—Restructuring is Inevitable – Mulade
Working in accordance with their vision, the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ in collaboration with the Network on Good Governance, NGG yesterday, held a peace march in Benin City.
The peace march according to the organisers is in commemoration of the International Day of Peace and the theme for this year celebration is ‘Together For Peace, No To Violence’.
The programme which had other participants from across the Niger Delta region began by 10am and proceeded from the popular Ring Road in Benin City down to Warri-Sapele Road axis as led by the National Coordinator of CEPEJ, Comr. Sheriff Mulade.
Speaking with GbaramatuVoice after the walk, Comrade Mulade, the National Coordinator of CEPEJ reiterated the need for sustainable peace as a panacea to the development of Nigeria, most especially the Niger Delta region.
He said that peace is what the nation needs, as without peace, no meaningful development can be achieved.
He further stressed the pivotal importance of peace in nation building by calling on various agitators across the country to embrace dialogue thereby shunning acts of violence, which according to him, will be inimical to the progress and growth of the nation.
In his words, “Peace is non-negotiable. The unity of Nigeria, of Africa and the entire world, is non-negotiable. We hereby call on every Nigerian to give peace a chance. It is our right. We need peace to move forward. We need peace to develop the Niger Delta.”
The peace walk which was closely monitored by some officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, saw participants preaching peace to bystanders, motorists, as well as pedestrians along the routes of the peace walk.
Going down the memory lane, Mulade told the mammoth crowd that “Today in 1981 was upheld as the World Peace Day; in 1982 it became a day for the entire world. And finally, in 2001, 21st September was voted by the General Assembly of the United Nations to mark this day all over the world.”
The group, therefore called on all the agitators which include but not limited to; the Indigenous People of Biafra, the Arewa Youths, the agitators in the Niger Delta, the Oodua Peoples Congress, to embrace peace.
Mulade, also told GbaramatuVoice that the group is well aware of injustices everywhere in the land because of the failure of the system but that does not give them the right to take laws into their hands.
Pressed on his opinion on restructuring by our reporter, he responded this way, “Restructuring is a key and is fundamental to redirect the Nigerian society. As a nation, we need to know where we are going as the federal system we are operating has a lot of injustices but I believe that with restructuring, we will be able to get it right.”
In a related development, Barrister Agatha Osieke representing Partners for Peace in the Niger Delta while speaking at the event called on Nigeria leaders to do the needful to bring about sustainable peace. She added that the purpose of our carrying out this rally is to douse tension of conflicts
At the event also, the Chairman, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Edo State Chapter, Sir Roland Osakwe said, “Peace is sacrosanct. Religious tolerance, ethnic tolerance should come into play. We need peace in everything we do, in every facet of our life. Peace, as declared by the United Nations, must be observed here in Nigeria.”
It could be recalled that the World Peace Day is a day voted by the General Assembly of the United Nations to advocate for the promotion of peace in the world.
Support Quality Journalism in the Niger Delta Region
Join us in our mission to bring development journalism, cultural preservation, and environmental awareness to the forefront. Your contribution makes a difference in the lives of the people of the Niger Delta. Donate today and be a part of the change!
