Country Director for the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) in Nigeria, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, has urged Nigerians to embrace the nation’s diversity and continue to live together in peace and harmony.

Hayab made the call as the world marked International Day of Peace 2020 with the theme ‘Shaping Peace Together’.

‘Despite the lockdown [due to Covid-19], closure of markets and business places which made many people poorer since their sources of livelihood depend on daily labour, several communities suffered unrest, conflicts, banditry attacks and immense destruction of lives and property’, he said.

‘That we at Global Peace Foundation preach that all human beings are members of one family under God, we wish to appeal to all the Nigerian family, be they Christians or Muslims, men or women, young or old, educated or uneducated, and everyone to accept diversity as a human attribute.

‘Whatever our origin, Fulani, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Tiv, Ibibio, and all the ethnic groups in this beautiful country – North, South, East, West or the Middle Belt – let us remember that we all come from one esteem human family and, therefore, must shape the peace of our home, communities, institutions and nation together’.

Hayab further urged Nigerian leaders to intensify peacebuilding efforts, asserting that achieving true peace requires working with others.

‘No society can attain any meaningful development without true peace and inclusiveness given that true peace comes from all-inclusive efforts where everybody plays his or her role well; Nigeria must double its effort towards oneness’, he added.

The GPF is a non-profit organisation that seeks to promote an innovative and value-based approach to peacebuilding.

Source: Vanguard

Photo source: Adedotun Ajibade