67 Minutes devoted to community service was how Day 2 of the 2023 Umoja African Student Leaders Network Summit/UNILAG Mandela Week got underway on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. Significantly, it was also the Nelson Mandela Day.
Youth participants drawn from universities across Africa and the United Kingdom delightfully joined in the two major events lined up for the community: a pixelated painting of Nelson Mandela, and tree planting.
The Vice-Consul (Political) of the South African Consulate in Nigeria, Ms. Busisiwe Dlamini, declared the day’s event open. She encouraged participants to internalise the message of selfless service, resilience, and hope that Nelson Mandela excellently personified.
“I encourage you not to let it end here. As you pick up the brushes and you paint the colours, let it be a reminder that you also have a unique solution that you can contribute to your community. Spread positivity and be the Mandela in your own little corner”, she said.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), Prof. Ayodele Atsenuwa, led other members of the university community to the painting event. She expressed delight at the enthusiasm on display and how the energy of youths from different countries signalled a possibility of closer collaboration among African countries.
Tree Planting
Led by Dr. Abdulganiyu Adelopo of the Works and Physical Planning Unit, the participants thereafter went for the tree planting exercise around the Senate House of the university.
Inaugural 3MT Competition
From there, the next port of call for them was the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS) where the inaugural edition of the Three Minutes Thesis Competition in Africa was held.
At the competition, young African doctoral researchers competed for prizes by communicating the essence of their works to a non-academic audience in three minutes. It was indeed a contest of ideas.
Mrs Hope Orivri from the University of Lagos, with her presentation on “Utilisation of WASH Behaviour Change Messages among Mothers of Under-5 Children in Lagos Urban Slums”, came tops. She was rewarded with an all-expense-paid trip to the University of Dundee.
With her presentation on “Beyond Elitist Parents and Lazy Children: An Interdisciplinary Examination of Intergenerational Language Shift among the Yoruba ‘Educated Elite’ in Lagos, Ms. Bolajoko Kolawole came 2nd. She was rewarded with an all-expense paid research visit to Aston University. She is from the University of Lagos.
Mr. Anele Mdepa from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, came 3rd with his presentation on “Exploring studentification for NSFAS student recipients living in a black township situated close to Stellenbosch University”. He will be spending a grant-supported year of research at the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies.
Meal and Meet
After the competition, there remained ample time for the participants to wine, dine, and build transnational friendships in the African spirit of Umoja.
