Dialogue is vital to nation-building, says UFUK Director, Aman Riaz

Aman

The group with media men

By Fatima Muktar

A non-governmental organisation, UFUK Dialogue has identified certain important factors that must be in place to ensure a responsible, robust and viable society.

According to the organisation, peace, tolerance and dialogue remain vital traits that must be promoted at all times by the citizenry, else the society would be prone to various ills.

Director of UFUK Dialogue in Lagos, Mr Aman Riaz, disclosed this over an iftar dinner it organised for Muslim and Christian media friends at the weekend.

“Dialogue and peace have always been, and still remain a need, a necessity, and a must for us to have a healthy and more productive society,” Mr Riaz began.

He added, “The work for peace needs a dimension that goes beyond any ideology, political system, or above any religious movements or religious authority.”

While interacting with the journalists, the director reiterated that UFUK Dialogue is concerned about the greater good of humanity, hence the services it renders.

“In UFUK Dialogue, we stand by societal peace, love, tolerance and compassion; and in support of human dignity and the greater good of humanity,” Riaz noted.

In his contribution, Mr Sunday Odibachy, editor of National Daily, commended UFUK for hosting the event. He however urged the agency to “engage more in sensitisation, especially in the northern part of the country where religious extremism is the order of the day.”

Religious and cultural leaders can start a strong effective collaboration with state authorities to organise community-wide efforts to address all factors that aid violent extremism and need for post election dialogue in order to bring together all aggrieved leaders and contestants together so as to bury their hatchets and move Nigeria forward,” said Mojeed Alabi of Premium Times.

Kola Aliu of the Leadership newspaper enjoined UFUK to engage more in international media and information exchange programmes for journalist and editors, to improve sensitisation and opinion exchange.

Speaking also, Paul Ogbuokiri of New Telegraph appealed for more synergy with media houses and platforms in the country, stressing that most were not aware of the great works and contributions of the organisation.

He also expressed gratitude to the organisation for bringing media personalities together for the dinner irrespective of religion, tribe and natural dispositions.

Other media personalities at the dinner included Mrs Opeyemi of Media Hallmark, Sulyman Hussain of New Telegraph and Mr Ikechi Izeako representing Daily Independent.

UFUK Dialogue was founded to promote dialogue, culture of co-existence and mutual understanding. It also focuses on dialogue and peace activities in academic and intellectual levels among different members of the society.

Load more