ASFL Liberty Symposium at the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
On October 6, ASFL in collaboration with Political Science Students Association, & Social Studies Students Association held a Liberty Symposium at the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. The event themed: Advancing Liberty Through Innovation and Education featured speakers that include Peter Bismark of Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI), Muhammadu Salam, Jeremaiah Buabeng, College lecturers, among others. The participants were exposed to the teachings of economic freedom, and what makes innovation possible. The event was organized by Local Coordinator Eric Coffie, and had over 270 students in attendance.
Liberty Seminar in Nigeria
On 13 October 2017, Executive ASFL Board Member, & West African Regional Director Moronfolu Adeniyi together with four Local Coordinators held a seminar tagged: “Liberty and a Peaceful Society’’ at the Oyo state college of Agriculture and technology (OYSCATECH) in Igboora Oyo state, Nigeria. Adeniyi enlightened the participants on what Students For Liberty is all about, and how to start a liberty group on the campus. Local Coordinator Ponmile Orija discussed the foundation of a free society and the importance of exemplary leadership.
Similarly, Local Coordinators Dapo Omitogun, Hammed Ogunbiyi and Adeola Oyerinde took turns to speak on free markets, entrepreneurship and opportunities, and development in Modern Africa respectively. Books and souvenirs were distributed to participants at the end of the seminar, and the management of the institution, represented by the Dean of Student Affairs, encouraged the SFL leaders to hold future events in the school.
Kenya Opens 2017 ASFL Conference Season With East Africa Regional Conference
Held at Catholic University of East Africa on 14th October 2017 in Nairobi Kenya, the 2017 SFL East Africa Regional Conference recorded a total of 167 attendees. The conference was a great opening for the ASFL Conference Season themed: ‘Creating Wealth Through Free Markets’
Speakers include Executive Board Member, Teklemariam Bekit who detailed the worse situation in his home country, Eritrea, how the citizens are held bound in the hands of the government.
‘How free trade policies assist in ending poverty by creating employment in Africa’ was what that Oluwafemi Ogunjobi, African Executive Board Chair touched on. He spoke of how free trade fosters a well-spring of freedom, only if free trade policies are put in place and adhered to, and since Africa is not new to trade, if its members trade more, the continent stands a better chance of ending poverty.
SFL Assistant Director of International Programs, Olumayowa Okediran demystified the classical liberal ideas in the African context. He explained that political independence was not accompanied by a reconstruction of colonial state to make it more relevant to the environment and added that post-colonial African political elites attempted to build in the inherited colonial state, ignoring the original framework.
In his own remarks, Alex Njeru of the Eastern Africa Policy Centre revealed why the Kenyan millennials are true to tribal alliance, mentioning how the young people think globally and act parochial highlighting the axis of natural rights as Liberty, Life and Property, the sources of political socialization as school, family, church, and social group and urging the participants to start disagreeing with ideas, not people.
Other speakers include Emeka Ezeugo, founder of African Christians For Liberty, Andreas Nicodemo, and Wemo Kitawa.
Participants learned from the best of the classical liberal ideas and free markets and had interesting debates and amazing socials where new friendships were made.
2017 West Africa Regional Conference In Nigeria
For two days, African Students For Liberty, ASFL hosted no fewer than 350 students across West African countries at the Conference Centre hall of Nigeria’s premier university, the University of Ibadan for the 2017 West African Regional Conference held between October 27 and 28, 2017.
With the theme: ‘Creating Wealth Through Free Markets’, several speakers engaged the participants on issues relating to free markets, border controls, governments’ policies, government and private lives, free speech, drug use and its regulation among other interesting topics.
SFL’s Assistant Director of International Programs, Olumayowa Okediran, opened the floor with a poser: “Can Africa develop with protectionist and closed border policies?”
Okediran wondered why African countries that craved for economic growth implemented stringent border policies to prevent the movement of goods and trade. He questioned the necessity of tariff imposed on goods within the West African region, despite the trade treaty signed by members of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Open data analyst and Co-founder of BudgIT, Oluseun Onigbinde said leaders unilaterally implement unpopular policies because they face no “stiff opposition” from the citizens. He charged young people to take up the responsibility of bringing their governments to accountability.
LGBT Rights activist, Olumide Makanjuola; caused a stir when he told the participants that the government had no right to initiate legislation on how people should live, especially the homophiles. He said any legislation that denied minority groups their right to personal happiness should be rejected, noting that right economic policies and not people’s sexual orientation bring prosperity to nations.
Aljazeera’s journalist, Chika Oduah, spoke on Free Speech In Relation to Telling Compelling Stories. She encouraged student-writers and professional journalists to preserve the values of free speech, urging them to ensure they abstain from activities that could compromise the sacredness of the media in telling their stories.
Dr Williams Ebiti of the Milestones Center Addiction Management charged the students on the inconsistencies in Nigeria’s drug policies, while Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, founder of African Christians For Liberty, spoke on the religious perspectives that support freedom, property rights, free markets and entrepreneurship.
Other speakers included the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Landmark University, Prof Adeniyi Olayanju, represented by Noah Olaibi, and a technology lawyer, Timi Olagunju.
The conference ended with a presentation of awards to student leaders, the campus group for their outstanding efforts all through the year, and also to encourage participants to foster the ideas of liberty in their local communities.
The event had coverage in Nigeria’s The Nation Newspaper.
ASFL West Africa Leadership Forum Cohort 1
On 29 October, more than 50 leaders from across West Africa gathered at Ibadan, Nigeria for the first phase of the West Africa Leadership Forum. The event was an avenue for Local Coordinators and student leaders to discuss the essence of leadership, the basics of strategic planning, proper leadership conduct, the importance of communication. The event was hosted by ASFL Executive Board Member Lillian David.
2017 Tanzania Students For Liberty Conference
More than 100 students gathered at the Buni Hub, Dar es Salaam on 04th November for the 2017 Tanzania Students For Liberty. The participants get a chance to learn from different speakers that include: Isack Danford, who lectured on ‘Liberty as Ideology’; Free Market in East Africa and Africa by Mr. Erick Crispin, ‘Beyond Employment by Mc. Anthony Luvanda, Entrepreneurship by Mr.Henry Kazaula; Private Enterprises in Tanzania by Mr. Naamala Samson, among others. The program ended with a panel discussion on: Is Free Market a Solution To Africa Economic Stagnation?
“All Work” at Tanzania Leadership Forum
It was all work on 05 November, 2017 at the Tanzania SFL leadership Forum at Buni Hub, Da res Salaam as upcoming leaders learned on how to be effective advocates for liberty and the skills they require. The students, who formed in groups brainstorm on how to plan an event and present in a 60 seconds pitch. The event was organised by Local Coordinator Evans Nkya, and team.
Student Activism in Makueni County, Kenya
October was an amazing month in Makueni County, Kenya with series of student activism organized by Josephine Migaya. The events were held in Kimamndi Technical Training College, Nduluku Count Technical Training College, gathering over 300 students.
ASFL Members Get Into Varsity’s Students Representative Council
Despite students’ preparations for tests and final exams at the University of Capetown, South Africa, October was successful as ASFL affiliated students got onto the University of Cape Town’s Student Representative Council. With a membership base of over 130 students, the leadership change of the Cape Town branch has been a smooth transition and the new leaders are showing a passion for the society that will hopefully springboard it in the next year.
Socratic Discussion In Uganda
On October 11, SFL Leaders at the Nkumba University, Uganda had a Socratic-style of discussion on topical societal issues. Students expressed how it has been disappointing and frustrating for them working with student guild (politicians) for last one year. It was everyone’s position that politicians don’t have permanent colour, principles or agenda. The discussion ended with a consensus that liberty leaders should make ideas of liberty popular so that less negative effect is caused by politicians.
Inter-university Competition Produces Winners in Rwanda and Burundi
With the support of Network for a Free Society, Students For Liberty Rwanda organized the second phase of the “Interuniversity Competition”. The program aims to help the next generation of leaders become leaders of ideas of freedom in Congo society in order to eradicate the barriers of prosperity and opportunity in Congo. The competition ended with SFL UKIST as the winner of this competition, whom will represent Rwanda during the inter-country Competition.
Similarly, SFL Burundi concluded the second phase of the interuniversity competition where the winner was the SFL Club of the University of Burundi, Mutanga campus. The teams won various prizes that include Smartphone, local currency, prizes in materials such as CDs of Ideas for Free Society, “Morality of Capitalism”, and T-shirts.