3000 Youth Pledge to end Gender Based Violence during the Nigerian Baptist Convention Annual Youth Night
Held from the 19th till the morning of the 20th of April 2024, the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC) Super centenary Youth Night was part of the NBC 111th session convened under the leadership of the Rev Dr Israel Akanji, President of the NBC.
During the Youth night, the AACC Executive Secretary, Youth; Brian Muyunga addressed the gathering of three thousand young people on the topic, ‘Entering Newness through Pan-Africanism and the Churches Campaign against GBV in Africa.’
While sensitizing his audience about AACC’s Pan-African Campaign on Africa: My Home. My Future., Brian stressed that God requires the African Youth to summon their Christian Agency for the holistic transformation and development of Africa into the kind of continent they want it to be as their home and live behind for their future generations to live comfortably. He warned them about the dangers of irregular migration and human trafficking and assured them of the potential the youth have to thrive in Africa given its great potential, and steadily progressing development.
His address also urged the youth to recognize the negative impacts of GBV on the development of Nigeria and Africa.
“To enter newness, we need to identify the aspects of religion and culture in which GBV is rooted, recondition ourselves to find discomfort in them, and transform them in such a way that can bring acts of GBV to an end.” He emphasized.
Describing the Youth as a generation that has been chosen by God to live as God’s instruments of Change, Brian assured the participants of God’s help and power as they work for Africa that is free of GBV: The Africa We Want. At the climax of his presentation, Brian led the crowd of three thousand participants to undertake the Pledge of Commitment against Gender-Based Violence in their communities.
Rev. Dr. Olawuyi James, the Director of Youth and Students Ministries, said the prayer commissioned those who had undertaken the pledge to live as Ambassadors for Gender Justice and Human Dignity.
“We shall do all it takes to build the Africa We want” Expressed Dr. Bamidele Emmanuel, the NBC Youth President.
The NBC 111th session also featured a side event on Transformative Ecumenism, peacebuilding, and development. With the slogan, “Push4Peace” " the side event was attended by over 50 religious and cultural leaders of the Nigeria Baptist Convention.
During this event, participants interrogated the role of Gender Justice in peacebuilding and the relationship between human dignity, Peacebuilding, and development in Africa. Brian encouraged them to support the youth in transforming toxic gender ideologies, that perpetuate Gender-Based Violence, Conflicts, and other realities that undermine human dignity and, in the process, impede development in Africa.
“I have learned that we can't achieve peace and development without ending GBV and Gender inequalities” noted the NBC Youth Secretary, Ms. Eferurhobo Endurance, at the end of the session.
In the Photo [Some of the Participants during the Youth Night. Credit- NBC Youth Conference]
