The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has been honoured as the Most Distinguished World Ambassador for Goodwill (WAG-UN) in Nigeria by the United Nations Peace and Positive Living Awareness Centre (UN-PEPOLAC).
The honour, according to the UN-PEPOLAC, was in recognition of the governor’s continued advocacy for peace in Lagos State and the country at large.
The award was presented to the governor via message alongside other awardees and appointees during this year’s 2023 World Peace Day Celebration, held in Ikeja, Lagos, recently, where some other notable individuals were also recognised for their contributions to peace building.
The UN Peace Organisation specifically lauded Sanwo-Olu for the leading roles he is currently playing to sustain peace and unity among political, tribal, religious, and ethnic organisations domiciled in Lagos State.
The International Coordinator of UN-PEPOLAC Nigeria, Amb. Bishop Festus Ozioma Ozoemena, said in his address that the UN-PEPOLAC organises the event in Lagos State to recognise the governor’s peace achievements and other Nigerians for their commitments to the community, societal and global peace, and immense contributions towards human capital development in line with UNESCO Culture of Peace tenets and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs).
According to him, World Peace Day is celebrated globally annually to institutionalise the ideals of peace among the children of the world. This year’s global theme is Action for Peace. Our Ambition for the Global Goals, but we have domesticated it to be Action for Peace: Our Ambition for Sustainable Peace in Lagos State Communities because the effectiveness of peace work is when it gets to the grassroots. It’s from the communities that we can achieve global peace goals.
During the occasion, the following notable individuals were also appointed National Patrons and Patronesses of UN-PEPOLAC: “DCP. Prof. Ahmed Mohammed Sanusi, AmbP-UN Patron; Professor Okwun Omeaku, AmbP-UN Patron; Asiwaju Mashood Shittu, AmbP-UN Patron; Chief Barr. (Mrs.) Victoria Ndidi Odumegwu-Ojukwu, AmbP-UN Patroness; and Dr. Mrs. Beatrice Igwe, AmbP-UN Patroness.
The International Coordinator, UN-PEPOLAC, stated that what earned them the prestigious honour and seat in the organisation was their positive antecedents and excellent peaceful disposition.
He urged them to uphold the tenets of peace at all times and international solidarity and should justify the trust reposed on them by the leadership of the organisation by showing the example of the pillars of peace and the organisation in Nigeria.
The coordinator equally used the celebration to solicit financial support for the noble project, the Peace and Leadership Centre building project, which is located in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.