32 Nigerian Social Innovators and Entrepreneurs, Inducted As Ashoka Changemakers Scholars

Lagos, Nigeria: Inducted Ashoka Changemakers Scholars

July 2^nd, 2016 was a happy day to remember at the NECA House, BDA Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos-Nigeria as 32 indigenous social innovators and entrepreneurs were inducted as Ashoka Changemakers Scholars, a Future Forward initiative, in partnership with the Ashoka and MasterCard Foundation, after they underwent an extensive online course and video sessions on the Future of Work in Africa: Innovations in Youth Employment.

Future Forward initiative Changemakers course is targeted at self-motivated leaders, social innovators and entrepreneurs in Africa, who are using their skills to solve social problems, with a view to broaden their horizons, with regards to global best practices, providing them with networking opportunities and further equip them with the requisite skills, needed to leapfrog their chosen passion and careers.

According to the Ashoka Changemakers Scholars Coordinator in Nigeria and CEO of Business without Boundaries (BwB), Olutope Olatilewa Egbetokun popularly known as Topsie, “the Ashoka Changemakers are social innovators and entrepreneurs who are working vigorously to reduce unemployment in all sectors of the Nigerian economy. Their aim is to change the landscape of policies, leadership, governance and youth engagement in creating a better Nigeria project and Africa enterprise”. She further revealed “32 Nigerian Ashoka Changemakers scholars were among a total of 175 selected for the course, from nearly 400 applications representing over 45 countries in Africa.” With a welcome and orientation session which began on Monday, April 25^th, scholars from across the continent regularly interacted with themselves and were interfaced with invited guest experts during live video sessions, who shared their experiences using innovative solutions to solve Africa’s growing unemployment challenges.

During a panel discussion, on the topic “Holistic and Sustainable Project for the Nigerian Youth: Opportunities, Solutions and Tools, panelist Adekoya Rasak a “thisabled” visually impaired web solution provider, on-air personality, writer of an award winning book “Brand Your Blindness” and CEO of 360 Connect Communication opined that life is not a bed of roses. People must display their ability and value proposition, to get what they want from other people. He said “people are more likely to listen to you based on your demonstrated ability, over your professed ability”.

Another panelist, Belema Ogbuige, Executive Director, Centre for Information and Development added that “life is an exchange of value, whereby to receive, you have to be ready to give”. Other members of the panel shared their thoughts and how they have been using their skills and social enterprises to solve social problems in Nigeria.

Amongst the distinguished invited guests to the Future Forward initiative Ecosystem Nigeria, was an Ashoka Fellow Mogaji aka African Farmer, CEO of X-ray Farms who shared his good and bad experiences as a farmer and how he was able to weather the storm to become a profitable and inspiring farmer. He seized the opportunity to encourage Nigerian youth, to see a future in agriculture, as it is one of the critical means of unlocking the economic potentials of Nigeria and its ability to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth population. He advised the youth, to see agriculture as a business and not a dirty profession.

Although, many of the scholars had not met prior to the induction ceremony, except for the virtual interactions and exchange of ideas on the possible solution to youth “waithood” and unemployment in Africa, through the Ashoka Changemakers course online platform, scholars bonded and interacted like they have known each other for decades. This is how people of like-minds and passion can easily work together, regardless of race, color or socioeconomic status, to solve common problems.

Scholars who made it to the grand style ceremony includes the CEO of Yada Inc., Oludare Akinlaja; Director of Youth Arise Network Inc (YANI), Olanrewaju O Lewis; Team Lead of Euidem I.T Solutions, Temitayo Adegoke; CEO/Psychiatrist-in-Chief of Pinnacle Medical Services Limited, Dr. Maymunah Kadiri;  Olaleru Ibikunle Funso of the National Roots Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Abia State; CEO of Stell-Row Ventures, Stella Ozemoya; the Founder of Intuivar Limited/Africa, Henry Akwubu; National Coordinator of Youth As Gender Initiative (YAGI), Alabi Moses and a host of other spectacular social innovators. Also present at the Lagos event was Gabila Franklin Neba, an Ashoka Changemakers Scholar from Cameroon.

Other highlights of the event include but not limited to networking, partnership development, group photograph, red carpet shoot etc. 

Written by Adeniyi Philip Ayoola, an Ashoka Changemakers Scholar.

Twitter @Ayo116