By Dr Raphael Ogar Oko
Background : On April 28, 2014, the UPF Nigeria delivered thousands of yams raised through the support by 4 Ambassadors for Peace, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, Hajiya Dr. Maryam C. Abdullahi, and Sir Chief Polycarp and Lady Helen NDOUNTENG JP, under the Ambassadors for Peace Emergency Relief Project for the internally displaced persons in Benue State. During the presentation of the over 4000 tubers of yams to the displaced persons, His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Chief Steven Lawani received the yams on behalf of the people.
The supplies were followed by our message of peace to the displaced persons. The summary of our message based on the inspiration of the UPF Founder was “take these items; use them to gain energy but not to seek revenge. These are food for peace, eat them but live in peace no matter the situation.” These words have become the most common expression among the beneficiaries and the people that witnessed it.
On this foundation, we have remained determined to build on the food for peace idea. During the 2014 UN International Day of Peace, we concluded the week-long activities with a Dinner for Peace, where Ambassadors for Peace again endorsed the idea of food for peace and requested the Secretariat to work toward the formal launch of the food for peace initiative.
World Food Day 2014
Being aware that the United Nations World Food Day is commemorated every year on October 16, we mobilized our volunteers and Ambassadors for Peace to organize an event to mark the World Food Day 2014 with the theme Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth”.
The event also featured the launch of the UPF-Nigeria Food for Peace Initiative, which is designed to bring together food producers, distributors and consumers with policy makers and Ambassadors for Peace to explore strategies for the harmony of the needed culture, structure and infrastructure for the realization of food for all and ensuring that all people eat food to live in peace.
The World Food Day 2014 event by the UPF Nigeria was held at the National Merit Award House, Maitama, Abuja with participants drawn from several groups including governmental agencies, farmers and investors, food vendors, representatives of hotels, youth and women organizations as well as other NGO leaders and Ambassadors for Peace. The opening prayer was offered by Rev Sunday Uke, UPF Nigeria Director, Office of Interreligious Affairs and was followed by the National Anthem of Nigeria recited by all participants. Dr George C Ikpot, Director, UPF Nigeria Office of International Affairs delivered the welcome and opening address where he shared testimonies of the commitment of the UPF Founders to the well being of all people emphasizing their direct involvement in issues of feeding the world with both spiritual and physical food. Dr. Ikpot said: “Today’s event provides us the opportunity to move our aspirations for peace in Nigeria forward. The launch of food for peace initiative today provides us the platform to ensure that we do everything to make sure our world and nation does not remain in the realm of survival of the fittest alone but survival of both the weak and strong”.
The United Nations Secretary General’s message on the World Food Day was read by Peace Ambassador Bede Ekeh, Founder of LOGON, an NGO working with several women farmers in Nigeria. In their different goodwill messages, the UPF Nigeria was commended for the idea of connecting the UN food for all to a new level of all for peace leading to the food for peace initiative. The messages came from the Hon Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Director General, National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), National President, South-South Apex Farmers Association, Commandant General, Global Initiative for Harmony in Nigeria, and Mrs Rosemary Effiong, National Coordinator, Society for Empowerment and Self Reliance as well as the General Manager, 805 Restaurants Ltd, Sir Frederick James snr.
Mr. John Okwudili Ene, Principal Partner, Horticulture Development Center, popularly known as “John the farmer” gave an inspiring presentation in support of the food for peace initiative urging all stakeholders to work together to ensure that “no one goes to sleep without food or stay awake without food.” UPF Nigeria Director, Office of Interresources Development Affairs, Una B Smart spoke passionately about the UPF Founders investments in food and health technologies for healthy living and used the opportunity to introduce the Happy Health Neurostabilizer machine, which he mentioned has proved effective in treatment of pains, a common situation for local farmers in Nigeria and offered to introduce training programs for leaders of the farmers’ association on the use of the machine for healthy living for peace.
The keynote presentation on the food for peace initiative was presented by Dr Raphael Ogar Oko, UPF Nigeria Secretary General. The presentation outlined the need for the initiative as well as the methodology being adopted to ensure that food contributes to peace building in Nigeria. The initiative seeks to create a universal culture for food production, distribution and consumption as well as mobilization of an interdependent community of stakeholders committed to food for all to live in peace.
It was also explained that the idea of food for peace initiative was strengthened by Mr Abiola Aloba, an intern serving with the UPF Nigeria from the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Ibadan, who has just completed his Masters degree in Peace and conflict studies with specialty in humanitarian and refugees affairs. His voluntary service with passion, determination and commitment inspired the creation of the Humanitarian Affairs unit in the office of the Secretary General, UPF Nigeria and led to the planning and outreach efforts for the launch of the food for peace initiative.
With positive commendations from participants, the representative of the Global Women Farmers association called on the UPF to intensify her efforts to ensure that access to food become a reality for all people. There was also a call on government to specially recognize the efforts of UPF Nigeria in the task of building a peaceful Nigeria. A voice vote in support of the launch of the food for peace initiative in Nigeria signalled the formal proclamation of the formation of the initiative, with a call to reach out to all stakeholders and design innovative programs including education, food drive, food bank, hosting of food for peace forums, dinners, awareness and advocacy campaigns as well as establishment of peace farms and working with agricultural science teachers to train young farmers for peace, among others.
The event was enriched further with the presentation of awards to some agencies and establishment that are making efforts toward creating access to qualitative and quantitative food for all people in Nigeria. The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) received the UPF Nigeria World Food Day 2014 award for regulation of food services, while the following hotels were presented with the World Food Day award 2014 on creating access to food for all:
* 805 Restaurant, Abuja
* Beverly Hotels, Wuse 2, Abuja
* Agura Hotels, Area 10, Abuja
* Hungryman Restaurant,
Also, thirteen leaders of farmers associations received certificates as Ambassadors for Peace and were inducted into the Food for Peace Initiative Committee. Recipients expressed their appreciation to the UPF and pledged to work in the Food for Peace Initiative to ensure that everyone has access to food and when people eat, they should eat to live in peace.
The event ended with a banquet of different varieties of food served by the women to all participants. We are determined to follow up with the initiative and working toward securing land in Abuja and other communities for the farms for peace programs of the initiative. Ambassadors for Peace were encouraged to spread the message of the 2014 World Food Day focused on family farming to all communities in Nigeria. The world food day event in Nigeria was reported by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria network radio and the Kapital FM as well as Love FM and Hot FM in Abuja.
Dr Raphael Ogar Oko is Secretary General, UPF Nigeria Abuja
