The Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace (COFP) through the convener – Dr. Anyanwu, Christiantus Izuchukwu carried out a peace project titled –“Advancing Community Peace through Sports” to the people and community of Sabongari and Tudun Fulani in Bwari Area Council, FCT Abuja.
The Project started on 4Th February 2025 with the mobilization of adolescent children between the age 12-16 of different faith and languages, telling them the meaning of peace and its need for the realization of their potentials.
The children accompanied the convener to engage with the various community and religious leaders on the need to sustain the relative peace being enjoyed by the residents of Sabongari and Tudun Fulani communities.
Considering football as a uniting point of diverse societies such as Nigeria, the peace project was concluded with a football competition with two teams emerging to the finals played on 7th February 2025 as the Junior section of the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) Junior Secondary School, Tudun Fulani FCT Abuja, a mixed school of boys and girls, different faith and languages participated.
At the finals of the competition, the dignitaries harped on the need for community peace. The school Principal Mr. Oyekannu Isaac in his welcome address emphasized the importance of peace, maintaining that with peace there is progress and development.
The convener Dr. Anyanwu, Christiantus Izuchukwu his address holds that there is a need for every individual to seek peace, as intra-peace brings inner joy and happiness.
He said: “Community peace attracts development and the enabling environment for the people of the community including adolescent children to realize their full potential, therefore everyone irrespective of creed and language must sacrifice to let go for peace to reign, deploying others for peace including dialogue, negotiation, and mediation.”
The representative of COFP – Rev. Sr. Denisia Ijeoma Okonkwo (Personnel Officer) and Mr. Tope Bello (communication/Social Media) Urged all attendees to put humanity first before religion and ethnicity as this will help for mutual respect both at an individual level and as a community.
In their response, the Chief of the Fulani Community represented by Aminu Adamu, and the Sariki of Hausa, Muhammed Isa, together with the Leaders of Muslim and Christian communities.
Chief Imam Aliyu Ahmed and Pastor Musa Ephraim pointed out that the peace project has enlightened and encouraged them, assuring the convener and COFP representative that they will do everything possible to sustain the peace being enjoyed in the community.
At the end of the peace football match, the Blazing Stars of Yellow team won the Goal Getters of Green team by one goal to nil.
The convener called upon the traditional and religious leaders to present the trophy and cash prizes to the teams and individual players.
The convener identified the incorporation of adolescent children in the peace-building efforts as an approach that is impactful and should be sustained.
He therefore called for sponsorship for sustainability as more communities are in dire need of such intervention.
