Photo: When WIP Conferred ‘Knight of World Peace’ Award
By Mandy Park
The Vice Chancellor (VC) of Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, has received the Knight of World Peace (KWP) award from the World Institute for Peace (WIP) at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja.
This was revealed in a report written by FUOYE’s Director of Communication and Corporate Affairs, Dr. Sunday Saanu, and published on the university’s website.
The report indicated that the award was bestowed on the FUOYE VC on account of his leadership qualities and peaceful mien.
According to Dr. Saanu’s report, the award ceremony—which took place recently at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja—was organized by the World Institute for Peace (WIP) and the organizing team of the Global Peace and Humanity Summit Abuja 2026. Drawing participants from across the globe, the event was 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 said to have been 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.
Welcoming participants, the Executive Director of WIP, Mr. Lamina Kamiludeen Omotoyosi, remarked 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.
He was quoted as saying “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.”
Mr. Omotoyosi added that “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.”
In his keynote address, a Professor with Nigeria Open University, Olugbenga Timothy Ajadi, was quoted to have 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.”
Continuing, he stated: “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, the duo of Head of Ikole Campus, Prof. Ayodele Fajimi and the University Bursar, Dr. Mrs. Adebolanle Debo-Ajagunna thanked the organizers, promising that Prof. Ogunwole would not relent in pursuing his mission of rebranding FUOYE.
Professor Ayodele Fajimi (Head of Ikole Campus) and Dr. (Mrs.) Adebolanle Debo-Ajagunna (University Bursar) received the award on behalf of the VC. In their remarks, they thanked the organizers and gave the assurance that Professor Ogunwole would remain fully committed to his mission of rebranding the institution.
Among the delegates to the ceremony were the University Director of Audit, Mrs. Obabire Omolola, Director in Vice Chancellor’s Office, Mrs. Oyeyimika Koyejo-Fasakin, Provost, College of Science, Professor Cecilia Olufunke Akintayo, Director, Public Affairs and Communication, Dr. Sunday Saanu, a lecturer at FUOYE Theatre Arts Department, Dr. Oluwatosin Tume and University’s Protocol Officer, Mr. Abiodun Oloniniyin.
