By Obiamaka Ifejika, Heirs Holdings
Picture this: I am standing in the middle of a Presidential dinner holding my phone up because Instagram wasn’t going to go live by itself. If I move two inches to the right, I can whisper in Governor Peter Obi’s ear that I’d like his autograph for my father. If I raised my voice high enough, I could send the same message to the Presidents of African countries just sitting by the next table- although what their collective bodyguards would do after I behave like a lunatic is anybody’s guess but, I digress.
Let’s start with what I’m doing in Abuja.
An email comes in on Tuesday that I’m travelling with the chairman on Wednesday. So I act like a private jet is something I enter all the time and privately leave Lagos for Abuja- straight into a convoy situation that took me through actual paved roads, not patched. You wouldn’t really know the difference until you feel the difference.
We arrive at Transcorp Hilton and everything is quick. The hotel lobby is restless, as expected. The atmosphere is teething with “long time” “when did you arrive?” in fact, I caught a “you’ve added weight o” in the air – Typical Nigerian salutations. I walk up to what is the special check-in for colleagues and get a room key.
Thursday evening, with a few colleagues and I, ride to The Tony Elumelu Foundation Alumni Dinner. I distract myself from the reality that I wasn’t on code with an English attire. We arrive at the dinner and hear everyone before we see them. Colour and culture as loud as you please. I follow my colleague, Tope’s lead. The entire social media structure is her turf and I’m basically here to support in whatever capacity. We sit up front, closest to the stage as we can get and stand when necessary. We’re negotiating space with professional photographers weaving this way and that to get the shots of their career. All of this is playing second-fiddle to the excitement emanating from the Alumni, they give you no choice but to get swept up in the celebration of making it this far, armed with seed-funding, ready to push the boundaries of #Africapitalism.
Then there were flags, the only place I’ve seen these many flags was the Olympics. Tiny waving flags, Large ones on poles but the most common was the way some very large ones were fastened across their shoulders like they had indeed crossed the finish line.
Who wakes up tired on the day of their event? The people tirelessly planning what has been declared the biggest convening of African Entrepreneurs in one place. I consciously stop myself from telling almost everyone I see that they look tired. At this point, they know.
And then Day 1 arrives. It is the first time I’ve heard Dr. Elumelu speak, so I pay a little extra attention when she gives the welcome address. Time moves quickly in the Congress Hall, especially when you’re working. Catching conversation bites, taking the right pictures that must go online immediately. Before 5 pm, I’ve been sitting through four plenaries and one Master class, thinking I live in this country but still find myself surprised that this much passion exists for true entrepreneurial empowerment of young people.
Each conversation focus was different but at the soul of it, everyone said the same thing. Youth matter, youth should be empowered, we’re empowering youth.
Nothing prepared me for the emotions I was struggling not to feel during the interactive session with our Chairman, Tony Elumelu. He walks into the room and the on-going panel discussion transitions to the crowd chanting his name. So he takes the stage, gives a speech about discipline and hard work. But it’s the question and answer session that got to me. Not one single alumnus stands up to ask a question without expressing profound gratitude to the Foundation or naming individuals that gave them more than required attention to get them this far. It was beautiful. It was also the first time I heard Tony Elumelu laugh, belly-deep. It was contagious.
Day 2 was much like Day 1
I sit in the crowd enjoying the gift that is Fareed Zakaria of CNN as he weaves dialogue between African Presidents and the audience – firm yet humorous. We enjoy an impressively moderated session.
The tour of the UBA Marketplace follows after. Some of the crowd start the short trek. I think to myself: I must be there before most people, so I walk faster, get to the large warehouse that looks like a mall on the outside and wait by the entrance.
Eventually, the walk around the UBA marketplace ends in the Redzone- as they call it, where a chat is about to happen with Wizkid, African pop star.
I walk out of the market place thinking about the after-party with top entertainers from Nigeria. If I’m not too tired I will as the fuji legend Shina Peters has charged me, dance dance dance.
Fantastic experience!