RNI to Organise Virtual Town Hall-PeaceDialogue Series

Ugo Aliogo

The Rebuild Nigeria Initiative (RNI) is set to kick off its first virtual peace dialogue series on Friday, 26 May 2023.

A statement by the organisers said this is a follow-up to the peace dialogue with corporate Nigeria in Lagos on 17 November 2022 and the international peace dialogue held on 13 December 2022, at the Venerable Chapel of The Cathedral of Antwerp, Belgium.

The statement also noted that the series would be a bi-weekly virtual discussion with thought leaders, thinkers, men and women of national and international repute.

The statement further explained that the first virtual dialogue will kick off with General Martin Luther Agwai (RTD) on Friday 26 May 2023, from 5PM to 6:30PM (West Africa Time). Zoom Meeting ID: 818-2309-2725 Passcode: PEACENIG.

According to the statement, “Nigeria is currently at a crossroad, and at risk of becoming a failed State, due to decades of weakening leadership, poor governance and endemic corruption that have worsened the standard of living of Nigerians. These fragile fault lines borne from ethno-religious conflicts have escalated and further heated up by the events of the recent elections. These nationwide agitations seem to be threatening progress towards building national cohesion and peace, maintaining political stability, and sustaining economic development.

“RNI is initiating these virtual peace dialogues to explore ways to address these conflicts, set the country on a path to restoring national peace and help attain our vision for a new Nigeria, united, equitable, just, and inclusive.

“The new virtual town hall series aims to further the goal of the Rebuild Nigeria Initiative which is, ‘to assemble all willing players, build a coalition of Non-State Actors to interrogate different aspects of securing and sustaining lasting peace from a global perspective.

“Our ambition is to reach a possible consensus on a common collaborative approach based on international best practices in conflict resolution adapted for the Nigerian environment. Some of the topics are: What does Peace and Reconciliation look like? and why it is important; The role of the Peace Committee – stabilizing the country; Post Elections- why we need to reconciliation, and others.”