Former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan will visit Sacramento State as a keynote speaker during a four-day conference hosted by the Center of African Peace and Conflict Resolution.

The 25th annual Africa/Diaspora Conference will be held at Sac State on April 20-23 with the theme “25 Years Later: Lessons, Best Practices and Opportunities.”

“Twenty-five years ago when we started, it was a bit of a time of concern and anxiety about the levels of conflicts, wars, diseases [and] famine in Africa,” Ernest Uwazie, director of CAPCR and criminal justice professor, said. “We’re looking at what have we learned 25 years later, what are some of the best practices in terms of programs and policies, and what lessons have we learned or gathered in terms of overall thinking and conceptualization of peace and development, including social justices, and what are the opportunities in terms of the future.”

Scholars, diplomats, policymakers and community leaders from around the U.S. and different continents will engage in discussions and presentations on subjects relating to Africa, including violence, terrorism, and women.

“[The conference] is a way to educate, to empower, to share knowledge, to exchange ideas and network,” Uwazie said.

One of the panels is a workshop on Foreign Service careers and internships for interested students, with a presentation from Lewis Lukens, a diplomat-in-residence and former U.S. Ambassador to Senegal.

“The main point of the conference is peace … We have conflict everywhere in the world. It’s very good if people go to the conference [and] learn about it, because not [everyone] knows about it,” said Vanessa Kouacou, junior business major and CAPCR student assistant. “It doesn’t matter what your major is; you can learn.”

The conference will close with the Peace Awards Dinner and Dance, where the former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, who was in office from 2010 to 2015, will speak.

Uwazie said Jonathan was invited because he is a former leader who dealt with peace and conflict resolution issues.

“We want to recognize the fact that [at] last year’s Nigerian election, he gracefully conceded defeat to the opposition party. That is the first time that has happened in Nigerian history,” Uwazie said. “This is in line for those of us who do work in peace and conflict resolution. It demonstrates leadership, sportsmanship [and] a lot to promote and contribute to peace, democracy and good governance.”

During the awards dinner and dance, four individuals and one organization will be honored for their work in African peace and conflict resolution. Entertainment will also be provided by West African Highlife Band, Ghanaian artist Maame Afon and Sac State’s African Student Association. Tickets for the Peace Awards Dinner and Dance can purchased at the door or online.

Junior biological chemistry major Alondra Cortes, who was interested in hearing the former Nigerian President speak, said attending events like this one is important because international affairs is important.

“We should be informed of [the issues in Africa], so it doesn’t happen here,” Cortes said. “We can become more open-minded individuals and see that it’s not just about us and our country. We should also take time to think about what others are going through.”

The former Nigerian president’s visit to Sac State is controversial, however. In 2014, Jonathan signed the “Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act,” which penalizes individuals in gay marriages, relationships or gay organizations by imprisonment. This has some expressing their concerns about his visit.

Sac State President Robert Nelsen addressed the issue through an email sent out to students on Tuesday, April 19.

“The intentions behind and the consequences of the legislation passed in Nigeria do not align with our mission or our vision here at Sac State,” President Nelsen said. “But after hearing from people across campus, the community and CAPCR, we have concluded that Dr. Jonathan’s visit can provide us with the opportunity to raise awareness and bring attention to the need for human rights and awareness of LGBTQIA issues in Africa.”

Nelsen also added he hopes Sac State will use this as an opportunity to show the former Nigerian president what peace means to the campus.

The full conference schedule can be found on CAPCR’s website, http://www.csus.edu/org/capcr/.