Safer Internet Day 2019 in Nigeria with ICLDNG

On Tuesday 5, February 2019, Nigeria celebrated Safer Internet Day (SID) with events hosted in schools all over the country.

Date 2019-02-19 Author International Centre for Leadership Development in Nigeria, the Nigerian Safer Internet Day Committee Section awareness, sid

SID is coordinated in Nigeria by the International Centre for Leadership Development Nigeria (ICLDNG), in partnership with Education District IV Lagos State. The main event of the day was organised at Itolo Girl's Senior High School, in Lagos. It involved 212 students, including 65 boys and 147 girls, as well as six teachers.
The event started with the Nigerian national anthem, followed by an introductory video on how children can stay safe online and how to use mobile phone settings properly. In her opening remark, Mrs Olawepo A.V, Principal of Itolo Girl's Senior High School, welcomed everyone and thanked the ICLDNG for hosting the event and commended the organisation for its work. The keynote speech was delivered by Mrs Ajayi A.A  from the Education District IV, who encouraged the students to make good use of the opportunity to participate in the SID celebrations.

Mr Felix Iziomoh, Executive Director of ICLDNG, gave the welcome address by greeting everyone present and encouraging them to be united for a better internet. Then, Mr Murtala Ariyo from the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) explained the role of his organisation in combating cybercrime and provided an engaging forum to educate students and teachers on the dangers of cybercrime.

Picture of Safer Internet Day 2019 celebrations in Nigeria

The next session featured a panel composed of Mr Chris Ibe, Executive Director of the African Youth Initiative of Crime Prevention (AYICRIP), Mrs Olamide Odeneye, Convener of Online Safety Nigeria, Mrs Biodun Odunukwe, Parenting, TEEN Coach and Counsellor and Barr. Phillips Obuesi. The session was moderated by two students, Livinus Evans and Adigun Zainab.

Together, the panellists reflected on the following questions:

  • How was life before the internet?
  • How has the internet changed your life for the better?
  • Has the internet changed the world for the better?
  • What advice do you have for the young generations?

ICLDNG picked this discussion format for the students to be involved in the debate, to share their own experience, in line with the SID 2019 slogan "Together for a better internet". The discussion also involved about 50 students with disabilities, and a teacher was present to translate the debates in sign language.

At the end of the event, a survey on online safety was carried out to ascertain how the students access the internet and whether more cybercrime prevention is needed. The students who led the national anthem at the beginning of the session received a book entitled "The internet is flat and other lessons for online safety". Mr Aledoyin Adedeji from ICLDNG gave the closing remarks. The organisation wishes to thank the management and staff of Education District IV, especially the Co-curricular Science and Technology Department in Sabo, Lagos, as well as the Principal of Itolo Girl's Senior High School, the teachers, panellists, the EFCC, and the volunteers.

Other events took place in schools and universities across the country, namely in Abuja, Benin City, and Port Harcourt.

For more information about Safer Internet Day 2019 in Nigeria, view the full report by ICLDNG, visit the organisation's website, and visit the Nigerian Safer Internet Committee's page on saferinternetday.org.

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