The Rwandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Christophe Bazivamo, has called on African youths to take a leading role in combating hate speech and harmful stereotypes that threaten peace and unity across the continent.
Bazivamo made this appeal during the 31st commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The event was held on Wednesday at the College of Health and Medical Sciences, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, in collaboration with the Rwandan Embassy in Nigeria.
Addressing students at the university’s 600-seater auditorium, the envoy emphasized the importance of youth in promoting tolerance and truth in an era where misinformation spreads rapidly.
“There is a deliberate reason we are gathered at a university—speaking directly to students. Youth are the most powerful force for change,” Bazivamo said. “You are the conscience of the present and the architects of the future. The lessons of 1994 must not be confined to textbooks—they must guide how we treat one another and shape the societies we build.”
Reflecting on the genocide, during which over one million people—mostly Tutsi—were killed within 100 days by government forces, militias, and extremist Hutus, Bazivamo urged young people to challenge hate and division wherever it appears, including on social media.
“Even small acts, like countering hateful comments online, can make a difference,” he added. “This is a responsibility you must carry—not just as Rwandans or Nigerians, but as Africans and global citizens.”
Also speaking at the event, Babcock University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ademola Tayo, highlighted the role of colonial-era manipulation, poor governance, and ethnic division in fueling the genocide.
He stressed the need for peace, tolerance, and respect for human life to ensure such atrocities never occur again.
“The genocide left a deep scar in Rwanda’s history and serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of intolerance and man’s inhumanity to man,” Tayo said. “Although Rwanda has made significant progress toward unity and economic transformation, we must work collectively to prevent similar tragedies.”
The Vice-Chancellor called for global commitment to inclusivity, unity in diversity, and the defense of human rights.
“As we remember the victims and honour the survivors, let us reject forces of division and build a world rooted in justice, compassion, and mutual respect,” he concluded.
