Shittu Honoured as International Peace Advocate

…Champions Maritime Peace Desk at UN-POLAC

KESIENNA SHEPHERDS

Prince Olayiwola Shittu, former National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), has pledged to leverage his new role as International Peace Advocate to foster conflict resolution and stakeholder harmony in the maritime sector.

He unveiled plans for a proposed Maritime Desk within the United Nations Positive Livelihood Award Centre (UN-POLAC), positioning it as a strategic platform for dialogue, mediation, and institutional collaboration in the industry.

Shittu made the announcement during the 2026 International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace celebration, shortly after receiving the International Peace Advocate conferment. He emphasized that the honour was not merely ceremonial but a call to greater responsibility, reinforcing the imperative of giving back and providing a broader platform to intervene in crises and contribute meaningfully to peacebuilding efforts.

Drawing a link between global multilateralism and maritime realities, Shittu expressed optimism about the opportunities UN-POLAC could unlock for the sector, stressing that peace remains central to nation-building, economic growth, and industrial stability. He dedicated the honour to his family, the ANLCA community, his team at the Maritime Industry Merit Awards, and stakeholders across Nigeria’s maritime industry.

Delivering the guest lecture, legal luminary Mrs. Jean Chiazor Anishere SAN underscored the inseparable relationship between peace and economic stability, noting that sustainable growth cannot be achieved outside a framework of peace. She argued that economic peace must be deliberately pursued through policies, ethical business principles, and inclusive frameworks that unite government, citizens, and the private sector.

Anishere maintained that peace is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic economic necessity, warning that growth can only be sustained where justice, cooperation, and stability are institutionalized.

In his remarks as Chairman of the occasion, Chairman of the Customs Consultative Committee (CCC), Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju, described the event’s theme, Uniting for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future, as both inspirational and practical. He stressed that multilateralism has become indispensable for global survival in an interconnected world.

Olanrewaju added that peace should be understood not merely as the absence of conflict but as the presence of justice, equity, and understanding, noting that the CCC serves as a bridge connecting policy with practice, government with industry, and regulation with cooperation.

He emphasized that through stakeholder engagement across the trade and supply chain ecosystem, the committee continues to promote collaboration, efficiency, and mutual understanding, insisting that where there is collaboration, there is efficiency.

Also speaking, Director General of UN-POLAC, Prof. Eton Obong, represented by Pastor Zacchaeus Ogunsaya, stressed that peace must be intentionally built through cooperation, justice, discipline, and sincere dialogue. He urged members of UN-POLAC to go beyond ceremonial affiliation by embodying the values of peace in conduct and character, demonstrating self-control, tolerance, integrity, and active participation in the organisation’s mission.

Obong described the day as not just a celebration but a call to responsibility, urging honourees and members alike to serve as genuine ambassadors of peace.