By Alumona Ukwueze

Youths have been identified as pivotal in fostering peace and social cohesion in Nigeria, especially in the South East region.

This was emphasized by the Country Director of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), Prof. Chris Kwaja, during a workshop organized in collaboration with the Security, Violence and Conflict Research Group (SVCRG) and the Department of Political Science at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

Speaking on the theme ‘The Role of the Youths in Peace Building and Social Cohesion in South East, Nigeria’, Kwaja highlighted that the youth’s energy, creativity, and determination position them as key agents in reshaping society.

He urged young people to channel their efforts towards unity and national development, stressing that when youths from different regions collaborate, they can foster understanding, build stronger bonds, and contribute to a more prosperous Nigeria.

The workshop also addressed the lack of youth representation in peace-building policies, with Prof. Chidi Nzeadibe, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at UNN, emphasizing the importance of amplifying youth voices in line with Sustainable Development Goal 16, which promotes peace and justice.

Other speakers, including Dr. Chikodiri Nwangwu and Dr. Obioma Chike Okenyi, called for youth participation in governance, economic empowerment, and the release of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu to ease tensions in the South East. Youth participants praised the workshop for providing them with tools to contribute to peace-building and social cohesion in their communities.