Akinte R Abiodun (Nigeria) - African Youth Role Model Series

Akinte Raphael Abiodun

From Nigeria hails one inspirational orator, who dedicates his life and work to the development of people’s individual capacities. Akinte Raphael Abiodun serves his immediate community through his passion for helping people to develop themselves and is a change-maker focused on breathing a new truth into the lives he has the opportunity to connect with.  In line with his priorities as a Human Resource Professional, Akinte is an astute learning and development specialist in Nigeria, known for his illustrious track record in community outreach and activism for children and youth. Apart from these obligations, Akinte also features as a political analyst and philanthropist, for which he contributes to homegrown youth initiatives such as the “Youth Campaign Against Local Terrorism & Violence” (YouCALT).

YouCALT Team on #GiftAChildASmile Expedition

YouCALT is a Non-Governmental Organisation founded by Akinte and his colleagues to campaign against all forms of violence in their local community. The NGO lends a special focus to violence perpetrated against women, having campaigned against domestic violence and the prevalence of ‘Jungle Justice’. Akinte has made a long-standing contribution to the group’s activities as a selfless volunteer, most notably with one of his flagship projects being the “Gift A Child A Smile” campaign. The project is an ongoing venture in which Akinte and his colleagues voluntarily select a community with underprivileged or neglected children and spend time engaging with them or delivering donations. Their humble but vital donations are scraped from their own pockets, not to mention their own time. Their most recent expedition was the third in an ongoing series, which saw the YouCALT team visit Makoko (a slum neighbourhood in Lagos). As Akinte reflects on the experience: 

“The theme was Make Makoko Smile (MMS) ....and that we did successfully. We broke language barriers and the community's physical cum psychological constraints to put smiles on the faces of the kids.”

Akinte’s Philosophy for Africa

Akinte Raphael Abiodun is an Alumnus of Ignite The Youth, having participated as an African Youth Activist of the network in 2014. He was an esteemed orator, most lauded for his catchy video speeches in which he called on all youth in Africa to secure their generation. His philosophy for African Youth was one which encouraged the youth to begin to take responsibility for their immediate surroundings, one which urged for maximum participation in the socio-economic and political aspects of the community and country at large. He advocated for young people to conduct themselves with honour and not to blame their circumstances, emphasizing that the agency to elevate themselves was always within them. Read his article “Not My Fault, But Could be My Fault” to grasp his views on youth participation and responsibility. For one who remains loyal to the mission to “Secure Our Generation”, Akinte is an exemplary figure for many young people in his country and abroad!   

Watch Akinte Speak Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mriZuyxZub4