Sultan, Onaiyekan, Jega, others for peace dialogue

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, are among speakers billed for the inaugural virtual peace dialogue series of Rebuild Nigeria Initiative (RNI), holding on Friday, May 26.

The programme is a follow-up to the peace dialogue with Corporate Nigeria in Lagos on November 17, 2022 and the international peace dialogue of December 13, 2022, at Venerable Chapel of The Cathedral of Antwerp, Belgium.

RNI is embarking on the bi-weekly virtual discussion with thought leaders, thinkers, men and women of national and international repute.

The event would commence with General Martin Luther Agwai (rtd) from 5:00p.m to 6:30.p.m.

Topics to be covered include: “What does peace and reconciliation look like? “Why it is important, the role of the peace committee in stabilising the country,” “Post- elections – why we need reconciliation? “Interfaith issue – the need for religious tolerance as pathway to peace and reconciliation, rehabilitation/reintegration as pathway to lasting peace” and “Addressing the separatist/divisive movement, peace and unity – global relevance, peace and reconciliation for national development – Rwanda case study.

Others are: “Diplomacy for Economic Development & National Peace,” “Non-State Actors as Actors for Peace, Global Collaboration for Health Justice & Peace in Nigeria,” “Blueprint for Changing Nigeria’s Tribal Political Culture, Regional Economic Strategy for National Development & Peace: The case of Anambra State,” among various burning issues.

Speaking on the initiative, Director of Media and Publicity, Lara Gureje-Oderinde, acknowledged that the most populous black nation was at a crossroads and risked becoming a failed state, due to decades of bad leadership, poor governance and endemic corruption that have worsened standard of living of the citizen.

She regretted that the nation’s fault lines have been amplified to overheat the polity, especially during this year’s general elections.

“These nationwide agitations seem to be threatening progress towards national cohesion, peace, political stability and economic development.

“RNI is initiating these virtual peace dialogues to explore ways to address these conflicts and set the country on the path of unity, equity, justice and inclusiveness,” Gureje-Oderinde added.

Other speakers comprise erstwhile ambassador to Switzerland, Joseph Ayalogu; ex-envoy to Belgium, Usman Alhaji Baraya; one-time Director-General, West Africa Health Organisation, Prof. Stanley Okolo; public policy analyst and author, Ayo Akinfe; Economic Policy Adviser to Anambra State Government, Christian Udechukwu; Director of Research and Training at the Da’wah Institute of Nigeria (DIN), Nuradeen Lemu; National Chairman, Ulama’u Council of JIBWIS, Sheik Imam Sani; Directors of Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Idayat Hassan;   Prof. Jibril Ibrahim; founder/board chair of Girl Child Concerns, Dr. Mairo Mandara;  ex-Minister of Information, Frank Nweke Jnr and Senior Fellow/Director of Africa Programme, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington D.C, United States, Dr. Zainab Usman.