The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Awka Chapter, Anambra state has stated that education as capacity building and development will foster and engender peace for sustainable development in warring nations, particularly Nigeria.
Dr Vincent, Chukwukadibia Onwughalu, the Capoon, Honduras Deck disclosed this on wednesday, 24th Jan, 2024, during the Association’s Webinar presentation in Awka to commemorate the International Day of Education.
According to the Capoon, this year’s theme: “Learning for Lasting Peace” is timely and instructive noting that Nigeria is characterized by pockets of political crises, inter-ethnic conflicts, religious conflicts, farmers and herders’ clashes, banditry, insurgency and terrorism, and their attendant consequences”.
“You can see pockets of violence on different shades, either in conflicts or full scale war, as we have currently in Ukraine, Russia and Palestine. So what NAS did today is to reawaken peoples consciousness through advocacy, activity, and charity to drive ways we can use education as capacity building and development to drive and engender peace to bring about sustainable development in our immediate environment”.
“Nigeria is characterized by pockets of political crises, inter-ethnic conflicts, religious conflicts, farmers and herders’ clashes, banditry, insurgency and terrorism, and their attendant consequences at various levels”.
He noted that the United Nations recognizes the disruption of peace globally, and a need to strategize on how to achieve lasting peace and education is an essential and powerful tool to achieving lasting peace.
Emphasizing on the role of education in developing a person and society, the Cap’n explained that the Association is poised towards achieving a better society by advocating for peace.
“In our commitment to the pursuit of achieving an egalitarian and just society, where no one is a victim of race, colour, sex, religion, etc, the National Association of Seadogs all over the world today sue for lasting peace through our various programmes of advocacy, activism and charity”.
“It is important to note that in the absence of peace, no meaningful thing would be achieved. And one of the ways we identified to achieve lasting peace is through the instrumentality of education”.
Earlier, the moderator, Mr Emmanuel Udeh, while noting that education has key roles in updating people at all ramifications, posited that there are no educated people with something to offer.
The lead speaker at the hybrid Webinar, a radio host, Ms. Jedidiah Uche, while speaking on the topic, “Education, a Means to Development, maintained that education should be a means to promote national peace, and well-being of the people.
“Learning for peace must be transformative, and help empower learners with the necessary knowledge, values, attitudes and skills. Hence, integrating effective education programme in a nation like Nigeria will lead to sustainable development”.
While urging the public to discard the slogan that ‘education is a scam, and avoid hate speech, advised citizens to embrace education through whatever means (informal, formal and non formal) so as to bring out lasting peace which will in turn improve nation’s economy.
Meanwhile, questions and answers’ section took centre stage thereafter, with the first mate, Chief Dr. Tochukwu J. Okeke concluding with vote of thanks.
