that may want to destroy it. Almost every part of the world, every tribe is in Nigeria. There’s no need for anyone to contemplate crisis because that can never be a solution.”
