By Simeon Mpamugoh
The quiet town of Possotome in Cotonou, Republic of Benin was alive recently when local and international press focused on the media lunch of the Africa Global Peace Summit organized by the Music Africa Awake Foundation (MUAFA) in partnership with HPGH Global Foundation Accra and other not-for-profit organizations.
The event, which had MUAFA Kitchen and Cuisine providing the hospitality and tourism management, was held at the palace of King Anagonou Late Ayolomi 11 of Possotome Republic of Benin.
In his opening remarks, Pastor Ambrose Onyekachi of Ancient Of Days Ministry commended the monarch for the peace and order that prevailed in Possotome in particular and Republic of Benin in general.
While thanking the President of Republic of Benin, Patrice Talon, for peaceful atmosphere in the country, the cleric observed that new threats to peace were gaining attention in most countries of the world. He added that the new threats suddenly looked very different from the past.
“Peace antagonists can live undetected. They do not always carry explosives or guns. They remain invisible yet the consequences of their actions can leave a lasting impact,” he said.
In his paper on child abuse, the convener of Igbo Political Voice in Nigeria (IPVN), Dr Ernest Ikenazor, explains that child abuse occurs when a child experiences harm or neglect. He notes that oftentimes the abuser is someone the child knows.
“It may be a parent, family member, caregiver or family friend,” he said, adding that any intentional harm or mistreatment of an under 18 child was abuse and criminal offence.
The IPVN boss stated that “another term for child abuse and neglect is Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) which if untreated could impact a child’s lifelong health and well-being.”
He noted that the menace was becoming rampant in the society, pointing out that one in seven children has experienced neglect in the past years.
“The figure is likely to be higher due to the prevailing economic hardship and many children have died of abuse and neglect,” he said.
Founder/chief executive officer, Music Africa Awake Foundation (MUAFA), Prince Emeka Ojukwu, in his speech read by director of media, Amb. Bob Ikediala observed that most of our sacred places were no longer respected even by our own sons and daughters.
He bemoaned the trend, saying that “our royal integrity has lost its value to a point where kings and custodians of African tradition and culture merely sit on the their thrones at the dictate of politicians.”
He described it as absurd and un-African. “We have all failed to recognize their position as royal fathers and their individual roles as intercessors who are divinely ordained to intercede for generation before our ancestors.”
He attributed the downside to the hardship and turbulence in Africa which was caused by bad leadership linked to the various vices that had bedeviled African countries from the colonial masters.
On why Republic of Benin was chosen for the summit, the showbiz icon said: “While we were traveling round the African countries, we observed that Republic of Benin was relatively peaceful. So we want them to tell us how they achieved it and also pray for other African countries with turbulence and crisis so that they can be at peace with one another in order for progress and development to rest on African soil.”
He disclosed that the summit which was billed for August 3, 2024 at the palace of SA Anagonou Late Ayolomi 11 was firmly rooted “in the love we have for Africa and her enviable cultural values”, adding that it would address “how to achieve peace In Africa and the world at large,” as well as the problems and challenges facing today’s African countries.
“We are aware of the ongoing crisis in Russia and Ukraine which has claimed several lives of women and children, and the call for ceasefire by the G7 Nations. We need to join hands in advocating for peace in our various localities as a contact point to ask for peace in all the troubled parts of the world,” Ojukwu said.
Examining the importance of the initiative to progress and development in Africa, Festus Mba, superintendent of police (retd) described it as imperative in Africa and beyond. He said: “If there is no peace, there wouldn’t be any progress. We should understand that Nigerian youth and those in other parts of Africa are no longer interested in whatever that will unite them and make them different from those in other parts of the world.
“This is to a point where the young ones from Europe are beginning to see those from Africa as inferior to them. This is a wrong notion because today’s African youth have always seen their counterparts in other continents of the world: Europe, North America, Asia at par academically, athletically and technologically etc. And this is why when there is bad governance they revolt.
“When this happens, there will be crisis. With this summit, we are trying to see how we can conscientiously provoke leaders in Africa to see to the welfare of our youth. This is paramount if we must live in peace and progress.
“We can mitigate the impending doom in Nigeria and Africa in general by creating jobs for our youth, creating enabling environment for them to thrive and grow their businesses so that they can feed their families. Some of them have finished university, served their fatherland through the NYSC with their families hoping on them to work and earn money to take care of them and contribute to the social development of the country but when it is not happening, they’ll begin to think evil and fraudulent activity to meet up with the Joneses.”
In his vote of thanks, Anagonou Late Ayolomi 11 welcomed the summit, saying that his kingdom has progressed prodigiously because of the relative peace he has with the youth.
Speaking in his Sahoue dialect which was interpreted by Degboe Noel, he said: “Everyday I invite the youth to my palace to rub mind with them and in the process advise them to thread the part of peace by avoiding certain pitfalls. This is why anyone that fights on the streets, his report will be brought to my palace and I will call them to broker peace and ask them to sheath their swords. We know that it is not easy to tame those who are already adults hence we have concentrated our efforts on the teens and under five who can listen to us, so they won’t emulate those who are already grown up and incorrigible.”