Three young Nigerians have won the top three prizes in the GoNigeria Pidgin Rap Challenge, a GoNigeria Initiative that encourages youth participation in the electoral process.
Benue State-born Victor David Oche won the Star prize N1, 000,000. The first runner-up, Uroko Isreal Ejike, from Enugu State, will receive a cash prize of N600, 000. Oluwatimilehin Fadimiroye Fortune from Ondo State will get a N400, 000 as the second runner-up.
The Pidgin Rap Challenge was organised to further boost the public enlightenment campaign of GoNigeria, an advocacy initiated by Anap Foundation.
It seeks to sensitise youths to register to vote, obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the electoral processes during next year’s 2023 general elections.
The online challenge which ran from May 14 to June 4, 2022, was aimed at engaging Nigerian youths with a strong inclination in rap to showcase their talents and be part of the ongoing GoNigeria advocacy campaign.
The poster boy for the GoNigeria Pidgin Rap Challenge was renowned musician, actor and entertainer, Folarin Falana (Falz), who is also a GoAmbassador.
Read Also: INEC decries low rate of PVC collection in Lagos
The digital competition offered youths aged between 18 and 34, an opportunity to create a 45 seconds rap video while holding their PVCs or registration slip and encouraging other youths to go register and pick up their voters’ cards, whilst playing with the acronym PVC in the video, then posting their video using the hashtag #GoNigeriaRapContest.
The objective was to encourage the youth demographic to register with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and collect their PVCs while the Commission’s Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise remains open in preparation for the elections.
Falz, alongside other ambassadors, is at the forefront of celebrities and activists who are eager to see youths participate more actively in the nation’s electoral processes, as their direct involvement in the 2023 general elections can be pivotal to reshaping the country’s political terrain.
GoNigeria is an initiative of Anap Foundation, a non-profit organisation which is committed to promoting good governance.
Through initiative, Anap Foundation has been partnering with advocates and enlightened celebrities (GoAmbassadors), corporate bodies eager to support the Initiative via co-branding (GoPartners) as well as many enthusiastic young volunteers who will help to amplify the messaging to their age mates (GoVolunteers).
The partnership has the overall aim of encouraging youths to register and vote en masse in the elections.
The 18 initial advocates of the GoNigeria Movement were drawn from all the six geopolitical zones (three from each zone).
They are Atedo Peterside (Convener), Aisha Yesufu, Nuruddeen Lemu, Dike Chukwumerije, Folarin Falana (Falz), Bishop Matthew Hassan-Kukah, Arunma Oteh, Hamzat Lawal, Tomiwa Aladekomo, Osita Chidoka, Dr. Tony Rapu, Yemi Adamolekun, Muhammad Ali Pate, HH Muhammad Sanusi II, Dr. Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, Ayisha Osori and Ibrahim Dahiru Waziri.