Diplomat sues for peace to fast-track sustainable development
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, has called for peace to enhance sustainable development in the country.
Gambari stated this on Thursday in Ilorin at the launch of a 628-pages book in his honour titled ”Readings in Diplomacy, Democracy, Peace, and Development”.
The book launch was organised by the Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows Alumni Association, Nigeria (COSFAN), as part of activities marking Gambari’s 80th birthday
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the book has contributions from six universities, University of Ilorin, Al-Hikmah University, Kwara State University, Ahman Patigi University, Ahmadu Bello University and Bayero University .
The former presidential aide said that he has always been an advocate for peace because there can’t be sustainable development in any country without peace.
”There can be no development without peace, and there can be no peace without sustainable development.
”On the other hand, there will neither be peace and development without the rights of people to choose their leaders and to give people the right to express themselves,” he said.
Gambari added that when peace is achieved at the local level to the national level, it reflects on the foreign policies of the country.
”Foreign policies are the definition of interests that a nation sets to attain, but the projection of these interests determine how they are attained.
”That is the essence of the concentric cycle of the foreign policy which I have always advocated and the centre must be the state, next our neighbour, region (ECOWAS), Africa and the rest of the world.
The book reviewer, Nigeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, said that insecurity in Nigeria and especially in the North is exacerbated by poverty, ignorance, mining activities and weak traditional laws.
He called on government to urgently address these identified causes of insecurity in order to bring about peace and development in the country.
Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara, represented by his deputy, Kayode Alabi, said that the state is always proud of the achievements of Prof. Gambari, both at home and abroad.
”This is owing to his contributions to scholarship, international diplomacy and world peace, as well as national unity and development at various times.
”I enjoin people to read the book because our world evolves and grapples with emerging challenges of the new media and unfettered freedom.
“While many of these issues may defy textbook prescriptions, I believe firmly that scholarly research and insights on such topics are always useful in our search for practical and sustainable solutions”, he said.
In her opening remarks, chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, Dr Abiola Adimula, described the occasion as a monumental celebration of excellence, service and leadership.
She lauded Gambari as a distinguished academic, resourceful professional, astute technocrat, and world diplomat, whose contributions to international diplomacy and global peace are indelible.
Adimula said the book which is a collection of 34 well-researched papers by global scholars, aims to serve as a reference for diplomacy, democracy, peace, and development studies.
She announced that part of the proceeds from the book launch would be used to establish a Professorial Chair and research fund on Diplomacy and Peace Studies.
This will be domiciled at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, as a lasting legacy in honour of Gambari.(NAN)
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