Taking a bow was my first ceremonial act at ActionAid. Like an actor after a good stage performance, recruits are encouraged to happily take a bow as they are warmly welcomed into the ActionAid Nigeria family at their first general staff meeting. I took my first bow in August 2017, and this week, I am taking the second bow, this time, a farewell bow as Communications Coordinator at ActionAid Nigeria after an incredible journey of 5+ years. True friends, they say don’t say goodbye, they just take extended leaves of absence from each other, and for me, my decision to turn the next chapter is not a goodbye to ActionAid; the mission and the bond are for a lifetime.
Throwback to ‘radio days’.
I had started my career as a media professional, fascinated by the power of radio, turntables and information. It wasn’t long before I knew I needed to work the talk. Fast forward 2 media houses, 2 local NGOs and 2 INGOs later, I joined ActionAid Nigeria in 2017, a few months before the launch of the current Country Strategy Paper (CSP), Social Justice to End Poverty 2018-2023. The strategic focus of the CSP was perfect; to enhance people’s power in democratic governance; to protect women and girls from violence and create opportunities for economic independence and decision making; to improve women’s leadership in an accountable humanitarian and resilience system. Those who know me beyond the 8-5 understand why this resonates; my role was more than a job; it was a calling, and throughout my time at AAN, systems efficiency and strengthening the capacity of my team members to deliver on the communications strategy of the CSP was my priority.
Imagine waking up at 2. am to find yourself floating in your bedroom. On this trip to Delta State, ‘mama’ shared how the recurrent floods in her community threaten livelihoods, and the safety of children. She also added that the community women and youths have begun mobilising to ensure that the waterways are cleared, and the proper infrastructure is put in place by the government, following the training they received from ActionAid Local Rights Programme.
Five years later, I can say some moments gladdened my heart, and some made my heart sink. There were days I returned from the deep field and knew I required psychosocial counselling, and they were days the success stories made me cry joyfully. The most recent was when Amina (pseudo name), a girl with special needs from Sokoto state, shared how ActionAid Breaking Barriers project encouraged her to aspire to be a productive citizen through the girl’s safe space. Contrary to what a woman she respected had told her, a girl without perfect limbs can aspire to greatness, and Amina is on her way to becoming a pharmacist. Another proud moment was when I was filming a documentary with smallholder women farmers on the Public Financing for Agriculture project. Hearing women in the most remote communities in Nigeria say confidently that they can never be poor again after years of training and capacity building they had received from ActionAid was magical. Indeed, no group brought to life the concept of power-in-people like the smallholder women farmers as they have become smarter mobilizers.
Strengthening the capacity of Local Women’s Rights Organisations (LWROs) and making flexible funds available to them to respond timely to fundamental issues of gender-based violence and gross human rights violations is a phenomenal initiative. The Women’s Voices and Leadership project remains one of the unique approaches to programming. Explaining the project’s impact is not as good as when you experience it for yourself. I recall having an out-of-the-body experience visiting one of the LWROs in Lagos. On that fateful day, the Executive Director was informed that an 11-year-old schoolgirl running errands for her mother at about 3 pm the previous day was lured into a building, gang-raped by four young men and eventually murdered. While I was still in shock, trying to comprehend what had happened, the ED had mobilized online and offline. She called the police, visited the family, and continued championing the nationwide call for justice. On the same day, the ED received and responded to two other reports; one of a homeless 14-year-old girl who had been raped severally, and the other of a woman seeking counsel after she had a miscarriage due to battering and psychological abuse. No gainsaying, when local women’s rights organizations are empowered, they become catalysts for real transformation at the grassroots.
My first rally at ActionAid was ‘Women Rising on the State of the Nation’. I loved being a broadcaster, however, at ActionAid, I found my voice and used it for women, for girls and communities; there is no stopping now.
Almost unbelievable but true is the MATAI project. Most Nigerian history books have it that Mary Slessor stopped the killing of twins in Nigeria. Mary Slessor may have stopped it in Okoyong in Cross River state in 1876 but surely not in the entire country. We need to update our history books. Watching some identical twins rescued in Nigeria’s federal capital with the support of ActionAid gives a ray of hope that ending infanticide is near.
As I reflect on the many triumphant stories of the 30+ projects I collaborated on while at ActionAid Nigeria, I salute the courage of my incredible colleagues who are always ready to “go there”. Like Mungo Park, if a community exist, no matter how far from civilization, ActionAid goes there. For a fact, ActionAid community rootedness is unparalleled. Nonetheless, in recent times, it has become harder to shake off the nostalgic feeling that despite many development projects in Nigeria, the country is yet to record positive indices consistently.
History has it that development aid to Nigeria dates as far back as 1960, the year that Nigeria became the 26th African nation to gain independence. At that time, the U.S. Government awarded grants to four major U.S. state universities (Michigan State, Wisconsin State, Kansas State, and Colorado State) to build colleges of agriculture in four Nigerian universities: the University of Ibadan, University of Nigeria-Nsukka, Ahmadu Bello University-Zaria, and the University of Ife. Almost seven decades later, real grassroots development is still heavily dependent on international aid, with Nigeria’s education sector currently standing on its knees. As the giant of Africa, 2023 provides an opportunity for Nigeria to set the pace for the continent by electing competent leaders; young people are poised to coordinate and lead this change process. I believe we will make meaningful progress when Nigerians unite against the common enemy of recycled bad leadership, nepotism and tribalism, and embrace efficiency and competency over regional sentiments.
At the Accountability Discourse Series to amplify the anticorruption campaign alongside media big wigs in Lagos.
Women in Media (WIMDI) and ActionAid team after a workshop on media appearance etiquettes for AANs Country Management Team
If ActionAid was a bride, the Media will be her groom. Media capacity strengthening was at the centre of AANs communications strategy, and I count it a privilege to have led on the design of the training modules as we built the capacity of 750+ journalists across the 6 geopolitical zones of Nigeria. This paid off, as we have seen the quality of reportage of the journalists we work with evolve in the last 5 years. Notwithstanding, more journalists need to be reached. Beyond capacity strengthening, development partners need to do more on protection for journalists and human rights defenders in the Global South as the civic space continues to shrink, especially now that the general elections are here. With Nigeria’s inflation rate sitting steady at 17.7 %, the Ukraine-Russia war affecting food and fuel prices, and economies still trying to recover from the impact of the covid19 pandemic, advertisers’ funding is dwindling, and a good number of media houses in Nigeria are struggling to choose between objectivity and survival. As CSOs, we should see media relations as symbiotic, and our communications strategy should include innovative approaches to support credible media organizations to stay afloat.
Facilitating a session on the concept of power in humanitarian context during a 2-day workshop on conflict-sensitive reportage for journalists in Northwest Nigeria.
Media ‘Top Executives’ participate in ActionAid Gender Responsive Public Service campaign.
As the saying goes, once an ActionAider, always an ActionAider. I am humbled by what AAN Communications Hub has achieved in 5 years and how much the Communications team has grown as individuals and as a unit. Starting with a desk with a pile of papers heavily dependent on external consultants, we evolved into a tech-savvy team curating and producing multimedia content.
Some of my amazing colleagues at ActionAid Nigeria
Learning with the AAI Tax Justice team in Tanzania
Learning with members of the EFAST in Nepal
Honored to have worked with ActionAid UK on the WBW campaign in London last summer
My biggest takeaway from ActionAid Nigeria is the value of courage of conviction and the importance of emotional intelligence. Kudos to my long-standing line managers, Comrade Tunde Aremu and Dr Funmilayo Oyefusi, for their generous mentorship and encouragement. I will miss the solidarity and coveted hugs of Comrade Ene Obi. My transformational journey at ActionAid Nigeria would not be complete without the special mention of my cluster of inspirators: the firebrand women and my big brothers on AAN Board and Country Management Team, The Humanitarian Team, a.k.a the Happy People, the Organisational Effectiveness Directorate, my friends in “The Cube”, the Procurement Squad, the Antiracism champions at ActionAid UK, the resilient IHART – Emergency Fast Action Support Team (EFAST) and Rapid Action Communications in Emergencies (RACE) teams, and the inspiring colleagues I worked with across the ActionAid Federation. To my battalion media friends and comrades, too many to mention here, our journey together just started! To all the incredibly talented members of ActionAid Nigeria Communications Hub, you are valued, you have the springboard, bounce as high as you can.
As I end this rather long piece, I ponder on what I would like to change in the development communications space and wish I could wave a magic wand to transform how stories are told, especially the stories of people in the Global South. The imagery should not be demeaning if we intend to change lives for good.
So, what next? I will be working on the following causes:
Decolonizing aid, storytelling and systems.
Documenting evidence, stories and utilizing insights to inspire the conceptualization and implementation of development interventions in Africa.
Capacity strengthening and protection for human rights defenders and women journalists in Africa.
Transforming education in Africa through mentorship, with a bias for female undergraduates.
To collaborate on any of the above causes, please do not hesitate to send me an email at connect@lolayanda.com or DM on LinkedIn.
I was sorry to see your email that you are heading off to pastures new. But I was also very excited, because I know you will have a great impact on the next step of your journey, and it would be selfish of us to keep you forever.
Go well, knowing the excellent work you did will last, and be your ActionAid legacy.
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Dear Lola,
I was sorry to see your email that you are heading off to pastures new. But I was also very excited, because I know you will have a great impact on the next step of your journey, and it would be selfish of us to keep you forever.
Go well, knowing the excellent work you did will last, and be your ActionAid legacy.
Best wishes, and good luck!
Stevie