by crossriverwatch admin
Ignatius Oli is a member of the National Youth Council, Cross River State Chapter and he is part of the African Union Observer team led by Former President Olusegun Obasanjo to Zimbabwe for their presidential elections expected to hold today. In this interview with CrossRiverWatch from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia where they are on transit to Harare the Zimbabwean Capital, Oli says, “I feel honored as a youth from Cross River State to be part of the delegation”.
May we meet you please?
I am Ignatius Inyokwe Oli from Ukwutia, Utugwang Obudu LGA, Cross River State. I am a Youth Leader in Cross River State with National Youth Council of Nigeria, Cross River State Chapter. I belong to several Youth Networks nationally and internationally.
How do you feel being in this delegation, first as an election monitor coming from a country with a background of poorly conducted elections and secondly being in company of a former President of Nigeria who is being accused of rigging several elections in Nigeria?
I feel really humbled and honored to be part of this delegation. This is my first time in Addis Ababa and will also be my first time in Zimbabwe and Zambia as well when the events take me to these places. I am in this team because of my experience and training in election monitoring and observation by International Federation of Election System and Justice Development and Peace Caritas, Calabar and not because of the fact that I am a Nigerian. I believe our election system in Nigeria will get better as we grow with democracy. Secondly, it’s a wow feeling being in this delegation and getting the chance to interact with him (former President Obasanjo). I feel really great.
How do you think your experience from this assignment will impact on your work as a youth leader in Cross River state?
This will greatly impact on my work as a Youth Leader in Cross River State because I am going to be better exposed to best practices as I interact and network with a cross section of professionals here especially the African Union, AU Youth Parliamentarians also in this team.
What lessons do you want to take from your trip back home for other Cross River youths?
I am going to look at how they have managed all their crises given the much speculation that the elections will not hold and all that and take the lessons back home. I will also want to see the level of participation of Youths in this election and juxtapose both when I get back home.They are other things but when I am finally in Harare, I will see how it is and then can keep you posted.
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