DPI Weblog

The year 2007 like the one before it was quite busy! I have been working through many different processes and have lived in three different cities during the year. First, I was in Port Harcourt from January to March, then I moved to Osogbo, Osun State in March and lived there until June. I am currently in Abuja, I moved here at the end of June to continue the compulsory national service which I am completing in January 2008.

After the initial orientation camp in Ede, I wrote a report titled “Serving the nation,” which highlighted my experiences, thoughts and expectations throughout the camp. I raised issues related to education, health care and HIV prevention, service delivery in Nigeria (SERVICOM) and most importantly relationships. I met one of the most treasured friends I will ever have in my lifetime at this camp. Leaving camp, I lived in a small community called Illobu and was assigned to teach at the Illobu Community Commercial Grammar School. I love to be a teacher, and I guess that’s just what I have been doing a most part of my life. I have taught music and French during my days in secondary school.

When I moved to Abuja to join the Ministry of Youth Development, it was for me a dream come true. I am happy to have been here and have contributed to some very critical long term plans, including the draft National Youth Development Agenda (2008-2015) which is currently receiving attention at the Presidency and may be approved in the New Year. My term as Nigeria’s representative at the Commonwealth Regional Youth Caucus was also renewed for another two years.

As the year comes to a close in a few days, I have been thinking what 2008 will be like. The next few days will be spent in a private place where I can think through with my many thoughts and take decisions on what I should be doing in the new year.

Today is World AIDS Day, and the theme of the celebration is simply “leadership.”

 In a world that has seen AIDS for 25 years, critical leadership is required from all sectors to stop the epidemic. Many lessons have been learnt, yet the solution to the myriad problems faced by communities are yet to be adequately addressed, and these have remained the key drivers of the AIDS epidemic. Poverty, unemployment, poor education services and hunger, these need to be addressed if the world must make progress to stop AIDS.

 In 2001, I had began to get myself involved in Community initiatives to address teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among young people in Buguma, my home town. I was 21 at the time and I had very little experience but my passion was the key diver of my actions.

 Six years after, having been involved in many initiatives beyond Buguma, Rivers State, Nigeria and Africa, I am again asking myself, what has happened to the work that had been done in Buguma? Having completed a three year term as the Executive Director of Development Partnership International, I am hoping to go back to Buguma to provide the leadership that is needed to address the many issues with the young people in my own community. Access to contraception, knowledge of HIV/AIDS, access to friendly health care services and leadership. These issues need to be addressed and quickly!

 I am very enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute my part to address AIDS in Buguma and by extension Rivers State! I hope that this opportunity will be as rewarding as in the begining!