Lagos to host All Nigeria Rotary Peace Summit this November

Lagos State is set to host the All Nigeria Rotary Peace Summit, bringing together international peacebuilding experts, academics, security professionals, policymakers and civil society leaders to discuss practical approaches to conflict resolution and peacebuilding in Nigeria.

The organisers disclosed this in a statement Ehi Braimah issued on behalf of the summit’s Media and Communications Committee and sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday.

According to the statement, the summit will take place on 7 November at the Victoria Garden Event Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.

With the theme “Good Governance, Justice and Equity: Foundations for Sustainable Peace”, the summit will focus on developing practical recommendations, building stronger partnerships and obtaining stakeholder commitments to promote lasting peace.

The organisers said they would use the summit to translate discussions into concrete actions under the sub-theme “From Dialogue to Action: Forging a Sustainable Peace Legacy in Nigeria”.

Keynote address

Lea Perekrests, director of partnerships at the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), will deliver the keynote address, titled “Global Perspectives on Good Governance, Justice and Equity as Foundations for Sustainable Peace”.

She will discuss the role of effective institutions, inclusive governance and equitable societies in building sustainable peace.

Her presentation, scheduled for 12:35 a.m., will examine Nigeria’s peacebuilding challenges and opportunities from an international perspective, with particular attention to social cohesion and resilient communities.

Beyond the keynote address, the summit will host two high-level panel discussions. The first, titled “Governance, Justice, Equity and National Cohesion”, will feature Joseph Ochogwu, Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), as moderator.

Its panellists include Rear Admiral (rtd.) Elkana Jaiyeola, an intelligence practitioner, naval officer and security expert; Diamond Nebechukwu, director of the Abdulmalik Abubakar Institute for Peace and Sustainable Development Studies (AAIPSDS); and Richard Aborishade, professor of criminology at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU).

They will assess the relationship between accountable leadership, access to justice, fair development and national unity.

The discussion will also draw on their professional experience in security, peace studies and criminology to address institutional accountability, governance shortcomings and declining public confidence in national institutions.

The organisers said the session would combine presentations, moderated discussions and audience contributions before producing recommendations to strengthen national cohesion.

Second session

Furthermore, Ibim Semenitari will moderate the summit’s second session, which will examine “Security, Inclusion and the Future of Peace in Nigeria”.

Semenitari, an entrepreneur, administrator, farmer, communications specialist, journalist and Rotarian, will lead conversations with Kaltumi Abdulazeez, who champions the rights of women, girls and marginalised communities; Oyebisi Oluseyi, executive director of The Nigeria Network of NGOs; and Samuel Ajiye.

The session will explore practical ways to promote peace through inclusive participation, stronger community involvement, civil society partnerships and effective security interventions.

It will also consider the contributions of women, young people, vulnerable communities and NGOs to sustainable peacebuilding efforts.

Convener

Meanwhile, Yinka Babalola, the summit convener and president of Rotary International, will deliver the opening address before formally declaring the event open.

He will speak on peacebuilding in Nigeria, while his participation will reinforce Rotary’s commitment to conflict prevention, dialogue, peaceful coexistence and international understanding.

READ ALSO: Sanwo-Olu makes runaway appearance at Lagos Fashion Week (PHOTOS)

Representatives of youth organisations, women’s groups, security agencies and the diplomatic community will also deliver goodwill messages at the summit.

They include Abisogun Akinbode, National President of JCI Nigeria; Kunbi Wuraola, Convener of Women on a Mission; Inspector-General of Police Olatunji, IGP; Rilwan Disu; and Sweden’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm.

Highlight

A key feature of the summit will be a session titled “From Dialogue to Action— Key Recommendations from Stakeholders, Commitments and Peace Legacy Agenda”, which PDG Wole Kukoyi will coordinate, according to the organisers.

The session will bring stakeholders together to develop practical commitments from the issues and recommendations raised during the summit.

The programme will also feature the signing of a Peace Legacy Accord and Agenda, as well as the unveiling of a summit declaration and communiqué detailing the participants’ agreements and proposed actions.

The organisers said these steps would help move the conversations beyond the summit by establishing a basis for sustained collaboration and implementation.

They noted that the gathering would bring together Rotary leaders, government representatives, peacebuilding practitioners, security experts, development groups and civil society organisations to strengthen cooperation.

The summit will also promote the idea that lasting peace depends on effective governance, justice, fairness and the inclusion of different groups in decision-making.