By Queen Kunde
The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) has called for stronger collaboration among government, media, civil society and other stakeholders to secure and sustain peace across Nigeria.
The call was made by the Director-General of IPCR, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Institute and the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE) at IPCR’s headquarters in Abuja.
Dr. Ochogwu stressed that peace is a collective responsibility that cannot be achieved by one institution alone, noting that Ministries, Departments and Agencies, security bodies, state governments, development partners, the media and non-state actors must work together.
“Peace is all-inclusive. No single institution can do it alone,” he said.
He explained that peacebuilding in today’s Nigeria requires the mobilisation of all available resources intellectual, institutional and informational adding that the media has a critical role to play through responsible reporting.
Warning against destructive criticism, Dr. Ochogwu said constant negative portrayal of the country weakens national unity.
“Your nation is like your family. When you constantly pull it down, outsiders begin to see it as broken. Constructive engagement strengthens nations,” he noted.
He also said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot achieve its agenda in isolation, stressing that national development depends on cooperation between government institutions, the media and civil society.
According to him, the partnership with ACOE is aimed at promoting peace, dialogue and development within Nigeria and beyond.
“This partnership is about amplifying voices for peace, understanding and development—not just in Nigeria, but across Africa,” he said.
The MoU was formally signed by Dr. Ochogwu and the Chairman of ACOE, Mr. Shola Akingboye, marking a new alliance between the two organisations.
Key areas of the agreement include collaboration on ethical online journalism and peacebuilding initiatives; joint research on the impact of digital media on conflict; policy advocacy and public awareness campaigns; exchange of information and best practices; and participation in each other’s conferences, lectures and events to promote peace and media responsibility.
Earlier, Mr. Akingboye praised Dr. Ochogwu for his leadership and commitment to the IPCR mandate, assuring the Institute of ACOE’s full support.
“As the voice of the voiceless, we are ready to support all efforts aimed at improving peace in Nigeria,” he said.
“You can count on us to deploy our digital platforms to showcase IPCR’s positive work, increase public engagement and educate stakeholders in line with your peacebuilding goals.”
The partnership is expected to strengthen peace advocacy and responsible digital journalism nationwide.
Discussion about this post