The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geofrey Onyeama, on Tuesday, reiterated the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as effective ways of tackling issues of common interest at all levels of governance.
Onyeama said this while delivering a goodwill message at the 2018 Nigerian International Tertiary Institutions Model United Nations (NITIMUN) annual conference in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event has “Youth as Change Agent in the Fight Against Hate and Discrimination” as its theme.
Represented by Miss Abiola Rasaq, the President, General Assembly of NITIMUN, Onyeama stressed the need to carry youths along in formulating policies aimed at promoting peaceful society.
According to him, youths have demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that they are also catalysts for advancing social and political transformation.
He, therefore, urged youths to get more involved in the country’s political process and avoid being used by politicians as thugs.
He added that ” as we approach the 2019 general elections, I urge youths to be actively involved in our democratic process by contesting for positions.
“At the global level, the UN and its organisations have actively engaged the youth in promoting international peace and security, as well as sustainable development.
“Indeed, the global institution has, among other initiatives, launched the `Youth 2030’ strategy, to provide a platform for knowledge exchange among the youth.
“Therefore, you should optimally utilise these opportunities to empower, innovate, share and develop ideas for the benefit of humanity,’’ the Minister said.
Some of the participants emphasised the need to re-orientate youths in the country with the view of changing their thoughts toward discrimination and hate speeches.
Mr Caleb Joshua, a law student from University of Jos, identified the social media as an instrument that could be used to promote understanding among people.
According to Joshua, the social media affords people the opportunity to communicate beyond geographical barriers, as well as afford exposure to other cultures and people.
“With a better understanding of foreign cultures through the use of the social media, discrimination will be reduced significantly, and tolerance will be built from this understanding.
“It is most fortunate that majority of social media users are youths, therefore, giving them the first hand experience to push past their cultural, religious, gender, and racial sentiments against others,’’ Joshua said.
Similarly, Miss Cynthia Ugwu, a student of Criminality and Security Studies, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra, said that hate and discrimination were the stem of terrorism, extremism, racism, religious intolerance and conflicts.
Ugwu said: “to win the fight against these enemies of our common existence, the youth must not allow themselves to be used as cheap tools in the hands of desperate political and radical religious leaders.”
Mr China Nwozuzu, the Chairman, Governing Council of NITIMUN, urged youths in the county to make efficient use of social media platforms to network and develop themselves.
According to him, the negative use of the social media can destroy the future of the users.
He said “it implies that it can be destructive, so, we must not allow the use of social media to promote hate speech and other vices inimical to the society.”
