Real estate entrepreneur and CEO of Pelican Valley Nigeria Limited, Dr Babatunde Adeyemo, has urged Nigerians to come together to build a peaceful and harmonious country where sustainable progress and development are the norm.
He noted that embracing peace was necessary for the country to safely get out of her current social, economic and security challenges, adding that to have a peaceful country is a shared responsibility of the citizenry.
He stated this at the weekend shortly after his investiture as an international peace advocate by the United Nations Positive Lives Award Centre (UN-POLAC), an autonomous institution with a mandate to enhance the effectiveness of the UN sustainable development goals and UNESCO Culture of Peace Programme.
The event with the theme “Uniting for a Peaceful & Sustainable Future” also formed part of UN-POLAC’s activities set aside to commemorate this year’s edition of International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace.
Adeyemo said: “I take my appointment and investiture as international peace advocate as a call to the dedication and more commitment to peacebuilding, peacemaking and peace sustenance for progress, development and harmonious living.
“I can’t talk about myself in this task of peace-making without mentioning the Pelican Valley because it has become quite difficult for anybody to separate me from the Pelican Valley Nigeria Limited. It is not just a household name in championing due diligence, integrity and value for investments in Nigeria’s real estate industry but also fostering peace in the society and communities.
“We identify youth unemployment as a threat to peace and it is the reason that 98% of our workforce is made of youths. We make them productively engaged by creating direct and indirect jobs for them through our real estate business and thereby steering them away from conducts and associations inimical to societal and communal peace.
“Again, one of the things that create conflicts in families and communities today is land acquisition and land dispute. You might have heard of the Omoniles and the Ajagungbales and the multiple risks associated with their activities. In other parts of the country, the names may vary, but their violent activities are almost similar.
“In the real estate business, land is a major raw material and Pelican Valley has been acquiring this raw material to build its estates in a manner devoid of litigations, violence or police cases because we adopted due diligence as our rule of engagement. We don’t buy any land from families or communities until we have met everybody connected to the root of tittle and gotten their blessings to buy, while we immediately follow up with necessary approvals from the authorities. So, If you buy land or property from us, you buy peace. You will have rest of mind and value for your investments.
“And through our Okó Opó Foundation, a charity organisation, we are tackling poverty and hunger which are also threats to peace. On December 26, 2023, over 100 widows from over 12 communities in Ogun State were supported with food items and cash to make their yuletide and the New Year worthwhile. We have also extended the same gesture to worship centres and also connected communities in darkness to the national grid.
“So, as said earlier, I see my appointment and investiture as a call to sacrifice my time and resources towards peacebuilding.”
Earlier in his speech, the Deputy Country President, UN-POLAC Foundation, Ambassador Peter Ohagwa, emphasised the role of multilateral diplomacy in achieving sustainable peace and development in society, communities and nation while also reminding Nigerians that to have a peaceful country is a shared responsibility.
He also urged the Federal Government to establish a task force to be known as the Nigerian Forest, Community Guard and Bush Surveillance (NFCBS) that will be armed with necessary training and equipment to police the forests across the country and rid them of kidnappers, bandits and insurgents.
Among those inducted alongside Adeyemo are the Human Settlement Advisor on Durable Solutions for IDPs, Refugees, Returnees, and Host Communities with the United Nations system in Nigeria, Dr Okafor Christian; the Principal Medical Officer of Cottage Hospital Dumne, Song, Dr Abubakar Iliyasu; the Managing Director and CEO of Platform Petroleum Ltd, Mr John Anim; the CEO of Eleo Design Int’l and the Managing Director of Eleo Design Centre for luxury product showrooms, Lydia Okodogbe; real estate consultant and Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Gidi Real Estate Investment Ltd, Ayorinde Isaac Ejioye and the CEO of Universa Nigeria Ltd, and founder, Crosstee Telecoms Nigeria Ltd, Dr Ben Adeniji.
Others are global chartered accountant and auditor, Patrick Onwura Nzechukwu of the Patrick Consult Ltd; founder and CEO of Standard Life Nigeria and Rwanda, Mr Osazee Oyegue; an apostle of social justice, Rev.(Dr ) Michah Dopah Philip; founder and CEO of Famacare, a chain of digitally driven clinics focusing on African solutions to healthcare challenges, Chibuzor Ofulue, and over 35 others.
“We must deny these groups the undue publicity they crave,” the minister said.
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