Redirecting Youth Energy in the Niger Delta

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Redirecting Youth Energy in the Niger Delta
Information Technology as a Tool for Sustained
Paradigm Shift
Gbenga Sesanwww.gbengasesan.com
me_at_gbengasesan.com
Niger Delta Youth for Digital RevolutionPort
Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. 01 May 2004.
2
Niger Delta A Unique People Group
Niger Delta Youth Did Someone Say Revolution? Dy
namics of the Revolution Redirecting Youth Energy
Niger Delta Youth Way Forward Maximising Media
Attention Niger Delta, et al A New Nigeria
3
Niger Delta A Unique People Group

• 9 of 35 states Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross
  River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers
  
• About 20 million (15.6 of Nigerias estimated
  128 million) people
  
• 40 Ethnic groups, 250 dialects and 3,000
  communities
  
• Responsible for about 85 of total government
  revenue
  
• BUT
• GNP per capita in the region is below national
  average of US 280
  
• High growth rate combines with severe habitable
  land constraints
  
• In 1978, about 120 children died within a week as
  a result of gas flaring from refineries, et al

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Niger Delta A Unique People Group
Niger Delta Youth Did Someone Say Revolution? Dy
namics of the Revolution Redirecting Youth Energy
Niger Delta Youth Way Forward Maximising Media
Attention Niger Delta, et al A New Nigeria
5
Niger Delta Youth

• Unlike our counterparts, weve grown to know an
  unfriendly environment. We grew up in it
  
• We have been taken advantage of (and are still
  being taken advantage of) by political, unethical
  and destructive individuals and institutions
  
• We have seen actions that needed to be met with
  equal and opposite reaction
  
• We are smart negotiators, faced with harsh
  conditions but surviving
  
• We hold the potential of restoring peace,
  economic might, due process, sustainable
  development, respect of human dignity and
  enduring structures to the Niger Delta

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Niger Delta A Unique People Group
Niger Delta Youth Did Someone Say Revolution? Dy
namics of the Revolution Redirecting Youth Energy
Niger Delta Youth Way Forward Maximising Media
Attention Niger Delta, et al A New Nigeria
7
Did Someone Say Revolution?

• Change is inevitable. World history speaks of
  revolutions that changed the face of nations
  
• The world has woken up to a new kind of
  revolution. Its intellectual its digital!
  Youre either a 0 (onlooker) or a 1 (change
  agent)
• The digital revolution has separated nations into
  haves and have nots, hence the Digital
  Divide
  
• Each people group hold the responsibility of
  engaging the tools of this revolution for the
  benefit of their participation in the New
  Economy
• This revolution does not respect location or
  physical resources. Good news for the Niger Delta
  Youth whatever formula applies to our oil cannot
  hold back the positive explosion of our
  intellectual capital! No one can resist an idea
  whose time has come

8
Niger Delta A Unique People Group
Niger Delta Youth Did Someone Say Revolution? Dy
namics of the Revolution Redirecting Youth Energy
Niger Delta Youth Way Forward Maximising Media
Attention Niger Delta, et al A New Nigeria
9
Dynamics of the Revolution

• Human existence has gone through distinct phases
  from pre-civilisation through the Agricultural
  and Industrial revolutions and to the Digital
  Revolution, which has birthed the Information
  Age
• The Information Age is revealing a complex
  convergence that seeks to create a new society
  driven by information, communication and
  (emerging) technologies
• This new society, the Information Society, is
  driven by ICTs, and an evident shrinking of space
  and dissolution of physical boundaries
  globalisation
• The Information Society embraces a
  multi-stakeholder approach, bringing governments,
  businesses, civil society, academia and SIGs
  (e.g. youth) together

10
Niger Delta A Unique People Group
Niger Delta Youth Did Someone Say Revolution? Dy
namics of the Revolution Redirecting Youth Energy
Niger Delta Youth Way Forward Maximising Media
Attention Niger Delta, et al A New Nigeria
11
Redirecting Youth Energy

• Youthful energy must always be expressed. It is
  like water it can help you, and it can destroy
  
• Destructive youth energy does more harm to the
  future than it does for today
  
• Theres a strong need for us to redirect our
  energies for progressive efforts
  
• Combined youth effort for positive efforts would
  be like a dam if well handled, it can produce
  light to illuminate entire nations, continents
  and more!
• If we fail in the days of adversity, we have no
  one to blame except ourselves, because when all
  the dust settles and were back to ourselves, we
  may have ourselves to blame for cutting our
  future short

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Niger Delta A Unique People Group
Niger Delta Youth Did Someone Say Revolution? Dy
namics of the Revolution Redirecting Youth Energy
Niger Delta Youth Way Forward Maximising Media
Attention Niger Delta, et al A New Nigeria
13
Niger Delta Youth Way Forward

• Just like the dam paradigm, we need to work
  together towards the Niger Delta region of our
  dreams
  
• Networking has become a lot easier, thanks to the
  Digital Revolution we speak of
  
• eMail, online newsletters, discussion groups, and
  web presence (web pages, websites, online
  content) must be employed in our policy
  intervention, advocacy and project implementation
  efforts
• We can harness the potentials of these ICT tools
  and more for the purpose of personal
  development, nation building, regional
  cooperation and global participation
• It is not about what Nigeria has to offer Niger
  Delta youths, but what we have to offer Nigeria!

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Niger Delta A Unique People Group
Niger Delta Youth Did Someone Say Revolution? Dy
namics of the Revolution Redirecting Youth Energy
Niger Delta Youth Way Forward Maximising Media
Attention Niger Delta, et al A New Nigeria
15
Maximising Media Attention

• Niger Delta youth enjoy lots of media attention,
  and this can be put to positive use
  
• The fourth estate needs to work together with
  Niger Deltas youth to replace the ugly pictures
  and scary headlines with positive efforts
  because they exist
• Since Niger delta youth seem to hold a lot of
  attention when we walk into media houses, lets
  put this to positive use
  
• Positive peer pressure would be a major tool for
  positive change as we move on
  
• Interesting observation An online search for
  Niger Delta reveals much of the trouble in the
  region but change the search focus to Niger
  Delta Youth and you will find amazing positive
  projects listed

16
Niger Delta A Unique People Group
Niger Delta Youth Did Someone Say Revolution? Dy
namics of the Revolution Redirecting Youth Energy
Niger Delta Youth Way Forward Maximising Media
Attention Niger Delta, et al A New Nigeria
17
Niger Delta, et al A New Nigeria

• In unison with the Niger Delta, young Nigerians
  are demanding for a new identity, a nation we can
  proudly call our own dear nation. One nation
  bound in freedom, peace and unity!
• O God of creation, direct our noble cause. Guide
  our leaders right, and help the youths the truth
  to know
  
• I see a new Nigeria emergingone that will be
  built on the labours of our heroes past, hewn out
  of the debris of the present waste and engineered
  by the strength of the future leaders the youth.
  These young men and women will adopt Information
  Technology for the purpose of personal
  development, nation building, regional
  cooperation and global participation. They exist
  unknown today, but in the secrecy of their abode,
  they master the tool that will change their lives
  and that of their nation. They are silently
  building the nations tomorrow today

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Redirecting Youth Energy in the Niger Delta
Information Technology as a Tool for Sustained
Paradigm Shift
Gbenga Sesanwww.gbengasesan.com
me_at_gbengasesan.com
Niger Delta Youth for Digital RevolutionPort
Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. 01 May 2004.