2027 ELECTIONS  IPCR TELL NAIJA YOUTHS MAKE DEM NO SPREAD RUMOUR AND HATE SPEECH

INSTITUTE FOR PEACE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION, IPCR, DON CALL ON NIGERIAN YOUTHS TO TAKE ACTIVE ROLE FOR PEACEBUILDING AND CONFLICT PREVENTION BEFORE 2027 GENERAL ELECTIONS.

DEM WARN YOUTHS MAKE DEM NO TURN TO CHANNEL FOR RUMOUR, FAKE NEWS AND HATE SPEECH IPCR DIRECTOR-GENERAL, DR JOSEPH OCHOGWU, TALK AM ON THURSDAY FOR ABUJA DURING OPENING OF TWO-DAY TRAINING FOR NYSC MEMBERS, SIWES STUDENTS, INTERNS AND VOLUNTEERS.

THE TRAINING FALL UNDER “RENEWED HOPE AGENDA FOR YOUNG PEACEBUILDERS”. E DEY AIM TO EQUIP YOUNG NIGERIANS WITH SKILLS TO IDENTIFY, PREVENT, MANAGE AND TRANSFORM CONFLICT SO THAT PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT GO THRIVE.

OCHOGWU SAY THE PROGRAMME GO HELP YOUTHS BECOME AGENTS OF PEACE, BRIDGE BETWEEN COMMUNITIES, AND CHAMPIONS OF DIALOGUE, TOLERANCE AND UNITY.

E SAY: “WE NO GO SEE YOUTHS AS JUST BENEFICIARIES AGAIN. UNA BE PARTNERS, LEADERS AND DRIVERS OF PEACE.

ACCORDING TO AM, FOR NAIJA TO PEACEFUL, PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT OPINIONS MUST LEARN HOW TO DISAGREE WITHOUT BECOMING ENEMIES, AND SOLVE PROBLEM WITHOUT VIOLENCE

E URGE THE PARTICIPANTS MAKE DEM TAKE THE KNOWLEDGE GO OUTSIDE THE HALL APPLY AM FOR COMMUNITY, PPA, WORKPLACE, SCHOOL, HOUSE AND EVEN FOR SOCIAL MEDIA.

THE IPCR BOSS PARTICULARLY WARN YOUTHS AGAINST SPREADING RUMOUR AND HATE SPEECH ONLINE.

E SAY YOUNG NIGERIANS DEY VERY ACTIVE FOR DIGITAL SPACE, AND ANYTHING DEM POST CAN CAUSE BIG PROBLEM ESPECIALLY AS 2027 DEY COME.

OCHOGWU TALK SAY:
“PEACE NO BE JUST SAY WAR NO DEY. PEACE MEAN JUSTICE DEY. PEACE MEAN DIALOGUE DEY. PEACE MEAN RESPECT FOR HUMAN DIGNITY.

“USE YOUR DIGITAL INFLUENCE PROMOTE PEACE. USE YOUR VOICE ENCOURAGE TOLERANCE. USE YOUR PLATFORM CHALLENGE FALSEHOOD. USE YOUR NETWORK PROMOTE UNITY.”

E ADD SAY NAIJA DIVERSITY FOR TRIBE, RELIGION, LANGUAGE AND POLITICS NA STRENGTH, BUT IF DEM NO MANAGE AM WELL E FIT TURN TO PROBLEM

MS GRACE KPOHAZOUNDE FROM UNITED NATIONS OFFICE TELL THE YOUNG PEACEBUILDERS TO HAVE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARDS ISSUES LIKE INJUSTICE AND EXCLUSION WEY FIT CAUSE FRUSTRATION.

BUT SHE WARN DEM MAKE DEM NO SEE PEACEBUILDING AS WAY TO MAKE QUICK MONEY. WITH ELECTION COMING, SHE SAY POLITICIANS FIT MANIPULATE YOUTHS MAKE DEM DO THINGS WEY GO DESTROY PEACE.

DR DAVID RINNERT FROM BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION ADVISE THREE-STEP APPROACH: FIRST UNDERSTAND THE EVIDENCE, THE PEOPLE AND THE SITUATION BEFORE YOU PROPOSE SOLUTION.
E SAY IF YOU RUSH ENTER MATTER WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING, YOU GO SPOIL TRUST. PEACEBUILDERS MUST USE EVIDENCE, COMMUNICATE CLEARLY AND MAKE SURE PLAN PRODUCE RESULT.

AMBASSADOR SOLA ENIKANOLAIYE REPRESENTATIVE, MUYIWA AIYEDUN, SAY PEACEBUILDING DEY VERY IMPORTANT FOR NATIONAL UNITY AND ECONOMY.
“WITHOUT PEACE, NO MEANINGFUL DEVELOPMENT GO HAPPEN,” E TALK. E URGE THE YOUTHS TO KNOW SAY GOVERNMENT EXPECT DEM TO PROMOTE PEACE FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES.

THIS TRAINING BRING TOGETHER NYSC MEMBERS, SIWES STUDENTS, INTERNS AND VOLUNTEERS AS PART OF IPCR PLAN TO BUILD CAPACITY OF YOUNG NIGERIANS FOR CONFLICT PREVENTION, MEDIATION AND RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP.

OCHOGWU CONCLUDE SAY: THE CHOICES YOUTHS MAKE ONLINE AND FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS GO DETERMINE IF 2027 ELECTIONS GO PEACEFUL OR VIOLENT