Day 1 of the Ignite Conference was off to a great start, kicking off with the screening of “Emerging Voices: A Political Journey in Nigeria.” The all-day screening followed the story of six young Nigerian politicians, highlighting a range of structural and cultural obstacles preventing the kind of youth participation and class equality needed for a more representative political class.
The film tackled popular Nigerian political tropes like godfatherism and party-interest politics. However, unlike common representations of these subjects presented in abstract form, “Emerging Voices” takes the viewer up close to the action, spotlighting the lives of real contestants and how they are limited by these roadblocks.
Following the screening, our Fireside Chat lit up the evening with captivating discussions on civic participation in politics. Political actors, activists, and stakeholders shared their invaluable insights, leaving us with a renewed commitment to actively engage in shaping our political landscape. Issues discussed included the lack of data transparency for the Nigerian public, the layers of bottlenecks systematically reducing the voter registration to turnout ratio, and the mafia-like state of political parties shunting their own guidelines for capital interest. The panel closed with engaging questions and contributions from the audience.
Our panel (L to R): Anto Lecky, Yvette Dimiri, Ibrahim Faruk and Adewale Shokoya
We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to all attendees for making Day 1 a resounding success. Your presence, your questions, and your passion for change are the driving force behind our mission.
Stay tuned for more inspiring sessions, workshops, and conversations on Day 2. Together, we are proving that #CreativesWillChangeAfrica.
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