As the world marks this year’s Social Work Day, the Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW), Lagos State chapter has called on the citizens to embrace tolerance and peaceful co-existence in the nation’s communities.
The chairperson, Lagos State chapter, NASoW, Ms Morayo Olubunmi Lamilisa, made the appeal in a statement signed by the public relations officer of the association, Tessy Ozobialu, to mark the event.
She said the theme of this year’s celebration “Respecting diversity through joint social action”, was apt and appropriate, especially, considering what had been happening in virtually all communities in the country.
Lamilisa said as a result of this, her association as the umbrella professional body of all recognised social workers in Nigeria, and also an affiliate member of International Federation of Social Workers (IFSN), joined other social workers in the world to celebrate 2023 International Workers Day and called for tolerance and peaceful co-existence in the nation’s communities.
She said, “Despite the oneness being promoted by all the tiers of governments in Nigerian communities, cases of religious killings, ethnic cleansing, cult clashes and hooliganism are witnessed in most parts, due to high level of intolerance occasioned by no respect for cultural diversities and divergent opinions/ beliefs, feeling of superiority of one’s ideas and religious beliefs to others.”
The chairperson recalled that, ‘’The oneness that Nigeria was enjoying in the early 1970s is now elusive, noting that what is being witnessed across all areas is destruction of lives and properties, serious conflicts leading to physical assaults and serious threats to our national unity and economic stability.
“We are using this medium to implore all and sundry to resist all forms of divisive tendencies agents and campaigns in our communities, shun all forms of killings/jungle justice, maiming and hatred in order to reposition Nigeria better in comity of nations. We must encourage inter-tribal marriage, peaceful co-existence and respect for others’ opinions.”
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