…Over 450 Delegates From 22 Countries Attend BIMUN’s 10th Anniversary
Daud Olatunji
The President/Vice-Chancellor of Babcock University, Prof. Afolarin Ojewole, has called on young people to take greater responsibility in promoting peace, sustainable development and human rights, urging them to embrace integrity, dialogue and selfless leadership.
Ojewole made the call on Tuesday while declaring open the 10th session of the Babcock International Model United Nations (BIMUN) at the university, where more than 450 delegates from 22 countries gathered for the conference.
The anniversary edition of the conference is themed, “Better Together: A Decade of BIMUN Advancing the United Nations’ Vision for Peace, Development and Human Rights.”
The Vice-Chancellor described BIMUN as a platform that has continued to nurture future leaders and promote peaceful coexistence through diplomacy and constructive engagement.
According to him, the current generation has a responsibility to bridge divisions and build societies founded on justice and mutual respect.
“Every generation has its defining moments. I believe this is yours. Build bridges where others erect barriers. Leadership is not measured by the volume of one’s voice, but by the quality of vision, strength of character and willingness to serve,” Ojewole said.
Also speaking, the Peace and Development Officer representing the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Ms. Kehinde Osotimehin, said today’s global challenges, including armed conflicts, climate change, poverty, inequality and misinformation, require collective action rather than isolated efforts.
She urged participants to regard themselves as leaders of today and not merely leaders of tomorrow, stressing the need to apply the values of dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution in their communities.
Osotimehin, who referenced the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security, said the UN had consistently supported BIMUN over the past decade because of its contribution to youth development.
“The future of peace will be shaped here at Babcock by young people who choose cooperation over conflict. Argue with passion. Negotiate with respect. The true measure of diplomacy is not who wins the debate, but what the world gains from it,” she said.
Former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, who featured in a keynote interaction, described education as one of the most effective tools for fostering national unity and sustainable development.
He urged participants to become agents of positive change, saying leadership should be evaluated by its impact on people’s lives rather than public speeches.
“Leaders must learn to listen. Leadership is not about speeches, but impact—how people feel. We must work together as a family to stop abuses of human rights and ensure development reaches everybody,” Obi said.
Founder and Strategist of BIMUN, Samuel Chiemela, reflected on the conference’s decade-long journey, revealing that more than 6,450 young people from 21 countries had participated since its inception, with many alumni now serving in government institutions, civil society organisations and international agencies.
He said the conference was designed to expose participants to the realities of international diplomacy through structured negotiations, policy drafting and consensus building using the United Nations model.
“Our goal is to provide delegates with a serious environment where they understand how diplomacy works, how positions are researched, how consensus is negotiated and how policies are developed under pressure,” Chiemela said.
BIMUN, regarded as Nigeria’s first Model United Nations conference organised by a private university, has over the past 10 years served as a platform for developing leadership, negotiation and diplomatic skills among young Africans through simulations of the United Nations system.
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