In the word currently one of the worlds most sought after “commodity” apart from the various economic quest for development is the desire for peace. The importance of peace to any nation development cannot be over emphasized. That no meaningful development can take place in an environment of rancour is stating the obvious. The World Development Report 2011 reported that over 20 million children have been denied access to food due to crises. As in this case many African countries have been bedeviled with one form of crisis or the other and Nigeria is not an exception from such experiences, ranging from the various incessant 'ethno-religious' crises; the 'postelection' crises and the recent incidence of the Boko Haram crises.
Peace and prosperity are nearly inseparables. When one is absent, the other is at risk. Violence and war rob people of the chance to better their lives through hard work and when a society struggles with poverty and unemployment, it sets the stage for unrest. At the same time, peace and prosperity can form a vicious circle. A peaceful community is one in which people have choices about their future. Prosperity helps ensure that people have a stake in society, eliminating many of the underlying causes of conflict. This chapter seeks to the students achieve the following.
Understand the concept of 'Peace' and the 'Culture of Peace.
Acquire a broad and well balanced knowledge of the theories of Peace.
Develop an appreciation of the importance of peace in
contemporary global affairs and national development;Know how to develop a peace culture and the need for peace, and Have insight in cultivating the culture of peace.
What is Peace?
Peace in most instances has been defined generally as the absence of war. However, the absence of war is the most generally used term which had made peace and war being two sides of the same coin. As such, if peace is the absence of war, it is logical for one to say that, war is the absence of peace. This definition of peace is interesting and attractive but it is also inadequate for understanding the nature of peace because it does not really tell us the meaning of peace. However, war is only one form of violence which is physical, open and direct. Other forms of violence which have to with other social conditions include; poverty, exclusion, intimidation, oppression, want, fear and many types of psychological pressures.
Going by this definition, “peacethe absence of war”, can one really claim that there is peace in a country where there is no war but rather pervasive poverty, oppression of the poor by the rich, police brutality, intimidation of ordinary people by those in power, oppression of women, or monopolization of resources and power by some sections of the society? it Will still be wrong by my opinion to say that there is peace in such a country. Consequently, it is very possible not to have peace when there is no war. Peace, as a concept, is primarily concerned with the creation and the maintenance of a just order in society. The term peace has been sub’ divided into six different meanings. Hence, peace is divisible.
The absence of war (absence of direct violence)
Justice and development (absence of structural violence)
Respect and tolerance between people
Harmony or balance in, and with the ecosyste (ecosphere)
Tranquility or inner peace (Spiritual peace)
Wholeness and making whole (being complete)
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