By Raymond Osho
ABEOKUTA: As part of activities lined up to celebrate the International Peace Day in Ogun State, the Society for Peace Study and Practice (SPSP), Nigeria Civil Defense Corps and the Peace Corps came together on Saturday September 21, 2019 to celebrate the day with different activities, including peace walk and tree planting.
The walk began from the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oke-Ilewo at about 7: 30 p.m and terminated at Semeon Adebo Library, Kuto, a suburb of Abeokuta.
The exercise was put together by stakeholders to further sensitize residents on the need to embrace peace and shun violence in the society.
Cladded in different attractive uniform, the peace professional body, security agencies and paramilitary groups advocated peace, preaching to members of the public on the need to co-exists harmoniously and to eradicate terrorism in the country.
At the aftermath of the walk, a commemorative lecture was held at the Semeon Adebo Library where people were sensitised on the importance of peace and the need to ensure it reign among them.
Speaking to Journalists during the over one hour walk, Leader of the SPSP, Sodique Ola Raheem said there was need for every stakeholder to come together to combat menace in the Country, hence, the exercise.
His words: “All stakeholders need to come together. What we are doing is in commemoration of the International Peace Day. We have come together to address conflict and sensitise the public on the need to shun violence.”
The State’s Deputy Commandant of Peace Corps, Mr Tosin Midos. regretted the high level of insecurity across the nation, saying, “If there is anything we need in Nigeria today, it’s peace”.
He further stressed that, “People are complaining about violence, but complaint will not stop it. We need to preach it so as to act on it. When peace is preached, violence will end”.