By Aminu Kutama
The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has said that youths have a vital and critical role in peace building, restoration, and prevention of conflict in the society.
The Executive Director of CITAD, Engr. Yunusa Zakari Ya’u, made the observation at the “Youth in Peace Building” dialogue organized by CITAD with support from ROSA Luxembourg Foundation, in Kano.
Ya’u who was represented at the event by Dr. Muhammad Aminu Aliyu, stressed the need for active engagement of people within the youth age group in curtailing forms of violence such as political thuggery and other youth restiveness in Nigeria.
He added that the organization has been working with different youth groups in the state on different approaches to peace-building.
In the course of the event, Dr. Ruqayyah Aliyu of the Department of Information and Media Studies, Bayero University, Kano and Ibrahim Muhammad Machina, of the Federal University, Gashua, presented papers on the role of youths in peace building.
Ruqayya who discussed the “Roles of Youths in Peace Building from a Communication Perspective”, said youths play active roles in conflict and peace building situations due to their agility and activeness.
She further urged Nigerian youths to desist from hate speech and use the social media positively, in promoting peace and development.
“Social media can facilitate peace by encouraging valuable dialogue between people from different ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds.”
“The country is in a critical time and we need to be mindful of the things we say. Words are powerful, they can build or destroy a nation,” she said.
