Ibadan Town Hall Meeting on New Nigeria – John OLLA

Imagine yourself in Nigeria’s future was the building block of the #YANNConversation during the Ibadan Town Hall meeting held at the NUJ Hall, BCOS Ile-Akede Bashorun, Ibadan, on 3rd October 2022.

The meeting was organized by Acthub, powered by @Citizens’ Common and supported by Voice.

The conversation is truly a village square scenario where everyone present is allowed to air their opinion on the questions of discourse.

The Town Hall meeting had in attendance youths from various groups (such as the National Youth Council of Nigeria, the Youth arm of CCGG), Human Right Activists, Development Communication Experts and other youths who are not associated with any groups. 

The meeting was designed to be inclusive, with People With Disabilities forming a good percentage of the participants.

The meeting started with a self-introduction by participants; the introduction set a climate for the day’s business. 

The host moderated the panel session (The Executive Director of Acthub). The panellist includes Mrs Lawal Ope; a communication expert, Barr Babatunde Oni, an Environmental Activist, Representative of Vote Not Fight and Mr Randy Peters Akah; a social media sensation and a new Nigeria Advocate.

The purpose of the town hall meeting is to canvass ideas, thoughts and opinions from Nigerian youths and advance “our New Nigeria.” We are asking critical questions and exploring honest answers about our picture in Nigeria’s future and beyond.

The panellists were the first participants to kickstart the discussion with questions about the “difference between Nigeria and Naija”. These questions generated various reactions; one stood out firmly: “Naija, what is what people see as the Nigerian Spirit”. The Nigerian spirit makes people go the extra mile to succeed even when they are bound to fail due to the environmental factors steering Nigerians in the face. 
According to the participants: Being a Nigerian is being born in the land or legally being conferred. But they went further to say it is an individual’s decision to be identified as one due to the injustice people face every day.

The wrap-up question allowed all the participants to personally mention what their “New Nigeria” is and Share their top four indicators and things that will reflect their new Nigeria as a young Nigerian.

The meeting wrapped up with a vote of thanks from the @VOICE representative.

Group pictures were taken after the event.
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