LAGOS, NIGERIA — 25 OCTOBER 2020 — As the Sunday, 1 November 2020 observance of the International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys under the theme, “World’s Health And Safety” approaches, the peaceful protests against police brutality that turned bloody and deadly when youthful and unarmed Nigerian protestors were attacked by military personnel, is moving individuals, organizations, and institutions throughout our global village to express concerns about the health and safety of Nigeria’s 206,139,687 citizens, particularly its boys and adolescent youths. The protests are not limited to Nigeria. Protests have occurred in a number of cities in Europe, including London, and in cities in the United States that include Houston and New York. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Her Excellency Michelle Bachelet decried the employment by Nigerian Armed Forces of excessive force against unarmed protestors. His Excellency António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations has offered his support to Nigeria as it works to end police brutality. Amnesty International has monitored the protests in Nigeria since they began on 8 October 2020, It has also conducted an “on the ground” investigation of the 20 October 2020 incident involving soldiers firing into a crowd of peaceful demonstrators that has aroused global consternation. International Men’s Day Global and Regional Coordinators embrace Nigeria – the “Giant Of Africa” – as it struggles to improve the safety and health of its citizens; reduce and eradicate skyrocketing unemployment; rebuild a deteriorating infrastructure; and ensure that all children have equal access to education and the tools they need to learn.
“Nigerians pray for calm and peace. It is our hope that institutions, organizations, and individuals throughout our global village will join us in our quest for calm, peace, and solutions for ending hunger, unemployment, and poverty and reducing the spread of and mortality rate for COVID-19. While we cannot predict what the future holds for the millions of souls living in Nigeria –especially boys, adolescent males, and men – we can utilize the International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys as a platform to identify, design, launch, and support holistic solutions that increase the survival rate for Nigeria’s Men and Boys who contract COVID-19 . . to improve their spiritual, psychological, physical, and emotional health,” commented Mr. Ola Akinwe, Nigeria’s International Men’s Day Coordinator and the Founder of Boys Mentoring Advocacy Network (www.bmanadvocacy.org), Nigeria’s premiere solutions-based mentoring organization for boys and adolescent males.
“The health and safety of souls in Nigeria – the Giant of Africa — particularly, the health and safety of its boys, male youths, and Men, impacts the health and safety of the Continent of Africa and the health and safety of our world. If one of us is not healthy and safe, then none of us – the 7,794,798,739 souls who occupy this planet – are healthy and safe. So goes Nigeria, so goes Africa, and so goes the world. And that is why Global and Regional Coordinators for International Men’s Day are embracing Nigeria on Sunday, 1 November 2020 in observance of the International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys. The United States International Men’s Day Team joins the Nigerian International Men’s Day Team, the Global Interfaith Community, and institutions, organizations, and individuals throughout our global village in utilizing the 2020 International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys as a vehicle to create health and safety for Nigeria – particularly its Men and Boys,” commented Diane Aisha Sears, the United States Coordinator for International Men’s Day (www.usainternational mensday.blogspot.com).
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This post was previously published on Usainternationalmensday.blogspot.com.
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