By Sunday Ani
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, is among the speakers expected to speak at the 2022 Boys Champions Youth Conference, slated for November 25 in Enugu State. The Youth Conference, themed, ‘Shaping the Future,’ would bring together over 2,000 young leaders from different sectors in Nigeria and across the continent, who are working to make social impact in their communities.
The convener of the conference and founder of Boys Champion, Noel Alumona, told journalists that a host of global icons, including Cardinal John Onaiyekan, emeritus Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese, former presidential candidate, Prof Pat Utomi, Bishop (Prof) Godfrey I. Onah of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, the Chief EXecutive Officer (CEO), Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri Erewa, and erudite scholars from Oxford, Harvard and Vanderbilt Universities, are expected at the event.
Alumona, who won the 2022 AFS Award for Young Global Citizens recently, told newsmen that the conference would provide an interactive forum with young people as part of the ongoing campaign by the non-governmental organisation, Boys Champion, to arrest the spate of violence against women in local communities. He noted that participants would be exposed to impactful and transformative panels, workshops and speeches by high profile resource persons, who would help them to build sustainable networking for personal and career development. “It is expected that the participants would become the vanguard of the crusade in their local communities, and spread the value chain across the length and breadth of the African continent,” he added.
He expressed optimism that the conference would be profitable to the youths as they would tap from the resources of erudite speakers, who had made their marks in education, humanitarian, political, business, and other areas of human endeavour
He further explained that the conference was his little way of giving back to the society, and promoting inter-cultural dialogue that would stem the tide of violence against girls and women in the society. According to him, the programme would also be a golden opportunity for participants to gain world-class training and mentoring sessions from captains of industry, erudite scholars, as well as local and international experts. He said delegates would engage the experts in question and answer sessions, and also build lasting relationships and connections that could help them advance their works and social contracts with the people in their respective communities.
The Conference, he said, would feature plenary sessions, where experts would discuss ‘Global Education and the Nigerian Struggle; Opportunities for Youth; Gender Equality and Women Inclusion; Ethical Leadership; Conflict Prevention and Peace building, among others.
Dr. Maureen Manning of The Pie News, USA, would be the keynote speaker at the event, which would also include presentations by Daniel Obst, President of AFS Intercultural Programmes, USA; Prof. Veronica Boix Mansilla, Harvard University, USA; and Dr. Nancy Dickson, from Vanderbilt University, USA.
Other speakers expected at the event include, Dr. Helmut Schuster, from the United Kingdom; Retd. General Chris Eze, former Ambassador of Nigeria to India; Augustine Achu, United States Marines Corp, Virginia USA; Hawa Taylor, United Nations Global Communications Office; Dr. Onyeka Nwelue, Visiting Fellow, Oxford University; and Chike Nwoke, Carleton University, Canada.
Other speakers lined up for the conference include, Ephraim Bassey, United States Institute of Peace; Prof. Pat Utomi, Founder, Center for Value in Leadership; Osowobi Oluwaseun Ayodeji, Founder, Stand to End Rape; Hauwa Ojeifo, Founder, Shewriteswoman; and Prof. Joy Ezeilo of the Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.
Scholars lined up to discuss the theme of global education and the Nigerian struggle at the conference include Prof. Veronica Boix Mansilla, Harvard University, USA; Dr. Nancy Dickson Vanderbilt University, USA; Bishop Godfrey I. Onah, Catholic Bishop of Nsukka; and Chike Nwoke, Carleton University, Canada, among others.
This life-changing conference will be held at The Base Landmarks Event Center, Independent Layout, Enugu, on November 25, 2022. Participants can register online by visiting the organisation’s website.