Earlier in the year, I moved my blog-space to www.gbengasesan.com/blog. See you there...

“Keep quiet! What do young men know beyond music and girls?” That was the response an innocent young man got when he sought to air his views during an early IT Policy meeting in Lagos. But he wouldn’t be held down. He expressed himself and got some amazing support on the need to involve youth in policy processes to ensure sustainability and efficacy of planned efforts.

That was then – back in the days. The story is very much different now, in Nigeria and other countries. Almost every stakeholder has now come to see the need to include young people in processes that must endure the test of time and energy. Young people do not only ensure sustainability, they energize processes and are the major drivers of technology – extending the perimeters of innovation.

The year was 2000; and the place, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. The event was a small meeting of young men and women meeting under the banner of the Electronic Club, and the topic of the day was centred on how young people can latch on to emerging technologies and ride on the wings of such to participate actively in the New Economy. Mr. Kanmi Adewara spoke extensively on the topic, and introduced participants to Philip Emeagwali – someone he described as a phenomenon.

Ripples of the discussions went on to drive that year’s annual departmental week of the Electronic and Electrical Engineering Students’ Society at the Obafemi Awolowo University, with then controversial theme, “The Future of Nigeria”. Justice was done to the theme by Dr. Chris Uwaje, who had been introduced to the leader of the group by none other than Philip Emeagwali – after he was contacted by the young chairman of the Electronic Club.

Following these strings of opportunities, a group of young people moved online to float a mailing list then known as “Black Pioneers”, and enjoyed dynamic Internet opportunities that were available on campus. During the holidays, young men and women would stay back on campus in holy romance with their new-found love – the Internet! It was a series of innocent efforts and expressions, but the events of that year – along with many other parallel efforts from various quarters (and some even dating back to earlier times) – gave birth to a dynamic youth movement around ICT issues in Nigeria.

There are two laptops on the table, two minds at work, and probably two blogs… Edward is sitting directly opposite me, and he’s probably blogging on this same topic.

“Measuring the Impact!” That was the last of the hopefully catchy chapter titles we needed to come up with for the upcoming book on Nigerian youth engagement with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process. And as soon as we came up with the last of the titles, the idea of blogging about the book dawned on me. Its not only exciting writing the book and putting final touches to its content and layout… its a whole new experience trying to imagine how much of our work in the last few years have been compressed into this work.

Through the WSIS process, numerous documents have been produced by various members of the Nigerian WSIS Youth Caucus, and various meetings produced feedback from other young people through administered questionnaires. These results (from the questionnaire, campaign reports, meeting reports and articles) will remain as definite proof of the action taken by young Nigerians in their bid to move from words to action. Chronicling these results in the form of a book will place the inestimable information pack in the hands of a variety of beneficiaries – including researchers, development workers, international organisations, United Nations’ summit participants, young Nigerians, civil society, and many more.

In a book titled, Global Process, Local Reality — with a little less than a hundred pages, and amazing contributions from the people that can best tell the story of Nigerian youth’s inclusion in the WSIS process — one can only say at this point that you should keep your fingers crossed. Are you interested in knowing more about The Policy Train? Curious about how Nigeria’s youth were Extending the Perimeter? Would you be glad to know how we also did the work of Measuring the Impact? How about the opportunity of Reconnecting in Berlin or the popular journey From Bamako to Accra? We are also going to share with you on the task of Exporting the Influence and announce The Birth of N.Y.I.N. You would enjoy our story of The Road to Geneva and join us in answering The Quo Vadis Question. The book itself is History in the Making, and already, People are Talking! Not to worry, we’ll leave you with some Notes on Contributors.

The next few days will see myself and other team members finalising work on the book, and we are excited about Heinrich Boll Foundation’s amazing support! Get ready… what is about to hit the book stands is more than just a book, its an expression of the committment of young Nigerians to the responsibility of moving from words to action!

It was an interesting week, and with so many events that will remain with me for a while. From the online discussions on whether Nigerians should stay back to develop their country (and you can bet what my leaning was) to the reality of a strong need to start equipping the next generation of ICT champions for Nigeria, there was enough to occupy the mind and get the fingers going — on the keyboard. How about the past-midnight writings, which was just about to end when another writing challenge (opportunity, actually) reared its beautiful head.

But of all these, the need to start considering the place of younger people in ICT leadership races ahead in my mind. As I look into the mirror each day, I catch myself wondering where that innocent young face is fast disappearing to… and suddenly find myself travelling back in time, to the days when I used to look into the mirror and say things like, “I will one day stand to share my thoughts with audiences”, even though the only audience at that time were just two people — my humble self and my reflection in the mirror.

But are there also some young people today who are considering the place of nation building alongside their personal development and cash rewards? The economy of the country, the harsh realities of the labour market, the not-too-nice attittude of “what-can-I-do-to-fix-a-failed-system”, and more, do not help. Each young person grows up admiring “role models” who literally have no enviable character in their blood! Quo Vadis Nigeria? All hope is not lost… sure not.

In the last few months, I’ve been meeting some young (actually, younger would be the operative word there) people who will make better leaders for Nigeria’s Information Society. The challenge, now, is to identify, equip and motivate thesm. They are the next generation, they are the bridge between failing visions and hopeful action. And maybe they will do to many people what Prof. Wole Soyinka said about a passionate young man a few months ago… “youths like you rejuvenate us and whip up our flagging energies”… I see a New Nigeria!