Creating a New Reality Through a New Sense of Possibility
Being the Speech Sent to Occasion of the Year 2008 Children's Party
of African Children of Peace Club,
On December 27, 2008
By Reverend Titus K. Oyeyemi, President and CEO African Foundation for Peace and Love
Initiatives
All protocols observed.
We love to celebrate Christmas every year. Christmas is celebrated to commemorate the birth
and advent of the Prince of Peace on earth. As we celebrate Christmas each year, we are
reminding ourselves that peace is possible on earth, because Christmas is observed to
commemorate the birth of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Unfortunately,
humanity did not want to create the reality of peace on earth because we love to worship the idols
of war and violence. The contrast between God's reality for peace on earth and man's refusal of
peace on earth is not farfetched. Let us contrast these two passages of the Bible: Luke 2:13-14
and Luke 19:37-38.
In Luke 2:13 the angels were quoted as saying "And suddenly there was with the angel a
multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace, good will toward men." However, and as a contrast, in Luke 19:37-38 "And when he
was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the
disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the might works that they had
seen saying, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven, and
glory in the highest." Is it by accident that the angel proclaimed peace on earth, and the disciples
proclaimed peace in heaven? Let us ponder on these two contrasting though non-opposing
realities.
We are Creating a New Reality of Peace
On August 13, 1996, the Lord shared a divine vision with me, couched in these words "Africa, the
Future Land of Peace." I believed these words as the new reality that God's will create. Though
many may believe otherwise, but you have gathered here this morning because you believe that
surely, Africa can become a land of peace. This is where your faith and my faith become
subjective. We believe that by responding and participating in God's vision for Africa, the Future
Land of Peace, we will be participating in constructing God's pleasing reality. Jesus had said
"With God, nothing shall be impossible." Our faith is also objective, because we believe that by
participating with Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to promote peace on earth, we are doing a princely
work on earth. Remember, Jesus has said "Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that believeth on me,
the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto
my Father" (John 14:12)
The Reality of the African Children of Peace
The African Children of Peace Club is a reality that we have created at African
Projects/Foundation for Peace and Love Initiatives. We created the reality of the African Children
of Peace to replace the reality of the African Children of Conflict. The new African Child is the
reality of the future peace of Africa is several ways. As a member of the African Children of Peace
Club, springing up everywhere on daily basis, the new African Child of Peace represent a new
species of fellowship of new peaceful and peace loving Africans. The new African Child of Peace
infiltrates his or her communities, societies, and environments with a new reality of peace
building. Through his/her practice of peer mediation, he/she is a model of peace in his/school,
community and home. More importantly, the new African Child of Peace is a peace worker and a
peace intercessor. The African Children of Peace are interceding for peaceful elections,
airspace safety, stability in governments, political and ethno-religious harmony, and most
important for peaceful school environments in Nigeria.
The Reality of the Youth Peace and Nation Building
The African Children of Peace Club, targeted at children ages 5-12, in nursery, kindergarten and
primary schools, is the first of four school-based peace clubs. The second school-based peace
club, the Youth Peace Alliance Club, is targeted at teenagers in junior and senior secondary
schools. The third is the KAIROS Peace and Love Club, targeted at young adults in institutions of
higher learning, such as colleges of education, polytechnics, and universities, and the New Peace
Legacy Peace Club, targeted at young graduates doing their one year national service through
the National Youth Service Commission (NYSC). These school-based peace clubs resonate with
our concept of 20-year long tomorrow for youth peace and nation building, that is the twenty
years that the average Nigerian child will spend in school (that is 9-6-4-1). The good news is that
we are saturating the entire country with these school-base peace clubs.
The Realities of Being a Peaceful Child
The children may have sang their song "I am a Peaceful Child" to the admiration of this gathering.
Yes, we train members of the African Children of Peace Club to become peaceful children. We
also assure them that there is a future for the peaceful child, and that their future will be full of
peace if they allow themselves to be taught by the Lord. I assure the children that there is
wonder, wisdom, wealth, wellness, welfare, and wellbeing in being a peaceful child. We are here
to create all these possibilities with the children for the African future land of peace. By being in
the life of the average child for twenty years through our school-based clubs which segue into
one another, we have created a new reality of showing our children how to democratically transit
from one political level to the next.
The Training and Appointment of Assigned Teachers and Chaperones are a new Realities
We embarked on training of and appointment of assigned teachers as chaperones to our peace
clubs in secondary schools in January of 2006, beginning in Lagos State. Now, we have covered
the six education districts in Lagos State and the four education blocks in Ogun State, training
the assigned teachers and appointing them as chaperones and zonal coordinators to our
school-based peace clubs. We have submitted proposals for similar activities to several other
states in the federation. We have also trained and appointed peace visiting secretaries to our
school-based peace clubs. In the institutions of higher learning we work with student unions,
student governments, dean of student affairs, and other school authorities such as the rectors,
provosts, and vice-chancellors. We are also negotiating with the headquarters of NYSC at Abuja
for the possibility of creating a new peace legacy for the nation through the NYSC system.
The Tree of Peace Growing in our Midst is a New Reality
As you might have notice, the apple tree is the symbol of the tree of peace growing in our midst.
Wherever we gathered, we use the apple tree to symbolize the tree of peace growing in our
midst. We distribute the apple tree stems. We encourage everyone to plant one apple tree and
nurture it. While they are doing so, they are nurture the new peace reality in their schools,
communities and societies.
Sense of Possibility
Realities can only come where there is a profound sense of possibility. To believe in possibilities
is to cultivate faith labor for peace in our homes, schools, communities, and societies. We cannot
spiritualize peace while denying its physical manifestation in our midst. It is like acknowledging
God but at the same time denying his power. We must participate in the task of bringing God's
shalom to our reality. It is mere wishful thinking for us to continue in violence and think that God
will bring peace. We have to think and act as if peace is already a reality. Then the reality of
peace will manifest in our midst.
Sense of Responsibility
But as we work out our realities with the sense of possibility, we must be prepared to cultivate and
accept our sense of responsibility. I am therefore using this medium to appeal to parents,
community leaders, religious leaders, business men and women, and the government to support
of our efforts by sponsoring our programs. For example, we need urgent finance to start our
Y-PAC at co-curricular in Imo State schools in January of 2009, having failed to do the program
three times in the past due to financial difficulties.
A Sense of Gratitude
While expressing my gratitude for the support that we have received in the last five years, I am
calling on everyone: children, teachers, parents, guardians, community, business and religious
leaders, to give peace chance by working with us to achieve the realities of youth peace and
nation building in Nigeria. I thank the parents for releasing their children to attend and participate
in various events. I thank the teachers for always volunteering. My profound thanks also go to our
staff for the great job they have done in the past year. I believe that we have done our best every
year since the founding of this organization, and we have tried successfully to better our best
each year. I have been reliably told that the Mr. Sunil, Chief Nwandu, and the representatives of
some kings are in our midst today. I thank them all for their presence and their supports.
Prayer and Prophetic Proclamation
The scripture says there is a future for man and woman of peace. African Foundation/Projects for
Peace and Love Initiatives is bringing God's peace and wholeness to Africa. There will be peace
in Nigeria, in Africa, and the in world. I prophesy wonder, wisdom, wealth, and wellbeing into the
lives of members of African Children of Peace Clubs throughout Nigeria. May peace prevail on
Earth. KAYERO. KAYEROJU!
Rev. Titus K. Oyeyemi
President/CEO
African Foundation for Peace and Love Initiatives.
CCH/2008-27-12.
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We Love Africa, We Seek Her Future Peace
Tribes and Tongues May Differ But We are the Same
With Peace and Love, Africa Will be Great
We Love Africa, the Future Land of Peace.
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This is Time for Us to Come Together
It is the Dawning of a New Era Let Us Work Together
To Rebuild Our Nation
The Way to Make Peace is to Serve Your Neighbor's Needs
Give Peace Some Chance, Because We are Here to Make Peace
You Lift My Hands, I Lift Yours
In No Time with Your Help, In No Time with My Help
Nigeria Will be Soaring Higher, Higher and Higher
Where the Eagles Fly, Because We are Here to Make Peace.
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Let Us Put Violence to Shame
There Must be Peace in Nigeria
There Must be Peace in Africa
There Must be Peace All Over the World
Let Us Put Violence to Shame