Who we are

Building Blocks for Peace (BBFP) Foundation is a non-governmental organization working on Conflict Prevention, Prevention of Violent Extremism, Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development in Nigeria. The organization was incorporated with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria in 2017.

The organization which was founded by Lawal Rafiu Adeniran, began with its youth programme known as Nigeria Youth 4 Peace Initiative in 2016, a movement of young people who were dissatisfied with the increasing participation of young people in violent extremism caused largely by the massive socioeconomic and political deprivation in their communities, and the subsequent exclusion of youth from the negotiating table and the decision making process and were committed to advocating for the meaningful and effective engagement of youth in the peacebuilding process in Nigeria..

Through our Youth4Peace initiative, we have trained and empowered over five thousand youth and children with support from several local and international stakeholders including United Nation Information Centre, Lagos, United Nations Development Programme-Abuja, Search for Common Ground-Nigeria, Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, West Africa for Peacebuilding-Nigeria, Centre for Disaster Risk and Crisis Reduction, Society for Peace Studies and Practice, United Network of Young Peacebuilders and a host of others.

Our Mission

We work towards the achievement of a peaceful society through innovative approaches such as advocacy, dialogue, education, trainings, workshops, radio programming, sport, community sensitization, arts to mention a few.

Our Vision

Our vision is to see a world where there is peace, justice, respect for human rights and youth meaningfully engaged in the peacebuilding process.

Our Core Values

What We Do

Conflict Management and Peacebuilding

At BBFORPEACE, we believe that no one is born with the right skills to manage conflicts, conflict management skills have to be learned. Conflict management involves the reduction, elimination, or termination of all forms of conflict. It is the practice of being able to identify and handle conflicts sensibly, fairly, and efficiently with the goal of improving relationships amongst the people. Conflict management is not saying “shut the door, we don’t want to have conflict”, it is, however, saying “conflict is ongoing, what do we do so that its impact is not terrible on us?” We believe conflict can be positive if handled properly and that peacebuilding is a process and not an event.

Prevention/Countering of Violent Extremism

In many countries of the world where the scourge of violent extremism has eaten deep, sustainable peace and development become a mirage. Nigeria has been ravaged by the menace of Boko Haram and other proscribed armed groups resulting in death and destruction. P/CVE is used to describe all the proactive actions and measures put in place to combat and neutralize the efforts of violent extremist groups in the society. It is a body of initiatives intended to put an end to the process of radicalizing, recruiting and mobilizing people (especially youth) for violence and terror-related acts.

At BBFORPEACE, we believe in the multi-stakeholder model and also leverage on radio programming, community education and sensitization, social entrepreneurship, inters- faith dialogue, capacity building and training for preventing/countering violent extremism.

Governance and Democratic Transitions

The era of authoritarianism, dictatorship and military junta is becoming obsolete across the globe. Since 1999 when Nigeria was set on the trajectory of institutionalizing democratic tendencies and principles, it has to be a story of positives and negatives. Accountability, transparency, respect for rule of law and fundamental human rights, effective service delivery, peoples participation and inclusiveness which lie at the bedrock of any democratic government is still a mirage. Poverty, unemployment, corruption, electoral violence, illiteracy, women exclusion, voter’s apathy still hinders the development of democracy in Nigeria.

At BBFORPEACE, we mobilize resources and support for democratic trends, critically examining and assessing the challenges with a view to addressing them and finding sustainable solutions.

Education and Sustainable Development

ustainable development can be understood from a different perspective but there is a general consensus that it is the kind of development that balances the needs of the present generation with that of the future i.e seeing tomorrow with the lenses today. Development had hitherto been planned without investigating its social, economic and environmental impacts on future generations. In Nigeria, the effects ranging from climate change, environmental pollution and health hazards are evident for all to see. Therefore, sustainable development is everyone’s business. We all have a role to play. BBFORPEACE focuses on building the capacity of people to be able to constructively deal with present challenges without compromising the future.

Meet Our Board Of Trustees

Professor Charles Ukeje (Board Chair)

Professor Charles Ukeje, holds a doctorate in International Relations from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He joined the University as a Graduate Assistant in 1992 and rose to the rank of University Professor in International Relations in 2008. He has held several research and teaching positions in leading institutions around the world. Notably, he was Fulbright Scholar at Temple University, Philadelphia; Visiting Research Fellow at the Nordic African Institute in Uppsala; Departmental Lectureship in African Politics and Development at Oxford University’s Department of International Development, UK; and Senior Advisor on the African Peace and Security Program (APSP) at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He continues to provide active technical and consultancy support to major international agencies such as the African Union; ECOWAS, GIZ; DFID/FCDO and key UN affiliates such as UNDP, UNODC, UNITAR and OHCHR. His teaching, research and consultancy activities are at the intersections of governance, peace and security in Africa. He has published extensively in major peer-reviewed journals; authored chapters in books; and coedited/authored four major works. He is the Lead Author of the AU/PSC mandated continental study on the Role and Contributions of Youth to Peace and Security in Africa, and several other key publications on youth, peace and security. 

Princess Moyinoluwa Olubunmi Falowo (Vice Board Chair)

Her Royal Highness, Princess Moyinoluwa Olubunmi Falowo is the Regent of Ibule-Soro Kingdom, a community in Ondo State, Nigeria. At the age of 24, she was enthroned as the Regent of the kingdom in April 2019 in accordance to traditions after the demise of her father who was King. She holds the position until a new King is enthroned.
As a Regent, Her Royal Highness has spearheaded remarkable progress and development within the community, leaving an indelible mark on its growth trajectory. She exemplifies exceptional leadership, focusing on grassroots initiatives that mobilize and coordinate social, economic, and environmental resources. Her unwavering commitment to human rights and empowerment programs has brought transformative change to Ibule-Soro. She navigates negotiations and fosters collaboration with national and state government entities, while also serving as a vital liaison with NGO partners to drive impactful development cooperation across diverse sectors such as infrastructure, education, health, agriculture etc. As a peace builder, she implements effective mechanisms for community peacekeeping and conflict resolution.
Princess Moyinoluwa possess a master’s degree in Virology from the prestigious University of Ibadan and a bachelor’s degree from Ondo State University of Science and Technology. Her Royal Highness holds a Certificate in Strategic Management from the International Strategic Management Institute. She is an alumnus of the PLAC/EU Legislative Internship at the National Assembly. Her influential leadership has earned her advisory roles within developmental organizations. She has been duly recognized with distinguished awards for her exceptional contributions to the society.

Lantana Bako Abdullahi (Member)

Lantana has extensive experience working in the Nigerian non-profit and peacebuilding sector. Previously, she worked with Search for Common Ground (SFCG) Nigeria managing several projects in the Middle Belt and northeast Nigeria responding to human rights abuses, ethno-religious violence and violent extremism. In addition, Lantana was involved in mediation between pastoralists and farmers in Kaduna and Plateau State and has led many interreligious and inter-ethnic dialogues in Jos, Minna, Maiduguri and Yola. She is actively involved in mentoring women and girls’ participation in peace, security and governance, and was selected by UNWomen Nigeria as one of their Lead Mentors. Lantana currently leads a local women-focused organization known as Women for Positive Peacebuilding Initiative and heads the program design of the Plateau State Peacebuilding Agency. Lantana is a member of the African Union’s Panel of the Wise and FEMWISE, a Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation. She is a 2018 African Fellow of the King Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna.  Lantana is also a member of 'The Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators Nigeria'. She is also a member of Women Mediators across the Commonwealth (WMC), a network hosted by Conciliation Resources which connects women with a broad range of mediation knowledge and experience. Lantana has been involved in many research and evaluations within Africa such as UNICEF’s Analysis of the Situation of Children Affected by Armed Conflict in the Niger Delta and the Northern Region of Nigeria; and the USAID’s Early Warning Response Design Support (EWARDS) in Nigeria and Ghana. Lantana enjoys reading, meeting people and mentoring women and girls. Her motto is "Stand up and get involved, women voices matter".

Rafiu Adeniran Lawal (Board Secretary)

Rafiu Adeniran Lawal has more than eight years of experience in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, accountability governance and civil society engagement. Currently, Rafiu is the Founder and Executive Director of the Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, a network of young people who work for peace and security across communities in Nigeria. He has previously worked as the Regional Coordinator of the United Network of Young Peacebuilders in West and Central Africa. Rafiu is the current Regional Representative of Global Partnership of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) in West Africa. He holds a master's degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Ibadan and a bachelor's degree in Social Studies Education from Obafemi Awolowo University. He is a passionate peace advocate, teacher, social commentator, and researcher. He co-edited the book ‘Connecting and Amplifying Voices of Youth Building Peace in Nigeria (2020)’ and the report ‘Complementarity of the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 and the African Union Continental Framework on Youth, Peace, and Security (2021)’. Rafiu is a 2022 alumnus of the Mandela Washington Fellowship-a leadership initiative of the United States of America.

Mautin Akapo, ACA, ACTI (Member)

Mautin is the Principal at MHL & Associates, a firm that supports organisation with tax, accounting, audit and advisory services. He is Skilled in grants management of international development organisations, taxation, audit and assurance, financial reporting, modelling and valuation, financial planning and analysis. Mautin is an Associate of both the Institute Chartered Accountant and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. He holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Accounting (University of Lagos, Nigeria) and Master of Science (MSc) in Finance (Afe Babalola University, Nigeria). He brings to the Board 15 years blend of experience.

Olayinka Risikat Lawal (Member)

Chief Olayinka is a Nigerian Business Administrator and Philanthropist. She is the Managing Director of Albarka Group of Companies. Before her retirement in 2005, she was a Supervisor, Currency Distribution Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria. She is happily married and blessed with children.