The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Lagos in collaboration with Human Rights Information Network (a network of Human rights NGOs) and Golden Heart Foundation held a forum at the Centre on 18 September to mark the International Day of Peace 2009. 

The forum which attracted ninety four guests included community leaders, youths, civil society organizations, community based organizations, electronic and print media human rights groups, students and military personnel. The UNIC Officer in charge, Ms. Olajumoke Araba, gave the welcome address and read the Secretary-General’s message for the day. In the address, she emphasised the priority the Secretary-General placed on the theme – WMD – We Must Disarm.

She also mentioned all the on-going campaigns for disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation till 21 September 2009, the International day of Peace. In his Goodwill message and remarks, Major General O.L. Abidoye, Commander, Nigerian Army Ordinance Corps, said “Peace must be in our homes too. Arms should not be found in the hands of the public or robbers”. In his opening remarks, The Chairperson of Human Rights Information Network, Peace Ambassador Mba Charles Ogbonnaya said that violent conflicts in Nigeria had claimed thousands of lives, hence the success of the current Amnesty programme in Nigeria which is Disarmament was imperative.

Navy Captain A. O. Ayuba of Defence Headquarters, Abuja, took the lead presentation at the event. The title of his well researched paper was - “Small arms light weapons proliferation and the need for disarmament: an imperative for peace and development”.  He informed that since 1945, twenty million have been killed due to direct action of mostly small arms and light weapons (SALW) and sixty seven million injured or displaced.

Also, SALW Proliferation was prevalent in West Africa and Nigeria was no exception.  The civil wars, ethno-religious, socio-economic  problems, unemployment, boundary problems, agitation for better control of national resources and political disputes were some of the causes of SALW Proliferation in West Africa and Nigeria. He mentioned that after the civil war, Nigeria embarked upon reconciliation instead of disarmament.

He emphasised the strategies for combating SALW which were threefold – global action, regional/sub-regional action and national action. There were many presentations, contributions by eminent personalities and chairpersons of more than fifteen civil society groups and NGOs.

A Peace poem was read by Moses Ako-Iwaji, a member of an NGO for peace in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. A minute silence was observed for fallen heroes of Peace Missions.

The Director of United Nations Information Centre  (UNIC) in Lagos was a special guest of honor at the event organized by United Nations of Youth (UNOY) and Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos to commemorate the International Youth Day 2009. As the Director was on Mission, the Officer-in-Charge – Ms. Olajumoke Araba (Library Assistant) represented the Director and presented the Secretary-General’s message at the event.  
The event which took place at the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Secretariat, was attended by 276 guests. The participants included many Youth organizations, Youth in the Local Government and  National Youth Corps members.
Dignitaries on the High table included the UNOY National Executive President - Prince Goodluck Obi; The Executive Chairman of the Amuwo Odofin Local Government; the Vice President of the United Nations Association of Nigeria – Mr. Sam Oyewole, ANUNSA National President, Executive Council Members and two Youths from Japan and Germany.  
In his opening remarks, the Executive Chairman of the Amuwo Odofin Local Government - Comrade Ayodele Adewale, highlighted some of the Youth empowerment programmes of his Local Government in which Youths were trained on recycling and examination fees of 500 students were paid. Also about 140 trees had been planted for environmental sustainability. He encouraged youth to create employment for themselves and not to seek employment as there were no jobs.
In a paper presentation by another Youth corroborated the Executive Chairman’s advice. He spoke on - “The challenges of Youth unemployment: the way forward”. He concluded with the statement: “Embrace entrepreneurship since jobs are not available.” Later, the Centre screened the video – “Year in Review 2008” and the event concluded with comments and questions from the audience.

On 31 July 2009, the United Nations System in Nigeria launched the 2009 global Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report on behalf of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. 

The event, which brought together five UN agencies, media and non-governmental organization (NGO) leaders and representatives, was held in Lagos. It was chaired by the UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Albéric Kacou, with the Senior Special Assistant to the Nigerian President, Mrs. Amina Az-Zubbair, as special guest of honour. Other guests and participants included Ms. Yemisi Ransome-kuti, Executive Director of Nigerian Network of NGOs (NNNGO), Mr. Edetaen Ojo, Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA), and Ambassador (Chief) Segun Olushola, Founder and President of Africa Refugees Foundation (AREF).

In his welcome address, the UN Resident Coordinator gave an overview of the programmes and activities of the UN System in Nigeria, highlighting the role and expectations of UN agencies in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the country.  He spoke on the implementation of the second phase of the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for Nigeria, which is the focal point for all UN inter-agency collaboration in the country.

In her review of the contents of the 2009 MDG Report, the Country Representative of UNFPA, Ms. Agathe Lawson, analysed the aspects of the document.  She explained that despite the impact of the global economic and financial crisis, the world economy had made major advances before the present critical challenges of recession.  She examined the way forward for the achievement of the MDGs, within the present realities, and concluded that progress on the Doha Trade Round, among other efforts, was key to stimulating the global economy.

Ms. Ransome-Kuti of NNNGO made a presentation entitled “The MDGs: Role of CSOs and the Way Forward.”  She said the role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the implementation and achievement of the MDGs should include advocacy and mobilisation, education and promotion of MDGs at the community level as well as the training and capacity-building of communities.

The Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, focused in his statement on the role of the media in achieving the MDGs.  He covered the broad areas of the media’s role in the promotion of the MDGs based on the constitutional responsibilities of the press in Nigeria.  He explained what was required of the media to increase the coverage of MDGs and how the media could be effective in playing a role of increasing awareness of the MDGs in the country.

Mr. Ojo concluded that the media had a constitutional duty and a social responsibility to raise public awareness about the MDGs, enable citizen participation in the debates and to hold the government accountable.

The special guest of honour, Mrs. Az-Zubbair, spoke on the government's position on the implementation of MDGs in Nigeria and responded to several questions on the role and responsibility of the State in achieving the goals and the role the media and CSOs could play in the efforts to achieve the MDGs.

The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Lagos visited St. Gregory’s College in central Lagos on 5 June 2009 to mark World Environment Day. Over 150 students attended a briefing during which the National Information Officer of UNIC Lagos introduced the theme of this year’s World Environment Day.

The students then viewed several videos related to climate change including "Our Planet in Transition: From Pole to Pole", the UN Secretary-General's video statement on "Seal the Deal" and "A Gathering Storm", eight short videos by IRIN News that explore the human cost of climate change. The Director of UNIC Lagos then read the Secretary-General's message for the Day.

At the end of the session, the Director of UNIC Lagos drew the attention of the students to the possible consequences of climate change to coastal zones of Nigeria, and reminded the students how important it was for everybody to make efforts to reduce pollution that trigger drastic changes of weather.

Secretary-General's video statement on "Seal the Deal" - UN Channel on YouTube