The President of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP), Mr. Nathaniel Msen Awuapila, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to heighten collaborative efforts toward ending insecurity in Nigeria, describing peacebuilding as a shared national responsibility that demands decisive leadership and multi-stakeholder partnership.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 19th International Annual Conference and General Assembly of SPSP, held on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at the Abiola Ajimobi Resource Centre, University of Ibadan, Awuapila urged the Federal Government to prioritize peace as the foundation for economic stability, social development, and national cohesion.
Addressing participants at the four-day conference themed “Economic Challenges and the Tasks of Building Sustainable Peace in a Globalised World,” the SPSP president stressed that insecurity had grown into a heavy national burden that requires the urgent attention of all actors—government, communities, scholars, and practitioners.
“We are appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to work closely with peace professionals, researchers, and grassroots actors to help solve the insecurity confronting our nation,” Awuapila said.
He appreciated that government was pursuing an All-of-Government approach to governance, but emphasized that countries facing protracted insecurity need the All-of-Nation approach to create real and lasting solutions.
Awuapila noted that Nigeria, 65 years after independence, still lacks a national peace policy framework—an absence he described as one of the major obstacles to coordinated peacebuilding efforts.
“It is troubling that Nigeria, at 65, does not yet have a national peace policy framework,” he said.
“A national peace policy was drafted more than 15 years ago, but it has remained only a draft. Without a guiding framework that reflects our current realities, peacebuilding becomes slow, fragmented, and reactive.”
He therefore strongly advocated for the formulation and adoption of a national peace framework that would align institutions, actors, and communities toward a shared peace agenda.
Awuapila further highlighted SPSP’s contributions over the past 19 years, noting the society’s strong capacity in research, dialogue facilitation, community engagement, policy support, and field interventions—all of which position SPSP as an essential partner in Nigeria’s quest for stability.
With Nigeria facing deepening economic pressures and rising security threats, he urged government to reinforce the nation’s internal peace architecture to safeguard its future.
“Our youths are becoming disillusioned; communities are losing trust; the economy is struggling under the weight of insecurity. These realities demand collective action,” he added.
“We stand ready, as a community of peace scholars and practitioners, to support government in designing and implementing sustainable strategies that will strengthen security while promoting national unity.”
The ceremony drew a distinguished gathering of dignitaries and stakeholders, including General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.), former Chief of Defence Staff and keynote speaker; Chief Adebisi Akande, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, University of Ibadan; Dr. Abiodun Essiet, Special Adviser to the President on Community Engagement; Prof. Kayode Adebowale, Vice Chancellor and Chief Host; Prof. Isaac Olawale Albert, Conference Host and founder of SPSP; Prof. Elias Sulaiman Bogoro, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Kemi Nanna Nandap, Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service; Hon. Aondowase Kunde, Benue State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management; and Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly.
One of the major highlights of the event was the induction of 40 new Fellows of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice, including prominent figures from security institutions, academia, government, and humanitarian sectors. Their investiture underscored the Society’s expanding reach and its relevance in shaping Nigeria’s peace and development discourse.
Speakers at the event examined the intersection between economic challenges and rising insecurity, warning that Nigeria’s development aspirations may remain unattainable without firm, strategic, and well-coordinated peace interventions.
