Rotary International President, Yinka Babalola, has called for a renewed commitment to peacebuilding in Nigeria and across the world, stressing that sustainable development cannot thrive without peace.
Babalola made the call at the All Nigeria Rotary Peace Summit held in Lagos on Saturday, where he urged Nigerians to address the underlying causes of conflict and build stronger institutions capable of sustaining peaceful communities.
The summit, which he convened, brought together prominent personalities and stakeholders, including the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu; Sweden’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm; the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu; and representatives of Junior Chamber International (JCI).
Babalola, the second African to become president of Rotary International, described the summit as a safe and neutral platform for dialogue at a time when Nigeria and other parts of the world are confronted with complex conflicts, economic pressures and social tensions.
He said the meeting was designed to move beyond conversations and produce practical outcomes, including an enduring stakeholders’ peace network and a framework containing policy recommendations and implementation strategies at national and global levels.
According to him, Nigeria has demonstrated considerable capacity in promoting peace and stability across Africa through its contributions to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), United Nations peacekeeping missions and other peace support operations.
He cited Nigeria’s interventions in Liberia and other African countries as evidence of its experience and ability to prevent and manage conflicts beyond its borders.
However, he challenged the country to redirect the same commitment towards resolving internal tensions and strengthening peaceful coexistence among its citizens.
“We cannot impose peace. We must nurture it from the very roots of our society so it may grow into a great tree that will feed and shelter all of us under its protective embrace,” he said.
Babalola explained that Rotary’s approach to peacebuilding was anchored on the philosophy of Positive Peace, which goes beyond the absence of violence or armed conflict.
He noted that lasting peace requires deliberate attention to the attitudes, institutions and structures that create and sustain peaceful societies.
The Rotary president called on participants to deploy their knowledge, experience and influence towards building a more peaceful and prosperous Nigeria, emphasising that peacebuilding must involve all segments of society.
He also highlighted Rotary’s potential to strengthen relationships between government institutions and local communities, rebuild public confidence and make peacebuilding initiatives more effective.
Babalola maintained that achieving meaningful progress would require the courage to embrace change and collective responsibility, regardless of whether individuals belong to Rotary.
He described the summit as an opportunity to translate a shared commitment to peace into concrete action, particularly for the benefit of future generations.
He added that a peaceful society would provide a stronger foundation for economic growth, social development and a more secure future for Nigerian children.