The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, on Friday appealed to Nigerians to stamp out all forms of conflict to preserve lives and peace for sustainable development.
”Any kind of conflict, even in its lowest form, can be a huge hindrance to peace; that is why we must stamp it out,’’ Kazeem, said at a news conference in Lagos.
He was represented by the state Solicitor-General, Mrs Funmilola Odunlami.
The conference was in preparation for the celebration of the International Day of Peace, which holds every Sept. 21.
The celebration will have the theme: “Together for Peace, Respect, Safety and Dignity for All’’.
It will be organised by the Citizens’ Mediation Centre of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice in collaboration with the United Nations Information Centre.
The attorney-general said that peace needed for the wellbeing of citizens had been hindered by conflicts and disagreements.
”It is in this light that the state government is marking this day to educate the public on the need for peaceful coexistence and respect for human dignity to engender socio-economic growth.
”The state as the commercial nerve centre of the Sub-Saharan Africa, where all races converge for various purposes, has put in place mechanism such as the mediation centre to foster peace among residents and promote economic activities.
”Mediation has become globally accepted, and we urge residents to avail themselves of free legal services offered by the centre in amicable resolving disputes, ” he said.
Kazeem said that activities had been lined up to commemorate the International Day of Peace in Lagos and bring mediation services closer to the people.
”There will be `walk for peace’ and legal clinic where free legal advice and meditation will be rendered to residents on Sept.18 and 19 on Ikorodu Road and Ibeju Lekki.
”On Sept.21, there will be a peace conference and book launch at Alausa, Ikeja, to join the rest of the world in bringing to the fore the need for peace in our homes and society, ” Kazeem said.
In her remarks, the Director of the Citizens’ Mediation Centre, Mrs Oluwatoyin Odusanya, said that the centre was established in 1999 to provide free legal services, resolve disputes amicably and decongest courtrooms.
Odusanya said that the centre had successfully resolved 15,095 out of the 28,044 cases it recorded from January.
According to her, some of the resolved cases included landlord/tenant issues, employers/employees disputes, family matters property inheritance issues, land matters and commercial disputes.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations to strengthen the ideals of peace within and among nations and peoples.