The U.S Embassy Abuja in collaboration with Eisenhower Fellowship Alumni Association of Nigeria has inspired the launch of an initiative dedicated to bringing together children of UPF Ambassadors for Peace, blessed children of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification and “civil era children” born after 29 May, 1999 in Nigeria. The Second Generation for Peace Initiative was launched at the Universal Peace Education Center in Abuja after 26 young people nominated by the UPF Nigeria attended the lecture on “Peaceful Elections and Promoting Citizens’ Leadership” to mark Martin Luther King’s Day on January 15, 2015 at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
The request by the USA Embassy to UPF Nigeria for nomination of young people indicated that nominated children will attend a lecture on peaceful election, which will be followed by a leadership and mentorship training after election. The request created an opportunity for the mobilization of UPF Ambassadors for Peace and members of FFWPU – Nigeria to nominate children of Ambassadors for Peace, blessed children of FFWPU and Nigerian children born after May 29, 1999 (called the civil era children) when the military returned governance of the nation to elected civilian leaders.
After several nominations by Ambassadors for Peace and FFWPU – Nigeria members, the nominees were screened and 26 of them were recommended to the US Embassy to be invited, which was promptly done as each of the 26 recommended young people were sent invitation letters to their email addressed and sms to their telephone numbers.
As early as 7am, invited participants converged at the Universal Peace Education center for briefing on the initiative. Some of the children of Ambassadors for Peace were meeting each other for the first time and were delighted to learn about the Ambassadors for Peace initiative and to also know about the FFWPU blessed children. They were all conveyed to the Transcorp Hilton hotel in Abuja where the event was held. The event featured inspiring presentations including a video clip of King’s “I have a dream” and speeches by Ambassador James F. Entwistle, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, former Governor of Kaduna State, Babatunde Raji-Fashola (SAN), Governor of Lagos State represented by the State Commissioner for Tourism and Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former Governor of Ekiti State. They extolled the non violent qualities and programs of King Jnr and urged Nigerians to make a commitment to non violence during the forthcoming elections.
During the interactive session, several questions were asked including the observation by the UPF representatives that the whole focus of the program and other initiatives toward peaceful election in Nigeria were all promoting non violent election instead of focusing on promoting peaceful elections taking into the consideration that “peace is not just the absence of violence and wars but the presence of harmony, love, cooperation”. At the closing session, participants made the Non Violence Pledge with a commitment to take the campaign to their families, schools and communities.
The UPF delegation to the event resolved to meet and deliberate on lessons learnt from the program and to formulate a follow up action. A meeting was convened two hours later at the UPF Nigeria Peace Education center to deliberate on what actions should be taken by the participants. The participants thanked the UPF Nigeria for providing such a high level unique opportunity for them to meet with leaders and contribute to the peace process taking place before the generation elections. The slogan of non violence was discussed and it was resolved that the UPF Nigeria should begin an initiative to bring all children of Ambassadors for Peace, children of FFWPU members and children born in Nigeria since the return of civil leadership in 1999 to form a coalition for peace and to begin the campaign for peaceful elections and not just non violent elections. UPF Nigeria Secretary General, Dr Raphael Ogar Oko spoke on the significance of the three categories of children coming together to work for peace. “The children of Ambassadors for Peace are our second generation ambassadors whom we have to nurture to build the third generation to enable the Ambassadors for Peace to live together with three generations as taught by UPF Founders ”, he said.
He went on to say: “The FFWPU Blessed children are a special generation whose parents are committed to raising them to grow in love and to live in peace, practicing chastity before marriage and fidelity in marriage. They are a group that we are specially blessed to have them with us. Many Nigerians are not aware of the third group that we have invited to this program. They are Nigerian children who were born after May 29, 1999 when military rule ended and civil leadership began. They are the real civil generation, a group without experience of military rule in Nigeria. We need to nurture them to grow as civil citizens and ensure that by 2019, when they shall be voting for the first time in the history of Nigeria, they shall vote for candidates who will support and endorse our Peace Vision 2020. I therefore propose for your consideration and endorsement the launch of the Second Generation for Peace Initiative”.
Participants applauded the proposal and the motion for adoption of the initiative was moved again by UPF Nigeria Secretary General with the call on “those who support the idea of Second Generation for Peace Initiative, please, say yes, and those who do not support it should say no”. All participants said yes and that signaled the launch of the Second Generation for Peace Initiative in Nigeria with a call on all Ambassadors for Peace to mobilize their children to join the initiative. The members then resolved to create a slogan to promote peaceful election 2015. The slogan created was “I Pledge Peace: Join Me to Pledge Peace”. A committee was formed to develop an outreach initiative where the slogan of I Pledge Peace (IPP), Join me to pledge peace will be promoted throughout the country both on face to face meetings as well as online and social media. Participants commended the USA Embassy, Abuja for supporting the event and pray the Embassy to stand by the people and government of Nigeria not only on election matters but also on the challenges of corruption and Boko Haram among others.
Photos from the programs are available online via:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/111558136252563905571/albums/6104626966818326913
Dr Raphael Ogar Oko, Secretary General, Universal Peace Federation – Nigeria
