18th July, 2017
The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Nigeria on Tuesday called on all citizens to pursue peace building at all cost in order to ensure a prosperous country.
Dr Oluseyi Soremekun, the National Information Officer of UNIC, made the call in Ibadan at an event held in collaboration with Global Youth Leadership and Girl-Child Foundation (GYLGF) to mark the 2017 Nelson Mandela International Day.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UN General Assembly in 2009 declared July 18 as the Nelson Mandela International Day in recognition of the former South African president’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom.
NAN reports that some of the activities included 67 minutes community development initiative as well as debate and quiz competition for secondary schools.
The 2017 edition had as theme: “Action Against Poverty.’’
Soremekun said that peaceful coexistence underscored actions to end poverty and drive socio-economic development.
“Let us join hands to build a peaceful, sustainable and equitable world.
“The theme, Action Against Poverty, is interlinked with peace.
“If we all come together and fight poverty by getting engaged economically and acquiring some vocational skills regardless of our educational attainments, poverty would be on its way out of our lives and peace would reign in the land,” she said.
She said that Mandela’s legacy of fighting poverty and promoting social justice for all should be imbibed by all who find themselves in leadership positions.
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“Mandela was a model global citizen who gave 67 years of his life to inspire change. His accomplishments came at a great cost to himself and his family, but the legacy of his selflessness remains indelible.
“Let us seek to continue building on Mandela’s legacy of fighting poverty through the commitment to ensuring social and economic inclusion in the society.
“By devoting 67 minutes of their time on this day, one minute for every year of Mr Mandela’s public service, people can make a small gesture of solidarity with humanity and a step toward a global movement for good,” she said.
In her remarks, Dr Adepeju Oti, the Executive Director of GYLGF, challenged Nigerian youths and adolescents to use their strength for general good and learn to lead purposeful lives.
Oti also appealed to political parties to make room for young Nigerians to bring new ideas and vigour to governance in the country.
“We are celebrating Nelson Mandela today for his leadership and every positive value he lived for.
“The youths of Nigeria should rise up to the challenge of leadership in the spirit of Mandela; they should learn to question the status quo, mediocrity, corruption and irresponsible governance in whatever colouration or disguise,” she said.