The Convener, Youth of Peace, Mr Kenneth OkonkwLeton Saturday advised Nigerian youths to be law abiding and to settle their differences through dialogue.

Okonkwo gave the advice during a ‘Peace March’ organised by Celebrities from Nollywood, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and Peace Corp of Nigeria (PCN) in Abuja.

The theme of the match was ‘Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand’.

According to him, peace is the absolute perquisite for development; there can be no meaningful development without peace.

“In our country, the forces of hate and separation, fuelled by primordial sentiments, unforgiveness, ignorance, and admittedly, some pockets of injustice here and there, have been working negatively to turn our land flowing with milk and honey to a land of tears and blood.

“Some of them mischievously, manipulate our diversities to divide us.

“But let us make certain things clear: Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and others are words of identities not words of division,” he said.

Okonkwo added that the beauty of democracy is in the ability to transfer power peacefully from one person to the other and the opportunities it provides for differences to be settled hrough dialogue and peaceful negotiations.

Speaking, the National President of NYCN, Mr. Murtala Garba, said the peace rally would be carried out in the 774 Local Government Areas in the country.

He, however, called on the Federal Government to create an atmosphere that would enable Nigerian youths to showcase their hidden talents.

Garba described Nigerian youths as young people that are skilled in many things.

He stated that for this reason, they need to be encouraged to acquire education through scholarship grants, to be actively involved in the country’s industrialisation processs, and sponsored to hone their skills.

On his part, the Deputy National Commandant of Administration, PCN, Mr. Edet Epkeyong, said that without peace there would not be meaningful progress.

“Let us see ourselves as one nation. The more we divide, the lower our position in the global community,” he said.

Similarly, Sani Danja, the popular Hausa actor and musician, urged Nigerians to dwell more on those things that united them than on divisive issues.

Danja also advised actors, film makers, musicians and other creative artists to promote peace in their works

He then called on government at all levels and other well-meaning Nigerians to support the film industry in the country to enable it play the role of a binding force.

Newsmen report that the peace march was part of activities scheduled to celebrate the International day of Peace which is commemorated on Sept. 21.

NAN