YOUTH OPEN A NEW CHAPTER IN REVOLUTIONARY ELECTORAL ADVOCACY AS RISE NETWORKS LAUNCHES DAILY PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHANNELS TELEVISION AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.

A leading Youth Development Firm in Nigeria, RISE Networks has concluded plans for a Television Program tagged Nigeria’s 2011 Elections SHOWDOWN with the slogan, “anything about without us is not for us” to be aired on Channels daily at 3.15pm - 4pm on weekdays from March 14th till April 22nd.
SHOWDOWN is based on constructive engagement to enable Young Nigerians match advocacy with action through a peaceful revolutionary platform and the pivotal role of RISE is to inform and enlighten young people on their fundamental rights as major determinants of winners and losers in the electoral process while also demanding accountability from elected office holders at all Levels of Government. The ignominious state of Nigeria as a Nation of educated illiterates, Jobless Graduates, Crime, poverty and an unstable economy is as a result of the hitherto abysmal failure of Leadership in Nigeria and its attendant saddening impact on the citizenry, especially the most significant voting bloc, the Youth who form 55percent of the entire Nation’s population. Speaking in Lagos at a World Press Briefing in the week, Toyosi Akerele, the Executive Director of RISE Networks explained to Press men that one of the major purposes for conceptualizing and hosting the Television Program is to institutionalize credible and accountable Leadership at all levels of Government through Mass Sensitization using all available Media, online and offline, local and international. She added that Rise has impactful and massive presence in about 15 Nigerian States across all the 6 geo-political zones and they will leverage on this advantage to deploy relevant electoral and advocacy information to all classes of young people in various communities in the Country. While responding to some of the questions posed by Youth Stakeholders present at the Briefing, the publicist for SHOWDOWN, Tope Falade informed that the citizen’s framework embedded in the Program will allow extensive youth participation by voting in Election Polls on www.risenetworks.org/showdown to feel the pulse of young people on who they will like Nigeria’s next President to be. Youths can also vote by sending sms through a short code. Daily Results will be announced and shown on Channels Television. Reacting to the fears and speculations expressed by other Community Leaders during the conference that Politicians in Nigeria are not responsive to Young people except when they need to use them to perpetrate vices, Toyosi expressed vehement confidence that as a result of the unprecedented political consciousness on the part of Nigerian Young people, the 2011 Elections will not be business as usual. She also said that the level of awareness is evident in the increased percentage of registered voters for the forthcoming elections and that young people are now aware that once they sell their vote, they will be helpless for another 4years during the time which most of our Leaders will spend amassing wealth and writing the next script for their story telling exercise on reasons why they should be re-elected, though without providing any succor nor transformational leadership for their people. If those politicians plan to win any election, they had better start speaking with Youths not to themselves because their rich family and friends don’t vote, a Young Man at the Press briefing cautioned. Moreso, this is the first and only Youth Focused, analysis based Program on Nigerian Television for this 2011 Elections. Do we have to wait for what happened in Egypt, Libya or Tunisia to happen in Nigeria before our Leaders understand that the Nigerians are tired of the status quo? How can Nigeria be labeled giant of Africa when there is a fundamental disconnect between the Leadership and the people. Toyosi explained that objective and change driven Young persons who are non-partisan will be invited as Discussants with some of the Presidential and gubernatorial candidates on the Program while we will call for inputs and ideas on anti-rigging measures to be implemented during the forthcoming elections.
Advocacy Materials will be available for download on the RISE website for Internet Savvy young persons who are privileged to have access to technology to use as their profile photos and status updates on Social Networks such as Facebook and Twitter. As at the time of release, apart from Channels Television as Lead Sponsor that donated free Airtime for the Program for 30 straight days and other Companies such as Vas2Nets who donated Free Short Codes, bellanaija.com, Lindaikeji.blogspot, The Nation and The Sun Newspapers who have donated full pages for daily analysis and reviews, we haven’t received any financial contribution from any Corporate Entity nor Individual as yet but we have enjoyed incredible support from young Nigerians up hill and down dale, Mr Adeniyi Adewunmi, the Project Officer told Newsmen. He also said the excitement and overwhelming positive response from young Nigerians from all parts of the world since RISE launched SHOWDOWN on the internet is a clear indication that money cannot stop us from driving the vehicles of our destinies. We will pull through, we are the turning point generation, Adeniyi added. We need young people to join forces with us and donate their services and expertise to SHOWDOWN in any little way possible. Some of the TOPICS to be discussed on the Program include an analysis of the Preparedness of INEC for Nigeria’s 2011 Elections, the Role of Community Leaders in the Electoral process, Niger Delta Crisis, Demystifying Political Parties for Youth Participation, Youth Organizations and their influence and interest in Free and Fair Elections, Students and their roles as Election Rigging Machineries and Political Thugs. The Program will also feature Youth Parliament Discussion and Engagement with Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates, Argumentative Debates of Youth Representatives of Presidential candidates to convince other Young Nigerians to vote their Principals as Nigeria’s President, Performance appraisal of Governors across the 6 Geo Political Zones of Nigeria. The Press Release circulated also succinctly captured the specific demands of Nigerian Youth such as Energy and Power, Value Re-orientation, Education Advancement, Employment Generation, Wealth Creation and Access to Funding.
Security Personnel such as State Security Service and the Police will be interviewed on issues of Kidnapping, Thuggery, Assassinations and bombings amongst others. NYSC and its relevance or otherwise will be treated as a matter of priority and Do or Die Politics and the sit tight leadership syndrome currently gaining ground in Nigeria will be discussed elaborately. RISE will ensure that Youth Led and Micro Credit / Small and Medium Enterprises, New Media, Social Networking, Use of Technology in Electoral Process also form the focal point of the Television Program. All three Mondays after the Saturdays that are Election days will majorly be for selected young people to analyze the results from the Elections and also state their expectations after the Elections. Nigerians in Diaspora can watch LIVE on the Internet on www.channelstv.com on your PC, IPAD, IPHONE, ANDROID and BLACKBERRY.
The Program will be anchored by Chinedu Chidi, winner of the 2010 Debaters Reality TV Show and Lami Phillips, United Nations Youth Envoy.
Toyosi ended by saying the book of Lamentations wasn’t written because of Nigerians and advised that the Politicians should provide manifestations not manifestoes. We are willing to help our Leaders deliver good governance and inspiring leadership only if they begin to understand that in practical terms, youth is a state of pending responsibility and the future of Nigeria rests on our Shoulders.
More information is available on www.risenetworks.org/showdown.

RISE celebrates United Nations’ INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY MASTERCLASS 2009 With DR. MRS. OBY EZEKWESILI {Vice President of the World Bank}

RISE, Nigeria’s leading Youth Interaction Centre has in the last three years hosted one of the most successful Youth forums in the Country with 2009 being the hallmark of our accomplishments so far. This year, the impact of the DARE TO BE DIFFERENT NATIONAL INTERACTIVE YOUTH FORUM in 8 Nigerian States has rekindled a new sense of hope in our Nigerian Youths.












On 22nd August, RISE will hold a Master Class with Dr. Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, Vp of the World Bank to get young professional Nigerians to discuss and map out strategies for survival, at this time even as we celebrate the UN International Youth day, World Over on August 12th. This will be her 2nd Visit to Nigeria since her appointment into that prestigious office.
In the face of the current global recession and the turbulence in the Nigerian Financial Sector, young business owners are closing shop, thousands of young professionals are being laid off from banks, corporations and multinationals, many more are faced with a terrible option to “market” their private assets to acquire huge unrealistic deposits for banks or earn leaner salaries than what they currently are placed on or join their compatriots in the jobless fold. In the face of these undesirable situations and choices, there are still several young people making a difference to make our Country, our own Nigeria, stated Miss Toyosi Akerele, team leader of RISE in her Press Statement. Young People are working hard, pacing and catching up with innovation, more, making history and doing our Nation Proud. We are not pleased but we are not giving up; we have to be encouraged. The Power situation is crippling businesses that are forced to spend 50% of profit on diesel or petrol to keep work going or they relocate to their Villages, our graduates don’t have jobs and ASUU isn’t willing to budge until FG is responsive to their aspirations; the result is that more young people are motionless and we are not even allowed to speak nor soar. The Question is though we are trying but how will our generation keep up and match our contemporaries in other African Countries since Ghana can keep the Lights on and we can’t? Must our generation read with candles and kerosene lanterns when students in South Africa are the real X generation? This explains the reason behind the organization’s packaging of the program.
For the sake of our Nigerian Audience bearing in mind, our collective burden and challenges as young people, the theme will be “Sustainability, our challenge, our future: Key Lessons for Business”. In the Course of the Program and under the supervision and guidance of Dr. Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, the young professionals will break into groups to begin a discussion process that will ensure SUSTAINABILITY in diverse areas. It is expected that these young professionals will remain a team, holding one another accountable and keep working together after the Session.
The event will commence at 11am and end at 4pm and the Gathering will comprise of 100 young professionals who already manage Processes and Projects and will therefore find the knowledge and interaction at this forum useful for prolonged development. Participants should look forward to valuable learning experiences. This Year, the Event is sponsored by MTN, UBA and Sahara Group with generous support from M2, Business Day and Encomium.

RISE TAKES “DARE TO BE DIFFERENT” NATIONAL INTERACTIVE YOUTH FORUM’S SUCCESS STORY TO OWERRI

Owerri youths experienced a change in the environment as RISE: a youth expression and advocacy firm extended the DARE TO BE DIFFERENT National Interactive Youth Forum to the All Seasons Hotel, New Owerri on the 4th of July, 2009. With the same theme as the Lagos event (OUR TIME IS NOW), the participants were eager to see if the news about the Lagos event were true. The event which hosted more than 1,500 Owerri youths, celebrated Guests speakers such as Mrs. Iquo Ukoh (Consumer Maximization Manager, Nestle Nigeria), Mr. Mitchell Elegbe (MD/CEO, Interswitch Nigeria Ltd), Dr. Henry Nzekwu (MD, CSA Limited), Mr. Guy Murray Bruce (President, Silverbird Entertainment) who was well represented, Okey Mc Anthony (The Special Assistant to the Imo State Governor on Entertainment) and Pastor Triumphant Obamoh (Senior Pastor, Winners Chapel, Owerri).



The Guest speakers all spoke on various topics affecting the young people in Nigeria and how they can “Dare to be Different” in the face of different circumstances in Nigeria. Telecommunications Giant, MTN, being lead sponsor for the event in all the 8 Nigerian cities (Lagos, Owerri, Enugu, Benin, Kaduna, Ibadan, Abeokuta and Abuja), did not leave any stone unturned as they threw their weight behind event just as they did at the Lagos Edition. Other major brands that were also present to ensure the success of the Event include Nescafe, ABC Transport, Macleans, Nigerian Bottling Company and Verve. Amobi Okeke (Publisher, 234 magazine), was the Compere for the event and ensured that no one forgot that fact by taking the participants in steamy sessions of informative and inspirational talks.



As RISE prepares for the ENUGU edition which is scheduled to hold on the 18th of July 2009, the DARE TO BE DIFFERENT NATIONAL INTERACTIVE YOUTH FORUM’s Group page on FACEBOOK continues to enjoy massive following and encouragements from those who have been inspired by either the Lagos or Owerri edition of the event. Many outstanding professional Nigerians such as Mr. Fela Durotoye, National acclaimed Motivational speaker and Performance Coach have lauded the efforts of the organizers saying that this is really an avenue for God to revisit the country and use the youths as tools for development and growth.

From T-B – Mrs Iquo Ukoh (Consumer Maximization Manager, Nestle Nigeria) during her speech, Mr Mitchell Elegbe (MD, Interswitch Nigeria) during his speech, Okey Mc Anthony, Mrs Iquo Ukoh, Dr. Henry Nzekwu, Mr Mitchell Elegbede, Dr. Henry Nzekwu (MD, CSA LIMITED) during his speech, Cross section of Certified DARE TO BE DIFFERENT PARTICIPANTS, Participants registering at the venue, Okey Mc Anthony (The Special Assitant to the Imo State Governor on Entertainment)

Visit www.risenetworks.org for more info.