Including our dynamic tweet chat #AirItOut with our partners CODE (Connected Development) and many others.

Enjoy!

The project, titled Chime Asonye presents #Songs4Change, is a weekly dose of revolutionary music to inspire social progress in Nigeria and Africa more broadly. The songs – a mixture of old and new – advocate for positive change and awareness of important issues such as malaria, epileptic power, and domestic violence, amongst others. The initiative will feature primarily African artists but will occasionally include songs from others who promote social advancement and political consciousness. “I believe knowledge is created, not just by words on a page, but in fluid and dynamic ways,” said Asonye, a development practitioner and social commentator, when describing why he started #Songs4Change. “Ever since I was young, I was shaped by politics shared in creative spaces like spoken word, debate, dance and theater. Music was always a constant fixture in these spheres and could touch people uniquely. Drawing on music to create critical consciousness in Nigeria borrows from my personal experiences that often combined art and politics.”

The goals for #Songs4Change include but are not limited to, (1) increase dialogue on important development concerns using the hashtag #Songs4Change, (2) provide inspiration and encourage activism in and around Nigeria and Africa, and (3) stimulate the creation of progressive music from entertainers and upcoming artist. As a generation passionate about the change we want to see, it is imperative that we begin to challenge the status quo and require more from our entertainers and ourselves.

Africans have consistently unified and connected through music. Historically, it has been used to provide a source of inspiration and draw attention to important concerns on the continent. As the late great Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti said, “As far as Africa is concerned, music cannot be for enjoyment. Music has to be for revolution.”  #Songs4Change will be partnering with YNaija 2015, Jaguda.com, Gidilounge, AmeyawDebrah.com, Omojuwa.com, NigeriansTalk, Amplified Radio, NaijaDC, The ScoopNG and Tribex Marketing Group to help spread these songs all over Africa and the Diaspora. “We look forward to a growing list of media partners as our message reaches more people,” Asonye said. “I believe these songs can become this generation’s soundtrack for revolution.”

For all things #Songs4Change, visit http://bit.ly/songs4change or subscribe here to receive weekly updates http://bit.ly/s4csubscribe. For more information, contact Chime Asonye at Songs4ChangeNG@gmail.com.

We are marching towards the next Presidential election since Independence in 2015 and there is much to do in preparation. Are we going to finally learn from the mistakes of the past and do better? Is there much to hope for, or are we simply too busy making it to the next day to notice if “change has come?” Would the Presidential election be yet another example of an empty exercise of democracy…something to check off so we can stand on the international stage among other nations whose citizens have bled and died for theirs? What are we, as Nigerians, prepared to stop doing so that future generations do not curse us for our neglect?

For me, I am doing my part to bring positive change to Nigeria. I am part of the growing trend of Nigerians in the diaspora who have decided to return home to work, to reconnect with family, and to put their efforts, no matter how small, into changing this country for the better. Coming home in January this year after 18 years away was a bittersweet experience for me; I had no real expectations for anything. As I packed my bags and said goodbye to friends, family, and work back in the United States, I gave myself permission to be truly open to Nigeria, to set aside lofty goals, to accept whatever challenges and triumphs may come my way, and to apply myself wholeheartedly to whatever I find myself doing here. I promised myself nothing and left open everything to chance.

I work in the development sector and this has given me the opportunity to experience first-hand some of the real challenges facing this country. Working directly with other development organizations has made me realize the tremendous gap in capacity and resources faced by so many organizations that want to do well but cannot. The development sector in Nigeria is one that is simultaneously blessed and cursed by the international aid industry. It is a vicious cycle where both sides are slowly realizing their mistakes and grudgingly making amends so that we do not kill the thing that we love by accident – Nigeria. And by this I mean aid organizations must make room for more home-grown solutions to problems and seek the opinions of those they profess to help more often, and for local CSOs working in the field, we cannot continue to gloss over our inefficiencies and weaknesses and yet demand treasures.

My work is focused on creating economic opportunities for citizens of the Niger Delta and in every community that I go to, almost everyone laments about the challenges faced by and created by the youth. The youth are at the center of the problem and also the possible solution to the problem, if handled correctly.

A recent report by Salon put Nigeria as one of the youngest nations on Earth, with a median age of 18.2. Of this segment, the majority are unemployed or underemployed. Writing for the Guardian last year, John Podesta, director of the progressive Center for American Progress, warned that youth unemployment is a “global time bomb”, as long as today’s youth remain “hampered by weak economies, discrimination, and inequality of opportunity.” He may not have been speaking directly about Nigeria, but the point still holds that unless we do something now about providing systemic and sustainable employment for the youth, Nigeria is headed nowhere good, fast.

As the new team lead for Vote of Quench, I cannot escape focusing on the challenge of addressing the question of what to do with the youth – if we can offer solutions, bring people together to engage diplomatically, and be a catalyst for change, then we would have done our part. Vote or Quench is, at the core, a virtual organization with a social platform of connecting like-minded Nigerians everywhere on issues that matter to them. Amplifying the voice of the youth is a critical strategic step for us, one that holds immense promise and a challenge I know we can tackle successfully. I am fortunate to belong to a team of young people who are passionate about Nigeria and committed to doing whatever they can, no matter how small, to effect change for the positive. Being around them and their energy gives me the strength to continue in my “day job” even when the challenges there seem insurmountable.

My first year back in Nigeria is almost over, and a big part of me cannot wait for next year. Despite the daily frustrations of living in Nigeria (and oh, there are many!), I have to admit that Nigeria has opened her heart to me and I must return the favor. I am putting on my armour and awaiting the challenges ahead because I am confident in the team here at Vote or Quench and there are thousands in the trenches in Nigeria fighting the good fight that need our support. We invite you to come along with us on this journey in shaping a better future for our great nation Nigeria.

More than 50 per cent of Nigerians are under the age of 35. Despite being in the majority, much of Nigeria’s youth is excluded from politics. The campaign #30percentornothing seeks to change the political landscape by demanding a quota for youth candidates.

Vote or Quench, Co-Founder Nosarieme Garrick featured on the show alongside other panelists:

Uche Chuta @nnabros
Founder, Campaign.ng
campaign.ng

Feyi Fawehinmi @DoubleEph
Blogger
aguntasolo.com

George Ali @aligthebaptist
Founder, #30PercentOrNothing

“Boko Haram is a symptom, but the real issue is terrible leadership in our home country.” This is a school of thought that seeks to highlight the real problems we face with the Boko Haram menace. That perspective in my opinion is a simplistic view of this Boko Haram crisis. There is no question that we have been saddled with poor leadership. This administration in particular has been too “political” in their handling of this crisis. They have failed us. But let us look at the perspective of “Boko Haram the symptom.”

Nigeria through Boko Haram is like Kenya/ Somalia (Al Shabaab), Mali/Niger/Libya/Mauritania/Algeria (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb), Yemen (Al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula), Afghanistan/Pakistan (Al-Qaeda in the Middle East) and other pockets of Islamic extremism around the world. What did all these countries have in common at the advent of these terrorist organizations? Democratic governments or religious theocracies that allowed the propagation of a brand of Islam that birthed these groups.

With our return to democracy in 1999, it was only a matter of time before Nigeria would have to deal with this menace, and there was nothing we could have done about it without infringing on religious freedoms. President Obasanjo dealt with the first wave of this with governors and state assemblies in the north demanding for Sharia law to become the law in their states. The President, not wanting to be seen as anti-Islam and one that is infringing on the religious freedoms of others acceded to their requests and did not fight it. With Sharia being the law, clerics were preaching “the law.” Unfortunately as is always the case, others decided that they could not condone a diarchy of constitutional and Sharia laws. It had to be sharia law alone. With time this transformed to “Western education is sin” aka Boko Haram. Everything western was not acceptable; western education, western laws, western constitution, western styled government were unacceptable. Read the transcript of Shekau’s last video and you will see that this is the same ideology at their core. Same ideology shared with Al-Qaeda all over the world, Al-Shabaab, and even Hezbollah to a great extent as well as other Islamist extremist views.

Boko Haram started by isolating themselves and building their own camps. It was the first major attempt to dismantle the group that lead to confrontations with the government. President Yar’Adua fought them, their camps were bombarded and their leader at the time Mohammed Yusuf was killed extrajudicially; an act that attracted some sympathy for the group and served as a potent recruiting tool. They were defeated, but they adapted. They went from conventional warfare to guerrilla warfare. With that brand of warfare, our military could no longer confront them without incurring enormous civilian casualties. Think about how long it has taken the United States with all her military might to defeat the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. At this moment, the Afghan government is negotiating a coexistence with the Taliban following the realization that even with full US military backing they have not been able to crush the Taliban completely. The Pakistani government even with all the US drones and support has conceded regions of Pakistan’s Northwest like Waziristan to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Why? Because wiping out those areas involve killing a lot of civilians. Nobody wants to do that.

In Nigeria today, Boko Haram is using the same playbook. Ever wondered why the Northern elders always resist the use of force? The primary reason is that they take a lot of civilian casualties from such assaults. Whenever the government uses force as against the wishes of the Northern elders, we start hearing accusations of genocide against the President and the military. Some wonder why the Nigerian Military has not gone into Sambissa to rescue those girls? Because unlike the perception that it is one thick forest, I have been to Sambissa game reserve which is where we are talking about, and it has a very interesting terrain which makes it a good game reserve. The shrubs grow in bulbs, and because of this, from an aerial view, it looks pockets of forests. On the ground, parts of it for lack of a better phrase are just dark even during the day. With a favorable terrain for planting mines, it is the perfect terrain for ambushes and if you are working on the presumption that these girls are there and could potentially be used as shields, you can’t just barge in guns blazing so that the whole world would think you are doing something. This requires a covert and precise military mission that should not be broadcasted on televisions and radios around the world. (Nobody told us they were going to get Osama Bin Laden until they got him.)

You can’t just bomb Northern Nigeria in the name of fighting Boko haram. You will wipe out whole communities to even achieve anything. Nigerians are suffering, but those living in parts of Northern Nigeria are in hell. They have lost family members, cities, and economies. In many cases we can argue that this is an assault on their humanity. They deserve our sympathy and while the intellectual elite will try to paint it as a poverty/ bad leadership problem, the truth we have all been evading for a long time is that we now have the extremists Boko Haram who are part of a global Jihad and are against everything western and Christian, the politicians version of Boko Haram who are committing atrocities in the name of Boko Haram to achieve a political end of making the country ungovernable, and armed robbers and anarchists who just commit crimes in the name of Boko Haram. That’s what we are faced with.

The Nigerian government is still yet to respond with tangible results. Nigeria has cried, nations have cried. Rallies have been conducted worldwide with both Nigerians and other members of the peace movement in the world.

DC-based Photographer, Kanayo Adibe, attended the #BringBackOurGirls rally which took place in DC on May 3rd, 2014 at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC. Here’s his account of the event and through the lens…

What inspired you to cover the rally?

“I received an invite from one of the organizers who happened to be a friend of mine. I’ve never been the political type but I thought what they were doing was pretty inspirational and figured since it wasn’t really about politics and more about plain old human decency I should go show my support in my own way, by creating photos that will tell the tale and spread the word to those who weren’t in attendance. The experience was pretty amazing, I’m sure it was a different experience for me though, seeing how I experienced it through a lens and wasn’t an active participant.”

What was the overall mood like?

“It was peaceful, I think they picked the perfect location for the rally, the weather was perfect the surroundings were beautiful, it helped put people in a positive mind frame. I know we weren’t there to lay back and relax but it was a very positive, friendly and unified environment. There were moments of laughter, tears and piercing words. There were songs sang, poetry recited and pleas made.”

What was the crowd like?

“It was a diverse crowd for the most part, there were Africans from different countries like Ethiopia, Cameroon, Ghana, in addition to Nigerians; there were Americans of different races showing their support. There were people of different religions, we had a muslim speaker who said a neutral prayer for the girls and prayed to God as it applied to everyone.  We had speakers of different ages addressing the crowd, musicians, poets, concerned parents, even the tourists took interest to the rally.”

Favorite part of the rally? Favorite shot taken and why?

“I believe my favorite part was the keynote address by Tosin Adegbola, it was very moving and delivered with authentic emotions.”

“My favorite is the one of the young boy sitting with this legs crossed on the sign that reads “Bring my sisters home”. There is so much dialogue in that image and can be interpreted in so many ways, his facial expression, his youth, his size in reference to the others around him and his presence and involvement in the rally.”

Was the rally effective and were their voices heard?

“Well, there was coverage by several media houses like CNN, so I know someone saw it. I and other participants have done our parts spreading images on social media and I know eyes have seen them. I think the ball is pretty much in the Nigerian governments’ court at this point. Their voices may have been heard but only God knows if they were listening.”

In your opinion, what should happen next?

“I think we need US government intervention, they are the only ones who seem to care enough to get things done. At this point, I doubt anyone would care what their motives are for helping as long as someone helps.”

 

Brilliant music and video concept with a light-hearted twist to the Nigerian struggle. It particularly highlights issues with Nigerian law enforcement seeking bribe at checkpoints and area boys assuming jobs as parking attendants demanding pay illegally.

“Happy Weekend” most often translates to “Oga/Madam, make you settle us so we fit enjoy the weekend.”

FACT: Nigeria, even with her abundance of natural resources, is still one of the poorest countries in the world with 63% of its population living on below $1 (N165) daily. Ethnic conflict, income inequality and political instability are commonly linked to this sour fact.

The Sun newspaper recently interviewed one of our very own IJGB-ers, Vivian Nwakah on her experiences moving back and adapting to Lagos lifestyle.

Check out the conversation below:

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=55554

BY KATE HALIM

Though Nigerians in the United States have always surrounded Vivian Obiageli Nwakah, living in Nigeria is a great new experience for this young, fast paced business executive. Vivian was born and raised in the United States , but relocated to Nigeria last September and she has found joy living in this country. Currently, the Head of Sales for Kaymu.com.ng, an online ecom­merce startup, Vivian reveals that one lesson she has learned is that Nigerians know exactly what their problems are and that so many people profit from these disorders and inadequacy. In her own little way, she wishes to do everything within her power to make a differ­ence in Nigeria, because her pres­ence alone won’t change a thing. She told Sunday Sun in a re­cent chat that she hasn’t adapted to the hustle and bustle that char­acterizes Lagos lifestyle. Inasmuch as she misses her friends and fam­ily, her deep-dish pizza and ease of life in the United States, Vivian has no regrets for coming back to Nigeria. The lessons she learns here are invaluable to her future. Excerpts: How long has it been since you relocated to Nigeria and how has the experience been like for you? I moved to Nigeria for the first time in September 2013 even though my parents were born and raised in Nigeria. My attitude is to keep an open mind and I am non-judgmental, I enjoy the sim­ple things in life and humanity. For these reasons, I have had a great time in Nigeria and I have been able to find the joy of living in this country. I have been able to overcome the negatives of liv­ing here such as infrastructural problems by finding the hu­mour in the challenges and cre­ative ways to overcome them. Why did you come at the time you did? I spent the past year in busi­ness school where I lived and studied in Brazil, France as well as the United States with an extended stay in China. Throughout my travels, I found that emerging markets are the key to future economic and so­cial growth. China and Brazil were so exciting while France and the US felt like they were on the decline in comparison. For this reason, I decided to fin­ish my business school intern­ship in Nigeria. I not only want­ed to be in an emerging market but I also wanted to learn more about my parents’ homeland. What was your first impression of Nigeria? It was an amazing feeling for me. It was an overwhelm­ing experience of pride when I arrived in Nigeria. Although, I have always been surround­ed by Nigerians in the United States, living in Nigeria is a great new experience. What thrills you about being back in your fatherland? The people. Nigerians have to be the most interesting peo­ple on earth. We are innova­tive, creative, passionate and eternally optimistic despite all obstacles. Could you tell us about yourself and what you do? I am currently Head of Sales for Kaymu.com.ng. Kaymu is an online marketplace ecom­merce startup. In my spare time, I like hanging out with friends and exploring new places. I enjoy dancing salsa, singing, theatre art and deep intellectually stimulating con­versations among friends. As Head of Sales at Kaymu.com.ng, what are your challenges? Kaymu is a no-brainer to me. I’m very passionate about e-commerce and forward think­ing industries that change the playing field and rules of en­gagement in Nigeria. The big­gest challenge is teaching oth­ers this future vision. I have lived in the US, so I know what I am missing. Some storeown­ers have never been online be­fore. How do you teach some­one how to leverage the power of the Internet to change the face of their business if they have never been online? This is a challenge. How best can you de­scribe the purchasing power of Nigerians? Nigerians are powerful. If Nigerians would start to value and focus energy on home­grown industries and products instead of spending billions of dollars on foreign products, then the world would also see the combined purchasing pow­er of Nigeria. Already, compa­nies are setting up shop in Ni­geria to harness this potential. Nigerians collectively need to flow with the programme. What future do you see for the Nigerian market? The future is bright, but Ni­gerians get in their own way so we have to decide what we really want as a people. What did you enjoy about your profession­al life overseas? I most enjoyed being able to easily communicate exactly what I think and feel and have an immediate understanding. Here, I have to adjust, adapt and figure out hidden agendas and figure out if a yes is really a no, which takes a lot more energy. At what point did you decide you have to in­vest in your country too? I ran a political campaign in Chicago and the candidate I managed is Nigerian- Ameri­can. One of our strategies was to involve the Chicago Nige­rian community in the elec­tion. During this time, I became heavily involved with organiza­tions geared towards the ad­vancement of Nigeria. The oil subsidy removal crisis happened and I felt very strongly that I needed to in­vest in the future of Nigeria. I also attempted to put on a major book signing for Nasir El-Rufai in Chicago. While researching his book, I learned much more about the political crisis in Nigeria. This started the journey. How did you prepare for such move as you have never been to Ni­geria? There was no preparation. I have an uncle that I grew up with in Chicago living in Lagos. I asked if I could stay with them and they agreed. I just bought my ticket to Lagos and that was it. How did your family react to your reloca­tion? They thought it was a good idea but they were very scared for my safety. They were wor­ried that I wouldn’t be able to handle the differences between the United States and Nigeria. What do you miss most about your life over there? I miss my friends and fam­ily, deep-dish pizza and ease of life. There were so many simple things I always took for granted that I miss so much. I just keep telling myself that I am here for a bigger reason. How has it been deal­ing with Nigerians pro­fessionally? Well, there are massive dif­ferences between the way Ni­gerians operate and the way Americans operate. I have al­ways been in American com­panies that emphasized youth­fulness as an asset, the highest value on ability and individual success for the greater good of the company and intellect. In Nigeria, the companies tend to be much more hierarchical, relationship-driven and protocol is important, but individuality is not an asset. Do you have any re­grets about coming home to Nigeria? No, I always have a ticket back to the US. If it doesn’t work out, what do I have to lose? Nothing. I have only gained an amazing experience that can only catapult me into the next thing. I just see life as one big adventure. So, I never regret, I only learn. How have you been able to adapt to Lagos lifestyle? I haven’t really adapted to the Lagos lifestyle. I will al­ways be a Midwestern Ameri­can girl. We love to smile, like the simple things in life and we are pretty much nice to the people we meet and welcome new friends and acquaintances. Lagos is much more like New York and Miami in that people are closed off, and there is a lot of glitz and glam that might not be real. That said, Lagos life­style is all about who you know and I am blessed to know peo­ple that I treasure. How challenging has it been adapting? I won’t pretend like it’s been easy. I have definitely had my days when I wanted to go back home. Luckily, people I know have been very supportive and have allowed me to vent and help me get through the tough times. Every time I face a hur­dle and get over it, I become a little bit stronger though. Given all these hur­dles, what would you love to change about Nigeria and Nigerians? One lesson I have learned is that Nigerians know exactly what their problems are and that so many people profit from these disorders and inadequa­cies, so coming here thinking my sheer presence will change something is futile. I just want to do what I can do within my power to make a difference. Change can begin from one person at a time. What’s your favourite Nigerian food? I love goat meat pepper soup and plantains. I could eat that every day. Have you learnt how to prepare any? Yes, my mother taught me to cook at a very young age. What’s your advice to anyone planning to re­locate to Nigeria? I would say make sure you have a lot of money, support, and adequate housing if you are coming from the West or you will most definitely have a hard time adjusting. Would you say you find it easy adapting to life here because you already have a struc­ture on ground? Absolutely. If I had come here by myself I would have left the first week. Where do you love to relax in Lagos? I love the beach and the Wheat-baker Hotel, because it’s the only place in Lagos where the customer service makes me feel like I’m back in the United States. How often do you go out? I go out sometimes. I’m re­ally busy these days and I hate the clubs, so I will be out less and less. I really just enjoy hanging out with friends in their homes. What kind of man would steal your heart? I need an open minded, wise, fair, lover of life, well traveled, spiritual, and highly educated man who is constan­ly seeking self-devel­opment and growth, who knows how to lead, so I can follow. I would marry this guy in a heartbeat.