Abuja, Nigeria—To commemorate the 55th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, UPF convened a roundtable to discuss Nigeria’s future.
"Renewing the Nigeria Nation to Achieve Vision 2020" was the title of the roundtable, which was held on October 3, 2015.
Participants discussed the national formation of Nigeria, the 1914 amalgamation, the proclamation of national independence in 1960 and the national challenges of the past 55 years as well as plans for the next five years.
Reviewing the present state of the nation, the participants called for the renewal of Nigeria, especially from being a secular nation independent of God to an interreligious nation dependent on God.
It was proposed that UPF-Nigeria make a formal submission to the National Assembly recommending the establishment of:
- a federal ministry of interreligious affairs
- a National Assembly committee for interreligious affairs
- interreligious education in schools
- a National Interreligious Center in Abuja.
Four distinguished Nigerians, representing not only the North, East, West and South but also father, mother, elder child and younger child, were inducted as the first Ambassadors for Peace to be appointed after Nigeria attained 55 years.