Admin l Wednesday, March 22, 2017
ABUJA, Nigeria – Stakeholders have identified cultural rebirth as a panacea to ethno religious crisis in Nigeria.
This was made known during this year celebration of INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION with the theme “Ethno Religious Crisis in Nigeria; an impediment to National Peace and Development”.
In a roundtable discussion organized by UNESCO Centre Abuja in Collaboration with Civil Society Groups for Good Governance and attended by youth leaders, faith based organizations and the media, the Centre identify the rebirth of our cherished values as a major roadmap to peace advocacy and development.
Discussants express worry over what they identify as a breakdown of traditional African value system which has lead to insecurity such as insurgencies in the north east, cattle rustling in the north west, herdmen clashes with indigenes in central Nigeria, militancy in the south south, kidnapping and ritual killing in the south east and assassinations in the south west.
Participants therefore call on religious leaders, youth leaders and the military to advocate for cultural rebirth that promotes brotherliness against contentious living, patriotism against narrow nationalism, respect for peoples culture and belief system as against fanatism, and obedience to constituted authorities and the constitution.
In his welcome address, the Coordinator of the Centre and president of the group, Comrade Dominic Ogakwu noted that though Nigeria is not a country that practices racial discrimination but the celebration which is globally recognized by United Nation Resolution [A/RES/2142(XX1)] is an opportunity to expound on the message of Peace which has become a very scarce commodity in the land. He expressed confidence in the theme for this year celebration which is aimed that redefining the post election narrative which has become a threat to our collective existence as a nation.
He commended the effort of the Nigerian Military for their tireless effort in dealing with internal security while at the same time carrying the people along and also calls on traditional institutions to be fully committed to the process of peace building and advocacy.
