There have been claims that Nigeria is a war zone. However, the Vice Chancellor of UNIUYO has issued a strong warning on social media to stop painting the country as a war zone.
The Vice Chancellor, Ndaeyo, made this claim at the first Biennial International Conference on Dialogue and Pan-Africanism and the celebration of International African Day in Nigeria. He made it clear that those expressions put the country in a bad light and prevented others from wanting to come over.
During the second day of the conference, the VC was represented by Prof. Aniekan Offing, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo. The theme of the event was “Pan-Africanism: Dialoguing the Past, Present, and Future.” His representatives said that instead of projecting the ills of the nation, there has been some progress, invention, and development in Africa, which the media should project.
He said that although Nigeria and Africa have been struggling with many setbacks, there was hope as the conference was met to address those issues and administer solutions to them.
He said, “Africans are here; we were the first to be here and will always be the greatest. The present is even more difficult to navigate with wars, hunger, poverty, and unemployment.
“It is my hope that this conference will address all these issues and eradicate them in Africa.
“It was not easy for our founding fathers; they had no resources or roots, but they were able to navigate and bring Africa to where we are. Africa is not all about wars, there has been a lot of progress, a lot of developments, a lot of inventions, a lot of firsts.
“Nigeria is where it is because the news media is also our problem. Some people cannot come to Nigeria because they think it is in a perpetual state of war. It is a very peaceful place to be in.”
Doctor Effiong Joseph Udo, the president of (TPADI) speaking at the conference, said that The Maiden International Conference on Pan-Africanism, partnering with the University of Uyo, is here to give room for scholars, thought leaders and policymakers, even the people in ordinary works of life to share in meaningful dialogues, insights, strengthen connections with one another, and a look forward to the goal of unity, peace and progress in Africa.
“The significance of these events encapsulates the Institute’s commitment to reviving the best values of Pan-Africanism – the ideals of unity and collaboration, self-determination, freedom and dignity of the African people worldwide, as well as the celebration of African cultural heritage.
“It is equally a mark of our resolve to stimulate positive change across our beloved continent.
“For the University of Uyo, the conference marks the beginning of making this university the global centre for the study, practice and propagation of Pan-Africanism,” he said.
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