A stake president in Nigeria has been named an Eminent Ambassador of Peace for his peace-building efforts in the academic world and in his community.

The International Association of World Peace Advocates gave Yenagoa Nigeria Stake President Jonah Akekere the honor on Oct. 17 in an awards ceremony in Bayelsa, Nigeria.

The association promotes the peace mission of the United Nations at the international regional, national and grassroots levels.

Yenagoa Nigeria Stake President Jonah Akekere (third from left) receives a United Nations peace award in Bayelsa, Nigeria, Oct. 17, 2023.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

President Akekere is a professor of developmental economics and current deputy vice chancellor of the Bayelsa state-owned university, reported the Church’s Africa Newsroom.

“Peace building, as subjective as it may seem, has the propensity to help us make the world a better place than we found it,” President Akekere said in his acceptance remarks.

President Akekere has worked to promote interfaith unity and has developed relationships with local traditional leaders to meet the needs of all community members in Yenagoa.

Yenagoa Nigeria Stake President Jonah Akekere.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Recently he invited the king of the Opu-Nembe Kingdom to a Church activity at the stake center. His Royal Majesty, King Biobelemoye J. Josiah (Ogbodo the VIII) honored that invitation and attended the activity.

President Akekere followed this with a visit to the traditional council in the Opu-Nembe Kingdom.

Nigerian National Mosque visit

Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s Africa West Area, led a delegation of Church leaders on a tour of the Nigerian National Mosque in Abuja on Oct. 26.

The delegation included his counselors — Elder Jörg Klebingat and Elder Alfred Kyungu, both General Authority Seventies — their wives and members of the Church’s Africa West Area Council who were in Abuja for training.

The mosque is the biggest in West Africa with a seating capacity of more than 15,000. The complex houses administration offices, a conference center, a clinic, a police station, schools and a shopping mall.

During the visit, Elder Nielsen met with the imam, Professor Ibrahim Ahmad Maqari. 

Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s Africa West Area, meets with Professor Ibrahim Ahmad Maqari, imam of the Nigerian National Mosque, in Abuja, Nigeria, Oct. 26, 2023.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The leaders discussed the common grounds of peace building, religious freedom and tolerance, education, self-reliance and love of God, reported the Church’s Africa Newsroom.

The imam spoke about his foundation for peace building and said sharing similar values will help promote more religious tolerance and peace in Nigeria.

Elder Nielsen expressed appreciation for the imam’s efforts to foster peace and spoke about how the Church and the foundation could work together on common interests in the future — especially strengthening families.

“We have so many common beliefs with the Muslim faith, and you will agree with us that if we build stronger family units, we will have strong individuals that will impact the society at large.” Elder Nielsen said.

The Church’s Africa West Area presidency, their wives, and area council members meet with Muslim leaders at the Nigerian National Mosque in Abuja, Nigeria, Oct. 26, 2023.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints