The Immaculate Initiative for Peace (IIP) has demanded that the federal, states and local governments council areas to set up Peace Committees at various tiers of govt as an agency to address issues of people’s anger, grievances and observations before it degenerates into conflict.
The Group who made the demand at Press Conference in commemoration of the International Day of Peace held in Lagos on Monday equally called for the existence of this Peace committee to be backed by law in order to legalize it’s existence.
While urged that this Peace body should comprise of the representatives of security agencies, respected traditional and religious leaders, civil society and Non-governmental organizations, youth and women groups and persons with disability.
Speaking of the theme of this year’s commemoration of the International Day of Peace which is celebrated on 21 September of every year, the group said there’s no better time than now to “Cultivate the Culture of Peace” among the people for a better tomorrow and the world at large.
According to the group, “The International Day of Peace has always been a time to lay down weapons and observe ceasefires. But it now must also be a time for people to see each other’s humanity. Our survival as a global community depends on that.
“The above is a premise of the reason why we are gathered here, that as Nigerians, when we look around us, we can’t run away from the fact of the existence of conflicts in our streets.
“Also, communities, villages, towns, states and the country at large and all these have a telling effect on our humanity as a people because of killings, maiming, displacements and properties damaged as a result of conflict”.
As part of its duty, the Immaculate Initiative for Peace which is a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) has been in existence for close to two decades with over 10000 members across all Local Government Council Areas of Lagos State.
The group said it has championed conflict resolution in various areas like marital issues, soliciting health assistance for individuals in dire need through the Ministry of Health and Intervention in Construction of a befitting office of Citizen’s Mediation Center at Igando-Ikotun LCDA.
“Recently, we were at the forefront of brokering peace in the murky waters of the leadership tussle in Lagos State Butcher’s Association and host of other involvements in Peace keeping initiatives”.
The group also called on the Nigerian authorities to establish an institute of peace to promote research, advocacy and study of peace, saying cultivating the culture of peace in any society is not a walk in the park.
IIP added that it’s an initiative that requires seriousness and commitment from all the stakeholders in order to make progress and develop to actualize the human potential for the collective good.
At the event, the Immaculate Initiative for Peace also used the opportunity to honour an expert, a tourism aficionado, Ambassador Ayo Omotoso; the CEO of Travelogue and the brain behind the Destination Nigeria Governors’ Tourism Conference.
