By Funmilayo Adeyemi
The Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM-UNESCO), under the Federal Ministry of Education, has embarked on a grassroots peace sensitisation campaign at the Sani Abacha Bus Terminal in Mararaba, Nasarawa.
The campaign, which held on Thursday, aimed to promote peaceful coexistence and national unity across Nigeria.
Speaking after the outreach, the Secretary-General of NATCOM-UNESCO, Dr Idowu Olagunju, said the campaign was organised to wrap up a two-day national conference on Peace Education and Cultural Reorientation as a Panacea to Curbing Violence in Nigeria.
He said the terminal was chosen deliberately as a microcosm of the country, being a convergence point for people of diverse ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds.
“We came here under the auspices of UNESCO to sue for peace,” he said. “What we are preaching is simple: no more war in Nigeria. Every conflict ends in dialogue eventually, so why not start there?”
Olagunju interacted with transport workers, market traders, and commuters during the campaign, urging them to embrace dialogue over violence and unity over division.
He stressed the need for peacebuilding to start from individual homes and communities.
“Start with peace in your home, with your wife, with your children. Tolerance is key. Another religion or tribe doesn’t make anyone your enemy. We must reject hate, tribalism, and inflammatory rhetoric”.
He called on religious leaders and government agencies, including the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Ministry of Information, to step up awareness campaigns that promote harmony and social cohesion.
Also speaking, Mr Raphael Amos, Manager of the Sani Abacha Bus Terminal, noted the location as a strategic point for peace advocacy.
“This place gathers all kinds of people. It’s a smart move to come here. When peace is absent, businesses suffer. People can’t even open their shops. Without peace, there’s no progress,” he said.
In his remarks, Mr Mohammed Lanzai, a representative of the Nasarawa State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), emphasised the importance of patriotism and peaceful coexistence.
Lanzai, who is also the Coordinator of Kano Line within the terminal, said: “The conflict is not about Nigeria it is about Nigerians.
“Nigeria is our only country. We cannot run to Ghana or Cameroon. We must avoid hate speech, tribalism, and work together to reinforce peace in our communities”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UNESCO-led campaign is part of ongoing efforts to promote national unity amid growing communal and sectarian tensions.
The initiative underscores the role of everyday citizens in building a peaceful, tolerant, and inclusive society. (NAN)
