Obasanjo to youths: Embrace dialogue not violence to resolve conflicts

Obasanjo to youths: Embrace dialogue not violence to resolve conflicts

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has canvassed the use of dialogue and not violence to resolve various conflicts facing Nigeria and other African countries.

He spoke on Monday in Abeokuta at a youth leadership symposium under the theme ‘Opportunities for Peace: Roles of the Youths in Conflict Prevention in Africa’.

The programme was organised by the Centre for Human Security and Dialogue in collaboration with the Institute for African Culture and International Understanding, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that it was part of activities lined up for the 87th birthday of the former president, coming up on Tuesday, March 5.

Obasanjo said instead of pushing forward the narratives of hatred, negative attitudes that brew conflicts and then violence, it was important to embrace love and tolerance and see peace as not negotiable for economic growth and prosperity.

He said that the youth must stand firmly against conflicts in any part of Africa and be agents of peace rather than being lured or used as agents of destabilisation.

“We must begin to bring up our youth in a culture of peace and security. The chances are where we have culture of love, we will have peace.

“The first thing to do is to inculcate in the youth the ingredients of peace, which is love and fellowship.

“Look at the attributes that God gave us to have life of stability, life of peace; they are, as I mentioned, kindness, mercy, and forgiveness.

“All of these attributes are professed by God, and He shared same with us to make life pleasant for us. But when we build negative attitudes – pull him down – then there will be problems.”