Government Must Provide Security, All Nigerians Must Build Sustainable Peace — Rotary International President, Yinka Babalola

Rotary International President, Rotarian Yinka Babalola, has called on Nigerians to take collective responsibility for building sustainable peace, stressing that while the government is responsible for providing security, lasting peace requires the active participation of all citizens.

Babalola made the call during an interview at the Positive Peace Workshop held at the Rotary Centre, 8, Ladoke Akintola Street, Ikeja-GRA, Lagos, ahead of the All Nigeria Rotary Peace Summit scheduled for tomorrow Saturday, November 7, 2026.

Speaking on the rationale behind the summit, the Rotary International President said the initiative was designed to advance Rotary’s commitment to creating lasting impact by addressing the critical role of peace and security in community development.

Responding to question on why Rotary was organising the peace summit at this election period, Babalola explained that sustainable impact could only be achieved in a peaceful and secure environment.

“My Presidential message is to create lasting impact. Rotarians are trying to do that all over the world, including here in Nigeria. But you see, you cannot have lasting impact in an environment where there is no peace, where there is no security,” he said.

He emphasised the need to bring together stakeholders whose responsibilities and contributions are essential to sustaining peace, noting that the summit was particularly necessary at a time when Nigeria continues to grapple with peace and security challenges.

According to him, the initiative would provide an avenue for meaningful conversations and collaboration among relevant stakeholders to ensure that Rotary’s projects and aspirations are driven by the principles of peace.

Babalola also challenged the perception that peace and security are exclusively the responsibility of government, insisting that citizens have a significant role to play in creating an environment conducive to sustainable peace.

“It is the duty of government to provide a safe and secure environment, but it is the duty of all of us to create an environment that makes sustainable peace possible,” he stated.

He further noted that leadership extends beyond political office, explaining that elections, which primarily determine political leadership, do not define the broader responsibilities of leadership within communities.

“Election is supposed to come and go. Come to think of it, what do we do during election? We change political leadership. That’s what we do for the country, the whole community. Leadership goes beyond the political,” Babalola said.

The Rotary International President disclosed that the All Nigeria Rotary Peace Summit would bring together stakeholders to examine practical approaches to strengthening peace and security, while promoting collective responsibility across communities.

He also highlighted the significance of the Positive Peace Workshop, organised with the support of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), an international organisation specialising in peace research and Positive Peace Index analysis.

Babalola said the workshop was designed to equip Rotarians with the knowledge and understanding required to integrate peace-building principles into their projects and activities throughout the Rotary year.

He explained that the training would help Rotarians understand the Eight (8) Pillars of Positive Peace and apply the principles to projects aimed at creating sustainable impact.

“The Positive Peace Workshop is to further equip the Rotarians who will drive this element of peace, who will understand how we can tie the Eight (8) Pillars of Positive Peace in making sure that whatever project we do this year creates lasting impact. If it brings peace, it will create lasting impact,” he said.

The All Nigeria Rotary Peace Summit is expected to provide a platform for dialogue, collaboration and the development of practical strategies to promote peace, security and sustainable community development across Nigeria.

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