My television is usually calling for attention. If it could organize a protest, the placard will read, “Get rid of laptops and internet access!” Well, there’s a way around that unspoken inanimate jealousy: tap away on the keyboard with the TV in view. At 8pm (1900GMT) today, the TV got its own moment – when the story of an event in honour of Rosa Parks caught my attention. Hers is a story well told, but that should be told again and again. But can you allow me to sum up the primary reason for her celebration in one word – disobedience! I can’t forget how hard my teachers tried in my early years in the bid to tell me how bad it was to be disobedient. My parents and siblings also drummed it in my ears – and by now you can guess how much of that stubborn trait yours truly displayed in the days.

Rosa Parks was disobedient. On December 1, 1955, she boarded a Montgomery bus on her way home from work and started a revolution by disobeying the driver who tried to uphold the law of the day. Not only her. Martin Luther king Jr. was disobedient too. He disagreed with the norm of the day and fought for what he believed in. How about his name sake, the earlier Martin Luther? His 95 theses challenged age-long beliefs. Stubborn Thomas Edison was also disobedient. They must have told him: “High-sounding fool, could you just save the lab some embarrassment by announcing that this thing may not work. Use the word, ‘may’ so it sounds like you’re not giving up yet.” Show me a man more disobedient than Nelson Mandela, the lawyer who had the option of silence but chose the path of disobedience. How about Barack Obama? Ko s’oro.

Every achiever that we celebrate today falls into one class – Les Disobedient ! They refuse to obey the laws of the day and choose to carve new paths for themselves and others who will come after them. Guess what: obedience to set laws will keep you bound. Just nod as yours appear on this page: “My 9 to 5 now feels like a daily prison.” “I would love to make the move, but … what if it doesn’t work out?” “Ah, me I no fit try dat kain’ thing o, who you know wey don do am before?” There are many voices that ring in our heads daily, challenging the one act of disobedience that can set us on the path of greatness. There are rewards for disobedience and even if it tarries (ask Thomas Edison before you estimate that word “tarry”), it will still come! Thomas was actually caught saying, “Hell, there are no rules – we’re trying to accomplish something!”

It’s exactly one year today that I disobeyed the law of comfortable employment. Has it been rosy? No! Has it got its own rewards? Give me a mic! A few days ago, I watched a top level executive fight tears while I told the story of what I now do, and why I do the things I do – in spite of the many options to tow the line of obedience. As we walked out of the conference room, she said, “I can see that you are passionate about what you do, I’m sure it’s very rewarding…” Looking at the string of opportunities that have come my way (and that are showing their heads) this year alone, I am glad I took that step of disobedience. However, it remains with every (wo)man to locate that law that must be disobeyed and take appropriate action. Whatever that law happens to be, it sure pays to be disobedient! There are rewards for disobedience…

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At 11:59am on June 20, 2007, a new eMail arrived in my inbox. With the subject, “Lagos newcomer,” Russ said:

Gbenga, [w]hile searching the internet for “lagos & social enterprise” I came across your website and the Digital Village. I just moved into town and am looking for opportunities to contribute time on the weekends to similar efforts. We seem to be fairly like-minded people and I thought it might be worthwhile for us to grab a lunch someday and meet. Please let me know if you are interested….

Two days later, I wrote:

Hi Russ, [t]hanks for the eMail, and its great to read from you on your interest in social enterprises. I have since handed over the Lagos Digital Village project to a new person, after resigning from Junior Achievement of Nigeria (the non-profit I managed the project for) in February this year. I now manage Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), a social enterprise that focuses on the role of ICTs in creating better livelihoods. PIN’s profile is attached, and I’ll be glad to share additional thoughts on what we do and how your free weekends and interest in social enterprises can add value to our mission of transforming communities and people-groups. I’ll be glad to meet with you, and would be open to looking at doing that sometime soon. I look forward to meeting you…

That was the beginning of what would become a relationship between two institutions. As soon as I saw Russ’ eMail, I looked him up through Google — the same way he got to know about me — just to be sure:). The fact that he wrote from his office address helped a lot because all I had to do was strip the URL off his eMail address and look up the website. A month and a day after my reply to his eMail, we met … and I remain grateful for all the hours Russ spent looking through PIN and Ajegunle.org documents. His introductory eMail the day before he left Afrinvest WA set the tone for the discussions I had with Ike Chioke, someone whose personal story stands as an inspiration for young people everywhere — if we call on our inner strength and dedicate ourselves to hardwork, success comes closer home.

Ike was at the Ajegunle.org breakfast meeting hosted by Peter Stephenson (Director, Trade & Investment, UK Deputy High Commission, Lagos) and his advice on how to ensure that Ajegunle.org interns understand the real place of competition in life remains central to our new approach. Ike hinted at the breakfast (as he’d done during our first meeting) that he would love to visit Ajegunle to meet with the project beneficiaries and the February 22 Orientation Session presented a perfect opportunity. Even though there were a few wrong turns and quite some time (which an investment banker like Ike could use) spent trying to locate the Ajeromi Shopping Complex venue of the session, he came along with June Obonyo (Afrinvest’s HR manager) and they both added colour to the event. Add the following names to the list and you can imagine the inspiring session that these new 25 Ajegunle.org trainees had: Niyi Adesanya, Tayo Olosunde, Victor Gotevbe, Felix Ekpa (who stood in well well for my friend Deolu Akinyemi)… and the oga himself, Praise Fowowe — the man who laid the foundation on which PIN now builds.

The headmaster (Ugo Nwosu) did a good job at reminding the students that while the orientation session was an awesome experience many of them will remember for a long time, Monday signals the beginning of the rigorous training that will connect them with amazing opportunities. Ike told his own personal story and introduced the trainees to his firm, Afrinvest WA. He reminded them that four of them would join him and June in the office after going through the selection process — and that obviously stepped up the interest of the trainees who were already writing away as the guests shared tips with them on how to walk their way to a life of pleasant opportunities! I’m sure June was looking out for the smart trainees who could become her interns after completing the program — and the Class Rep put up a great speech to thank everyone.

A few minutes after the session, Ike confirmed Afrinvest’s support towards one of PIN’s major needs and I can imagine that when we work together to improve the lives of young Nigerians over the next few years, Russ Richards will readily come to mind. However, what will remain a smile-provoking thought to me is the role the Internet played in this whole relationship matrix. When I decided to start populating the web with Nigerian and African content in 1999, little did I know that it would come back as a huge opportunity for me and the things I hold dearly. Many firsts in my life were preceded by eMail and Internet search: the 2001 ITU competition (which eventually earned me my first seat on an airplane), the 2002 Geneva trip (along with the TakingITGlobal connection), the 2003 connection with Nigerian IT professionals in the diaspora, the 2004 appearance on the cover of a US magazine, the 2005 Heinrich Boll connection, the 2006 international media interviews, the 2007 First Lady invitation, and the list goes on.

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If you’re a student of the Lagos State University, you would have noticed the presence of Microsoft on your campus earlier today. Same for 19 other campuses that have been visited with the good news of possible participation in the 2008 Imagine Cup — plus other goodies. Will a Nigerian student make us proud this year again? Step up to the challenge!

One world. Unlimited possibilities.

Let’s face it — the world needs help. The kind of help that happens when you take the top young minds from around the globe and turn them loose on solving the world’s toughest problems. That’s what the Imagine Cup is all about. This is your chance to innovate and create, show the world what you’ve got, and win some serious prizes. Simply put, it’s your chance to use the power of technology to change the world — and have some fun while you’re at it.

You win. We all win.

Imagine Cup contestants have the chance to give their ideas exposure, make critical contacts, and feel a true sense of friendship with people around the world. Want more? Well, if you make it to the worldwide finals, you’ll also score roundtrip airfare and hotel accomodations at the World Finals in Paris, France, and a shot at some great cash prizes. Help the world and win money? It doesn’t get any better than that.

What does a sustainable environment mean to you?

Imagine a world where technology is an ally of the planet, not an adversary. A world where software enables us to interpret environmental indicators, predict the outcomes of our actions, improve our consumption of precious resources, and live more in balance with our environment. In Imagine Cup 2008, we challenge the top student technologists around the world to actively contribute to the mission of protecting our world for generations to come. The theme of this year’s Imagine Cup is “Imagine a world where technology enables a sustainable environment.”

For some, a sustainable environment means something as simple as breathing fresh air each time they open their window. For others it means making significant changes in key environmental indicators. Any way you look at it, you get to decide how technology can help solve this problem for yourself, your country, and yeah…even the planet.

Nine ways to step up to the challenge.

The Imagine Cup started five years ago, and already more than 100,000 students from over 100 countries and regions have competed. This year, more students than ever will be looking for victory in the nine competitions set up under three main categories, each reflecting this year’s theme.

Ready to compete in Imagine Cup 2008? Go to www.imaginecup.com/updateprofile.aspx

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I can’t keep this to myself anymore! I must start by thanking a young man who walked up to me after his BSc (as quite a number of people do) and said, “I’d like to work with you.” As is usual with me, the first response was, “Go and think about what you really want to do with your life and if it tallies with what I already do — or plan to do — then we can discuss. I don’t want anyone living my dreams, everyone must find and live theirs!” He returned again and again, and I’m not kidding when I say that my Nigerian Youth Leadership Award is dedicated to this epitome of passionate efficiency, Ugo Nwosu! (This is where we do the clapping and shouting…:)) Ugo was with me when the Ajegunle.org idea only existed on that air sickness bag, because I ran out of battery power and had to get it out before the scheduled flight arrival in Lagos (from the Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellowship program in South Africa). Fast forward… the project started, and then I met Peter Stephenson. As head of the Trade & Investment unit of the UK Deputy High Commission, I was a bit worried when he said he’d be willing to visit the project after only a few minutes of sharing the idea with him. Visit, he did. And the Work Experience program of the Ajegunle.org project is what we have to show for his visit and redemption of many other promises!

The vision of Ajegunle.org is: “[a] new Ajegunle, transformed through the application of Information Communications Technology and Entrepreneurship opportunities; creating role models that will drive socio-economic development in the underserved community.” While the overall objective of the project is to create better livelihoods through ICT opportunities, the project’s specific objectives include capacity building for 25 trainees every quarter. These youth are equipped with ICT and entrepreneurship skills which they pass on to other youth, along with the opportunity to start their own businesses. Three of our trainees have earned the opportunity to intern with the Trade and Investment division of the UK Deputy High Commission in Lagos while another three will soon resume at Afrinvest West Africa. Other organizations, in Nigeria, that will now support the internship scheme include Arik Air, DHL, John Holt, London Metropolitan University, Lornamead Africa, Standard Chartered Bank, Starcomms and Virgin Atlantic. The internship scheme was designed because of the need for balanced and exposed Ajegunle.org graduates who will understand the world of work while also learning new ones on the job.

Having spent the greater part of their childhood in an environment that seems to suggest their inability to gain access to opportunities, it is important that they meet and network within real work spaces. The internship is a win-win scenario for Ajegunle.org graduates and host organizations because while the latter guides the interns through workplace communication, teamwork and management processes, the interns provide valuable man-hours. In addition, it affords these organizations an opportunity to practice meaningful and high-impact Corporate Social Responsibility. The objectives of the Ajegunle.org internship scheme include the need to expose Ajegunle.org graduates to the real workplace; provide networking and mentorship opportunities for them; and assist them to discover their full potentials by placing them in positions that inspire career growth and activate a strong passion for success. Between October 2007 and now, the project has benefited from three internship slots for Ajegunle.org graduates at the UKTI. The interns’ experiences (drawn from their Internship Reports) are summarized below:

(a) Matthew Ibiwoye: Even with a Bachelors degree in Sociology, he still deemed it fit to join the pioneer set of the project. History will remember Matthew as the first intern of the Ajegunle.org project, and he did not disappoint any of the project partners. While at the UKTI, he provided the whole team with administrative support as well as help with the organization of Trade Missions. Matthew also provided local intelligence on new business prospects for UK companies. When asked about his lessons from the internship, he is quick to refer to his improved networking and corporate communication skills!
(b) Emmanuel Njoku: Our second intern at the UKTI provided administrative support for the team and supported Trade Mission efforts. He is particularly happy that he was able to sharpen his passion for the media by developing management skills. He also appreciates the fact that he now understands global business processes, and he’s quick to add, “I learn a lot from the team at the UKTI!”
(c) Ijeh Nwanyiego: Our longest-serving intern at the UKTI has been dubbed the mascot of the UKTI team and this was earned through hard work and dedication. She also shares a trait that all three interns have demonstrated – punctuality. She has sharpened her networking skills and proudly talks about the amount of exposure she has gained during her stay at the UKTI.

The Ajegunle.org project continues to evolve into the sustainable life-changing model we had in mind while designing the project, and we are excited about the momentum that this internship idea has generated. Soft skills, work ethics, business exposure, team work and communication are some of the direct benefits that our graduates derive from the work experience opportunities. As we continue to discuss with other institutions across Nigeria that believe that replicating this model will help address the needs of underserved youth, we remain committed to the delivery of a sustainable intervention strategy that will change the face of underserved communities in Nigeria, one community at a time. Unemployment is a major issue in Nigeria, with a recent report highlighting that only 10% of students from tertiary institutions get decent jobs after graduation. A 2007 study conducted by the National Directorate for Employment showed that 74% of registered unemployed persons fall within the age bracket of 15 to 34 years. Underserved communities, such as Ajegunle, account for majority of these unemployed youth – most of who are involved in criminal activities and various vices such as cyber crime. Ajegunle.org presents an opportunity for Nigeria to address this huge social gap while also demonstrating a simple easy-to-replicate model that can shift the momentum towards positive peer pressure in each community where the project is implemented. Ajegunle.org also provides visibility for these young people who are now living productive lives, showcasing them as role models among their peers.

I look forward to the meetings with our new partners as we firm up the logistics of their support, and also look forward to the discussion with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) next week. Is the Ajegunle.org model about to come to a town near you? If you’re in (or are interested in) Itoku in Ogun State, FESTAC and Ondo State, then get ready. May I borrow Barack Obama’s now-popular phrase? We are fired up and ready to go! When we sat at breakfast with the CEOs of our new partner organizations (Nigeria’s authentic CSR-friendly companies and the British Deputy High Commissioner at Peter’s place on St. Valentine’s Day, those words kept playing in my mind, “We can’t keep complaining about what’s not right, we must do something to fix what we can!” I’m glad that things have come this far with this model, and I look forward to the days when we will celebrate the lives that have been transformed through an idea that could have gone the way of other potentially great ideas…

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“Este continente tem sofrido muito…precisamos de apoio e cometimento dos lideres jovens para continuarem a elevar a voz em nome dos pobres e marginalizados, e procurarem uma vida melhor para todos.” — Arcebispo Desmond Tutu, Abril 2007

De Angola a Zimbabué, abundam questões sobre o actual estado de Africa. Em todas as capitais listadas entre Abidjan e Zanzibar, não são novas as vozes crescentes dos filhos e filhas de Africa que desejam saber do destino das suas terras. Alguns expressam esta preocupação com uma esperança silenciosa, outros através de um medo evidente, e muitos outros olham em nenhuma outra direcção senão na dos seus líderes - aqueles que passaram a ser conhecidos como os capitães do navio do Estado. Há até quem diga que o futuro de Africa está nas mãos dos lideres do amanha não nos de hoje. Entretanto tem havido uma crise de liderança em Africa. Os sonhos e esperanças dos cidadãos deste continente foram desfeitos pelos nossos líderes pós-colonialismo – de heróis das lutas de libertação através dos líderes dos partidos de oposição que submergiram como consequência.

Os cidadãos de África merecem um futuro brilhante, e este começa com líderes com visão que possam responder aos desafios que Africa enfrenta como parte de uma Comunidade Global no Século 21. Eventos recentes no Continente são causa para varias preocupações: desde a crise de corrupção na Nigéria, a tensão politica na Africa do Sul devido as eleições de 2009 ou a crise politica no Quénia que está a transformar um país outrora prospero num mar de derramamento de sangue e tensões étnicas. O conflito em curso no Sudão, a actual crise no Chad ou o colapso económico e sócio-politico alcançado no Zimbabué causaram uma grande instabilidade nas vidas de milhares de africanos em todo continente.

Não tencionamos jogar o jogo habitual de apenas escutar os problemas, mas juntar as nossas vozes a aquelas de cerca de 920 milhões de africanos para exigir integridade nos processos políticos. Apesar de todas as nossas democracias serem jovens esperamos que os nossos líderes homens e mulheres o sejam por excelência e que respeitem o processo eleitoral e como tal os desejos do povo. Como jovens africanos líderes na Politica, Negócios, Saúde e Tecnologias de Informação, levantamo-nos juntos e comprometemo-nos mais uma vez com os ideais de uma verdadeira liderança, deixando as seguintes recomendações:

a) O lançamento de uma campanha de alto nível liderada pela UA para combater o tribalismo e desigualdades sob todas as suas formas em todo continente. Cada país deve estabelecer uma Comissão Contra o Tribalismo e Desigualdades (CATI) para lutar contra este flagelo e proteger os grupos minoritários vulneráveis. A CATI deve trazer a luz aqueles políticos que usam manipulações étnicas para perpetrar violência a justiça e impedi-los de participar em futuros actos políticos.

b) Os líderes políticos tem de ser líderes servidores e usar o seu poder e influencia como um instrumento para mudanças sócio-económicas ao invés de oprimir e aumentar a sua cobiça pessoal;

c) A criação e fortalecimento de instituições importantes (jurídicas e comissões eleitorais, etc…) que garantam em cada país a independência das Autoridades Reguladoras de Eleições; e O instrumento da UA de monitoria Eleitoral que vai monitorar as eleições deve ter um conjunto de directrizes bem definidas que vai servir para determinar se o processo é livre e justo;

d) A descoberta da nossa verdadeira identidade para adoptar e inculcar a base moral da honestidade, amor, paz e integridade. Acreditamos que pessoas integras não vão permitir que um país belo, com uma estabilidade sócio-económica como o Quénia entre num colapso político.
e) O fortalecimento das nossas economias nacionais, e sistemas que garantam a prestação de serviços adequados de saúde, educação e outros serviços sociais, que vão dotar todos os Africanos de condições para compartilhar um futuro melhor.

Como jovens líderes nas nossas várias esferas de influência, nós os Companheiros de 2007 do Arcebispo Desmond Tutu na Liderança [1] vemos o silêncio neste momento crítico como algo inconveniente. Acreditamos que o silencio e a inércia face aos desafios de ontem são responsáveis pelos problemas enfrentados hoje. Emprestamos as nossas vozes para a chamada de atenção dos lideres africanos – hoje e no futuro – para considerarem o bem comum no lugar de receios e ambições pessoais. Estamos orgulhosos daqueles que nos mostraram que liderança tem a ver com a prestação de serviços e convidamos a todos os outros lideres para que se mantenham fiéis ao espírito intencionado da liderança.

Assinado: Companheiros de 2007 do Arcebispo Desmond Tutu na Liderança [Brilliant Mhlanga (Zimbabwe), Dan Kidega (Uganda), Ed Mabaya (Zimbabwe), Erik Charas (Mozambique), ‘Gbenga Sesan (Nigeria), Grace Ofem (Nigeria), Hassan Usman (Nigeria), Herine Otieno (Kenya), Ipeleng Mkhari (South Africa), Lisa Kropman (South Africa), Mezuo Nwuneli (Nigeria), Niven Postma (South Africa), Saida Ali (Kenya), Takalani Musekwa (South Africa), Tariro Makadzange (Zimbabwe), Terence Sibiya (South Africa), Tracey Webster (South Africa), Yohannes Mezgebe (Ethiopia), Yolan Friedmann (South Africa)]

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[1] Anualmente 20 indivíduos com alto potencial da Africa Sub-Sahariana são galardoados com o prestigioso título de Companheirismo de Arcebispo Tutu em Liderança, seguindo um processo rigoroso de selecção. O galardão é destinado a nata dos futuros lideres do continente, atingindo especificamente a próxima geração de lideres africanos de todos os sectores de actividade entre idades que variam de 25 a 39 anos. O programa de Companheirismo é coordenado pelo African Leadership Institute, e inclui um programa de formação coordenado pela SAID Business School na Universidade de Oxford. Para mais informações sobre o Companheirismo visite www.alinstitute.org

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