WORLD INSTITUTE FOR PEACE HONOURS FUOYE VICE-CHANCELLOR OGUNWOLE

Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, the Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), has received the Knight of World Peace (KWP) award from the World Institute for Peace (WIP) at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja.

The award was bestowed on the FUOYE VC on account of his leadership qualities and peaceful mien, at a ceremony which took place at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja, organized by the World Institute for Peace (WIP) and the organizing team of the Global Peace and Humanity Summit Abuja 2026.

The award ceremony which draw participants from across the globe, centered around the theme, ‘Beyond Borders and Battlefields: Building Lasting Solutions to Xenophobia in South Africa, the US-Israel-Palestine-Iran Conflict, the Russia-Ukraine War, and Emerging Global Crises.’

Prof. Ogunwole was specifically singled out for the honour in recognition of the exceptional crisis management skills he has effectively deployed since assuming office on February 11, 2026. The award ceremony formed part of this year’s global commemoration of United Nations Day.

Lamina Kamiludeen Omotoyosi, the Executive Director of WIP in his welcome address said that peace is more than just the absence of war.

Instead, he emphasized that true peace requires the presence of justice, mutual respect, human dignity, and tolerance, alongside a shared willingness to resolve differences through dialogue rather than violence.

“As we commemorate United Nations Day, we are reminded of the enduring importance of international cooperation, multilateral engagement, and our collective responsibility to protect humanity from the devastating consequences of conflict, hatred, discrimination, and division.”

“Our summit comes at a critical time when the world continues to grapple with xenophobia, the Russia-Ukraine war, tensions involving the United States, Israel, Palestine, and Iran, as well as other emerging crises that threaten global stability. These challenges remind us that the consequences of conflict do not respect national borders. They affect families, destroy livelihoods, displace communities, undermine economies, and weaken the shared bonds of humanity.

“This is why our theme, ‘Beyond Borders and Battlefields’, calls on us to look beyond political interests, territorial disputes, religious differences, ethnic identities, and ideological divisions. It challenges us to recognise our common humanity and pursue lasting solutions through diplomacy, inclusive dialogue, peace education, mediation, respect for international law, and the protection of fundamental human rights.”

Olugbenga Timothy Ajadi, a Professor with National Open University, in his keynote address, noted that “when peace is threatened, children lose their classrooms, families lose their homes, communities lose their livelihoods, and nations risk losing their hopes for the future. But when peace is protected and nurtured, children can learn, businesses can thrive, communities can flourish, and people of different backgrounds can live together with mutual respect and a shared sense of belonging. That is why our gathering today is more than a formal summit; it is a call to conscience, a call to responsibility, and a call to action.”

“As we reflect on the challenges of xenophobia, the conflicts in the Middle East, the Russia–Ukraine war, and other emerging global crises, let us remember that behind every headline is a human story, behind every statistic is a life, and behind every conflict is a painful reminder of what happens when dialogue gives way to hostility and human compassion is overshadowed by fear and hatred.

“Our task today is not simply to discuss the problems that divide humanity, but to discover and champion the solutions that can bring us together.”

Receiving the award on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ayodele Fajimi, Head of Ikole Campus, and Dr. Adebolanle Debo-Ajagunna, the University Bursar, thanked the organizers, promising that Prof. Ogunwole would not relent in pursuing his mission of rebranding FUOYE.

Other delegates from the university include; Obabire Omolola, theUniversity Director of Audit, Oyeyimika Koyejo-Fasakin, Director in Vice Chancellor’s Office, Professor Cecilia Olufunke Akintayo, Provost, College of Science, Dr. Sunday Saanu, Director, Public Affairs and Communication, Dr. Oluwatosin Tume, a lecturer at FUOYE Theatre Arts Department, and Abiodun Oloniniyin University’s Protocol Officer.