The youth leadership workshop ended Thursday night with an awards ceremony, talent show and dancing! Boy, those Nigerian guys can dance! It was so funny and unusual to see a bunch of guys in the middle of the floor dancing. I didn't even take pictures because I think I was just staring. They dance like Jamaican men;they put a lot of hip and butt into it.
Hip Hop is big here like everywhere around the globe, but the lyrics are a lot cleaner. Somehow, they are also into country music here. They were playing it throughout the conference and Pammy’s driver has a country song as his phone’s ringtone. I wonder what Fela, the father of Afrobeat, would say if he heard all this country music? There were also a lot of comedians that night talking in pigeon English, so I didn’t get most of it. Every once in a while, they would say, “OK, ok, let me tell it in good English, so our friends from America can understand."
Pammy did an amazing job and the youth showered her with praise, love and appreciation. They also went on and on about how moved they were that I came all the way from America to be with them on my own dime. One of the civil servants told me that I had no idea what it meant to them and what a great model I had been, because lots of Nigerian young people never want to do anything for nothing. They always expect someone to give them something. Volunteerism, giving of yourself without getting something in return, is seen as weak. Wow, I had no idea, but I was glad that I had made a good impression.
They definitely made an impression on me. I feel like I quickly got to know them and many of the struggles because Pammy asked me to help her evaluate their community service projects. Together we reviewed and ranked the 80 reports of their projects- intended goals, number of participants, obstacles, number of beneficiaries, lessons learned,etc. The projects involved going in the neighborhoods, schools, to local football teams,etc. to teach morals, values, HIV awareness, the importance of staying in school, and career opportunities.
Also there was a big emphasis on the dangers of cultivism (frats in colleges were started and somehow devolved into militant gangs that entice young people into violence, drugs and crime. Of course, these issues are present in most countries and in poorer communities, so they were all too familiar, but they had their own feel, nuance, history and actors specific to Nigeria and the Rivers State in particular.
There were lots of projects to encourage young people to clean up their neighborhoods, and clear gutters. Like in India, the whole “don’t be a litter bug” campaign isn’t here. There is trash everywhere. There were also projects to introduce youth to computers and information careers. Some of the kids in the districts had never seen a computer.
We selected winners from each senatorial district and an overall winner, who was awarded $1000. The award came from Dayspring, a ministry that Pam started with her mom. I was there at the conference as the Northeast representative of her mom’s ministry.
Did I mention that Pammy is also a minister, is finishing up her Ph.D work in educational missions and is also getting a masters degree from as seminary in Mississippi? How does she do it?
Everyone was so kind to me; several participants asked for my contact information and one asked me to be his mentor. We’ll see, but I feel like I made some connection with the youth of Nigeria!! I hope it is the beginning of many more opportunities.
Fantastic!
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