Generation Peace Youth Camp 2025: Governor Mutfwang Calls on Youths to Rewrite Plateau’s Story with Peace

A renewed push for lasting peace and unity in Plateau State is underway as over 300 young people converge for the Generation Peace Youth Camp 2025, an initiative of the Plateau Peace Building Agency (PPBA) in collaboration with the Plateau State Government and international partners.

The week-long camp, taking place from September 7 to 14 at the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, has drawn 302 participants from all 17 local government areas of the state, with deliberate inclusion of flashpoint communities historically affected by conflict.

The program, which combines training in conflict resolution, dialogue, storytelling, sports, and community action planning, seeks to equip young people with practical tools for peacebuilding and social cohesion. Participants, aged between 18 and 30, are expected to return to their communities as ambassadors of peace, replicating the lessons learned during the camp.

At a special town hall meeting hosted at Government House, Little Rayfield, Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang welcomed the participants, praising their courage and commitment to championing peace. He commended the PPBA and its partners for creating a platform that allows young people to directly engage with leadership while developing the skills to resolve conflict.

The governor acknowledged the painful history of violence that has scarred Plateau, lamenting that many youths had grown up in a climate of fear, suspicion, and hostility. He charged the participants to reject hatred and bitterness inherited from past conflicts and instead embrace a future defined by unity, compassion, and mutual respect.

“No religion or ethnicity is superior to the other,” Governor Mutfwang said. “Every human being is God’s most precious creation. We must choose peace, respect, and humanity over division and violence.”

He also decried the loss of compassion in society, where tragedies are often recorded rather than prevented, urging youths to break that culture by becoming protectors and promoters of human dignity. Beyond peacebuilding, he highlighted agriculture and innovation as key to unlocking Plateau’s prosperity, calling on participants to drive productivity and development alongside peace efforts.

“God’s plan for Plateau is one of good, not evil,” the governor emphasized. “Let us open a new chapter that will make Plateau a beacon of hope and prosperity.”

In her welcome address, Dr. Julie Sanda, Director General of the Plateau Peace Building Agency, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to nurturing a generation of peace. She noted that the camp is deliberately focused on young people from conflict-prone areas, stressing that the future of Plateau lies in transforming its youths into symbols of unity and resilience.

“Our goal is to ensure that this generation, once associated with conflict, becomes the generation identified with peace, social cohesion, and progress,” she said.

Also present at the town hall was Prof. Chris Kwaja, Special Envoy on Peace and Security, who commended Governor Mutfwang for consistently uniting Plateau since assuming office in May 2023. He praised the camp participants, most of whom are in their early twenties, for taking a stand against being manipulated into violence.

“These young people have resolved never again to be used as tools of destruction,” Kwaja said. “They have pledged to invest in peace, and in doing so, they are ambassadors not only for Plateau but for Nigeria as a whole.”

He stressed that true leadership transcends religion, ethnicity, or politics, and should instead foster collective humanity and justice.

Representing the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), Mr. Thomas Gimba applauded the state government and PPBA for prioritizing rural youths in peacebuilding. He emphasized that removing incentives for violence and addressing the grievances of rural communities are crucial to long-term stability.

“Engaging rural youths is a bold and strategic step,” Gimba said. “They understand their communities and challenges better than anyone, and with the right support, they can transform conflict dynamics.”

He pledged IFIT’s continued partnership through the provision of frameworks, tools, and global networks that will sustain Plateau’s peacebuilding journey.

The Generation Peace Youth Camp 2025 is thus not just a training program but a movement to rewrite Plateau’s story, from one marred by violence to one defined by peace, unity, and shared progress.