My name is Akinbo. I was born in Abeokuta, Nigeria, and I spent most of my childhood years traveling around my country with my parents. I have been to the United States and Italy as a teenager, and I have also visited neighboring countries like Niger and Ghana. On such occasions, I have come to realize that “all fingers are not equal.” As a result, I am passionate about development, democracy and good governance. In my first year of secondary school, I led my seniors and colleagues in a debate that made me understand what it means to know your rights and obligations. That set me off. I decided to read more about human rights and obligations.

In university, I was the scribe of the Students’ Union, and I lobbied extensively for a Cyber Café or Telecenter on campus. In this light, some Cafés allowed me to use their services explore the net. I was planning an event on ICTs and I needed a platform to showcase it. July 20, 2004, when I came across and joined TakingITGlobal, was a day that has turned my life around.

I remember that I used to be ranked as the third most active member on TakingITGlobal just last year! TIG always gives me a reason to go back and to continue exploring and contributing to the community. It keeps me updated and informed and motivates me to constantly improve. I’ve used my TIGblog quite extensively, as I would rather tell the world what’s going on and what I think by going to my blog rather than hide it. I have also used TIG to search for and attend events and to learn about ICTs and other cultures.

I have always been really active in my community – I guess you can call me a workaholic! I am involved with Statesmen Foundation Inc. (SFI), a leadership outfit which aims to help train the youth of the world on politics and people, as well as their role and civic duty. I also preside over the Council of Nigerian Youths, which focuses on academic pursuit and the development of research papers that could propel Nigeria to the next level. I’ve also been engaged in an array of projects and organizations related to ICTs, HIV/AIDS and health, and peace and conflict resolution. I’ve used TakingITGlobal to coordinate and promote our activities and projects. Ever since I joined TIG, I have made it a rule to ensure that my registration for any seminar, workshop, action or e-meeting is done thorough this platform.

I have had the opportunity to join several organizations through TakingITGlobal as well. Greet, the founder of Save Children Now (SCN), an international organization that acts like a megaphone to inform the world and world leaders of the need to pay attention to orphaned and vulnerable children, actually recruited me through TIG! Currently, I am the Continental Director of SCN-Africa, and I’ve been entrusted with the coordination of the organization in Africa. Also, quite recently, I received an email from Dr. Ron Krate, who had found out about me through TIG. He asked me to join his team with the International Professors Project (IPP), which is making a wave currently amongst scholars as a network aiming to improve education in developing countries by sharing research and ideas and through mentoring new professors and lecturers. I found his project really interesting, so I accepted and am the current IPP Nigeria Country Head. For these opportunities, I’m grateful to TakingITGlobal for eradicating all forms of idleness in my life.
Through TakingITGlobal, I have participated in more events than I can count, and as a result, I have traveled the length and breadth of Nigeria. TIG has also provided me with the platform to showcase my wealth of experience and to inspire others and, hopefully, to change lives as well. One of my proudest achievements is having a personal product of mine, which I have dubbed “Npower,” be an inspiration to many other projects now tagged under the “Nigerian Dream.” “Npower” seeks to teach Nigerian youth on the need to be empowered, and it is an important aspect of the work that we do at the Council of Nigerian Youths. I have encouraged other projects to adopt “Npower” and like to help adapt it to cross-cultural approaches.

TakingITGlobal has improved my perception of the ways in which youth can affect the world. It has also shown me diverse ways and opportunities to be heard, to be seen and to be accepted. Wherever I go, whomever I talk to, I always take the opportunity to introduce TIG. I think so many Nigerian youth are active on the site because there’s no other free platform that can beat TIG in terms of allowing youth to meet others and to showcase their initiatives to youth around the world who are also taking action on global issues. I have begun to see TakingITGlobal as an academy of leaders-in-waiting and as the master key to the global village.