Spreading the Message of Peace in Nigeria: Youth leaders Teach One Family Under God

Eric Olsen

April 26, 2022

Peace and security have continued to deteriorate in Niger state due to the destructive activities of groups classified as bandits, kidnappers, and their accomplices, who continue to raid communities across the state.

Through the vision of the One Family under God Campaign, the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Nigeria has been building on efforts to restore peaceful coexistence among people of diverse backgrounds.

In November 2021, GPF conducted advocacy visits in Niger State. The event targeted the Government Day Secondary School Dangana of Lapai Local Government Area of Niger state. The program had 123 students and five teaching staff of different ethnoreligious backgrounds in attendance.

Youth audience Inspired by his time during the GPF program, one youth participant has begun working with schools in Niger State to spread the message of One Family Under God. The youth volunteer and GPF Nigeria Ambassador of Peace, Mr. Abdul, has taken and oriented students with the message of the One Family under God Campaign.
During the sensitization, he emphasized that students must also be part of the struggle to ensure harmonious relationships to tackle the menace of insurgency, kidnapping, and banditry ravaging the state. He encouraged the students to embrace the message of the One Family Under God Campaign to achieve lasting peace and sustainable development.

He concluded that bandits don’t discriminate when carrying out their attacks based on religion or ethnicity. Therefore, people should also not discriminate when dealings with their fellow human beings to promote peace.

Man pointing to chalkboard, The Mallam Abdulmalik Wali School principal commended the project organizers and the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria and requested other arms of the school receive the same sensitization training on the need for peaceful coexistence.

The School Senior Master, one of the community elders, thanked the Global Peace Foundation for this achievement and requested that the outreach be taken to the community members.

Sani Aliyu, a student and a beneficiary of the program, expressed his appreciation for the Global Peace Foundation. He said, “I have today understood that all [of the] human family is one Family under God. That means there is no need for violence, and I promise to take this message to my community.”