March 2024
Topic: Africa’s Economic Future: Key Determinants
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 29 March 2024
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST
Guest: Mwanda Phiri, Max Koffi, Mahmoud Arbouch
Host: ibrahim Babatunde Anoba
Mwanda Phiri-Mwewa is an economist with expertise in research and policy advisory work. With a strong understanding of Africa’s socio-economic context, Mwanda is dedicated to driving economic prosperity and transformation across the continent. At Africa Lead for the Charter Cities Institute, Mwanda supports the development of new thriving cities across Africa that foster investments, jobs and inclusive economic transformation.
Max Koffi is a prominent advocate for Africa’s economic decolonization. He is the founder and CEO of Africa in Motion, a non-profit organization that aims to increase the impact of the African Diaspora on the sustainable and economic development of the African continent. Additionally, he is the founder and chairman of the Equal Trade Alliance (ETA). ETA aims to bring together European and African professionals, students, and civil society actors to reflect upon the current trade relations between Europe and Africa, as well as the challenges that arise.
Mahmoud Arbouch is an economist at the Policy Center for the New South. He is a graduate engineer from the National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics, Rabat. Mahmoud is currently a Ph.D. student at the Faculty of Governance, Economic & Social Sciences of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, working on place-based industrial policies in Morocco. He previously worked on topics related to infrastructure development and financing in Sub-Saharan Africa, regional economics in Morocco, the economic aspects of migration, as well as some sectoral policies in Morocco.
February 2024
Topic: The Freedom African: A New Voice from Africa
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 23 February 2024
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST
Guest: Chiamaka Adinnu, David Hundeyin, Feyisade Adeyemi PhD
Host: ibrahim Babatunde Anoba
The African Voices of Freedom magazine will be pre-launched before LibertyCon Africa. The pre-launch event will feature contributors from the magazine, enabling them to share insights into their contributions and solutions to pressing issues impacting human dignity and freedom across Africa.
Feyisade Charles Adeyemi PhD is a trans-disciplinary educator, development practitioner, and public speaker. He teaches Culture and Tourism in Africa, Citizenship Education, among other courses at Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin. In addition to academic articles published in local and international journals, he has authored several opinion articles published in The Sun, The Guardian, The Nation newspapers, and Tell Magazine, among other print dailies/magazines in Nigeria.
Chiamaka Adinnu was recently a master’s student of food safety and quality engineering at the Szent Istvan University, Hungary. She currently works with African Liberty as an editorial assistant. As an established writer, her writing focuses on international trade and global economic trends influencing food and agriculture. She has worked with reputable local and international media outlets and has published works in these areas.
David Hundeyin is a writer and journalist who specializes in business, politics, and security. His work has been featured in various prominent publications such as Al Jazeera, The Africa Report, Channels Television, BusinessDay, West Africa Weekly, and CNN Africa. Hundeyin’s contributions were highlighted in the New Yorker Magazine and the Netflix documentary ‘Larry Charles Dangerous World of Comedy’, specifically in Episode four.
January 2024
Topic: Navigating Food Insecurity in Africa: Old problems, New solutions
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 26 January 2024
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST
Guest: Prof. Catherine Kunyanga, Chiamaka Adinnu
Host: ibrahim Babatunde Anoba
Prof. Catherine Kunyanga is an Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Technology, Associate Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nairobi. She is also the Coordinator, Food Security Center, a center of excellence. Her research interest currently focuses on food innovations and technologies that can be leveraged towards the reduction of food and nutrition insecurity using sustainable food systems approach in a holistic, transdisciplinary, and interdisciplinary approach to promote the consumption of safe and nutritious foods for better nutrition and health outcomes.
Chiamaka Adinnu was recently a master’s student of food safety and quality engineering at the Szent Istvan University, Hungary. She currently works with African Liberty as an editorial assistant. As an established writer, her writing focuses on international trade and global economic trends influencing food and agriculture. She has worked with reputable local and international media outlets and has published works in these areas.
November 2023
Topic: Migration and Free Movement in Africa: Threats and Opportunities
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 24 November 2023
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST
Guest: Dr. Abdoulaye Kane, Dr. Wendy Williams
Host: ibrahim Babatunde Anoba
Dr. Abdoulaye Kane is an Associate Professor in Anthropology at the Center for African Studies at the University of Florida. His teaching and research interest is on the transnational practices of Haalpulaar migrants in Europe and the United States and their impacts on the sending communities in the Senegal River Valley.
Dr. Wendy Williams’ research focuses on forced displacement and migration, violent extremist organizations, illicit financial flows, international human rights, humanitarian law, military professionalism, and the rule of law. Ms. Williams received a B.A. from Columbia College at Columbia University in New York and a J.D. from Columbia Law School and has written several articles on migration and human security.
October 2023
Topic: The Future of Democracy in Africa
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 27 October 2023
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Dakore Ekpendu, Chriseddy Mwila, Vanessa Aboudi
Host: ibrahim Babatunde Anoba
Dakore Ekpendu is a multimedia journalist, who is dedicated to amplifying voices and stories that matter. With a focus on women, youth, peace, and a myriad of critical issues, her goal is to inform, inspire, and drive positive change through impactful storytelling.
Chriseddy Mwila is a social entrepreneur, award-winning governance expert, and the executive director at BeRelevant Afrika. Mwila holds a bachelor’s degree in politics and international relations from the University of Lusaka.
Vanessa Aboudi is a doctoral student in political science at the University of Yaoundé II, where she obtained her master II in the same discipline. Analyst in governance and democracy at the Nkafu Policy Institute of the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation, Vanessa Aboudi is author and co-author of several scientific articles and policy briefs addressing issues relating to governance and democracy, gender and human rights.
September 2023
Topic: Open Trade and Conflict Minerals in Africa
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 29 September 2023
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Josaphat Bussy, Peer Schouten, Ben Radley
Host: ibrahim Babatunde Anoba
Josaphat Musamba, a Congolese researcher, is a PhD student at Ghent University. He is affiliated with the Group for Studies on Conflicts and Human Security (GECSH). He has also served as a liaison officer in the security and safety department of Handicap International and as a Congolese staff member in the United Nations Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Peer Schouten is a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, associate researcher at the International Peace Information Service, and editor-in-chief of Theory Talks. His work combines deep fieldwork in Central Africa with theory development and engagement with policy debates.
Ben Radley is a political economist and lecturer in international development at the University of Bath. His research centres on the interplay between green transitions and economic transformation in Central Africa, with a focus on labour dynamics and the roles played by northern corporations. He is the author of “Disrupted Development in the Congo: The Fragile Foundations of the African Mining Consensus,” to be published in November.
August 2023
Topic: Political Freedom and the Military’s Role in African Politics
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 25 August 2023
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Adeoti Dipeolu, Emmaculate A. Liaga
Host: ibrahim Babatunde Anoba
Adeoti Dipeolu is a research associate at the African Leadership Centre (ALC), King’s College London. She is also the coordinator of the ALC’s Leading Practitioners that convenes senior practitioners in the field of peace, security and development, and the Leading Feminist Voices in Africa project. She holds a PhD in Leadership Studies with reference to security and development from King’s College London, and an MA in Public Policy from the University of East Anglia. Her research interests include diaspora, migration, peacebuilding, peace and security.
Emmaculate A. Liaga holds a doctorate degree from the University of Pretoria. She is a post-doc researcher at the Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation, University of Johannesburg. Her research investigates the peacebuilding strategies employed by both local and international organizations of peace operations in post-conflict communities. Her research interests include peace and security, conflict resolution, agency of communities in policymaking, and international relations theories.
July 2023
Topic: The Future of Gender Rights Advocacy in Africa
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 28 July 2023
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Primerose Z. J. Bimha, Suntosh Pillay
Host: Ibrahim Babatunde Anoba
Dr. Primerose Z. J. Bimha is a postdoctoral fellow at Stellenbosch University. She is an international relations and gender studies scholar who has worked in academia, government, and think tank environments. Her research interests include diplomacy, democracy, business strategy, migration management, and gender justice. She has authored and co-authored many works, including “The Status of African Women in Foreign Policy”.
Suntosh R. Pillay is a clinical psychologist, researcher and activist in South Africa. His areas of interest are community and social psychology, public mental health, psychotherapy, decoloniality, LGBTI+ affirmative practices, and socio-political change. He is the co-founder of KZN Mental Health Advocacy Group and is a council member – of the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA).
June 2023
Topic: The East African Federation: Possibilities for Trade Integration
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 30 June 2023
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Henry Amadi, Raphael Obonyo
Host: Ibrahim Babatunde Anoba, Arinze Nwafor
Dr. Raphael Obonyo is an adjunct professor at Brandeis University, where he teaches International Youth Policy. He has extensive knowledge and experience in public policy, international development, political economy, governance and human rights. Obonyo serves on the World Bank’s Global Youth Network, Global Diplomatic Forum and Africa Leadership Institute board. He holds a Master Degree in Public Policy from Duke University and he is a Ford Foundation Fellow. Raphael Obonyo is a multi-award winner, author and co-author of many books.
Dr. Henry Amadi holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Leipzig, Germany. He has a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the University of Nairobi, Kenya and is a Lecturer at the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the same University. He has several years of experience in teaching, research, and supervision in International Relations, Political Sociology, public policy analysis, and security governance. He also has several publications to his name.
May 2023
Topic: Transnational (in)security in Africa: The role of free trade
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 26 May 2023
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Michael Nwankpa, Alazar Melkamu
Host: Ibrahim Anoba
More than ever before, African countries are challenged by ravaging insecurity of different iterations. There is equally an unprecedented enthusiasm about the prospects of trade on the continent. Is there any form of relationship between free trade and insecurity? If so, how could African countries use trade policies to remedy insecurity?
Dr. Michael Nwankpa is an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and the Founding Director of Research at the Centre for African Conflict and Development in London. He holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Roehampton and held two prestigious fellowships at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, and at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, University of Maryland. His research areas are the nexus between conflict and developments, counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, foreign and security policy, and African security.
Alazar Melkamu is a lecturer at Jigjiga University, Ethiopia. He holds a Master of Arts in Peace Studies and conflict resolution from the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He is an author and coauthor with work appearances in national and international journals, including the International Journal of Peace and Development Studies. His research works focus on conflict detection and resolution, unemployment, African Continental Free Trade Area, the security sector and governance, amongst others.
April 2023
Topic: How can Africa’s informal economy benefit from the AfCFTA?
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 28 April 2023
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Socrates Majune, Innocent Anguyo
Host: Ibrahim Anob
The World Bank estimates that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFA) could lift 30 million Africans out of extreme poverty, boost the incomes of nearly 70 million people, and generate $450 billion by 2035. Could the informal sector, which employ millions across the continent, stand to be the AfCFTA’s biggest beneficiary? Or, does the sector stand to lose the most from such unprecedented trade integration?
Innocent Anguyo is the market leader of Istanbul Africa Trade Company in Uganda and is responsible for client relationships and sales procedures. He is a consultant at the London School of Economics and Political Science and a recipient of the 2023 Sustainable Investing Fellowship. Mr Anguyo has several years of experience in business and financial journalism, research and international development. He is passionate about developing African markets.
Dr. Socrates Majune teaches history of economic thought and institutional economy at the department of economics and development studies, University of Nairobi. He worked with the Economic Research and Statistics Division Department of the World Trade Organisation and was a short term consultant with the World Bank Group on Exporter Dynamics Database on Keyna. His research interests include: international trade, industrial economics, institutional economics, econometrics, amongst others.
March 2023
Topic: The Future of Africa’s Trade Relations with China and the US
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 31 March 2023
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST
Guest: Folarin Opeyemi, Dr. Felix Kumah-Abiwu, Tam Alex
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Chiamaka Adinu
For decades, Africa has had mutually beneficial economic relationships with China and the US. This relationship has significantly affected the economic status of the continent and its global relevance. China remains Africa’s number one trade partner. Does this relationship in any way undermine the trade relations that exist between the continent and the US? Our guests will answer this question and more in this month’s webinar edition.
Folarin Opeyemi is a policy engagement Analyst, Politician, Entrepreneur and social commentator. He holds a BSc in computer science and economics from Lead City University. He was the House of Representatives candidate in the last general election in the 2019 and 2023 elections, where he ran for a seat in the National Assembly to represent Mushin Federal Constituency 2. Folarin has over six years of experience in entrepreneurship, governance and public policy advocacy. He has been featured in magazines, radio and TV stations, including Sahara TV, Pen radio, and Daybreak Africa.
Dr. Felix Kumah-Abiwu is the Founding Director of the Center for African Studies and Associate Professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Kent State University. He received his PhD in Political Science from West Virginia University. He also studied at Ohio University and the Legon Center for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD), University of Ghana. His research focuses on the politics of development, African security issues, democratization in Africa, and foreign policy analysis.
Tam Alex is a political economist and electricity entrepreneur. He publishes Nigeopolis, a magazine dedicated to advocating for the absolute rights of Nigerians to life, liberty and property. He is also the co-founder of the Nigeria Libertarian Project @LibertarianNG, executive producer of the Despite The Government (DTG) Podcast @despitethegovt and a Senior Fellow at African Liberty. He also develops and operates electricity systems in underserved and unserved communities in Nigeria.
February 2023
Topic: Africa’s surging Inflation: Causes and Solutions
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 24 February 2023
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST
Guest: Dr. Jane Karonga, Constantine Manda
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Chiamaka Adinu
High inflation is tearing apart economies across Africa. The most recent impacts are linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. According to the Global Report on Food Crises 2022 mid-year update, more than one in five people in Africa suffer from hunger, and an estimated 140 million people faced acute food insecurity in 2022. This webinar is about the causes and solutions to inflation on the continent.
Jane Karonga is an Economic Affairs Officer in the Regional Integration & Trade Division of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Before joining the UN in 2010, she had been working successively for Nashville Community College, Tennessee Personal Assistance, and Vanderbilt University, all located in Tennessee, United States of America. She has over 12 years of work experience conducting research and providing policy advisory services to African member States and other stakeholders in regional integration, industrialisation, international trade, and infrastructure development.
Constantine Manda is the co-founder and Director of the Impact Evaluation (IE) Lab at Tanzania’s Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF). He has over ten years of experience working on expanding valuation in Tanzania and across Africa through capacity building, research, and policy engagement. He has won numerous awards, including the 30 most influential young economists of Sub Sahara Africa in 2022 by the Institute of Certified Chartered Economists (ICCE).
January 2023
Topic: The Role of Young Africans in Fixing Public Funds Mismanagement
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 27 January 2023
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST
Guest: Rinu Oduola, Olumayowa Okediran, Olufemi Ogunjobi
Host: Ibrahim Anoba
All over the continent, young Africans are rising to challenge the status quo of excluded leadership to question the lack of transparency and accountability in governance. A typical example was the End SARS protest in Nigeria in 2020. Fixing public funds mismanagement is a crucial requirement to maintaining democracy, and young Africans have pivotal roles to play. In this webinar edition, our guests will discuss these roles.
Rinu Oduala is the executive project director of Connect Hub Nigeria, a platform that documents, defends and advocates against state violence and police brutality in Nigeria. She is a Human Rights advocate, community organizer and influencer focused primarily on equity, justice, humanity and community advancement issues. She uses her Twitter handle with over five hundred thousand followers in actualising these. She was nominated for Future Awards Prize For Advocacy and Activism, and has been awarded as Woman of the Year, Advocacy. HerEconomy 2022 and is part of BBC Nigerian Women Leading the Fight for Change.
Olumayowa Okediran is the Managing Director of African Liberty and International Programs at Students For Liberty. He is a member of the council and a West Africa Policy Fellow at the South African Institute of Race Relations. He is a political and Economic Analyst whose views on politics, economics and human freedom have been translated into 16 languages, including French, Spanish, Czech, Portuguese, Serbian, Macedonian, Greek, Khmer and Vietnamese.
Olufemi Ogunjobi is currently the Career Guidance & Mentorship Manager of the Prometheus Fellowship Program at Students For Liberty. He got involved with Students For Liberty in Nigeria as a local coordinator in 2013, and through the years, occupied several leadership positions in building, managing student programs and overseeing the smooth running of SFL operations across the continent of Africa. On the heels of his volunteer experience, he joined the organization’s staff in 2017, where he served as the African Programs Associate, and African Programs Manager, managing all ASFL operations, aspects of data and programs management, communications, leadership recruitment, training and mentorship of hundreds of volunteers in the African Students For Liberty Program in over 28 countries in Africa. He also works closely in managing the African Liberty project with the Managing Editor.
December 2022
Topic: Religious Fundamentalism in Africa and Freedom of Religion
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 30 December 2022
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST
Guest: Dr. Xolani Sakuba, Kefas Lamak
Host: Ogochukwu Peter, Ibrahim Anoba
Religious violence is among the major security threats bewildering most African countries. Extremist views continue to attract greater followership across the continent as poverty increases. With countries like Nigeria and Mauritania further strengthening blasphemy laws that directly attack followers of non-mainstream religions, freedom of religion continues to shrink. Our guests will help us understand why religious fundamentalism in Africa is a threat to the freedom of religion.
Dr. Xolani Sakuba is a lecturer in the school of Religion, Philosophy, and Classics, Department of Biblical and Historical Studies, Theological Studies, and ethics, at the University of Kwazulu-Natal. Notable among his publications is “Fundamentalism in African Traditional Religion: A Reflection on some Points for Consideration”. His areas of research and expertise include systematic theology, theology, and Christian theology.
Dr. Kefas Lamak is a Ph.D. Pre-Comp candidate and a lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Iowa. He is a recipient of an ASMEA Research Grant for his paper on “Religion or Violence in the Name of Allah: The Rise of an Islamist Extremist Group in Northern Nigeria in the 2000s and the Threat it Poses to Civility, Freedom, and Democracy”. His expertise, research, and teaching interests cut across modern religion and culture, African culture and religious practices, religiously affiliated conflicts, and resolution. Kefas is the author of three recent journal articles: “The Pre-Slavery Praxis and Ethos of the Religion of West African People” in Journal of Religion in Africa; “Religious Appropriation of the Slave Trade” in Journal of Black Religious Thought; and “Double Identities and Identity Struggles in Kongolese Catholicism of the 1700s” in Pharos Journal of Theology.
November 2022
Topic: The State of Security and Individual Freedom in Africa
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 25 November 2022
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST
Guest: Professor Martin Gill, Bintu Zahara Sakor
Host: Ogochukwu Peter, Ibrahim Anoba
Freedom of association, expression, and movement are all under attack by autocratic leaders across Africa. As Africans become more weary of their safety and constitutionally protected rights, the state is creating more excuses to reduce personal freedoms. In this edition of the African Liberty webinar, we hope to examine the precipitating factors and potential policy-driven solutions.
Professor Martin Gill is the Director of Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International and a Professor of Criminology at the University of Leicester, UK. He is a published author of 13 books and over 100 articles, notable among his books is The Handbook of Security. He is listed as one of the most influential people in security in 2022 by Security Magazine.
Bintu Zahara Sakor is a renowned researcher at the Peace Research Institute Oslo with extensive experience managing projects in the fields of public policy, sustainable development, access to clean energy, and international humanitarian programs. She is also a successful business leader with demonstrated expertise in creating startups that support and advertise Africa’s transition to renewable energy and women-led enterprises’ accessibility to long-term financing across the Nordic region. Her research interests include political and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa, demography, youth bulges, security challenges (West Africa & Sahel), gender empowerment, security, and peace.
October 2022
Topic: Free Market or State-controlled Economy: Implications for Small Businesses
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 28 October 2022
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Lipton Matthews, Nicholas Woode-Smith
Host: Ogochukwu Peter, Ibrahim Anoba
In Africa, viable businesses face standard expansion obstacles related to a lack of funding and access to markets. Regulations and government policies that limit small and medium-sized enterprises’s (SMEs) ability to enter the market and successfully compete are some of the challenges that African SMEs must overcome. However, the government continues to play a role in the SMEs ecosystem in Africa. Should the state be involved in promoting business success for African SMEs? If so, to what extent and what are the implications?
Nicholas Woode-Smith writes for the Free Market Foundation, and is a Council Member of the Institute of Race Relations. Woode-Smith is an economic historian, political analyst, and fiction author. He has written hundreds of articles on South African politics, economics and history. Nicholas Woode-Smith is the Managing Editor and a Co-Founder of the Rational Standard. He holds a BSocSci in Philosophy and Economic History from the University of Cape Town.
Lipton Matthews is a researcher, business analyst, and writer. His writing has been published at The Federalist, Merino West, Intellectual Takeout, American Thinker, and the Mises Institute amongst others. His YouTube channel, with over 2k subscribers engages intellectuals and experts to discuss issues around market economy, politics, history and policies in Africa and beyond.
August 2022
Topic: Limited Government and Electoral Reforms in Africa
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 26 August 2022
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Akintunde Babatunde, Linda Kavuka
Host: Ibrahim Anoba
Africa’s political institutions keep changing, with significant wins in favor of limiting the state’s control over citizens. However, numerous African countries continue to have trouble institutionalizing and deepening democracy through elections. All over the continent, government abuse and impunity are still common. Reforming electoral structures may offer African countries some hope.
Akintunde Babatunde is the Deputy Director of Development, Practice, Policy, and Research at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development. His research and policy interest is in projects related to human development, agriculture, climate change, conflict, security, and transitional justice. He is the founder of Vantage Network Africa, a Chevening Scholarship alumnus, and a Mandela Washington Fellowship alumnus. He has a graduate degree in media practice for development and social change, as well as a specialization in Civic engagement. He has extensive knowledge in public policy, civic technology, and media innovation.
Linda Kavuka is the Director of African Programs at Students For Liberty International; Managing Director of African Liberty and she is a Trade Policy fellow at the Consumer Choice Center. Linda holds a Masters in International Trade Law (LLM) from the University of Aberdeen, a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law, and a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the University of Nairobi. Linda is an International Trade Lawyer, an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a Frederic Bastiat Fellow at the Mercatus Center, George Mason University, and an alumnus of the Atlas Network’s Smith Fellowship.
July 2022
Topic: Why do Digital Rights Matter in Africa?
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 29 July 2022
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Juliet Nanfuka, Ridwan Oloyede
Host: Anna Suberu
In recent years, several African nations have tightened restrictions on citizens’ digital and personal data rights during protests and war. Across Africa, internet penetration rates reach around 43% as the number of Africans using digital technology grows exponentially. Digital rights are closely linked to freedom of expression and privacy, yet governments keep using internet shutdowns and social media bans as means of political censorship.
Juliet Nanfuka is a research and communications expert at Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA). She generates content on developments impacting online rights, reviews and analyzes ICT policy, and media interaction, and builds relationships with digital rights advocates. She holds a B.Journ with a specialization in Digital Media from Rhodes University. Juliet’s work explores connections between online rights and social innovation in Africa.
Ridwan Oloyede is a legal practitioner whose practice specializes in research into cybersecurity, data protection, and data ethics. He is the data protection team lead at the Tech Hive Advisory. Ridwan is a policy advisor and analyst who has published policy briefs on the intersection of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement and the impact of cross-border data transfer on the continent’s digital economy. He has also worked on a privacy framework for the protection of the African child online. He is a member of the Internet Society Nigeria Chapter and a Research Fellow at the African Academic Network on Internet Policy.
June 2022
Topic: Epistemic Decolonization and the Liberty to tell African Stories by Africans
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 24 June 2022
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Yemisi Adegoke, Bernard Matolino, Nels Abbey
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Anna Suberu
For far too long, the dominant narratives about Africa have concentrated on depicting the continent as broken, destitute, and corrupt. Unethical narratives about Africa often center the continent’s deficits rather than its agency. Some narratives have gone as far as altering history to tell stories that fail to give voice to African realities. The epistemic decolonization of African stories requires giving indigenous writers a space on notable platforms to tell true African stories. In this webinar, our guests will discuss the decolonization of narratives about Africa and how to ensure that more Africans are given room to share authentic African stories. What will it take to decolonize stories about Africa?
Yemisi Adegoke is a Senior Journalist and reporter with BBC News, covering West Africa. Yemisi is passionate about telling stories from around the continent. She is a multimedia personality who writes on culture, politics, and feminism. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism from Arthur L. Carter Institute at New York University. Yemisi is the host and producer of Behind all the Stories; a podcast for storytellers and journalists.
Nelson Abbey is a British-Nigerian writer, media professional, and satirist. He is a published author who is a co-founder of the Black Writers Guild. He is the co-author of the book How to think like a White Man, where he discusses the challenges of being a black professional in a white corporate world.
Bernard Matolino is a professor of philosophy at KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He is the author of several books on African philosophy, democracy, and theology. His research interests are on topics related to race, racism, and African philosophy.
May 2022
Topic: African Perspectives on Climate Reforms
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 27 May 2022
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Amara Nwankpa, Kevin Kodjo Ossah, Mitchelle Mhaka
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Adetola Babalola
A January 2022 report by the African Development Bank and the International Renewable Energy Agency revealed that fossil fuel makes up about 40% of the total energy mix in Sub-Saharan Africa. These numbers are set to rise as oil and natural gas exploration projects throughout the continent increase. Energy is key to Africa’s development, however, access is greatly limited. Renewable energy is also becoming an important part of Africa’s energy sector. The urgency to address climate change and global warming has led to an increased push for African nations to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. While this is a key development, leaders must ensure that climate reforms do not increase inequalities on the continent. The climate opportunity in Africa requires key partnerships that will not exploit Africa’s resources at the expense of its people. In this webinar, our guests will discuss climate change and the inequitable sides of climate reforms. Should green energy reforms be encouraged in Africa? If so, at what costs?
Mitchelle Mhaka is an intersectional climate justice activist. She is the educational coordinator for the African Climate Alliance (ACA) where she shares information to young people who want to learn about climate change and issues related to it.
Amara Nwankpa is Director of the Public Policy Initiative at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Foundation, Abuja, Nigeria where he develops public policy advocacy projects and campaigns. He also supports fundraiser and stakeholder management activities. His research interests include food security, climate change, natural resource exploration, and youth policy initiatives. Prominent among his publications is a research work on Food Security in Nigeria’s Changing Climate.
Kevin Kodjo Ossah is a climate activist, environmentalist, and social entrepreneur. He is currently the Executive Director of the Young Committed for Sustainable Development, OJEDD INTERNATIONAL. He also currently serves as the West Africa Regional Coordinator of the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC). Ossah is interested in tackling climate adaptation for local and sustainable development.
April 2022
Topic: Democracy and Authoritarianism in Africa: Lessons from the Russia-Ukraine Crisis
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 29 April 2022
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Dr. Joseph Siegle, Dr. Nic Cheeseman, Dr. Thokozani Chilenga-Butao, Alexander C.R. Hammond
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Bright Ogundare
The 2022 Freedom in the World report reveals that authoritarianism in on the rise across the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has also influenced an increase in authoritarian regimes and a decline of democracies in Africa. In 2021 a series of coups in West Africa highlight what happens when the so-called democratic leaders use undemocratic strategies to keep themselves in power. Now more than ever, as the crisis in Ukraine has put a spotlight on the devastating effects of authoritarianism, Africa must rethink. In this webinar, our guests will share insights on what the continent can learn from the war in Ukraine.
Dr. Joseph Siegle is the Director of Research at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS). He is an adjunct Senior Research Scholar with the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland. Dr. Siegle holds a doctorate in international security and economic policy. He has written widely for leading policy journals, and newspapers. His interest and research focus is on the relationship between democratic governance, development, and security.
Professor Nic Cheeseman is a political scientist and professor of democracy at the University of Birmingham. He is the founder of Democracy in Africa, a non-partisan website for breaking news, analysis, the latest reviews, and data on African politics. He is a multi-published author of several books centered on democracy and authoritarianism in Africa. Prominent among his publications is the book Democracy in Africa: Successes, Failures, and the Struggle for Political Reform. His interest and development focus is on African politics, democracy, and elections.
Dr. Thokozani Chilenga-Butao is an academic and a lecturer in the Department of Political Studies, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. She holds a doctorate in political studies. Her interests and research focus are on decentralization and federalism, education governance, and public policy. She is a founding member of the Africa Alpbach Network (AAN).
Alexander C. R. Hammond is the Director of the Initiative for African Trade and Prosperity. He is a research associate at the Vinson Centre at the University of Buckingham. He is also a Free Trade Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, a Senior Fellow at African Liberty, and a Fellow at EPICENTER. His interests include writing about African development, economic freedom, global well-being, and British Politics.
March 2022
Topic: Women in African Politics and the Struggle for Equal Rights
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 25 March 2022
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Wadi Ben-Hirki, Wakana Monia, Sophiyat Sadiq, Venessa Yasmin Hanson
Host: Anna Suberu, Abimbola Abbata
According to “Women’s Political Participation: Africa Barometer 2021”, women in parliament in Africa make up just 24% of over 12,000 parliamentarians. The Beijing 1995 declaration and Africa agenda 2063 have mandates that insist on the empowerment of women to achieve gender equality in all spheres of life. Addressing the problem of equality at the local government level has been theorized as a means to include more women in political affairs from the grassroots level. However, numerous women at this level face challenges that keep them from even considering pursuing political positions. Joining us on this webinar session are four guests who have direct understanding of the struggle for equality and empowerment of women in marginalized communities and how these struggle can be overcome.
Wadi Ben-Hirki is a development practitioner, public speaker, and writer. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Wadi Ben-Hirki Foundation. She is presently pursuing a Master’s Degree in International Education and Development at the University of Sussex, as a Chevening Scholar. Wadi has been awarded the Top 10 young people in Africa working towards achieving Gender Justice and Reconciliation Award. Her expertise and development focus is on girl child education, gender equality, peace, and justice.
Wakana Monia is the founder of Ladies of Liberty Alliance(LOLA) in Burundi, Rwanda, and the DRC. She is an Executive Committee member of SFL Africa. She is currently, the Regional Coordinator of Central Africa and Great Lakes Region in African Students For Liberty. Her expertise and development focus is on ending gender-based violence and promoting the economic, political, and social liberation of women.
Sophiyat Sadiq is a youth activist who is passionate about advocating for access to quality education for girls in underserved communities. She is a 2021 BeyGOOD Global Citizen Policy Fellow and A Kofi Annan Foundation Changemaker.
Venessa Yasmin Hanson is a social media specialist, activist, and a team member of the Women in Foreign Policy organization where she serves as the diversity, equity, and inclusion officer. Venessa is passionate about encouraging women from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds to join in foreign policy conversations.
February 2022
Topic: Africa’s Rising Debt: Implications and Outlook
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: 25 February 2022
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST
Guest: Dr. Ayodele Odusola, Dr. Magalie Masamba, Mma Amara Ekeruche
Host: Ibrahim Anoba and Bayonle Fesobi
In 2021 the debt-to-GDP ratio of several Sub-Saharan African countries rose above the threshold for debt sustainability according to the IMF. Much of this is attributed to the increased appetite among African governments towards borrowing for COVID-19 management. In Sub-Saharan Africa, about 5 countries were in debt distress in autumn of 2021 with many more at risk of distress. Although efforts have been made since 2019 to resolve this debt problem, however, more needs to be done. In this webinar, our guests will discuss the dynamics of Africa’s rising public debt, what it means to Africa’s current fiscal system, the need for transparency among African governments, and the possibilities of restructuring and reducing Africa’s debt burden.
Dr. Ayodele Odusola is the resident representative for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in South Africa. Prior to this, he was a senior economist in UNDP Nigeria. Dr. Odusola is an economist, a published author, and a top researcher. His interests and research, focus on national and local economic empowerment and development strategies, human development, and national development. He has served as the African visiting scholar to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Mma Amara Ekeruche is a development economist and a writer. She is a senior research fellow at the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa. Her interests, research, and policy focus cut across development economics, public finance and debt management, macroeconomic and fiscal management. She has served as an IMF Youth Fellow.
Dr. Magalie Masamba is a senior fellow of the African Sovereign Debt Justice Network and has a recent publication on debt management and restructuring in SADC countries. She is currently a post-doctoral research fellow at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria (South Africa) and the Global Development Policy Center, Boston University (USA). Her research focuses on sovereign debt and its impacts on development.
January 2022
Topic: Repatriation of African artifacts: A Challenge for History and Property Rights
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: January 2022
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST
Guest: Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes and Leila A. Amineddoleh
Host: Ibrahim Anoba and Anna Suberu
In this upcoming webinar our guests will share valuable insights on the history of looted artifacts and cultural heritage items, the increased urgency for the restitution of these items in contemporary society, as well as the scope of the challenges that affect the repatriation of arts and artifacts as an issue of property law.
Dr. Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes is a researcher and lecturer at the Centre for Human Rights Education at Curtin University Australia. Dr. Woldeyes specialty, academic and creative interests cover African traditions, Ethiopian philosophy, epistemic justice, issues of looted manuscript repatriation, and the politics of language and belonging. He is an Amharic poet and a published author.
Twitter: @YirgaGelaw.
Leila A. Amineddoleh is an intellectual property attorney. Leila is an advocate for the protection of cultural heritage who has been involved in the return of valuable stolen fine art and looted antiquities. She is the Founding Partner of Amineddoleh & Associates LLC. Her expertise and legal practice focus on art, art crime, cultural heritage, and intellectual property.
Twitter: @LAmineddoleh.
November 2021
Topic: How the AfCFTA can Accelerate Africa’s Economic Recovery from Covid-19
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: November 2021
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST
Guest: Nicholas Aderinto, Alexander Hammond, Phumlani Majozi
Host: Ibrahim Anoba
About
Alexander C. R. Hammond is the Director of the Initiative for African Trade and Prosperity. He is a research associate at the Vinson Centre at the University of Buckingham. He is also a Free Trade Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, a Senior Fellow at African Liberty, and a Fellow at EPICENTER. His interests include writing about African development, economic freedom, global well-being, and British Politics.
Nicholas Aderinto is a Writing Fellow at African Liberty. He is a young Nigerian who uses words and digital media to create lasting positive changes in society. He uses his passion for social change to write on various platforms like Face2Face Africa, Tekedia.com, and Legit.ng on issues affecting healthcare in Nigeria, Free Trade, Equality, and Education.
Phumlani Majozi is a business and macroeconomics analyst, writer and commentator on economic, political and global issues. His writings have been published in the City Press, News24, BizNews, African Liberty and Politicsweb. He has been quoted by TIME Magazine, Financial Mail Magazine and AlJazeera. The Financial Mail Magazine also profiled him in its Backstory section in July 2020. In June 2018, he became a Senior Fellow at African Liberty. His appointment involves research and writing on African politics and economics.
October 2021
Topic: Guinea Coup: What it means for freedom in West African states
Platform: Zoom, YouTube
Date: October 2021
Time: 5 pm WAT, 4 pm GMT, 12 pm EST
Guest: Ovigwe Eguegu, Ndubuisi Christian Ani
Host: Bayonle Fesobi, Ibrahim Anoba
About
Ndubisi Christian Ani is a professional researcher and adviser on International and African Affairs. He is the Senior Regional Advisor on African Security and Strategic Cooperation GIZ-KAIPTC (Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Centre). Dr. Ani has specialty and experience in policy development. His publications and research interest cover issues of governance, democracy, human rights and security, conflict resolution, social cohesion, youth inclusion, and development. Ovigwe Eguegu is a policy analyst at Development Reimagined — an independent African-led development consultancy. Eguegu has a specialty in geopolitics and geoeconomics with particular reference to Africa in a changing global order. His research and policy analyses aim at realizing political, policy, and systemic solutions to address foreign and security issues in Africa.
July 2021
Topic: Nigeria: Twitter Ban and Press Freedom
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: July 2021
Time: Pre-recorded
Guest: Damilola Banjo, Socrates Mbamalu
Host: Feyisade Adeyemi
About the Guests
On June 5, 2021, the Nigerian government announced its suspension of Twitter in the country on grounds that certain actions by the social media company jeopardized the country’s “corporate existence.” But the ban on Twitter was one of the many policies pursued by the Muhammadu Buhari regime that has stifled free speech. The country is also considering a social media bill that promises to limit the freedom of expression. African Liberty senior fellow, Feyisade Adeyemi gets the view of two Nigerian investigative journalists, Damiloa Banjo and Socrates Mbamalu (also of Kenyan descent) on the issue.
February 2021
Topic: Protests and Internet Shutdowns
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: February 28, 2021
Time: 11:00 am EST, 4:00 pm West Africa Time, 5:00 pm SA Time, 3: 00 pm GMT
Guest: Vincent Kumwenda, Abiba Princewill, Rinu Oduola
Host: Lomuthando Nthakomwa
About the Guests
The year 2020 saw a wave of anti-government protests across Africa. In numerous cases, governments shut down social media access denying millions of people the right to information. In this webinar, African Liberty media intern, Lomuthando Nthakomwa gets the opinion of Nigerian attorney, Abbiba Princewill, who doubles as a writing fellow at African Liberty; Rinu Oduola, a youth representative at the Lagos Judicial Panel created in response to the brutal crackdown on #EndSARS protesters in Lagos; and Vincent Kumwenda, a Malawian entrepreneur and CEO of mHub.
November 2020
Topic: Democracy in Malawi
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: November 30, 2020
Time: 11:00 am EST, 4:00 pm West Africa Time, 5:00 pm SA Time, 3: 00 pm GMT
Guest: Willy Kambwandira, Dan Banik, Vincent Kondowe
Host: Lomuthando Nthakomwa
About the Guests
With over eight years of progressive work experience working both in the civil society space and with International organizations in Malawi, Willy Kambwandira is the Executive Director of Centre for Social Accountability; Transparency (CSAT), where since 2019 he has led CSAT’s work to support and collaborate with other partners to ensure government is held accountable and citizens actively participate in the affairs of the state.
Dan Banik is Professor of Political Science and Director of The Oslo SDG Initiative at the Centre for Development and the Environment, University of Oslo. Dan is an Affiliate Professor at the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare Education (SHE) in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo. He is host of the In Pursuit of Development podcast, and a columnist with The Nation.
Vincent Kondowe is a Malawian legal analyst with over 15 years of continuous professional experience and expertise in governance, human rights and development. He has worked in the Public Sector, NGOs and as a Consultant to the government. Vincent is an expert in Public Policy analysis, Enforcement of Administrative Justice, Capacity Building on Administrative Justice and Legal Analysis; Political Economy Analysis, Conflict Management and Resolution. His highest academic qualifications are: MA Political Science; LLM (Human Rights; Democratization), Post-Graduate Diploma in International Development; Post-graduate Diploma in Project Management.
October 2020
Topic: Unemployment in South Africa
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: October 30, 2020
Time: 11:00 am EST, 4:00 pm West Africa Time, 5:00 pm SA Time, 3: 00 pm GMT
Guest: Gabriel Crouse, Phumlani Majozi
Host: Lomuthando Nthakomwa
About the Guests
Gabriel Crouse is a writer and analyst at the Institute of Race Relations (IRR). His journalism is based on fieldwork and quantitative analysis, with a focus on land reform. Gabriel holds a degree in Philosophy from Princeton University.
Phumlani Majozi is a business and macroeconomics analyst, writer and commentator on economic, political and global issues. His writings have been published in the City Press, BizNews, African Liberty and Politicsweb. He’s also a contributor on News24, South Africa’s leading news website.
September 2020
Topic: Impact of Godfatherism in Nigerian Politics
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: September 30, 2020
Time: 11:00 am EST, 4:00 pm West Africa Time, 5:00 pm SA Time, 3: 00 pm GMT
Guest: Daniel Whyte, Femi Adeyeye, Olanrewaju Elufisan, Bayonle Fesobi
Host: Ibrahim Anoba
About the Guests
Bayonle Fesobi is a social change agent and Nigerian advocate for peaceful and inclusive societies towards sustainable development. He is passionate about youth participation in governance and holds a Bachelor Degree in Political Science and Public Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. The certified Human Resource Manager joined SFL as a Local Coordinator after attending the West African Regional Conference in 2017. He founded a campus group in Federal University, Lokoja among several other campus groups in Northern Nigeria in 2018. The staunch advocate for classical liberalism became the SFL National Coordinator for Nigeria in 2018 and he was selected to attend the 2019 TopGlobal Retreat in Washington DC as a recipient of the SFL Top50 global leaders award. Bayonle currently helps in spreading the message of liberty across West African countries as an advanced leader in the region.
Daniel Whyte is a development communications practitioner and freelance journalist. He holds a BA in English and Literary Studies and his writings have appeared in Stears Business, HumAngle Media, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, The Cable Newspaper, among others. He is a Future News Worldwide 2019 Fellow with British Council Scotland.
Olanrewaju Elufisan (or Lanre Peter, as he prefers to be called) is the executive director of Ominira Initiative for Economic Freedom. He is currently a member of the Bastiat Society of Nigeria where he works as the communication assistant. He intends to be a strong communicator of the ideas of freedom in Africa and graduated from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria in 2012, after which he went on to study Broadcast Journalism at the FRCN Broadcast Academy, Lagos Nigeria in 2014.
Femi Adeyeye is a Nigerian students’ rights activist based in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a member of the Coalition for Revolution, organizers of the #RevolutionNowMovement.
August 2020
Topic: How to End the Violation of Human Rights in Zimbabwe
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: August 29, 2020
Time: 11:00 am EST, 4:00 pm West Africa Time, 5:00 pm SA Time, 3: 00 pm GMT
Guest: Pearl Matibe, Rejoice Ngwenya, Bergman Darren
Host: Ibrahim Anoba
About the Guests
From the political power hub of Washington, D.C. where she resides, Pearl Matibe’s geopolitical work covers the U.S. as well as Africa’s role on the globe. She has local knowledge of Zimbabwe, the SADC region, and perspectives on more than 170 countries garnered through the eyes of senior government officials at the heart of it all on counterterrorism, military and defense, justice, intelligence, diplomacy, national security, and foreign policy. For more than 4-decades, Pearl Matibe has seen how human rights have declined in Zimbabwe. She lays bare tyranny; on issues of a free and open press, fundamental freedoms, inclusion of women and African Diaspora as she works fiercely to defend democracy. As a human rights defender, she amplifies egregious human rights abuses in Zimbabwe and across Africa and understands what it means to work on the frontline of defending human rights. As a Foreign Correspondent, she has written for: Open Parliament and NewsDay (both of Zimbabwe). Zimbabwean-born Pearl Matibe studies at the Schar School of Policy and Government.
Rejoice Ngwenya is Director of Coalition for Market and Liberal Solutions (COMALISO) a liberal think tank based in Zimbabwe. Originally a graduate of International Marketing, he has spent the last twenty years training and facilitating in political strategy, constitutionalism, property and human rights under different programs offered by both Friedrich Naumann Foundation and Atlas Network. He has written hundreds of articles for international media on politics, free markets and human rights. He is a regular analyst of the Zimbabwe situation with Voice of America, SABC and Al Jazeera.
Darren Bergman has been in politics since 1999, when he was the youth leader for a region of the Democratic Party. He served in Council since 2000 before going to Parliament in 2014. He currently serves as the shadow minister of foreign affairs. He previously served as Treasurer for Africa Liberal Network. Darren Bergman was the Managing Director of Youth Against Crime and has been a policeman, basic life paramedic and a consultant before entering politics.
July 2020
Topic: The African Police in a Pandemic: Attitudes and Reforms beyond COVID-19
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: July 25, 2020
Time: 11:00 am EST, 4:00 pm West Africa Time, 5:00 pm SA Time, 3: 00 pm GMT
Guest: Wanjiru Njoroge, Augustine Ekitela, Tessa Diphoorn, Segun Awosanya, Kwoh Elonge
Host: Akinyemi Muhammad, Muneer Yaqub, Balogun Samod
About the Guests
Wanjiru Njoroge is a young business lady, leader and African youth enthusiast. She is passionate about peace and security issues especially Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) and peace building diplomacy. She has a background in International Relations and Diplomacy with a focus on governance, peace and security. Wanjiru is the founder of thepanafricanistdiary.com a blog that serves as a platform for African youth to contribute to discourse on the future of Africa development and be inspired to take interest in African unity. Currently, she is a member of the National Steering Committee of the localization of United Nation Security Council Resolution 2250 together with other key youth policy shapers. She is also on the Compact Team for the Eastern Africa Youth Coordination Centroid (EAYCC); a youth coordination system which covers over 14 counties in Eastern Africa. EAYCC unites youth from organizations and individuals promoting peace and security within these countries. She is a member of Amani Women Network (AWN) is a coalition of women organizations, groups and individuals from Kenya that are actively involved in advocacy and work towards peaceful coexistence in the country.
Segun Awosanya (SEGA) is a Civil Rights and Social Justice Advocate. He is the President/Founder of Social Intervention Advocacy Foundation (SIAF) geared towards strengthening Institutions and creating a platform for social integration in Nigeria. He is the convener of the notable #EndSARS #ReformPoliceNG campaign against police brutality in Nigeria. Tessa
Tessa Diphoorn is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Cultural Anthropology at Utrecht University, where she currently conducts a research project on policing in Kenya. Previously, she has conducted extensive ethnographic research about private security in South Africa, and her book, Twilight Policing: Private Security and Violence in Urban South Africa, was published by the University of California Press.
Kwoh B. Elonge is a Cameroonian writer, researcher, political blogger and commentator. His work has been published in several magazines and journals including African Arguments, This is Africa, Bakwa Magazine and many more. He runs the socio-political blog “Unfiltered” and is a co-host on the Cameroonian socio-cultural show “Freaky Table”. He works as bureau head for communication with Cameroon’s elections management body, Elections Cameroon and is currently completing a PhD. He is passionate about politics, arts and culture. When he is not writing, he googles Wole Soyinka.
Captain Augustine Lokwang Ekitela (Rtd) is a peace and security expert in the Horn of Africa. He possesses academic and professional experience gained over sixteen years of working in government, private and humanitarian sectors in the region. He is involved in researcher and has been involved in security, peace and governance projects with Kenyan, German and Japanese academics. He as well consults for International Organizations both in Kenya and South Sudan.
June 2020
Topic: The Future of Entrepreneurship in post-COVID-19 Africa
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: June 27, 2020
Time: 11:00 am EST, 4:00 pm West Africa Time, 5:00 pm SA Time, 3: 00 pm GMT
Guest: Fri Asanga, Nolizwe Mhlaba
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Managing Editor, AfricanLiberty.org
About the Guests
Fri Asanga is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation, she was the Coordinator for FinScope and MAP Cameroon where she oversaw the activities of the financial scoping consumer survey in Cameroon on behalf of UNCDF and FinMark Trust. She has deep expertise in the microfinance sector haven spent more than 15 years working on financial inclusion for the most vulnerable groups in society. Prior to her work with FinScope and MAP Cameroon, she served as Advisor with the UNCDF Microlead project where she helped established the computerization of networks of CVECA as well as the piloting of branchless banking at some microfinance institutions. She also has broad experience in risk management, micro insurance schemes, training in financial literacy as well as social accountability.
She holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the United States International University-Africa in Nairobi, Kenya and a Bachelors degree from the University of Lagos in Nigeria.
Nolizwe Mhlaba is the Community and Project Manager at Anzisha Prize—Africa’s biggest award for her youngest entrepreneurs—with the mission of celebrating young entrepreneurs and actively sharing their stories, to increase the likelihood that others will choose to emulate their success Nolizwe is an educator boasting nearly a decade of experience. She is well recognized for experience in curriculum & instruction, youth development, and non-formal education in sub-Saharan Africa and United States.
Mhlaba’s goal is to support young African entrepreneurs scale and grow their businesses, giving them access to opportunities and telling their stories to inspire others to support them.
May 2020
Topic: The Economics of Lockdown and Re-Opening Africa amidst COVID-19
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: May 30, 2020
Time: 11:00 am EST, 4:00 pm West Africa Time, 5:00 pm SA Time, 3: 00 pm GMT
Guest: Olumayowa Tijani, Magatte Wade, Leon Louw
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Managing Editor, AfricanLiberty.org
About the Guests
Oluwamayowa Tijani is a Nigerian journalist and a multi award-winning public speaker. He is a 2017 Chevening Scholar. In 2017, Tijani was nominated for The Future Africa Awards (TFAA) Prize in Journalism, and Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award at the UK Foreign Press Awards. He co-founded The Courtroom, an advocacy column breeding young writers and critical thinkers across Nigerian universities.
In his capacity as a development journalist, Tijani worked with the UK Department for International Development and the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism. He was commended for his foray into economics of low-cost private education in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos. Within two years of joining TheCable, he was nominated for the 2016 PwC awards in SME and Tax reporting and ended up as first runner up in both categories. Tijani maintains a weekly column at TheCable, which further focuses on national development. His works have been quoted by Intl. Business Times, Bloomberg and BBC.
Magatte Wade is a serial entrepreneur, inspirational speaker, and visionary business leader with a passion for creating positive change in Africa. She is the founder and CEO of SkinIsSkin.com, “the lip balm with a mission,” and is dedicated to reducing racial discrimination while creating jobs and prosperity in her home country of Senegal. Throughout her career, she has created successful high-end retail brands inspired by diverse African traditions. She is a Forbes “20 Youngest Power Women in Africa”, a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum at Davos, a TED Global Africa Fellow, and “Leading Woman in Wellness” award winner by the Global Wellness Summit. In 2014 she was featured on the cover of Forbes Afrique for being the person in Francophone Africa having the greatest positive impact on the future. She serves as the Director of the Atlas Network’s Center for African Prosperity. Wade is a member of the board of Directors of Conscious Capitalism Inc.
Leon Louw is a South African intellectual, author, speaker and policy advisor. He is the executive director and cofounder of the Free Market Foundation, one of Africa’s most influential think-tanks. He is a regularly featured speaker and writer in South African and international media. He has addressed many prominent organizations, including the US Congress hearings on apartheid, the Martin Luther King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, the Hoover Institute, and the United Nations.
April 2020
Topic: The Rule of Law and the Rise of the Surveillance State in Africa amidst COVID-19
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: April 30, 2020
Time: 12:00 pm EST, 5:00 pm West Africa Time, 6:00 pm SA Time, 4: 00 pm GMT
Guest: Bright Simmons, Martin Van Staden, Denis Foretia
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Managing Editor, AfricanLiberty.org
About the Guests
Martin van Staden is a jurist and author who has been working for the Free Market Foundation since January 2017. He currently serves as the Head of Legal (Policy and Research). Martin has presented oral evidence to the Parliament of South Africa and deposed amicus curiae briefs in the Constitutional Court, written books and multiple articles, and appeared on television and radio on topics of public policy, jurisprudence, and economic policy. He has a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from the University of Pretoria and is pursuing a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree at the same institution. His approach to public policy is from a libertarian (or classical liberal) perspective. He wrote ‘The Constitution and the Rule of Law: An Introduction’ in 2019.
Bright Simons is president of the mPedigree Network, www.mpedigree.net, where he pioneered a system, www.goldkeys.net, that allows consumers to instantly check whether products they buy, especially health-related products, are counterfeits or not by sending a free text message. He is honorary director of development research at IMANI; an active member of various World Economic Forum Communities; a TED and Ashoka fellow; and a Brain Trust member of the Evian Group at IMD. He is a recipient of numerous awards, ranging from an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Award, Marie Curie and Commonwealth Vision Grants to a PPARC Scholarship in Gamma Ray Astronomy. Bright is furthermore a member of the Advisory Board of IC Publications, one of the world’s leading publishers focused on Africa and the African diaspora; of the Microsoft for Africa Advisory Council; and of the Sanofi Digital and Africa 2.0 Advisory boards.
Denis Foretia is Co-Chair of the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation and Executive Chairman of the Nkafu Policy Institute, a leading Cameroonian think tank. Along with co-chair Lenora Ebule, he shapes and approves strategy, advocates for the foundation, and helps set the overall direction. He is also the Chairman of Merckshire LLC, an international holding company with operations in the US and Cameroon. A surgeon by training, Foretia has always been involved in philanthropic activities and issues related to international development. He is currently the President of the Association of Cameroonian Physicians in the Americas (ACPA). He is also the Co-Founder and pioneer president of the Cameroon Professional Society (CPS) – the premier institution for Cameroonian professionals in the US focused on advancing economic opportunity and leadership development among Cameroonians.
March 2020
Topic: Africa’s Security Challenges: The Role of State and Non-State Actors
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: March 28, 2020
Time: 11:00 am EST, 4:00 pm West Africa Time, 5:00 pm SA Time, 3: 00 pm GMT
Guest: Tyrus Kamau, Patrick Stephenson, Arnaud Sembe
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Managing Editor, AfricanLiberty.org
About the Guests
Patrick Stephenson is an economic consultant with experience in economic, financial, and public policy analysis, with a keen interest in the development of Africa. He has consulted for institutions in the private sector, NGO and INGO space (World Bank, UNDP, OSIWA, IHS Consulting (now IHS Markit), Media General (Ghana), DANIDA, among others on a wide range of issues including; private sector development strategy for Ghana, management of petroleum revenues and governance in Ghana, cross border trade facilitation across West Africa, election campaign promises feasibility, emerging growth sectors of the Ghanaian and African economy), and currently is the Head of Research at Imani Centre for Policy and Education, where he has been involved with a wide range of projects, subjecting African government’s policy propositions to rigorous tests for value for money and rational choice.
Tyrus Muya Kamau is an Information Security professional with 13 years of experience in the field. He is a Principal Consultant at Euclid Consultancy Ltd, a cybersecurity company which he started 3 years ago where he runs it full time. He specializes in Signaling security, Penetration Testing, and Research & Development in Cyber Security, Training and Awareness and Compliance. Prior to starting his own company, Tyrus held various leadership positions in the industry including the Africa Head of IT Security; Airtel Money at Bharti Airtel and Group Head of IT Security at Cellulant Group. He was a key consultant in the development of the National Cyber Security Master Plan (NSCMP) working with Booz Allen & Hamilton and the former ICT Board. His input saw him work with various intergovernmental bodies in line with the country’s Vision 2030. The Master Plan was launched by H.E Uhuru Kenyatta, in February 2014.
Dr. Eugene Arnaud Yombo Sembe is an expert in security and conflict resolution. He is a Policy Analyst with the Governance and Democracy Initiative at the Nkafu Policy Institute, a think tank housed at the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation in Cameroon. He is an assistant lecturer at the University of Yaoundé II, Department of Political Science. He holds a Masters in political science (University of Yaounde II) and another Masters in Governance (Panafrican University Institute of Governance, Humanities, and Social Sciences). He has published more than twenty articles related to the domains of Governance, Politics and International Relations like in elections, migrations, geopolitics, geostrategy, conflict management and public policy. He has worked on several projects with different international organizations like UNDP, AU, EU, International Crisis Group and ECCAS.
February 2020
Topic: How to make the AfCFTA Work
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: February 29, 2020
Time: 11:00 am EST, 5:00 pm West Africa Time, 6:00 pm SA Time, 4: 00 pm GMT
Guest: Mphiyakhe Dhlamini, Alexander C.R. Hammond
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Managing Editor, AfricanLiberty.org
About the Guests
Mpiyakhe Dhlamini is a data science researcher at the Free Market Foundation. He recently studied data science at Explore Data Science Academy. He is a self-taught programmer and writer for an online publication, Rational Standard.
Alexander C.R. Hammond is the Policy Advisor to the Director General at the Institute of Economic affairs. He is a Senior Fellow at African Liberty and a Young Voices contributor and Foreign Policy Fellow. Formerly, he was a Research Associate at the Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity. Hammond’s works have been translated into multiple languages and have been featured in: Reason, National Interest, The Washington Times, Washington Examiner, News24, Newsweek, CapX, El Cato, Academia Liberalismo Económico, FEE, Contrepoints, the Cato Institute website, and the HumanProgress.org blog. His other media appearances include: Glenn Beck Radio Show, Fox5, Alhurra T.V., Newsy, i24 News, Q+A in the Daily Express, and Global News Radio (770 CHQR).
January 2020
Topic: China-Africa Relations. What’s in it for Africa?
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: January 25, 2020
Time: 11:00 am EST, 5:00 pm West Africa Time, 6:00 pm South Africa Time
Guest: Chris Hattingh, Hannah Muthoni Ryder, Rejoice Ngwenya, Peter Bismark
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Managing Editor, AfricanLiberty.org
About the Guests
Hannah Ryder is the CEO of Development Reimagined, a pioneering international development consultancy and the first Kenyan wholly foreign owned enterprise based in Beijing. She also sits on the Executive Board of the British Chamber of Commerce in China, is China Representative of ChinaAfrica Advisory and International Development Director for the Made in Africa Initiative. Hannah is a former diplomat from both Kenya and Britain, and an economist by training with close to 20 years of experience.
Rejoice Ngwenya is a writer and head of the Coalition for Market and Liberal Solutions – a free market think tank based in Zimbabwe focusing on private property rights advocacy. He is a consultant for the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. He is the director of Coalition for Market and Liberal Solutions.
Peter Bismark Kwofie is the Executive Director of the Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation in Ghana. He is currently lecturing about entrepreneurship at the Harbour City Radio College and is also a visiting lecturer at the Builders of Today Professional College in Tema. Kwofie is a co-founder of Tema Young Entrepreneurs (TYE).
Chris Hattingh is Project Manager at the Free Market Foundation. He has an MPhil in Business Ethics from Stellenbosch University. He is the author of published articles on consumer rights, economic freedom, inequality and individual freedom.
December 2019
Topic: The State of Human Rights in Africa
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube
Date: December 21, 2019
Time: 11:00 am EST, 5:00 pm West Africa Time, 6:00 pm South Africa Time
Guest: Linda Kavuka, Denis Foretia, Festus Ogun, Unathi Kwaza
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Managing Editor, AfricanLiberty.org
About the Guests
Dr. Foretia is co-chair of the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation and Senior Fellow at the Nkafu Policy Institute, a leading Cameroonian think tank. He is currently the President of the Association of Cameroonian Physicians in the Americas (ACPA).
Unathi Kwaza is a graduate of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. She has ventured into direct sales and marketing and currently acts as a board member of the South Africa Free Market Foundation.
Linda Kavuka Kiguhi is an LLM student at the University of Aberdeen. She also works as the African programs director at Students For Liberty International. Linda earned an LLB at the University of Nairobi.
November 2019
Topic: Why African Countries Rank Low in the 2019 Economic Freedom Index
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube, Facebook Live
Date: November 30, 2019
Time: 11:00 am EST, 5:00 pm West Africa Time, 6:00 pm South Africa Time
Guest: Ridwan Sorunke, Joshua Meservey, Tanja Porcnik
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Managing Editor, AfricanLiberty.org
About the Guests
Ridwan Sorunke is the founder of PolicyVault.Africa, a senior advisor to the Africa FinTech Summit, and an emerging markets consultant for A-M-Z Group.
Ridwan has worked at the nexus of development, business, and public policy at Dalberg Advisors, Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG), ACIOE Associates, Johns Hopkins University, US Nigeria Business Council, and Procter & Gamble. Over the years, he has helped several multinational corporations and tech startups develop impact-focused projects, forge strategic partnerships, and navigate complex economic and regulatory hurdles in Africa.
Ridwan holds a master’s degree in international economics and international affairs from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and a bachelor’s degree (with honors) from Obafemi Awolowo University.”
Tanja Porčnik is an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute. Porčnik is a senior fellow of the Fraser Institute, as well as president and co-founder of the Visio Institute. She is co-author of The Human Freedom Index.
She was formerly a senior fellow of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, a Government Teaching Fellow of the American Institute on Political and Economic Systems in Prague, Czech Republic (a joint program of the Georgetown University and The Fund for American Studies), and a Research Associate & Manager of External Relations of the Cato Institute.
Joshua Meservey is Senior Policy Analyst, Africa and the Middle East at the Heritage Foundation. He specializes in African geopolitics, counterterrorism, and refugee policy. From 2006 to 2009, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zambia and extended his service to work for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In 2009, he joined Church World Service (CWS) based out of Nairobi, Kenya, and traveled extensively in East and Southern Africa interviewing refugees. He ended his time at CWS as Field Team Manager responsible for a multinational team of nearly 100 staff. In 2012, he worked at the US Army Special Operations Command and helped write an Army concept paper, and in 2014 joined the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center before leaving as an Associate Director to join the Heritage Foundation.
October 2019
Topic: Xenophobia, Toleration, & African Integration
Platform: Zoom.us, YouTube, Facebook Live
Date: October 27, 2019
Time: 12:00 pm EST, 5:00 pm West Africa Time, 6:00 pm South Africa Time
Guest: Sara Gon, Seyi Gesinde
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Managing Editor, AfricanLiberty.org
About the Guests
Sara Gon is the Head of Strategic Engagement at the South African Institute of Race Relations, the country’s oldest think tank. Seyi Gesinde is the Editor of Tribune Online, Nigeria’s foremost news platform, and a foreign news editor for Tribune. He is an award-winning journalist and a fact-checking expert.
September 2019
Topic: Why Africa Failed to Develop in the Post-Colonial Era
Platform: Zoom.us
Date: September 29, 2019
Time: 12:00 pm EST, 5:00 pm West Africa Time, 6:00 pm South Africa Time
Guest: George Ayittey, Ph.D
Host: Ibrahim Anoba, Managing Editor, AfricanLiberty.org
About the Guest
Dr. George Ayittey is a Senior Fellow at the Independence Institute; Founder and President of the Free Africa Foundation; and formerly a Distinguished Economist in Residence at American University. He is the author of numerous op-eds for the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal.
He writes columns for African-owned publications including The African Letter, African Continent News, Africa News Weekly, and African Forum. His books include “Africa in Chaos,” “Indigenous African Institutions,” “The Blueprint for Ghana’s Economic Recovery,” and “Africa Betrayed.”
This event is partly based on the guest’s latest book, ‘Applied Economics For Africa‘ (download here). We recommend you read the book before the event.
Admission to this online event is limited.
