pcr 311 - National Open University of Nigeria

PCR 311 Philosophies and Great Personalities of Peace
Concept of Great Personalities of Peace
Every Nation-state has an array of great personalities but each one’s
services to mankind defer. Naturally, everyone would wish to be regarded as
being great, as the deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be
appreciated. For example, George Washington wished to be called “His
Mightiness, “The President of the United States while Christopher Columbus
pleaded for the title “Admiral of the ocean and Viceroy of India”. Similarly,
Catherine the great refused to open letters that were not addressed to “Her
Imperial Majesty”.
The above very few examples were in consonance with some humourous
utterances of a Nigerian federal minister in the 1 st Republic, Chief T.O.S.
Benson who-used to say, thus: “if you wish to be great, you must be prepared
to finance greatness” – and to him, hard work, humility, sincerity of purpose,
exemplary leadership qualities, are some of the demands of a great leader.
(Oral Interview with Pa Ayo Biney No 40, Folarin Street, Mushin. June 18
1968).
Since the intention of the course is focused on world peace, due to the
globalization of world’s political, economic, social, cultural and other spheres of
life, a great personality of peace, is, in the opinion of both international and
municipal laws, an international personality. International personality also
denotes the status of an entity with rights and duties under international law.
Such an entity, in the opinion of John Ademola Yakubu is per force a subject of
international law. International personality could be individuals who have
attained such status as to fall into the criteria of those that could be focused in
identifying social problems. For example, when the President of a State speaks,
irrespective of whether one agrees with him or not, one listens. When the Pope
is speaking, the whole world will tend to hear him before forming opinion.
When a Nobel Laurent speaks, or the Sultan speaks, people will be eager to
hear what they wish to say before forming opinion. There are others within this
bracket. When the secretary General of the U.N. speaks on any global matter,
the global community listens.
For a rather long time, it was assumed that only states alone are the
exclusive subject of international law and that states, in that circumstance,
could be international personalities that could exercise rights under
international law. However, exceptional instances of individuals or non-state
entities have emerged. Similarly, there are international institutions that are
accorded the status of international personality such as the United Nations,
International Labour Organisation, N.A.T.O. World Bank E.E.C., A.U, ECOWAS
and so on. These organizations perform various duties of building peace and
they also form the structure upon which individual great Personalities of peace
rely on to nurture any peace-initiative.
The analogy between great personalities of peace and international
personalities of peace is that while great personalities of peace are physically
identified human beings in various calling, international personalities of peace
are either individuals, state or non-state actors as well as international
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