Nigeria First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan on Thursday said Africa’s negative image of war and violence must change to a peaceful and developing continent.
Jonathan made this known in Abuja on Thursday in her opening address at the 7th Summit of the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFPLM).
The theme of the summit is “The African Woman: A Voice for Peace’’.
According to her, the picture and television images coming from several parts of Africa and being shown on international television channels are not pleasing.
“The pictures we have continued to see are those of war, violence, crimes, terrorism, hunger and disease. We must be seriously concerned about this.
“We must change the image of wars and violence given to Africa to that of a peaceful, stable and developing continent. We cannot continue to sit in our comfort zones and do nothing because if we do nothing, we may be consumed,’’ Jonathan said.
She appealed to the first ladies to support the efforts of their “spouses’’ on conflict prevention and resolution.
“We must advocate strongly for peaceful means of resolving differences in our various societies and work more to prevent violence and war. ’’
Jonathan also expressed regrets that out of the five million refugees and 12 million displaced persons in Africa, more than 75 per cent were women and children.
She listed advocacy, capacity building, negotiation, reconciliation, provision of relief materials and involvement in the rehabilitation of victims of conflict as ways the first ladies could help in peace efforts.
Jonathan said the conference would aim at developing strategies toward achieving internal love, devise means to move the continent to achieve greater peace and establish ways to teach African children to love one another amidst other resolutions.
She explained that the onus fell on the first ladies and all African women to promote peace in the sub-region and on the continent.