#EventSpotlight: Citizen Commons Hosts A Youth Conversation for A New Nigeria In Abuja

My Nigeria. Your Nigeria? Whose Nigeria? Envisioning our #NewNigeria

On the 13th of May 2022, Citizen Commons organized a Youth Conversation with young Nigerians concerned and passionate about building a New Nigeria, a Nigeria for the Many. The Youth Conversation for a New Nigeria is a Flagship of From Protest To Action project. The session was moderated by Olalekan Oshunkoya.

The conversation features the Community Change Enablers, selected young Nigerians, activists, and advocates for good governance. The youth conversation aims to shift attention from “only talking about the problem in the country” and focus more on compiling “brilliant ideas that can help build this nation.” Can young Nigerians have more conversations that focus more on the solutions to this problem? What idea do we have as concerned young Nigeria that can propel the nation?

The conversation was designed to create awareness and highlight policy issues of importance to young Nigerians from communities to campuses that would advance “Our New Nigeria.” The conversation seek to answer key questions such as what does it means to be Nigerian? What makes us Nigerian? Is it our heritage? Place of birth? Or identification and patriotism to the nation. As young Nigerians, how can we conceptualize a difference in ‘Nigeria’ – the country lived by our parents, and ‘Naija’ – the Nigeria our generation have come to envision and experience, a work in progress and a survival nation.

The “Youth Conversation for a New Nigeria” convened as a series of youth-led, youth-focused consultation and community town hall sessions designed to engage Nigerian youths, create awareness, and highlight policy issues of importance.

Citizen Commons intend to publish the ideas and contributions of young Nigerians as part of the materials for “Nigeria for the Many Not the few: a manifesto for the Nigeria we desire.”