By Tunde Akinyemi
In a bold move to institutionalise and mainstream peacebuilding within the Nigerian academic framework, the Wide Gate Initiative for Peace and Dispute Resolution (Wide Gate Initiatives) has launched an intensive training programme for lecturers at Osun State University (Ikire Campus).
The training, under the theme Achieving Sustainable Peace through Collaborative Effort: Role Awareness and Practical Tools in Conflict Resolution, aims to equip educators with tools to integrate peace education into their teaching and research.
The week-long programme, held in June 2019, featured lectures, practical workshops, simulations, and conflict-mapping exercises. Over 50 lecturers from various departments—education, political science, sociology, and mass communication—participated.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Adebobola Omowon, Executive Director of Wide Gate Initiatives, emphasized the importance of academia in shaping peaceful societies. “The university is a microcosm of society. If we want peace in Nigeria, we must first create peace in our classrooms, in our syllabi, and in the minds of those we teach,” Omowon stated.
The training introduced participants to multi-track diplomacy—a peacebuilding framework that goes beyond formal negotiations to include grassroots actors, NGOs, academics, businesses, media, and religious institutions. Lecturers were also trained in conflict-sensitive pedagogy, trauma-informed teaching, and research methodologies that prioritize social justice and reconciliation.
“Nigerian universities must become more than knowledge factories—they must become peace incubators,” Omowon continued. “By embedding peace studies and conflict resolution into academic curricula, we help students become not just professionals, but nation-builders.”
Participants left inspired. Dr. Ibiloye, a provost of the Campus, described the training as “transformational.” “This is the first time I’m seeing peacebuilding broken down into practical, actionable strategies that we can teach and apply in our communities,” he said.
Insecurity in Nigeria has often been linked to systemic issues—youth unemployment, political marginalization, ethnic tension—all of which are academic concerns. With this initiative, Wide Gate Initiatives is positioning universities as hubs of intervention, where data, dialogue, and innovation converge to build peace.
The initiative also plans to replicate the programme in other universities and polytechnics across the country. According to Omowon, “Peace is not a one-time event. It must be taught, reinforced, and lived out daily, especially by those who train the next generation.”