The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), is in the process of developing a peacebuilding strategy document for the country, as part of the initiative aimed at promoting national integration and reducing ethno-religious frictions.
The institute also hinted that it is out to develop a peace charter for the country for the purpose of promoting inter-ethnic understanding and social cohesion among Nigerians.
The national President of the Institute, Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo, made this disclosure during a one day workshop, entitled ‘Citizens Summit for National Integration, Peace and Security organized by the Institute and held in the commercial city of Kano.
Sirajo, who was represented by Adewale Adeniyi, the deputy–national president of the Institute, stated that the ongoing national summit initiated by the Institute is expected to cumulate in the production of the two peace promotion documents.
According to the national president, the Institute, as a professional group involved in relationship building among individuals, institutions, and the society, resolved to embark on the initiatives as a way of helping to douse the prevalent of ethnoreligious induce tension among Nigerians.
“This event which is the North West edition of the Summit is organized by the Institute as a matter of concern about the sad state of an ethnic relationship being promoted by bigotries, challenging corporate existence of the nation.”
“As a relationship builders, we believe there is the need for Nigerians to change the current negative narrations of the bigotries, who are sowing the seeds of inter-ethnic disharmony among the citizens, and this summit is an attempt to do that”, he explained.
Sirajo commended the Northwest chapel of the Institute for being the first in the country to organize the summit, noting that the summit will cumulate in a national event to be staged in Abuja that will result in the production of the Nigerian Charter for Peace, and a National Strategy for Peace –Building.
The Northwest coordinator of the Summit, Dr Sule Ya`u Sule, noted that the event was designed to re-invent the known harmonious relationship that has been existing among the various ethnic groups in the country before now.
Sule, thank the Kano State Government for the support given which enable the summit to hold, expressing the commitment of the institute to the unity, peace as well as the orderly socio-economic development of the country.
Governor Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, who was represented by Usman Alhaji, Secretary to the Government of the State, commended the institute for coming up with the initiative, which according to him, would go a long way in addressing the current challenges of nation-building which the country is grappling with.
The summit was attended by a cross-section of community leaders, youth, and women leaders, as well as leaders of professional groups drawn from the Northwest section of the country.
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