By Seyi Odewale
Rotary International President, Olayinka Hakeem Babalola, is set to host the All Nigeria Rotary Peace Summit 2026 in Lagos on November 7, with stakeholders expected to examine practical strategies for promoting sustainable peace ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
The summit, themed “Good Governance, Justice and Equity: Foundations for Sustainable Peace,” will take place at the Victoria Garden Event Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
According to a statement by the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Past District Governor Kazeem Mustapha, the gathering will bring together Rotarians, political and community leaders, peace advocates and other stakeholders.
Babalola said the summit would focus on what Nigeria could do differently to create conditions for lasting peace across communities and institutions.
“Peace must become more than something we wish for. It must be something we deliberately build in our communities, through our institutions and in the way we treat one another,” he said.
The organisers said the summit would examine the links between good governance, justice, equity, economic opportunity and community development, while seeking practical approaches that could strengthen peace building efforts.
They said the event was particularly timely as Nigeria prepares for another general election cycle, making dialogue and cooperation among stakeholders essential to preventing tensions and promoting peaceful political participation.
According to the organisers, participants will explore ways of building stronger communities and institutions capable of giving citizens confidence in the future.
The summit will also draw on Rotary’s community-level experience in peace building, education, healthcare, economic empowerment, water and sanitation and community development.
The organisers said the event would provide an opportunity to bring those experiences into a broader national discussion on peace and development.
Traditional and community leaders, civil society organisations, young people, policymakers, professionals, private-sector representatives and development partners have been invited to participate.
Babalola said the gathering should move beyond speeches and focus on practical solutions that could help address the conditions that threaten sustainable peace.
“This is more than a gathering. It is a call to reflection, dialogue and action, especially because building peace is everybody’s business,” he said.
The organisers expressed the hope that discussions at the summit would generate practical pathways for collaboration and action towards strengthening peace, justice and good governance in Nigeria.
