Nneka, Sasha, Eldee, Chimamanda Adichie, Banky W, Bez and More Give Up Profile Pictures and Statuses; Young Nigerians, At Home and Abroad, Join the Call for a Debate on Youth Issues

Joining the call for the first-ever presidential debate focused on youth issues, Nigerian celebrities are giving up their digital profiles to support What About Us, a collaborative effort from youth advocacy groups, Vote or Quench, Sleeves Up, Enough is Enough, Nigerian Eagle, StandUP Naija and others.

The campaign started March 3rd 2011, with more than 10 famous Nigerians raising their voices in support of the youth including Eldee, Sasha, BankyW, Bez, Naija Boyz, Four Kornerz, Lami, Tee A, Nse Ikpe Etim and Nneka Egbuna. In unison, 1000s of their fans also dedicated their profile pictures and statuses on facebook, Twitter and BlackBerry Messenger, inviting their network of friends and family to do the same? As a result, #WhatAboutUs successfully became a top trending topic in Nigeria – the most populous country in Africa.

“This is a movement and we’re excited to be a part of it. Young people represent 70 percent of the population. We deserve to ask “What About Us? and expect real answers from the presidential candidates. It’s about where these candidates stand on issues that matter to us. This campaign is about young Nigerians finally having seat at the table in our political process,” the group said in a joint statement.

The What About Us debate will be held on March 25^th at the Yar’adua Center in Abuja. Moderated by acclaimed novelist Chimamanda Adichie and hosted by TV personality Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, candidates will respond to questions posed by the youth on issues that most affect this critical demographic.  Since the launch of the campaign 10 days ago, thousands of young Nigerians have logged on to www.whataboutusnigeria.org to select their candidate and the topics they expect them to address, including security, corruption, power, unemployment, rent, education and more.

The united voice of the Nigerian youth was not ignored. Chief Dele Momodu (NCP), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (ACN), Professor Pat Utomi (SDMP) and Reverend Chris Okotie (FDP) all accepted to participate in the debate, leaving the Mallam Muhammad Buhari (CPC) and President Goodluck Jonathan (PDP) as the last leading candidate hold outs.

So what can you do bring them on board? Join the movement.

1.      Donate your FB, Twitter and BBM digital profile (Picture and Status) to: #WhatAboutUs?

2.      Check out www.whataboutusnigeria.org and select the candidates and topics that are important to you.

3.      Like us on FB at www.facebook.com/whataboutusnigeria and attend the virtual event www.tinyurl.com/WAUEVENT

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About the “What About Us?” Campaign

“What About Us?” is a NON-PARTISAN campaign, calling for the first-ever presidential youth centered debate in Nigeria. The collaborative effort is driven by several youth empowerment groups and blogs, including Vote or Quench, Enough is Enough Nigeria, Sleeves Up, StandUP Naija and Nigerian Eagle. The group’s mission is to educate the Nigerian youth on the agendas and motives of presidential aspirants and it will continue to collaborate on various initiatives to drive voter awareness and participation.  More details on participating groups for the initiative can be found on our website, www.whataboutusnigeria.org or Facebook page, www.facebook.com/whataboutusnigeria

As part of the ongoing youth-stimulated revolution for change in Nigeria, a young man, Tyough Beetseh has founded a charity that is driven towards providing financial and material support in education and health in Africa. It also aims to support post war victims and contribute towards the overall empowerment of young people across the Continent.

The charity, which was recently founded in January 2011, is based in the United Kingdom, and reaches out to other citizens of Africa in the Diaspora for support.

On January 23^rd 2011, The Tyough Foundation debuted with a fund-raising fair at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Jubilee Christian Centre, Coventry, UK. The theme was “Buy a Doughnut, Empower a Child”.

During the church session, TY (as he is fondly called by his peers) explained what the ‘doughnut’ stood for in his campaign. He said, “D = Dignity, O = Optimism, U = Uplift, G = Goodwill, H = Hope, N = Nurture, U = Understanding, and T = Tranquility”.

According to Beetseh, the sub-initiative of the “Doughnut Campaign” was to mobilize funds towards a primary goal-area of education. In a chat with him, he explained that, “the funds generated in the sales of the doughnuts are to be used for the purchase of basic infrastructure, stationary and furniture for impoverished schools in the rural areas of Nigeria. The schools to benefit are yet to be selected.”

The charity is currently setting in place plans to raise awareness and funds for the surviving victims of the recent Jos crisis in Northern Nigeria. The founder has announced that, “these important campaigns will hopefully run in the last quarter of 2011 and the second quarter of 2012.”

The Tyough Foundation is on Facebook, feel free to join the vision.

By Naijafaithful

Nigerians, please if you’re going to revolt, march to your nearest registration center and register to vote to participate in the upcoming elections.

Unlike Tunisia & Egypt who have unfortunately suffered a totalitarian type government with no apparent sign of reform presented to its people, Nigeria has no reason to think of a violent approach at this point. President Mubarak of Egypt has been in power 30yrs while President Ben Ali of Tunisia, 24 yrs. Nigeria today is at a brink of being given their first real opportunity that many of these Tunisians & Egyptians haven’t had in over 2 decades – to elect a leader of their choice. For many Nigerians, young and old, it will be their first time ever voting. These 2011 elections in Nigeria, many have deemed the ‘make or break’ of Africa’s most populous country.

The Nigerian government, although a failed one still filled with wayward politicians, has shown to be making some effort to reform present electoral processes so that the Nigerian people have a part in who governs their nation. Unlike the Tunisian & Egyptian governments, there isn’t a deafening silence to respond to the issues the youth raise anymore. We may very well claim to have a better majority of government who, comparatively and as of recent, we have witnessed, is starting to listen. Dare I say, somewhat of an openness to change. Still a work in progress, but the youth should begin now to get used to the idea of demanding to know who their leaders are and their policies and vote them back into power if they choose.

Indeed – there have been many flaws we are seeing already that have come with this democratic exercise. Among them are the DDC machine malfunctions, NYSC corpers’ inability to operate the machines, corpers’ protests, violence in some states and several attempted thefts of DDC machines at registration sites by riggers. In addition, the major obstacles that have come with our failed state: electricity, lack of education, insecurity, poor infrastructure.

We need to take a step back and realize that these are inevitable issues bound to plague a newly instilled process by an inept system that desperately needs change. This year’s electoral procession is by far the most micro-managed & highly scrutinized one we have seen ever in Nigerian history.  We have already heard stories of some good Samaritan Nigerians, who in the process of registering, saw the opportunity to help some of these corpers as well as provide solutions to expedite the long wait and excessive lines of citizens in their respective sites waiting to register. We need this to be the attitude that Nigerians participating in this year’s election inculcate.

Register, Select, Vote & Protect should be Nigeria’s response to the recent upheavals in Tunisia & Egypt.  Exercise your civic duty. If the Nigerian youth come out in droves, similar to the numbers that came out in Tunisia & Egypt, but this time to participate in the elections, we stand a better chance of protecting our votes and stunting attempts by the riggers who try to steal our votes. We can’t afford to sit, complain or even start to compare ourselves to other African countries. The fate of Nigeria’s future is in your hands. Revolt on making your vote count and tell your friends & family the same.

This is a post from our newest guest blogger Naijafaithful. Contact us here for the chance to have your blog post published on Vote or Quench.

By Tonye Garrick

It is a crucial time in Nigeria as the 2011 elections are fast approaching.  Although the diaspora votes will not be included this year doesn’t mean those of us far from home will be at a standstill.  Hence, the Vote or Quench DC Chapter decided to host a Dial-4-Change Brunch Telethon.  Our goal?  To make sure that even though our votes would not be included this year, we could still call our wonderful friends and family at home to encourage them to participate and register on our behalf.  To further entice, we had some delicious brunch food to treat our volunteers. We all know wherever there is good food, there will definitely be Nigerians

So, with some mini croissant sandwiches, mimosas, light M.I and Ice Prince playing in the background and laptops for Skype, we all came together for a wonderful cause.

After enjoying a great brunch, everyone quickly got down to business, reaching out to family relatives and friends at home to make sure they were all registered to vote.  Even though we did get some funny responses – “una wey dey for America wan make noise pass us wey dey here or una want make we do wetin?”, the majority assured us that they had or would be going the following Monday morning to register to vote.  Overall, the telethon participants and even people we dialed were glad that we actually got together as a group to make these calls.  We had a great turn out and it was a fun yet very productive afternoon.   Thanks to everyone who sacrificed their Saturday afternoon errands to come share this positive experience with us.  The truth is we cannot move forward unless we unite and this is just the beginning of a unified movement.

Guest Blogger Tonye Garrick sharing her experience during the Vote or Quench Brunch Telethon held on January 22nd, 2011 in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area USA.

By Lola Adeyemo

If someone asked me what the best part of joining the chorus of people supporting #ifNaijaVotes movement was, without hesitation I would have answered “unity.” In a day and age when it’s so easy to separate yourself, to thrive on the similarities you share with some folks and shun the differences you see amongst yourself and others, the #ifNaijaVotes initiative elevated us above above all that. Across three continents, people of all ages, walks of life, beliefs and backgrounds, got together and spoke in one voice, over one issue: Regardless of who we support, what issue we take on or don’t, WE matter and our votes count. Nigeria is ours and we’re ready to exercise our authority. And we encourage every citizen to do the same.

As a lover of numbers, being able to say ‘this many people participated’ would be lovely. But quite honestly, the numbers don’t matter. Whether there were 50,000 tweets or 500, the point is, we were present on Tuesday. From all over the globe, we all had a chance to partake in something bigger than ourselves. Normally you hear about things like this and think it’s nice sounding but probably not meaningful in the larger scheme of things. But the #ifNaijaVotes movement is a real life, contemporary example of the power of the collective. If what took place doesn’t make you excited about the future, about the possibilities of what we can do, then I’m afraid you just don’t get it. For everyone else though…join the bandwagon. This is just the beginning…and it’s probably best not to get left behind.

The party/rally call continued way after January 11th, so rather than re-highlighting tweets fellow advocates have already, below are just three of my favorite tweets that came in after midnight on January 12th.

@AfroPuffette: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.#ifnaijavotes

@fatboy27ng: #ifnaijavotes politics will no longer be a profession but strictly a call to service.

@solazo69: #IfNaijaVotes….my 1yr old niece won’t be shouting #UPNEPA

Though all captured poignant points, the third stirred me the most. My vote in April determines what type of Nigeria my children will inherit. Whether their studies will be interrupted by NEPA, their days made longer and unproductive because of bad roads, or whether they will have to look outside for adequate healthcare. These thoughts alone are enough motivation; enough of a reminder that we can’t let the responsibility slip. We simply have to register to vote and go out on voting day. Our kids, grand kids and great-grands depend on it.

Lola Adeyemo is the Editor of Afiive which aims to be your innovative liaison, connecting, informing and entertaining its avid readers and frequent visitors from around the globe.

On Tuesday, January 11th, 2011 we are asking that you donate your status on any social media vehicle you see fit, from Twitter/Facebook/ Blackberry Messenger/Google Buzz and let people know what change can come to our country #IfNaijaVotes. We are not asking for much, just a little bit of typing.

You can run with this one, feel free to be funny, or serious with it:

For example: #IfNaijaVotes kids will have access to a better education.

Help Nigeria be great! And resend and Retweet!!!

Shout out to all the organizations involved in this initiative:

Wangonet (www.Wangonet.org) provides intellectual and ICT resources to NGOs, media, educational and cultural institutions, private sector clients.

Culture Shock: Nigerians in America (www.CultureShockNigerians.com) Hosted by Abimbola Ishola and Kunle Ayodeji, is a new talk radio show airing on Splash 105.5 FM in various Nigerian cities connecting Nigerians in Nigeria to Nigerians in America like never before.

Sahara Reporters (www.SaharaReporters.com) is an online community of international reporters and social advocates dedicated to bringing you commentaries, features, news reports from a Nigerian-African perspective.

EnoughisEnough Nigeria (www.EnoughisEnoughNigeria.com) is a coalition of individuals and youth organizations committed to instituting a culture of good governance and public accountability in Nigeria through advocacy, activism and the mobilization of the youth population as responsible citizens.

Nneka Egbuna (www.NnekaWorld.com) Acclaimed global Nigerian singer/songwriter. It is a testament to the strength of Nneka’s talent that her success so far is based on word of mouth, on the quality of her albums and the intensity of her live performance. While love, hope and optimism form the bedrock of all Nneka’s recorded work, there’s a steeliness to her new material, the engagement of a highly developed mind on some of the tough realities of modern politics – both personal and international.

Nigerian Diaspora Electoral Reform Group (www.NDERG.org) a US-based, non-profit non-governmental organization whose main aim is to work with Nigerians and friends of Nigeria within and outside of Nigeria towards participating in the political, social and electoral reforms in the country.

Tiwa Works (www.TiwaWorks.com) is an international marketing, promotions, and event planning firm that reaches across the 3 continents of North America, Europe and Africa.

Celebrate Progress Africa (www.CP-Africa.com) chooses to celebrate what is right about Africa. Through partnerships with organizations online and on the ground, they hope to create a paradigm shift amongst Africans everywhere and offer a space for inspiration and creativity.

Nigeria for Nigerians (www.Facebook.com/NigeriansforNigeria) Everything about Nigeria and Nigerians. Nigeria for Nigerians believe in the simple premise that Nigeria’s future is up to Nigerians.

Last Plane to Lagos (www.LastPlanetoLagos.com) is an online magazine featuring Events, Culture, Lifestyle, Music and Fashion by creative minds of African origin.

The Nigerian Eagle (www.theNigerianEagle.com) unites Nigerians around the world of all ages for the purpose of sharing opinions, views, beliefs, and suggested solutions for our country’s progress – then to educate and unite the next generation of Nigerians around the world to share their opinions, increase their interest and enlighten them of the great historical and present facts of our great Nation.

SwitchedOnNaija Media (www.SwitchedOnNaija.com) Nigerian online media lifestyle magazine that highlights the latest in Nigerian culture including, fashion, music, etc.

Governance 500 (www.Governance500.com) is a sustainable programme of national development for the training and empowering of individuals to participate in Nigerias political process in different capacities.

Liz Yemoja (www.LizYemoja.com) TV Personality, Host of Liz Yemoja Show. The ‘Liz Yemoja Show’ features artists from all genres of the entertainment industry aiming to find out the person behind the artist.

Chiedu Ifeozo (ChieduIfeozo.blogspot.com) Renowned Nigerian writer & poet.

Psychologists would tell you that the best therapy for dealing with pain is to forget and let it go. It’s a no-brainer why this is so. In that moment you forget, you are numb to memories, immune to despair and deaf to worries; you can put up a smile and actually be convinced that it is coming from your heart.

Unfortunately, much as it is a useful tool in enduring the travails of this life, we Nigerians seem to have perfected the art to our detriment. Nigeria is a giant that has withstood many vices, the question is how much more can it take? One of my favourite church renditions is “Giants do die” (in this case, an allusion to Goliath). Even though Nigeria is no Goliath, it is still a giant. It is our duty as good citizens to make sure that the flag keeps flying proudly, not hanging limp from some rusty pole whose maintenance funds are regularly diverted to other uses

I had mixed feelings when I read on the BBC news website that Nigeria had topped the world happiness survey carried out by the UK New Scientist Magazine. I was glad because, for once we were not topping the corrupt nations list, but I was burdened because it signalled one thing to me – people were and still are leaving in denial. I call this denial – ‘E Go Better’ Syndrome.

The same day bombs were going off in Abuja, the trending topic on Twitter among fellow Nigerians was #celebperfumes – where we cracked ingenious jokes about celebrities both home and abroad. I really found them amusing, but one part of me was in pain for the lives lost. In my chat with a friend who recently left Britain to join her family in Jos late last year, she said no one budges at the sound of a gun – it has become that common-place. Things have aggravated from machetes and cutlasses to bombs, and my people are still smiling. We are smiling and shrugging helplessly, hoping it will not be our turn one day.

Amnesia can be beautiful. Have you ever dreamt of utopia, so sweet and so blissful you don’t want to wake up? This time around, I plead with you to wake up; while you go to the wash-hand basin and dab water on your faces, reflect on where we are coming from. Let the pain course through your veins, feel it, and get fired up for change.

This was not how our fathers planned it. Children and women were not meant to lose their lives on the grounds of religious squabble. Children were not born to be kidnapped because their dads refused to give an uncle money. We were never meant to lack basic amenities; the resources were and are still there at our disposal if only they are properly managed. Men were never meant to die trying to protect their families because of a poor security system. Ritual killers, armed robbers and ‘one-chance’ were meant to be alien terms. “One day, one day e go better” says a popular Nigerian musician. But please, even if you won’t do anything about this, do one thing; do not forget. I repeat, do not forget. Brood and mull over the state of our nation, before long, you will know what to do. And if you don’t you will tell your kids, perhaps they are the beautiful ones Ayi Kwei Armah refers to in The Beautiful Ones are Not Yet Born. They will have their lifetime to think about a change strategy. Do not give up.

On that note, I will share what a tweetizen said concerning the coming elections,– “Drop your mental guns and use your physical thumb.”

VOTE this 2011.

It seemed like the day would never come. I had talked about leaving with everyone I knew, said farewells, even cleared out my apartment, but the thought of boarding an airplane not looking back seemed far fetched.

Here I am though, a month later feet firmly planted on Nigerian soil, staring destiny in the face. Now more than ever understanding the importance of Vote or Quench in Nigeria’s future.

This understanding reinforced everyday, as I watch the country’s future standing 3 feet tall, an average of 7 years old hawking unwanted goods in traffic for chicken change. The countries past plastered across the walls with vague declarations of why they are deserving of an uninformed vote.

The space between rich and poor isn’t vast but the disconnect is immense. One neighbor’s compound holding a palacial home, personal mini-mosque, peacocks and pigeons as ornaments, and manicured lawns. My neighbor on the other side a decaying building that used to serve as a government run clinic, which is now a squat. Kids not older than four years old balancing jerricans on their heads to fetch water.

I’m not trying to paint a picture of doom and gloom, because as those kids do jobs, reserved for grown men in certain realities, a smile remains on their faces.

What we’re looking at is a country of underdeveloped human capacity. Kids who in another world could be doctors, engineers, architects, but in this system, aren’t standing far from their fate of street life. Taking up a life of crime if the desperation of a hard life gets too much to bear.

If you are currently reading this you undoubtedly have a sense of right and wrong. What would be right would be to take a deeper look to what personal steps can be made towards a greater Nigeria. The wrong steps would be to sit back, and allow a failing engine to continue to steer our nation deeper towards a completely failed state. So I ask, will you Vote or watch our nation Quench?

A lot of people don’t really see how these disenfranchised kids affect them. Understandably so, when your compound is fully equipped with a generator, a borehole, and imported electronics. What the apathetic rich forget is that crime does have legs, and guns are mobile. Vote or Quench.

We were blessed to have a young Nigerian submit her expression of her desire for change. Toyosi Kekere-Ekun submitted original photographs which speak a thousand words.
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I have enormous tracts of land and vast volumes of water, but cannot feed myself. So I spend $1 billion to import rice and another $2 billion on milk. I produce rice, but don’t eat it. I have millions of cows but no milk. I am 50, please celebrate me.

I drive the best cars in the world but have no roads, so I crush my best brains in the caverns, craters and crevasses they crash into daily. I am in unending mourning, please celebrate me.
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