“UN is Due for Reforms” – Bishop Oyedepo

The Chancellor, Covenant University, Ogun State, Dr David Oyedepo, has called for the restructuring of the United Nations Security Council in line with the reality of contemporary international relations.

Speaking on Thursday at a virtual conference organised by Covenant University and United Nations Information Center to mark the United Nations at 75, Oyedepo in a keynote address said UN was due for reforms.

The theme of the conference was ‘The Future We Want, the United Nations We Need: Reaffirming Our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism’.

Bishop Oyedepo said, “UN is due for reforms. For this to happen and to achieve other goals, the UN would have to make the following internal reforms; restructure the UN Security Council in line the reality of contemporary international relations; position herself for the inevitable challenges of the 21st century international diplomacy, where digitization is fast outpacing shuttle diplomacy and where power is becoming redefined and diffused.

“The UN must become more de-politicized in her administrative operations and deliberately create a culture of inclusiveness in policy process and implementation so that member-states can regard themselves as equal partners.

“The UN must become more democratized in her structure, giving more room to the rising powers and emerging economies, especially from the global South, to exercise their influence in leadership, the international community has the responsibility to strengthen existing multilateral institutions of which the UN is the best model to meet these inevitable challenges.”

Bishop Oyedepo urged UN to always stand against superpowers when their actions endanger the very essence of human existence.

“We will need a new wine in a new wineskin (as against the old wine in a new wineskin) for a UN we want for our generations after us to be birthed. There will be a need to transform the United Nations and offload the excesses that have tied her down. We want to see a UN that will stand up against superpowers when their actions endanger the very essence of human existence,” said Bishop Oyedepo.

Chairman, Organizing Committee, Prof. Sheriff Folarin, also said the #EndSARS movement should be a major focus of the UN.

He said, “It represents a new nudge for another brand of self-determination – that is, the hunger and quest for a new Nigeria, where all will be equal and good governance will dislodge the maladministration that has dogged our nation for so long.

“The UN should act as an element of check on the state for the wanton disregard for life by the government and mount diplomatic pressure on those in power to accede to the demands of the youth, who are the true owners of Nigeria.”