Of Civic Engagement, Youth Peacebuilding and Multilateralism

05:49

Eleanor Klinogo is the African and European Representative at the Commonwealth Youth Council

We need young leaders who understand the power of sacrifice; that being in a leadership position isn't all about the fame and what it comes with but it is all about service. Eleanor Klinogo

There are contending views as to the proper age definition of who a youth is. Many would prefer the term, "Young Adults". Whether it is 18-25, 18-35 or 18-40 the most important thing is that it speaks to a group of people who are young, creative, innovative, dexterous, exuberant and in need of proper guidance for effective channeling of their unique resources and skills.

I have argued severally with people and I believe this is the ground norm, that the essence of education and knowledge acquisition, is the edification of the soul and the positive transformation of the society. Anything out of these is not education. To be ...found worthy in character and learning. Implies that the core of education is character building and transformational learning.

Youth Civic Engagement sprouts from a deeply understood sense of accountability, civic responsibility and patriotism. Young People must participate in the Political and Governance process, not from the parochial or observant angles, but as active participants in the entire process. In Africa, politics and governance is still controlled by very senior citizens. Where lies the promotion of Diversity and Inclusion?

We live in times when people learn for the wrong reasons; to intimidate, to destroy existing cultures and, to disintegrate families. Young people are being used as Child /Youth soldiers, political thugs and destructive elements. These are not the kind of global action we want. The youth must see himself as advocate of Peacebuilding. Embracing the Humanity First creed, deploying his learnings to the advancing peace and harmony.

If your Learnings can't inspire collective advancement of your people, if it can't bring progress to where you dwell, if you cannot add value to the life lived by your peers, then the goal of education is lost.

Multilateralism helps us to embrace diversity and inclusion. It propels the youth to engage constructively in Peacebuilding and harmonious coexistence. Achieving the sustainable development goals, SDGs in this decade of action is predicted on the willingness of the youth to embrace the skills, tools and resources of each individual and apply them to effectively engage the status quo. This is the Global Action that this day, the International Youth Day calls for.

To be Multilateral means to be all inclusive in the decision meaking and implemntation process. This takes into account the divergent attributes of the respective groups and including them in the consensus building.

The theme of International Youth Day 2020, “Youth Engagement for Global Action” seeks to highlight the ways in which the engagement of young people at the local, national and global levels is enriching national and multilateral institutions and processes, as well as draw lessons on how their representation and engagement in formal institutional politics can be significantly enhanced.

For there to be effective engagement, the youth must know what to engage in, how to engage, when to engage, with whom to engage, and what to get out of that engagment. This is where the application and expression of knowledge gained is valuable.

I hold firm this belief that education is the bedrock of every form of socialization and civilization. Thus, be it informal, semi formal or formal, the major *gbim* must be focused on transforming positively, the lives of its beneficiaries.

Now if that is the case, then for us to effectively respond to the call for Youth Engagement for Global Action, we must understand the role that education plays in the this call. We cannot engage with knowing.

As someone once said Young people should not be afraid to engage, gain knowledge, learn and shut up for a moment. We must use our education for the purposes of edification, unification and development. This is the first step towards youth engagement as positions the youth for an effective response to the call for global action

Happy 20th International Youth Day!

OjisiEmezie

4 Comments

Issues

The 7th Element of the SDGs

22:35

"Peace is a journey of mutual respect, tolerance and acceptance and not a designated stop like the grave yard. It is a tangible reality that is attainable rather than a mystical abstract term". Chimezie Udechukwu

Today is the International Day for Peace and I have always held that " graveyard peace is like snow sprinkled with hot water, its end is imminent."

You cannot achieve peace if you don't accept the fact that we have differences which we must embrace and tolerate; and, similarities which we must promote and celebrate. This is the core of inclusion and diversity at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.

We wake up every day to news of violence in Northern Nigeria, Congo DR, Syria, Myanmar, Cameroun and the litany continues.. this further shows how divisive we have become, how much we have either refused to build or stopped building, using peace as our blocks, towards a safer and cleaner world.

No building is finished even when construction is complete. Every building is a continuous process of maintenance to avoid depreciation, defacement and abandonment. The same goes with the peace process. It is a continuous efforts of collective inputs geared towards a solid sustainable culture of acceptance, harmonious coexistence and love. When these ingredients are inside the pot, the peace soup becomes more palatable to relish.

This year, theme is *Right to Peace - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70 is quite poignant and points to the essence of justice in the promotion of peace. In a world where the inalienable rights of individuals are trampled on daily because of their ethnic background, religious association and even political affiliations, there is a compelling need to revisit the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as codified in 1948.

There are six elements that are critical in delivering the SDGs. They include;

1. Dignity: to end poverty and fight inequalities

2. People: to ensure healthy lives, knowledge, and the inclusion of women and children

3. Prosperity: to grow a strong, inclusive, and transformative economy

4. Planet: to protect our ecosystems for all societies and our children

5. Justice: to promote safe and peaceful societies, and strong institutions

6. Partnership: to catalyse global solidarity for sustainable development

At the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 when the SDGs was signed, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari stated that Peace should be added to the 6 other elements that makes up the SDGs and I agree, if only he too can match words with action.

Why?

It is simple.

There can not be sustainable development without peace building. Peace building is a holistic package. It is imperative that we key into the culture of peace campaign of UNESCO.

Again, I have always argued that "Peace is the language of development and service is the currency of peace. When a leader fails to render service to his people then he is depriving his people the dividends of leadership and that fuels frustration which begets aggression. This is how civil strife erupts. This trend and pattern can be avoided."

Therefore it is safe to state that Peace transcends religion, culture and political affiliation. This is because violence has no filial or consanguine knowledge. It is imperative we give peace a chance and continue to mould the building blocks of peace.

We must not be like Robert Frost's definition of a Diplomat as "A man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age." but like Democritus emphasize our global citizenship when we believe in this statement; "to a wise and good man the whole earth is his fatherland."

Our world and indeed our continent can thrive again if we continue to invest in the building blocks of peace.

I am Chimezie Judemary Udechukwu. I Speak. I Compere. I Volunteer. I Preach Peace and I believe in Nigeria.

What's your pledge for Peace?

OjisiEmezie

4 Comments

Albinism

Changing Myths, Clarifying Perceptions: The Albinism Advocate

00:00

Hello friends!

On the June 10, 2018 the Onome Akinlolu Majaro FOundation held an event to mark the 2018 International Albinism Awareness Day. The event had in attendance, Persons With Albinism and others who share in the Albinism Awareness Advocacy. I granted an interview to Chinwe Maduagwu Assistant Editor of www.nextedition.com.ng an online news platform. The interview was first published on June 14 under the headline SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Show Love To Persons With Albinism, Not Pity- Udechukwu https://nextedition.com.ng/2018/06/14/special-interview-show-love-persons-albinism-not-pity-udechukwu/special-reports/chinwe-maduagwu/

I have reproduced the interview with due credits to Chinwe maduagwu but only changed the headlines to suit this platform.

Enjoy!

Mr. Chimezie Judemary Udechukwu, is a Human Resource Practitioner with a Lagos based logistics and haulage firm and Brand Ambassador for Public Relations and strategy for Onome Akinlolu Majaro (OAM) Foundation. He holds a BS.c in Political Science and Masters in Peace and Conflict Resolution. He is a person with albinism and makes no bones about it. In this interview with Assistant Editor, CHINWE MADUAGWU, he talks about living with albinism.

TNE: What are your responsibilities as the PR and Strategy Ambassador for your NGO?

As Brand Ambassador for PR and Strategy for OAM Foundation, part of my job involves advising management and board with regards to the right PR campaign component for each of our programmes. The strategy part revolves around planning, and executing various projects. Hence, I sit in on strategic meetings, prepare briefs for projects and generally ensure that the organization is always represented in good light all times. These are asides other duties as assigned by management.

TNE: From when you started till date, would you say there’s been a change in perception? How accommodating have people been towards your NGO?

In October this year, we’ll be three as an organisation and I’ll say we have done well for ourselves as a young organisation. We have been accommodated. We have been received. We are standing on the “Beyond the Complexion” campaign and we have said to ourselves we don’t believe in pity party, we don’t need anyone’s pity. If you want to deal with us, we say do so based on our intellectual capabilities, if we are not suitable, let it be on that. Don’t do things for us because we are persons with albinism. If we can situate ourselves based on that, we can say yes anybody who listens to us, does so on the basis of what we can offer. There is a gradual acceptance.

TNE: What was it like growing up?

I’m the 6th of seven children. My younger brother is also a person living with albinism. While growing up, my parents never treated us differently. When it was our turn to go and fetch water from the well, we’ll carry bucket on our head. I hawked as a young boy. Except my younger brother, from the eldest to me, we all hawked. From my Jss2 through my secondary school, I hawked after school. I was selling pap on Saturday mornings, in the afternoons I’ll sell yam, whatever was in season; yam, fruits, tomatoes, bread, name it, to help keep the family going. It was at that time that I sharpened my bargaining skills, my negotiation skills, my public speaking skills, my decision making skill, and my ability to endure. Both of my parents are late now, but I’m grateful to them for all the lessons they taught me. The fact that they never treated me differently or with ‘special tender care.’ If it was your turn to wash the plates, you will be asked to go and do so. My dad never missed an opportunity to spank. When we are playing and we hear that our dad was coming back, we would quickly run to go and wash our legs because at all times you must appear neat.

That’s why changing the narrative starts with family love. Show love to your child with albinism. Let the child grow up the way he or she should grow up. The scripture says, “train up a child the way he or she should grow, when she/he grows they will not depart from it. So treat them as every other child, equip them with the skills they need. When you do that, then, they can blend and be able to achieve. I played in the sun, I did stuff. These are some of the things we need to put in check and have balanced perception when it comes to albinism.

People see me and they are surprised to hear that I’m a human resource person, though my bosses did not look at my skin colour when I went for the interview. They were interested in what I was bringing to the table as I put them down in my CV. They questioned me based on that and what I have done. Based on my answers on those and what I believed I could add to the organisation, I was hired. That’s what we want to bring to the fore. Many person living with albinism are living in fear, they are cowed, restricted and reclusive. We are saying no! You can’t have an albino child and say ‘stay at home, don’t explore. ‘You can’t have an albino child and say don’t eat salt. You can’t have an albino child and say ‘ahh, you can’t get married.’ It’s wrong; we fall in love, we have human beings who love us for who we are. ‘

We get married and give birth to normal children: well, I mean dark-skinned children. We are normal, the only thing we don’t have is melanin, lack of pigmentation, but from every other angle, we can do whatever people with melanin and pigmentation can do. This is the major focus of our NGO and the “Beyond the Complexion” campaign. We are saying; look beyond our skin colour or complexion. Look into what we can offer, what we are bringing to the table. Engage us in discourse – when we are dealing with people, when we are strategising, what can we do?

TNE: You have said that persons with albinism don’t need special treatment but that doesn’t take away the fact that they must have special or peculiar challenges. What are some of these challenges and how can they be dealt with?

One of the challenges facing people with albinism is visual difficulty in seeing things form afar. I don’t use the word impairment because I don’t like it. Growing up then, even in primary school, I used to go to the board to copy my notes. At a point, I embraced dictation and it helped me with spelling at a tender age. Because of the ultra violet rays of the sun, a person with albinism is perceived to not function well under the sun, but it doesn’t mean that the sun is harmful to them. We need the sun to balance the body temperature.

Yes, there is that difficulty in seeing from afar. The question then is how do you deal with this, how do you curb it? One way is to introduce the child to colours at the initial growth stage. Let them see the bright colours, let them identify them – this is yellow, that is orange, lemon, purple etc. These are colours that are aberrations. So from the tender age they’re becoming accustomed to these colours and by the time they grow up, the colours would have registered in their head.

Also, an early visit to an Ophthalmologist to determine the strength of their eyes helps. There are some albinos who don’t wear glasses. I used to wear glasses but at some point, I told myself I could cope without them and I stopped. Though sometimes my colleagues will tell me to go and get glasses but I’m stubborn about it and I still function well. As a Catholic, I’m a lector in my parish and I read at Sunday Masses.

Again, it also has to do with the positive words that we share. What are the things parents tell their children? What do you tell them as a parent that they can do? Do you tell them they are capable of doing things or do you tell them to sit down and keep quiet? Growing up, I used to read newspapers with my dad and we would sit down and discuss politics. Eventually, I studied Political Science for my first degree and Peace and Conflict Resolution for my Masters. Some day, I hope to be a Ph.D holder.
It is important for parents to understand their children. Each person with albinism is different from the other, their challenges are peculiar to them so when you know the individual challenge, you can then know how best to handle it.

TNE: Have you ever, at any time faced discrimination because of your skin colour?

A lot of times. While growing up, some children used to sing this song ‘oyibo pepper, shuku, shuku, pepper, you go yellow more more.., for me. I had names. Even as an adult, I’ve faced discrimination. I had an encounter with a colleague sometime ago. She was really rude and I gave it back to her; I said to her ‘look at me beyond my colour. This is business, if what I’m saying is dumb or doesn’t sound right, then judge me on that.’ Don’t attack me based on my colour, attack me based on the quality of my submissions. Some people will see me and it’s ‘oyibo how na? Afin!! But because we have grown to not be hurt by these words, we let them pass. Sometimes, I sit them down and educate them.

Again, sometime in April, I was to anchor one of my friends wedding but the bride’s sister kept trying to be funny; she was always like ‘oyibo can you see, can you see?’ So I told her to give me her iPhone and I will drop it to the ground to demonstrate the strength of my eyesight and that I will give her money to buy another iPhone.
Everybody there was shocked and started apologising. People shouldn’t do that. So yes it comes but we look for more intelligent ways to diffuse it when it comes.

SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Show love to persons with albinism, not pity

Do you think legislation can quicken the integration of persons living with albinism into work places, by way of affirmative action – reserving a certain percentage in government establishments for people with albinism or would that be seen as pity?

There are continued discrimination of PWAs in different places and therefore, we need to reduce this trend. So yes I think legislation can improve the integration process of PWAs but the big question is, are we sincere with it? Since January 2017 The Bill to Establish the National Agency on Albinism and Hypo-Pigmentation has still not crossed the Committee stage. In the Bill, there is no provision for at least one Person with Albinism to be on the Board or even become DG. How can you shave my head in my absence? How can you propose a Bill on PWAs without involving them in the management of the Agency? I personally do not subscribe to pity parties and this is what it looks like.

TNE: You said earlier that you are dating someone you hope to marry. Is she a person living with albinism?

No, she’s not and my skin colour is not an issue for her.

TNE: Finally, as the world celebrates International Albinism Awareness Day, what’s your message to the people?

It’s simple; look beyond the complexion. People with albinism are human beings. They are among the most intelligent persons you can find around. To parents with children living with albinism; do not relegate them. Don’t think you have a curse of a child with you. These are persons that with the right care, nurturing and upbringing, they will become the best at what they do.
So, treat them right, show them love, give them a strong support system and they will turn out the best persons.

0 Comments

Issues

SEE FROM THIS MIRROR

14:49

Dear friends,

This poem by Hadijat Akinbola speaks volumes about the situation in the country. I am privileged to have acquired permission from the budding lawyer to share this piece.

Read and be inspired. Reflect and find your voice in this growing oppression.

She calls it

See From This Mirror.

Happy slaughtering.
A brush dipped into a bucket of cold blood,
The nation painted red.
Put off the light.
The sounds of zombies.
The cries of infants butchered and slaughtered.
Shhhh...

June is not brutal
How was the merriment in Plateu?
Bring out dishes, corpses can fill hungry stomachs.
Put down the curtains
The smell of the painted country oozes and stenches
Cheers!
A cup of blood directly from a youth of his parents hope
Cheers!
A yarn of muscle from an able-bodied lying in the tonic pumping from the heart.
Serve the dishes, a toast to woes and anguish.

Psssst.
Turn on the light
Raise the curtains!
I know that sound.
No. She's just a girl I don't know, never mind.
Hey... You see the default in the connection of the CNS of man after it's been set?

We are not from a mother but we are bonded by religion
Not from a father but by tribe
By tongue
By boundary
By borders
By humanity
And mortality.
We are humans and we are connected by that virtue.
"The next on the roll call,
Drag this body to the refrigerator."

Don't pray for Nigeria,
Put a halt to "Association of Oyo Brethren".
Omo Oodua is enough diversity
Don't dice an atom further.
The antidote to massacres is not in atonements to gods
Love an Hausa man and look beyond shoe making
Don't pray
Don't fast
Don't do all of the above unless you love every man to your heart.
Shut your eyes to tribalism
Open your eyes to humanity
Inhale Peace
Exhale borders and unintended contempt.
Though unintended, it will only sip into our arteries and form a confluence of hatred and pride.
Turn off the light.

Arrrgggghhhh!
It's a horror movie of a slice of life
Gruesome killings and brutal matcheting
Candles of hope put out
Blossoms of teenagers put to rest
It's a sunny spring in Nigeria, put on the fan.
Yeehhhh...

It doesn't rain red on 28th June's only
Fogs of fumes don't blindfold on Thursday's only
It could have been the soul that wields this pen.
Breathe softly
Live kindly
Share generously.

Living hurts that many live to have lived only a couple of hours ago without bading adieu.
Live before it's truncated
And what is living except that this life was lived to step into a blissful tomorrow?
Shhh... "Live" before praying!

K (Hadijat)

She can be reached via
Akinbolahadijat512@gmail.com

0 Comments

Peace

Loyalty and Allegiance: The Strength of an Indomitable Will

04:43

Image may contain: Nwosu Oroma Uju, smiling, closeup

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." Mohandas Gandhi

People join organizations for various reasons, it is same with relationships. . From personal fulfilment to value creation, to self-development and giving back; the essence isn't lost; there is a seeming compelling need to grow, to become better and to appreciate in terms of value and knowledge.

No matter the reason for joining, one thing becomes clear once you take the decision to join and that is, loyalty to the goals and objectives of that organization. You see, if you are not loyal, then you cannot become familiar with the terrain neither can you grow or even give adequately. Loyalty promotes Trust and friendship and this is a very important part of team and organizational development.

Look around you, the major reasons why some firms’ collapse and people end up leaving is because there was an absence of loyalty either from the bottom-up or top-down. In between, it led to mistrust which gives rise to gap in communication, hatred, jealousy and strife. Loyalty gets us past the moments of tribulations, into heights of happiness and victories.

Sometimes in 2006 I became friends with a young lady who was just rounding off her freshman year in college. We had been members of a religious student club called St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Club for the Youth STECJECY whose Apostolate is to use our talents in the service of God and good mankind. My reason for joining was because I was a member of something similar back home in my parish in Festac. It was called The Evangelical Troupe.

Prior to July of 2006 we were acquaintances but after July when we were both elected to serve as Directors of Social in the 2006-2007 Executive Committee of the Nigeria Federation of Catholic Students NFCS, St. Joseph the Worker Chaplaincy, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, we developed a bond of friendship that has blossomed into family friendship.

Image may contain: 2 people, including Nwosu Oroma Uju, people smiling, people sitting

She would go on to finish her law program in Unizik come to Lagos for law school then go back to Kaduna for her NYSC and then return to Lagos where she currently resides with her family. She's so dear to me so that two days after burying my mum in February 2013, I left Ihiala in Anambra to go to Ohaji Egbema in Orlu Local government area in Imo State for her traditional marriage, and I was Master of Ceremonies at her wedding in June of that same year, leaving a very important retreat to be there.

Nwosu Oroma Uju is a woman with an indomitable will. She's a woman with a beautiful soul and everyone who comes across her can attest this. Her wisdom is uncommon and her disposition to doing good is simply phenomenal. Her allegiance to worthy causes is amazing!

Jojo as friends call her continues to teach me that when you put your trust in God wholeheartedly, he sure will not let you down. She's that woman that prays and it's amazing how many times she can put others before herself just so they can be comfortable. It is these lessons and the values that she espouses that have deepened our friendship over the years and today; I celebrate her for being a true definition of a friend.

Even after marriage, never be a stranger to the ones you care about. You may reduce your frequency of contacts and redefine your relationship but please never be a stranger even though Lagos has a way of changing people, stay through to your friends.

Image may contain: Nwosu Oroma Uju and Nwosu Henry, people smiling, people sitting

Uche's bae, Kamsy's mum, Ojisi's friend, may God continue to bless and expand your coast. You are a firm supporter and promoter of the OjisiEmezie brand, live long and prosper in good health of mind and body.

You keep teaching me to remain loyal to my allegiances and, I guarantee you that I will not stop!

Congratulations are indeed in order ma’am!

OjisiEmezie

4 Comments

Communication

Why We Need PEWs

01:16

"The way to love anything is to realize it can be lost. It is not panic, it is putting things in perspective” Charles Umeh

"Surulere", “Ndidiamaka”

Patience Pays! There is virtue in orderlies and slow isn’t inaction.

In 2003 the movie "Honey" was released directed by Billie Woodruff featuring Jessica Alba (Honey) and other stars. It was centered on a girl who's dreams of becoming a choreographer and also helping the kids in her Community came true. Now the movie has quite touchy scenes but perhaps the most emotional for me was the final scenes at the dance benefit held to raise funds for the dance studio for the kids. The kids danced to Yolanda Adam's *I Believe* oh how teary I get whenever I listened to that song not only because of the highly powerful vocals of Yolanda but because of the message.

One of the things lacking in the relationship between Youths and adults is patience. Yes patience. Adults are not patient with the youthfulness of the young; the young are not patient with the wisdom of the elders manifested in long talks and slow processes. Hence the elders are want to always say what an elder can see sitting down; a child cannot see if he climbs the tallest iroko tree.

But patience is a virtue, a central part to solving the many conflicts, crises, conflagrations and bickering in our world today. Lack of patience breeds suspicion, hatred, envy, jealousy, anger, pride and resentment. When we rush, we make some error in judgement.

We have always said that assumptions and suppositions are direct causes of conflicts and this is rooted in hasty conclusions which ignore the deep thought processes that patience engenders. Like the opening quote affirms, when we love and know that people or things we love can be lost, it gives us an impetus to take our time in re-assessing our approach to how we relate others.

Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, text

The youth is known for their beauty, exuberance, vigor, energy, innovation, impatience and rush among others. Adults are known inter alia for their wisdom, time taking, elaborate plans, and thorough checks. Patience is the bridge that connects the wisdom of the old and the energy of the youth to achieve a common goal.

But of course, many would be quick to say that isn't workable. Not with the growing rate of hardship, falling Naira, increasing poverty and inequality especially in the Nigerian economy. Truth be told, the situation is pathetic. But we must embrace patience! Rome wasn't built in a day; neither did China become the global economic hub overnight.

When the elders are not patient with the young and hurriedly conclude on everything they do, when the youth believe that the elders are always slow in responding to things, then the right recipe for conflict is brewed.

We can get out of the shithole [I can’t believe I am saying this], but we must realize that in the journey of life, no one can win the war individually, there comes a time when the wisdom of the elders and energy of the youth must converge and blend into a powerful weapon of peace.

In this era of naira swallowing snakes and monkeys, at a time when the collective prestige and integrity of our nation is being tested, it is time to converge at the confluence of reasoning where the aroma of the mix of wisdom and energy is enough to ignite peaceful and harmonious coexistence.

Yes, the glory days are ahead, soon it would be ours but then Patience, Energy and Wisdom are key to our nation's success.

It is time to engage our strengths to put our country back on track! As Rosa Parks once said "I believe we are here on the planet Earth to live, grow up and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom."

We can do this!

OjisiEmezie

0 Comments

Communication

Why We Can't Can Communicate

03:47

“One of the many challenges we have in our generation is that we don't do conversations anymore we simply do comments... You just look around to where it has left us.” Charles Umeh

Image result for peace and conflict resolution

Image Credit: www.upeace.org

On this space I have repeatedly said that "assumptions and suppositions are the major causes of conflicts in our world today." I still hold on to that theory. You see, we continue to assume that people know what they should do; people also suppose that as humans, we should understand. This is the irony that we find ourselves in.

In 2012, the very pretty Matse Uwatse, one of the pioneer OAP on Wazobia FM gave a compelling speech at the Charter Presentation ceremony of the Rotaract Club of Amuwo Main where I was privileged to serve as the Chair of the Planning Committee. Her presentation was titled Broadcasting for Peace and there she stressed on the importance of proper communication in our quest for peaceful coexistence.

More than five years and her words remain relevant in our society today. When we look at the ways by which we express ourselves, the mutual suspicions; more assumptions and suppositions, the fact that the elites continue to pitch us against each other. Peace is not the absence of war. It is the promotion of equity, equal rights and justice .

Image Credit: www.progressiveconflictsolutions.com

While Conflict on the other hand is part of our shared human experience, and commonly exists within our own minds, as well as in our families, institutions, and local and global communities. It is a deviation from the expected norms, a breakdown in communication, a friction which arises from the misunderstanding that arises from our lack of similarities.

But peace is possible especially when we communicate right with each other. Gone are the days of isolationism. We level in constantly evolving world where we are exposed to tons and tons of information. Since communication is a two way street, it means we must give and take; hence we can can't communicate especially in our quest for peaceful aspirations, the promotion and practice of a culture of peace and acceptance of our collective diversity as a means for understating and growth.

In the hall that day when Matse spoke was a young man whose was inducted as a Charter member of the Amuwo Main Rotaract club. three years later, he would become President of the club, and five years after, he would become a District Representative.

Now listen to Titus Ogunniyi District Rotaract Representative for Rotaract District 9110 Nigeria in his Message to mark the Peace and Conflict Prevention and Resolution Month in Rotary. His words resonates what Matse Uwatse shared nearly six years ago;

Image Credit: www.rotary.org

“The world as we know it is a battle ground but not only for human existence but conquering species and breaking new grounds… These battles which are played out in forms of warfare deter us from the act of Building Communities Bridging Continents, hence we require beyond human defined means to carry on. In many cases only Love can solve the need for a peaceful coexistence between humans which in itself requires us to Reach Within to Embrace Humanity.”

“This effort provides us with ample ability to ensure that the world is a better place. In Nigeria we are in constant need of Peace Through Service as we have all shades of conflict perpetrators across the nation. Fulani herdsmen from the North, Avengers from the South and Boko Haram in various places but these are not the only perpetrators. In recent times we have learnt of how domestic violence and various other crimes to mankind has dealt a heavy blow on the hearts and minds of growing children and rendered them inept to understand the need to true peace, even peace from within.”

“The lives of children who suffered rape, molestation and other forms of vices and violence has lost the essence of a serene existence and hence by creating awareness on the need for true peace we provide these minds with the right information to stay clear of conflict."

Image Credit: www.canadiandream.cbet.ca

As my mentor said in the opening quote, we can curb the ugly trend of assumptions and suppositions by not just "commenting" but rather "conversing" for in conversations, we build communication and more commitment. In our conversations, we grow in our understanding of each other. In our understanding, we promote love and peace coexistence and are willing to serve each other, for that is the language of peace!

Constant communication can end assumptions and suppositions, thereby putting an end to frictions which grow into conflicts.

We must continue to advocate for peace, because peace comes from within. For as Marvin Gaye once said, if you cannot find peace within you, you not find elsewhere"

So you see, we can't can communicate!

OjisiEmezie