FUDECO honoured with prestigious UN SDG Award
The Fulbe Development and Cultural Organisation (FUDECO) has received the esteemed United Nations Positive Livelihoods Awards Centre (UN-POLAC) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Award. The accolade was conferred during the 2024 United Nations Human Rights Day celebrations at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos Island, Nigeria.
The award citation praised FUDECO for its “tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of peace, better understanding, friendly relations among peoples of the world and the promotion of cultural heritage and nomadic education.”
In a virtual address, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged awardees and UN-POLAC members to become ambassadors of peace. “The award is a call to additional service to humanity,” he said.
S.S. Nana, Founder and Chairman of FUDECO, represented at the event by Alhaji Idris Namalle, expressed gratitude for the recognition. “This award will motivate FUDECO to intensify its peacebuilding efforts,” Nana stated, emphasizing the importance of promoting peaceful coexistence and rejecting hate speech.
The Director-General of UN-POLAC, Professor Obong Halo B. Eton, represented by Pastor Dr. Z. A. Ogunsanya, highlighted the organization’s commitment to human rights and sustainable development. He announced the launch of a comprehensive training program for Certified Peace Advocates, aimed at equipping individuals to mediate conflicts and foster understanding within their communities.
The event also spotlighted the pivotal role of women in peacebuilding. Dr. Cynthia Amaka Obiorah, Director of Women and Children at UN-POLAC, represented by Mrs Tosin Shonibare, honoured exceptional women with the Distinguished Woman of Peace and Honours Awards.
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A keynote address by UN-POLAC’s Deputy Country President, Engr. Peter Ohagwa, called for collective action to promote peace amid global conflicts and inequalities. “Peacebuilding is most effective when rooted in local dynamics and conceptions of peace,” he noted.
Professor Joseph Legend of the University of Costa Rica commended UN-POLAC for promoting peaceful coexistence in Nigeria’s multiethnic society. “Social harmony and economic growth are achievable through unity,” he remarked.
Dr. Muhammed Adamu Dodo, UN-POLAC’s 1st Deputy Country President, lauded FUDECO’s groundbreaking efforts in promoting peace and cultural heritage. “This recognition highlights FUDECO’s innovative initiatives in fostering sustainable peace and development among pastoralist communities,” Dodo said.
The award underscores FUDECO’s enduring commitment to humanitarian development, peace, and education in Nigeria. It embodies the ethos of the United Nations’ SDGs and UNESCO’s Culture of Peace Programme.
Written by Sakinat Musa Abubakar Editor at Neptune Prime
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