The President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, has urged global leaders and parliaments to renew their sense of compassion and moral duty in addressing the deepening humanitarian crises across the world.
Speaking at the Humanitarian Session of the 151st Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva — in a speech delivered on his behalf by Senator Osita Ngwu — Senator Akpabio called on the international community to rediscover “the courage to care” amid widespread wars, displacement, and despair.
“We meet in a world that is weary and wounded. A world that bleeds in silence… Three hundred and ten million people in need — these are not figures; they are faces,” Akpabio said, painting a poignant picture of the global humanitarian condition.
The Senate President stressed that the greatness of nations is defined not by their wealth or military might but by their compassion and readiness to protect the weak. He noted that Nigeria continues to demonstrate this moral and constitutional responsibility through its humanitarian institutions and legislative frameworks.
He cited the creation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the National Commission for Refugees and Displaced Persons as part of Nigeria’s institutional response to emergencies — ensuring that “when disaster strikes, help is not delayed, and hope is not denied.”
Senator Akpabio also highlighted the National Assembly’s legislative efforts to embed compassion into governance through laws protecting women, children, and vulnerable citizens, such as the Violence Against Persons Act, the Child Rights Act, the Trafficking in Persons Act, and the Disability Act.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to multilateral collaboration, he commended ongoing partnerships with ECOWAS, the Red Crescent, the World Food Programme, and the United Nations to address the root causes of human suffering, including climate change and corruption.
In a rousing conclusion, Akpabio made a passionate plea for global unity and moral renewal:
“We must stop wars before wars stop us. There are no battlefields — only fields of mourning. Each gunshot silences a dream; each ‘victory’ buries a generation. Let us build, stone by stone, law by law, a world where mercy is mightier than war.”
The powerful address, titled “The Courage to Care: A Call to Humanitarian Duty,” received wide acclaim from delegates, reaffirming Nigeria’s role as a moral voice in the global quest for peace, justice, and compassion.
The Nigerian delegation to the IPU Assembly comprised Senators Ireti Kingibe, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Zam Titus, Folorunsho Ibrahim Jimoh, and Ibrahim Dankwambo, alongside Hon. Mark Esset, who led the House of Representatives contingent. Other members of the National Assembly, technocrats, and government officials were also in attendance.
