Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, has condemned confrontations in addressing national challenges, describing it as unpatriotic.

Subsequently, he urged Nigerian youths to always consider dialogue and peaceful moves in treating seeming differences.

According to him, “youths should embrace dialogue, integrity and responsible leadership to address national challenges and promote sustainable development.”

Gambari said Nigeria needs a generation of young people capable of resolving disagreements peacefully, advancing innovative ideas and placing the collective interest above personal ambition.

He spoke in a goodwill and acceptance message at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, after receiving the Golden Olive Award from the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies and the Association of Students of Peace and Strategic Studies.

The former diplomat was represented by retired Colonel Ademola Lawal.

Gambari, a former United Nations Under-Secretary-General, said the country’s future depended not only on the academic qualifications of its youths but also on their character, integrity and commitment to public service.

He urged young Nigerians to recognise that leadership was not defined by titles or positions but by the willingness to serve and contribute to society.

“Leadership begins long before anyone gives you a title,” he said, urging students to take responsibility for nation-building at every level.

On conflict resolution, Gambari stressed the importance of dialogue, active listening and mutual understanding, noting that the ability to appreciate opposing views was essential to managing disagreements.

“You cannot mediate a conflict you refuse to understand,” he said, adding that compromise often required greater courage than confrontation.

He maintained that sustainable peace must rest on justice, inclusion, reconciliation and mutual respect, rather than merely the absence of violence.

According to him, Nigeria’s commitment to promoting peace and justice internationally must begin with efforts to strengthen peaceful coexistence and fairness within its communities.

“The global begins with the local,” he said, emphasising the need to nurture peace in families, universities and communities.

Reflecting on his journey from Bode Saadu and Malete in Kwara State to international diplomacy, Gambari urged students not to allow their backgrounds to limit their aspirations.

He, however, stressed that ambition must be matched with competence, character and adequate preparation to take advantage of opportunities.

The former minister also underscored the importance of investing in education, research and the development of future peacebuilders.

He cited his endowment supporting the best PhD thesis in Peace and Development Studies at the university’s Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies as part of his contribution to human capacity development and the advancement of scholarship.

Gambari described the Golden Olive Award not merely as recognition of his past contributions but also as a renewed call to sustain efforts towards peace across generations.

He expressed hope that the centre would deepen the connection between academic research and practical conflict resolution while equipping young people to promote peace in Nigeria, Africa and the wider world.

He thanked the university management, the centre’s faculty and the students’ association for the honour, describing it as a meaningful recognition of his longstanding connection to Kwara State.

Gambari also prayed for the continued growth of the centre and the emergence of graduates equipped to advance peace, scholarship and public service.