The Annual TEDx Ikeja, an independent TED-like event that started in the year 2015 held its 2017 edition on Saturday, October 14, 2017, at David’s Court Toyin Street Ikeja with the theme, Where do we go from here?

According to the curator of TEDx Ikeja, Demola Adeshola in an exclusive chat with YNaija, he explained the rationale behind the theme saying, “A lot of people are confused because of the way the world is right now, there is a lot of terrorism, immigration issues, lot of personal issues which people currently experience in their life such as broken homes, singles, baby mama, among others which they need to move away from. As a result, Where do we go from here? is a medium of answering those questions“.

The program parades an array of fourteen speakers speaking on various aspects of the theme. Among which is Bolaji Okusaga, the managing director of Quadrant company, who speaks on the topic Are We Yet A Nation? His presentation dwelled much on comparing and contrasting Nigeria of today with what exists in the past and what should be done to take the country out of the woods.

Still on Nation building, Mr Dayo Isreal shared his experience as an aspirant in the just concluded Lagos Council polls with the audience. Speaking on the topic Audacity To Run, he challenged Nigerian youth to participate in politics and contest for elective positions.

While Mr Christopher Oputa, the CEO of studio24, a photography company dwelled much on female empowerment. In his presentation, he explained the success of his current program tagged something for the girls which has helped in empowering and reconstructing lives of females that once found themselves in the web of prostitution, drugs among other social vices which have benefited more than five hundred female Nigerians.

For Busayo Morakinyo, an ECOWAS youth peace ambassador and a core humanitarian and development enthusiast that has spent the past few years at the war-ravaged North East Nigeria and recently Benue was keen on finding solutions to the plight of IDP’s in various camps across the North East in particular and Nigeria in general. In his presentation, he challenged the attendees to stand in the gap for internally displaced persons as anyone can be displaced at a particular point in time. He concluded by challenging the government to formulate a developmental plan for the IDP’s which should include durable solutions like Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reintegration of IDP’s.

Other speakers at the event includes Femi Adeoti CEO Inlaks, Dele Adeyinka Chief Digital officer ALAT, Adesemowo Oyebade Co-founder Social lender, Ade Olufeko Pre-Eminent Thinker, Jide Martin CEO Comic Republic, Olubusola Ajayi Media Educator, Doel stunner a musician and songwriter, Orange Academy, and Cherry Entafield a dentist, Poet and Spoken word Artiste.

Editor