Ohimai Amaize’s speech was short and straight to the point. He questioned several statements made by Banky W including why he refused to publicly support and endorse any of the presidential candidates during the 2011 elections. Banky W responded “I didn’t endorse any of the candidates because I didn’t believe in any of them. I respect your candidate, Dele Momodu as a publisher and not as a president”.
Ohimai also questioned Banky W as to why he refused to accept an earlier joke by Chude about him being the president of Nigeria by 2015. “Constitutionally, I cannot be a president in Nigeria. Why? Because I wasn’t born in Nigeria” Banky W responded. The session ended with a question and answer session.
Breakout Session I
The session was divided into two units. The audience were left to decide on which to attend. The sessions included:
Governance: Transparency, Leadership, Accountability. Discussants include: Chuks Ojidoh (Community Life Project), Jessica Musila (mySociety) and Oluseun Onigbinde (BudgIT Nigeria)
Social Trends: Driver for Progress. Discussants include: Gbenga Sesan (Paradigm Initiative Nigeria) and Chude Jideonwo.
Breakout Session II
The session followed immediately after lunch.
Capacity building: Citizen Empowerment Strategies. Discussants were Femi Longe (Co-Creation Hub), Jonas Schwarz Lausten (Seismonaut Africa) and Oluwaseun Akinfolarin.
Early Warning Systems: Citizen Protection. Discussants include Daudi Were (Ushahidi), Y.Z. Yau (Center for Info Tech and Development – CITAD) and Kaptin Idoko (Gidi Traffic).
His Excellency, Ambassador Chris Cooter, Canadian High Commissioner gave the closing remark of the conference. In his words, “New Media is influential but it can be consequential. You have the fastest growing telecoms market in the world, how can you take advantage of this opportunity?” He continued “If you are going to be leaders, you have to be responsible.
Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi and Ambassador Chris Cooter, Canadian High Commissioner
You have to be careful of what you say and the consequences. You need to take these tools and make new policies. Can you imagine an online project for accountability about oil revenue? You can make a mobile app to report bribery and corruption. I’m not saying you should see government as your opponent or partner. See the government as your servants. Tell them what to do in numbers.”
In response to the stance of some of the facilitators about the regulation of Social Media in Nigeria, the High Commissioner said “The default position for progress is free speech. You don’t start off by talking about regulation. Your Economy is handicapped by youth unemployment. It is like a massive brake on the economy. It is like squandering your richest resource – Youths! And it’s not because you don’t have the work, it’s because the youths lack skills. New Media can transform your country through social govenance. It can help Nigerians get along.”
What an awesome conference!
