Paradigm Initiative Nigeria: The PIN Team


	PIN Team

'Gbenga Sesan

'Gbenga Sesan was Nigeria's first Information Technology Youth Ambassador. His interest and work is built around "Youth Bridging the Digital Divide" and he is quick to express his strong belief in the potentials that ICTs hold for Nigeria and Africa. He has been an active participant at national, regional and international discussions on the need for Africa's inclusion in the Information Society and has consulted widely for numerous organisations, including the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). 'Gbenga is an Information Society researcher, Vice Chair of the African Technical Advisory Committee, and is with the African Youth ICT4D Network as a Coordinating Bureau member.

In recognition of his dynamic efforts, 'Gbenga was a recepient of the "Frontier of Technology in Nigeria" award and the International Telecommunication Union's Africa 2001 Youth fellowship award, among others. He was also honoured as one of the "Ten Outstanding Young Persons in Nigeria" and profiled as one of the 35 "Icons of ICT" in Nigeria. 'Gbenga is presently completing his postgraduate study in ICT Policy and Regulation, and is Program Manager of Lagos Digital Village, a multistakeholder partnership project that provides training and mentorship opportunities for underserved youth in Nigeria through the provision of a training centre equipped with computers and internet access. He maintains a personal website, www.gbengasesan.com, a log (Oro) at www.gbengasesan.com/blog, and continues to spend time discussing with people-groups on the effective use of Information and Communication Technologies for development.

Edward Popoola

Edward Popoola, 23, is a young man whose passion lies in advocacy for young people. He is Nigeria’s Information Technology youth Ambassador. As a youth ambassador, one of his responsibilities is to spread the news about Information Technology among young people in Nigeria. He does this by honoring speaking invitations in Universities, Polytechnics and colleges of Technology.

He is a member of the WSIS Youth Caucus international and in Nigeria. He has attended meetings that are geared towards promoting youth inclusion in policy making processes. In such meetings he has either spoken the minds of the youth he represents or has added his voice to that of other youths. In May 2004, he led the youth delegation to present the Nigerian Youth Declaration on the WSIS at the eNigeria International ICT conference in Abuja Nigeria. He also spoke at the 2005 edition, highlighting the role of youth in grassroot ICT deployment.In February 2005, he was among the youths sponsorsed to attend the African Regional Preparatory meeting, Accra 2005, towards the second phase of the WSIS meeting in Tunis, Tunisia. This meeting formed the platform for the launching of the African Youth ICT4D Network

At the International level, Edward is working as a partner with the World Summit Youth Awards Radio, where he reports on the Nigerian Youth Situation and the ICTs. He was also recently invited to be a member of the Nigerian World Summit Awards Advisory board under the e-Learning Category and he is one of the jurors for the World Summit Youth Award. He maintains a personal website at www.edwardpopoola.com

As a young enterpreneur, Edward manages Blue Identity Nigeria

OLUWATOSIN Emmanuel

OLUWATOSIN Emmanuel’s interest in Information Communication and Technology was formed when he saw a computer for the first time in 1995, while still in secondary school, after which he went on to obtain a certificate in Computer Appreciation.

His good sense of vision and commitment made him to get involved in various Youth Empowerment projects across the country. His major drive is to see a shift from meetings to events, ensuring that words give way to action - thereby addressing the need to step up from being end users to innovative minds. He is a member of various youth-led initiatives and organization – WSIS Youth, African Youth ICT4D Network, Nigerian Anti-Scam Network, African Role Models etc. He believes strongly that the development of any country starts with Youth empowerment and this explains the reason why he teamed up with some other youths to establish various web and mobile solution company – www.nairahost.com, www.nairahost.com.ng to mention a few.

Emmanuel is presently studying for his MBA at Manchester Business School, UK. He constantly seeks to use his personal website, www.eolutosin.com (launched in 2005) to motivate Nigerian Youths the more on the need to take charge of their destiny.