Peace Studies: Panacea for National Unity and Socioeconomic Development of Nigeria

Nigeria like other African states was a colonial creation with numerous natural endowments and great potential for socioeconomic growth and development in all ramifications. However, lack of national cohesion, unity, poverty, corruption, ethno-religious disharmony, regionalism and deep-rooted enmity have caused conflicts which in turn affected socioeconomic and political activities for several decades. Instead of improving, the situation keeps deteriorating day by day, where the government, military and other security operatives seems to be handicapped. These make the nation to be drifting toward a failed state. Peace studies as a discipline has capacity to re-orient and educate the citizens, military, civil-society, the various ethno-religious groupings, using case studies from primary to tertiary levels will no doubt ameliorate the conflicts or insecurity in the country. Authorities are to embrace peace studies, makes it compulsory in various institutions, sponsor conferences on peace studies, peace building strategies, and adopt the conference communiqué/recommendations. The state is to expend more on education and researches to identify prone areas and act immediately to avert any conflict or threat to lives and properties. These, if done will bring lasting peace and security in the nation for robust socioeconomic advancement.