Peace: A catalyst for national development

Globally no nations of the World can successfully grow exponentially without entrenchment of peace, tranquility and harmonious coexistent among the citizen.

Looking at the importance role of Peace in the society, some analyst often times described peace as an organic foundation for any meaningful Development across all strata of human endeavors.

No matter how robust, viral a policies of government any Nations might be without peace such policies will not achieve the desired objective and

that is the main reasons why this period of International day of Peace is very critical and apt to Nigeria state considering the high levels of agitations among the citizens partly for self secession and economic control.

It is however imperative to state that human development and economic diversification Worldwide hinges solely on the existing peaceful coexistence among the citizens of such country to galvanize support for full actualization of government economic and Political policies for the best interest of her citizens.

Furthermore, Peace has always been among the humans highest values real from time immemorial. In fact, the disadvantageous peace is better than the most just war.

Peace is more important than all justice. It is on this clime to state that humanity prefer the most unjust peace to the justest war that was ever waged as there never was a good war or a bad peace.

However, economic prosperity and socio-cultural development of any Nations is the functions of the peaceful, harmonious relationship and tranquility that prevailed among the citizens over time.

Ultimately this is viewed as a peace of the minds or favorable serenity for people hearts desired to strife in the areas of abode.

As the World mark International Peace day, the task before as a citizens of Nigeria is to proactively work assiduously for the sustenance and

build peace constituency within the individual family, traditional institutions, pressure groups, interfaith organization, schools, market places, civil society organization, NGOS and

peer groups to champion the course of National Unity and peaceful coexistence. Many believed that the greatest resources any government can bequeaths to her citizens is a sustainable peace.to enhance growth and meaningful development among the people.

There is a compelling need for government at all level to establish effective and efficient peacebuilding mechanism to holistically address visible conflict as a greater concern among the citizens to adequately in cooperate

the yearnings of the people in the policy formulation of government with a view to address the roots causes of sectional, political agitations or grievances coming from the citizens to allow peace to reign particularly at the time when the country ‘s economy existed from recession.

Again, it is imperative to mention that the role of NGOs in Peace building and reconciliation among groups or individuals that felt oppressed or marginalized cannot be quantified given to the fact that the humanitarian approach employed by

this NGOs in resolving issues around the World can as well put to use here to addressed the current wave of agitations to forestall total breakdown of law and order in the country. The activities of both local and International NGOs in the country cannot be over emphasized considering the strategic positions of this organizations.

It is therefore crucial to mitigates conflict than to allow it escalates. It is much more better and economical to address conflict at the early stages hence the urgent need to step up a holistic approach for effective service delivery and

formulations of people oriented policies that has direct impacts on the lives of the concerned citizens than to provide relieve materials to a victims of conflicts.

This can be achieved by designing peace building and conflicts resolution modules to educates and sensitize the members of the public agitating for one thing or the others from the government. Similarly, there are various ways to attempt to coordinates peace building process.

One way is to develop a peace building at the individual level by training the minds to undergo a process of healings thereby x-ray all the various components inherent in peaceful coexistence looking at the economy, political and socio-cultural repercussion and the attendant destructions of lives and social devastations of a conflict.

Though, no Nation can attained greatness without conflict but we should be mindful of the twine consequences that conflict might posed if allowed.

Therefore it must be done in a manner that it will not and does not affects the corporate existence of the country or threatening the security of the Nation.

Extreme conflict over a status quo erupt basically to achieve or draw government attentions to new, just and balance governance by underlying the goals and beliefs inherent in the agitation.

Consequently, conflict itself is a process of Communication, an engagement in a well defined areas of expression, passion and beliefs becomes evident of a hidden interest towards achieving a new structure of expectations if it is well articulated and managed from escalation.

It is against this background that I call on the good people of this great country Nigeria to make the best use of this opportunity as we celebrate International Peace day to genuinely , fairly and justly come together on a round table to passionately address our common problems in a more pragmatic and holistic manner.

Where all segments of the aggrieved population can come together to embrace each other mutually through dialogue rather than extreme confrontations.

It is pertinent at this junction to draw attentions of all Nigerians irrespective of their position, cultural beliefs, political Associations to warn those fanning the embers of disintegration, hate speech, animosity in the country to have a change of mind as the Unity and diversity of the country is our strength.

No body or groups of individuals can separate us from achieving the Labours of our heroes past through deep rooted offensive language of disintegration or secession.

It is on record that those who witnessed the Biafra Civil War from 1967-1970 pledged never to see it again. Even the late Col. Odumegu Ojokwu who led the Civil war attested to the devastation and the trauma experienced by the citizens during the Civil war and promised never again to repeat for the second times.

The agitators should not sell their fertile land to buy flute where will they stand to blow it. It is high time we protect and preserve our Armed Forces and the Nation’s hard earned Military equipment for a better territorial defense than internal aggression. May God bless Nigeria.

Written by Shaibu Danjuma Head of Media and Communication NOA Bauchi Directorate.
danjumaabu143@gmail.com