EiE launches Footprint to mark 10th anniversary
By Felicia Nwosu
In celebration of a decade of building a new generation of active citizens, Enough is Enough (EiE), a coalition of Nigerian youth advocacy groups, hosted the public to a glamorous evening with the presentation of its book titled “Footprints: Past. Present. Future.” The milestone event was held at the Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, on 12 December, 2022.
Footprint is a 12-chapter book, a masterpiece put together by 47 young contributors, who poured out their hearts together to represent the great future with the new voices as members of EiE. These great personalities are Chude Jideonwo, Adebola Williams, Amaka Nwankpa, Hadiza Mohammed, Aisha Yesufu, Tunde Bakare, 2Face Idibia, Seun Onigbinde and many others.
The foreword for the book was written by Nigeria’s legendary diplomat and academic, Christopher Kolade, while it was compiled by EiE. The journey of EiE, which kicked off in 2010, was officially registered in 2012.
Reminiscing on how and when the life-changing journey began, Executive Director, Yemi Adamolekun, said it has been 10 years of labour of love in achieving an incredible milestone and demanding for responsive, accountable governance after engaging in several protests that have given birth to stronger voices of champions for good governance.
Mrs. Adamolekun made the evening a moment of reflection for the audience when she went back to the lonely journey of advocacy for good governance, which came with so much struggles. She tasked Nigerians to back up their words with action by ensuring that they go beyond registration, vote right and protect their votes to make a change in 2023, while demanding for accountability.
“Nigeria is where it is because of actions we have taken or actions we have refused to take. My challenge to you this evening is to ask: ‘Is enough not enough?’ What would it take to move us from where we are to where we want to be? EiE has become a platform where I could use my voice and talk about the Nigeria that I want to leave for my children,” she said.
Tolulope Adeleru-Balogun, a journalist and also one of the contributors of Footprint, who read some excerpts from the book, said she was glad and proud to have been a part of the journey which has now been replicated in many states.
“It has been nothing short of interesting to be a Nigerian journalist in an era where social media has become mainstream media with the structure and a leveler. Social media has made it easier to have vital conversations throughout government, accountability, the need for transparency, and the education of citizens on their rights and responsibilities,” she said.
Another contributor, Chude Jideonwo, who is also a broadcaster, while granting an interview to journalists at the event revealed what inspired the title of the book.
“I am looking at the footprints that EiE has left upon the Nigeria polity over the past 12 years, but beyond EiE, the footprints that young people have left in multiple advocacy efforts since then till Endsars, and the idea that there were no silos and unbroken chain or people who love their country, who are coming together at great risk to themselves for their liberty. I think that’s what the book is signaling,” he said.
Rinu Oduala, a human rights activist, who featured virtually in an inter-generational conversation, described the book as the only real compendium of people that participated in a significant protest. She added that the most challenging factor is getting people to support the movement, while expressing optimism that Nigerian youths are already harvesting the gains of Endsars.
Aside from the book presentation, there was also the EiE’s pre-election fundraising auction, where notable personalities who cut across art, fashion and photography, music and other sectors made various forms of donations. These include Bruce Onabrakpeya, Deola Sagoe, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, TY Bello and many others.
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