This is just as the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, HRM Maj. Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (retd), averred that amid the ongoing drums of war in the country, Nigerians still prefer peace.
Dr Abubakar and Diete-Spiff, both chairmen of the Niger State Emirs’ Council and Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council respectively made the remark on Thursday at the unveiling of Africa 4 Peace Centre and Groundbreaking Ceremony of African Heritage Int’l Academy by the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) at Ugolo-Okpe, near Warri, Delta State.
The Emir of Nupe, who hinted that he had to quickly abandon an inter-religious interface in Abuja to honour the invitation, urged Nigerians to cherish peace across ethnic and religious trappings, saying without peace, the so-much-coveted development in the country would end up a mirage.
On his part, HRM Mujakperuo, whose kingdom is host to the CEPEJ Peace Centre, opined that “it is cheaper to invest in peace than spend on war.”
According to him, as a country, the government should be more interested in investing in peace than war.
HRM Ediete-Spiff, who lauded the National Coordinator of CEPEJ, Comrade Sheriff Mulade for engendering peace in the country with his activities, noted that peace was paramount and peace-building training should be dear to the hearts of government functionaries and other organisations.
The Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass kingdom also urged Nigerians to save the environment from degradation, adding that communities which had been impacted by oil activities should be duly compensated.
He called on the Federal Government to fulfil its campaign promises by building new refineries to exit the country from perennial fuel shortage.
Meanwhile, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria represented by Louis Edward and her Liberian counterpart, Dr Al-Hassan Conteh, who graced the occasion, lauded the peace initiatives of CEPEJ.
Dr Conteh said his country, Liberia, had keenly observed the progress and efforts of CEPEJ in peace-building, urging all Nigerians to peace and avoid a repeat of another civil war.
In his remarks Comrade Mulade the belief that quality education remains the hallmark of the 21st-century youth in order to instil in them the values of clean environment and justice birthed the idea of establishing the African Heritage Int’l Academy.
“We cannot afford our youth to suffer good education. This is because we ate aware that when the youth suffers, the future suffers and we cannot prepare the future for the youth but we can only prepare the youth for the future,” the environmental activist enthused.
Dignitaries from all works of life, including the Nigerian Armed Forces and leaders of the Delta State House of Assembly represented by the Speaker Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, were present at the unveiling and groundbreaking ceremonies of the nongovernmental organisation.
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