UN Peace-POLAC confers Ambassador of Peace on High Chief Onwelukwue of Awka North, others
By Covenant Oluchi Ikedinobi
The United Nations Peace-POLAC has conferred an award of Ambassador of Peace on High Chief Hon (Ozo) Onwelukwue ,A.N.C ,JP AmbP of Ugbene in Awka North local government area Anambra state.
Performing the ceremony during 2021 peace advocate convention at Hilton Leisure Resort Hotels Ltd, Awka, the UN International Co-ordinator (Nigeria), Bishop Dr. Ozioma Ozoemena in his opening remarks emphasized that peace advocate convention 2021 came at the time everyone is confused and at such demands peace.
Bishop Ozoemena charged well-meaning citizens to always advocate for peace as it brings security and safety.
He said; “Let’s cultivate the culture of peace as a lifestyle, preach peaceful co-existence among ourselves and live positively”.
In his remarks ,High Chief Onwelukwue known better as Ozo Emetumba Afudike, said he was conferred justice of Peace since 2009 hence the new honour on him as UN Peace Ambassador by UN Peace-POLAC reinforces his stand and interest on peace building .
Speaking to www.odogwublog.com reporter, Chief Onwelukwue described himself as political scientist, a lawyer and a community leader who has stood for justice and have fought for the justice of the oppressed.
” I intervene where people are being suppressed, intimidated and molested with the little resources I have”
Ambassador, High Chief Ozo Onwelukwe have held the position of President General Ugbene Progressive Union, Retired Manager of EEDC, Abakaliki district, and many more substantial leadership positions.
He called on youths to be useful in peace building, and reject to be used to bring destruction to the society, noting that only empty youths can allow themselves to be used as canon fodders.
” You can’t be agitating for something when you’re nothing. A youth must find something doing, then we encourage them”
The Governor of Anambra state, through his representative, Special Adviser on Creative security, Air Vice Marshall Ben-Chiobi, enjoined the peace advocates to come up with a communique that will harness the smooth flow of activities in the state in atmosphere of peace.
Paper presentation on peaceful co-existence, a panacea for sustainable development was presented by Dr. Alex Nnaemeka Agueyi, who is a lecturer in political science of the Nnamdi Azikwe University Awka.
In his presentation he stated that peace is a thing of the mind not by our technicality.
” Man is by nature selfish, that’s why the nature is man’s leadership is selfish. Therefore, Eduaction is in you and not in the certificate”
Dr. Agueyi reiterated that the absence of peace in any state is as a result of misuse of wealth, qualities of exclusion among others.
He further proposed conditions for peaceful co-existence, as the presence of free national dialogue among social groups, presence of a popular constitution amended by all, division of power and tight political and economic space.
In a bid to tackle the decadence of Western Education,Amb. Chukwuweike Balepo who was honored also as Amb of peace, expressed concern on how introduction of Western Education and religion have taken away the pride of Africa, and have also led to dormancy in the educational sector, as children no longer have free time for other manual activities outside studies.
” Children go to school all for commercialization sake, and parents too imbibe it as they focus more on commercialization than morality among children”
He further advised that, the educational system should be adjusted, as school activities should run from 7-1pm without any extra moral lesson, so that a child can have time for other skillful activities .
www.odogwublog.com reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Principal Assistant , Amb. Adeniyi Shola who was also honoured at the event expressed profound joy on the conferrement.
