The Peace Arena for Youth Foundation (PAY-F), in partnership with PeaceJam Nigeria, the Rotary Club of Akoka, District 9112, and the Rotary Club of Ikeja GRA, District 9111, has urged students and members of different ethnic groups to embrace peaceful coexistence and shun violence.
The call was made at an event themed “Choosing Peace Over Violence,” held on Saturday at the Tolu Odugbemi Hall, University of Lagos (UNILAG).
Speaking on the theme, a Rotary Peace Fellow alumna, Rotarian Grace Anuforo, identified six forms of violence, including physical abuse, sexual violence, social and emotional abuse, cybercrime, verbal abuse, and cruelty.
Anuforo advised participants to set boundaries and walk away from bullying, physical attacks, and verbal abuse rather than retaliate.
She said, “This isn’t weakness. It means that you have power over the other person. You shouldn’t allow the actions of a bully to control you. You must think about the consequences of your actions before you act.
“Being a peace ambassador in your various schools means engaging in peaceful dialogue and teaching other students the rudiments of peaceful coexistence. You must let them understand the dangers of hurting fellow students or engaging in actions that could make them feel violated.”
Also speaking, an official of the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Awojumobi Oluwaseun, described initiatives of this nature as important in promoting peaceful coexistence, conflict resolution and positive behavioural changes among students, particularly amid growing social challenges in schools.
He expressed satisfaction with the large turnout of students, their enthusiasm and the quality of presentations, noting that the programme had fostered an effective partnership among the organisers, teachers and students.
According to him, the initiative provides students with opportunities to acquire practical knowledge beyond the conventional classroom environment.
He urged teachers to reinforce the lessons by creating opportunities for participating students to educate their peers through classroom engagements, school assemblies and other collective activities.
“The students are agents of change, and they can influence others in their classes. They should be encouraged to continue talking to themselves, encouraging one another and spreading the message of peace beyond the programme,” he said.
Oluwaseun also advised the organisers to develop information materials, including magazines and flyers, to sustain awareness and encourage positive behavioural changes among students.
He urged the participants to sustain their enthusiasm and commitment, stressing that peace education should extend beyond the programme and become part of their daily conduct within and outside the school environment.
Earlier in her opening remarks, the Executive Director of PAY-F and Coordinator of PeaceJam Nigeria, Dr Doyin Ogunyemi, described the theme as timely, noting that shaping young people’s lives positively from an early age could have lasting effects on their behaviour and choices in adulthood.
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Ogunyemi, a former president of the Rotary Club of Akoka, urged young people to maintain harmonious relationships with those around them and promote peace in their communities and beyond.
She said the foundation believed that peace education should begin early, adding that students needed to understand that they could navigate life’s challenges by choosing peaceful responses over violence.
According to her, young people often encounter situations that provoke frustration and could lead to physical violence or emotional abuse, but they must understand that responding violently or peacefully is a choice.
She also stressed the need for peaceful conduct ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging Nigerians to embrace dialogue, tolerate opposing views and remain united despite their differences.
Ogunyemi identified poverty, inadequate resources and economic difficulties, including the rising cost of transportation, as some of the factors that could trigger frustration and violence among students and members of society.
She called for equitable access to available resources and urged students to serve as role models by demonstrating peaceful ways of resolving disagreements.
The PAY-F executive director also advocated the integration of more peace clubs into school curricula to equip students with the skills to manage difficult situations and maintain peaceful relationships.
“We want to build a country where, even when we disagree on an issue, we can engage in dialogue rather than fight, pick up weapons or resort to other negative actions,” she said.
Ogunyemi added that individuals must take responsibility for promoting peace, beginning with themselves, their immediate surroundings, schools and communities before extending the message to the wider world.
The event attracted 340 students drawn from 21 schools across Lagos State and neighbouring Southwest states, teachers, development practitioners, Rotarians and peace advocates.
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