Dr. Raphael Ogar Oko, Secretary General, Universal Peace Federation-Nigeria
As part of activities to commemorate the 2017 United Nations day, the Universal Peace Federation (Nigeria chapter) organized a three day special workshop on the Divine Principle and Interreligious Peace Education for Ambassadors for Peace and Religious scholars in Nigeria. Religious scholars who participated included scholars of Christianity, Islam, African Traditional religions and some new age religious [ads1]movements.
The workshop focused on interreligious approach to peace building with emphasis on common intentions and expressions among the world’s religious traditions and teachings. Participants affirmed that there is One Creator, which all religions seeks to follow but in different ways. Also, participants affirmed that human beings are essentially spiritually in nature and all religions are committed to the spiritual development of human beings. Other points affirmed by the participants from different religious groups are the significance of marriage and family as the school of love and peace and that all human beings are members of a global family, the need to live for the sake of others as a way toward reconciliation and the importance of interreligious and international cooperation in the 21st century.
During the closing session of the workshop, the following religious scholars who participated and successfully completed the program were commissioned as Interreligious Ambassadors for Peace with the mandate to promote interreligious education and programs in their educational institutions. Those awarded the international recognition as Interreligious Ambassadors for Peace are:
1. Prof Lateef M. Adetona, Professor and Head, Department of Religions and Peace Studies, Lagos State University , Ojo, Lagos
2. Dr. S. D Udofia, senior lecturer, Christian Religious studies, Department of religious and cultural studies, University of Uyo
3. Dr. Abdulmajeed Hassan Bello, Department of Religious and Cultural Studies, University of Uyo.
4. Mr. Adeleke, R.S., Lecturer of Islamic Studies, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo
5. Adekola Oluwawunsi, department of Religious studies, University of Ibadan
6. Mrs Jibromah O.K. of the Department of Religious studies, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo
7. Rapheal, Ojo Joseph, Department of Religion and African Culture, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State
8. Dr Benson O. Igboin, Dept of Religions and Peace Studies, Lagos State University
Mrs. Catherine Enaohwo and Rev. Dr. Joseph Asha whose nominations were earlier approved could not attend the commissioning ceremony. The newly commissioned Interreligious Ambassadors for Peace pledged to work with other religious educators and leaders to ensure that religious education create the needed impact on the national policies of Nigeria as well as promote and strengthen interreligious relations.
It is expected that before the end of 2017, UPF will designate and appoint at least 120 religious scholars as Interreligious Ambassadors for Peace in at least 40 educational institutions in Nigeria to strengthen religious education and promote interreligious cooperation as well as train interreligious clergies to champion interreligious peace building in Nigeria.
