On March 7 and 8, 2024 I conducted two programs in partnership with the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). The first program, Promoting the Arts, Leadership Development and Youth Empowerment was held on March 7 @ NIIA Headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria.  and Gender Empowerment.  A total of 19 students and 4 teachers from 3 Lagos-area secondary schools – Holy Child, Saint Gregory’s and Aunty Ayo International School –  participated in the program. NIIA Director General Osaghae opened the program, encouraging the participants to make the most what he termed “a remarkable opportunity.”

Explaining the basic purpose of the workshop, I discussed the interactive design and from the outset, I urged the students to speak up and ask questions. Stressing the importance of the breath, I noted that without breath, there is no life. I demonstrated the process of inhaling through the nose, holding to the count of 4 and exhaling through the mouth. I invited participants to join her in this opening exercise. Furthermore, she asked participants to return to the breath, especially if they feel overwhelmed, stressed or tense.

Throughout the presentation, I used visual devices to reinforce my message. I began by showing a heart and brain — to represent hearts and minds.  Engaging participants, I introduced the concepts of the feminine or feeling principle and the masculine or thinking principle reminding the participants that they need both principles to create life and achieve their goals. Next, I introduced the Best Self Methodology noting that it emerged from Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS), a branch of Leadership Studies. Observing that the POS meme means ‘point of sale’ and is ubiquitous in Nigeria, I encouraged students to use the POS signage as a prompt to remind them to live their Best Self. Positive Organizational Scholarship research reveals that bringing your Best Self into every facet of your life fosters good will, individual well-being, community cohesion, resilience, and peak performance.

I also conducted 40 Words a table top exercise in which participants were instructed to select ten words from a list of 40; I then asked participants to share their lists with the group.  After several students shared their words, I instructed participants to reduce their list to 5 words. The cohort engaged in a second round of sharing.  Finally, participants were instructed to select one word that they shared with the group.  The 40 Words Exercise is designed to ‘prime the proverbial pump’ by presenting vocabulary terms that suggest positive attributes and characteristics. In essence, the 40 Words activity gives participants opportunities to ‘try on’ several positive attributes while exercising their decision-making faculties by choosing which words to keep and which to release. Taken together with the 40 Words Exercise, participants were being exposed to ideas and vocabulary to help them construct their Best Self-portrait, a statement that captures and conveys their highest ideals. Initially, the students seemed reticent to speak up but I explained the concept of being ‘voluntold’ a term from African American vernacular.  It provided some comic relief and the participants seemed to lighten up a bit. In addition, during the 40 Words Exercise  there was a shift in the room and others began to volunteer.

The River of Life is an arts-based methodology that invites participants to illustrate details about their lived experience using a series of symbols. The river serves as a visual metaphor for the participants’ life.  The river becomes a visual narrative that facilitates telling stories that are deep, textured and often reveal sensitive issues. Participants viewed the two videos below:

Youth Work Activity: The River of Life

The River of Life – Exploring and understanding your life story.

Students drew their Rivers of Life and then discussed the drawing process and the insights that surfaced.  A representative from each school presented their drawings to the larger group.   I invited 3 representatives, one from each school, to explain the meaning of their drawings to the group.