Ogun CP urges families to promote peace for national development

The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has called on Nigerians to promote peace by teaching their children to become peace ambassadors, in order to foster socio-economic and political development.

Ogunlowo, who was represented by ACP Olu Akinmoladun, made the call at the End-of-Year Eminent Ambassadors Peace Summit held in Siun, Ogun State.

The event was organised by the International Association of World Peace Advocates (IAWPA) with the theme, “Building Bridges for Peace: A Panacea for Sustainable Development and Social Justice.”

In a statement made available to journalists on Saturday by the Media Consultant to the group, John Felix, Ogunlowo said peacebuilding must begin at the family level before it can be reflected in the wider society and the nation at large.

He said, “Peace is not an option, it’s a necessity and we must embrace it all. Societies are made up of families, and if peace starts from the family — if you and I teach our children to be peace ambassadors — I can tell you that in no time, Nigeria will be a peace-loving country.”

He described peace as “a state of calmness, rest and joy where individuals can fulfil their potential,” stressing that no nation can thrive without peace.

“In the absence of peace, you have anarchy, oppression, depression, and eventually destruction and violence,” Ogunlowo added.

The police commissioner reiterated the command’s commitment to its mandate of protecting lives and property to sustain peace in Ogun State and across the country.

One of the newly inducted Eminent Peace Ambassadors, Dr Busayomi Soremekun, described the honour as a “call to duty.”

He said, “I’m going to be a peacemaker and promote the SDGs goals on peace, justice and strong institutions.”

Soremekun also emphasised the need to address cultural and religious beliefs that fuel conflict and called on young people to always embrace peaceful resolutions.

“Conflict can never solve anything. Peaceful resolutions and roundtable discussions are the best ways to resolve issues,” he added.

Eleven personalities, including council chairmen and entrepreneurs, were inducted as Eminent Peace Ambassadors at the summit. They were charged to promote peace in their communities, states, and the nation at large.

Nigeria currently faces significant challenges to peace, with insecurity stemming from banditry, kidnappings in the North-West, and terrorism in the North-East.

The country’s overall state of peace is reflected in its low ranking on the Global Peace Index (GPI), which is often used to assess its security situation.

A recent report placed Nigeria 148th, highlighting the impact of the criminalisation of conflicts, manipulation of ethnic and religious tensions, and the spread of fake news and misinformation on public discourse.