Youthhub Africa’s contributor/editor and DESPLAY Fellow, ‘Sola Fagorusi who was recently at the First Semester, Season 8 of DESPLAY Africa Academy, convened by Youngstars Foundation and funded by National Endowment for Democracy, NED Washington D.C, U.S.A shares insights on the academy and how it is furthering the cause of good governance in Africa.
There have been arguments for and against democracy but what has not been faulted is the need for good governance. When Winston Churchill, foremost British politician and two time prime minister was asked his opinion, he boldly and cleverly quipped that – ‘it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried’!
Democracy Series Participatory Learning and Actions for Youth, DESPLAY was conceptualised by Youngstars Foundation in 2006. The programme, now in its 8th Season had been thoughtfully designed to bring young people from different parts of Africa together with intent to deepen their knowledge of democracy, foster active youth participation in good governance processes, enhance leadership development among young people and improve their competence in development. The programme was built on the frame that in years to come young people would be effectively discharging leadership responsibility in different sectors of governance and this they will do creditably with a wizened understanding of the nuances of leadership within a democratic culture.
Far Left: Kingsley Bangwell, Executive Director of Youngstars Foundation addressing participants at DESPLAY
DESPLAY Africa’s participation has over the years grown with participants from only states in Nigeria to different parts of Africa today. Participants in Season 8 came from Ghana, Cameroun and Joseph Kabila’s led Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC. A Season is divided into 3 Semesters with each DESPLAY semester holding in different part of the country and in some instance participants are visiting such states for the first time thus enhancing subtle cultural integration and interaction. DESPLAY Africa at conception had a projection of producing at least one person in public office after 15 years of running the programme; the results came early. By the 6th Season, two DESPLAY Fellows were already serving in advisorial capacity to the state governors of Ondo and Ekiti respectively and another had won a seat as a councillor in Ghana.
The programme is designed in a workshop format with several proponents demanding chock-a-block involvement by participants. Semester 1 of Season 8 which held January, 2013 in Abuja had – Understanding democracy and good governance – as its theme. Participants were taken through the meaning of democracy, its history and purpose; the concept of emerging leaders and emerging societies was also explained to them Youngstars’ Executive Director. Other sessions included – History of Democracy in Africa and Comparison between liberal democracy, electoral democracy and competitive authoritarianism. A session which compared the presidential and parliamentary system of government in terms of representation also held. Federalism, Unitarism and Centralism were also explained to the 35 participants. Kingsley Bangwell, numero uno of Youngstars Foundation handled a number of the sessions with ‘Sola Fagorusi also facilitating a couple of sessions. By the third day, human rights and inclusiveness in democracy was the interest. Bilikisu Zango carefully ran participants through the length and width of human rights and how to protect it and the right of inclusion of various groups (minorities, youths and People Living with Disabilities) in a democracy. This semester enjoyed a visit from two NED officials – Dave Peterson, Senior Director, Africa and Christopher O’Conner, Assistant program Officer, Africa.
The activities were not all indoors as the team paid an advocacy visit to Daar Communications Plc, owners of Africa Independent Television, AIT and Ray Power. The DESPLAY team was received by ace broadcaster Imoni Amarere, Paulyn Ugbodaga and three other staff of the organisation. In an interactive session that lasted for more than an hour, discussions, questions and answers held majorly on the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill and the issue of press freedom in a democracy. The semester ended with a get together where participants had good opportunity to sing, dance and snack lightly while exchanging contacts and making preparations to head back to their respective locations the next morning. And so it was that a heterogeneous and deeply plural group of young people from different parts of Africa, nay Nigeria stayed together in a location for a week prospecting and strategising on how Africa’s future would be brightened. DESPLAY participants are reimbursed only one way transportation and they pay N5000 (about $35) to be part of each semester. For 2 different evenings, 3 DESPLAY Africa participants in company of Bola Abimbola and Kingsley Bangwell respectively were on Nigeria Info, 95.1 FM to further discussions around democracy and entertain questions from the broad listenership of the station.
DESPLAY participants are drawn from across Africa
Semester two which is scheduled to hold a couple of months after semester one is usually with the theme youth participation while semester three addresses youth leadership. To qualify for semester two and three, the 35 participants are expected to conduct a one day step down training in their community, reach at least 25 people and send a report to Bola Abimbola, the programme officer of DESPLAY Africa. Also built into the programme are legislative internship and a learning visit, where interested participants travel to an African nation practising democracy and glean vital lessons from their institutions. In the past, visits have been conducted to Ghana and Cameroun. The semester may be over, but across Nigeria, Cameroun, Ghana and DRC, young people are running step down training called Passing it on (PiO) and increasing the number of young people with knowledge about democracy while consciously raising civic awareness on the need for participation.
Youngstars Foundation, the workshop convener, is a non-profit organisation based in Lugbe, Abuja, Nigeria.
