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| Ojong Agbor |
20 September 2019
As part of activities to celebrate the 2019 edition of the International Day for Peace, an agency of the United Nations will be acknowledging a Nigerian of Cross River residency and indigenisation NEGROIDHAVEN has garnered.
Information reaching our news desk suggests that Ojong Agbor will be designated with the honoree status of Ambassador of Peace by the United Nations Positive Livelihood Award Centre Peace Programme UN-PPP.
The event which is billed to hold on Saturday 21st September in Calabar the state capital aims at highlighting the state-wide significance of the peaceful disposition and activities of the anticipated recipient, Agbor.
According to the State Director of Youth Affairs of UN-PPP in Cross River, Iso Edim who agreed to speak with our correspondent yesterday informed that, ‘During the World Peace Day we recognise and award some peace advocates, those who have been advocating for peace in their various societies even at the level of family, and at the state level.’
Concerning the anticipated recipient (Agbor) Edim had this to say, ‘He has tried his best in the area of peace advocacy. There are some issues he would try to mediate, issues that would have been taken to court, he mediated and ensured that such issues are not taken to court. And you know at the UN they do more of mediation than prosecution. That is one of the characteristics we consider in people.
‘Concerning social vices amongst the youth, he has been an advocate of bringing peace amongst the youth. In the issue of secret cultism he has been one of the voices that has been echoing very loudly against secret cultism and social vices amongst the youths.
‘When you talk about social vices apart from secret cultism, communal crisis… 99% of the perpetrators are youth. The elderly men and women who most time fuel the crisis do not come out to fight. Ojong Agbor has been out most times to to say, no! no! no! let us embrace peace. That and many more have been reasons for his nomination as Ambassador for Peace of the United Nations POLAC.’
Agbor by reason of his humility, humanness, interpersonal skills, team work, friendliness etc… traits which have culminated in impacting how he has gone about his pro-peace activities, advocacies and interventions both within and outside the country cuts out as the man for this award.
The UN POLAC Peace Programme since the 2001 to 2010 international decade of peace and non violence declaration by the United Nations has been in the forefront of identifying and acknowledging outstanding persons whose services or activities have helped in extending the frontiers of global peace, sustainable development and shared prosperity.
POLAC which is an acronym for Positive Livelihood Award Centre was formed in Nigeria in 2001. It has gives out ambassador for peace award to deserving persons who have encouraged international peace, integration, social harmony, cross cultural understanding, sustainable development and shared prosperity, despite religion, race, creed, status, ethnicity, affiliation, colour or cultural/language disparity.
This year’s edition of the World Peace Day is themed: Climate Action for Peace. Billed to be present at the event in Calabar will be His Excellency the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Prof. Benedict Ayade who will be the Special Guest of Honour, His Eminence the Obong of Calabar Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V as Royal Father of the Day, and Professor Ani Nkang the Vice Chancellor of Arthur Jarvis University, Akpabuyo will be keynote speaker.
