From October 7–9, 2024, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) participated in “The Conversation,” an assembly convened by Action Aid Nigeria in Ikeja, Lagos State. The gathering brought together social movements, faith-based organisations, youth groups, education rights campaigners, feminist organisations, and activists from across Nigeria, aiming to foster unity and shared purpose among diverse groups and movements fighting for social change.
Speaking in a panel on Building Solidarity among Nigerian Social Movements, Zikora Ibeh, Senior Programme Manager at CAPPA, spoke on the importance of finding common ground for collaboration despite ideological differences. She stated that only through solidarity across diverse movements and segments of society can Nigeria’s resistance movement gather the collective strength needed to renegotiate the social contract between citizens and the state.
Gideon Adeyeni, CAPPA’s community mobiliser, stressed the need for social movements to unite swiftly in response to the increased victimization of activists, journalists, and other citizens. He cited the recent cases of Adaramoye Michael and Mosiu Sodiq, both of whom were present at the gathering, as key examples. Abducted on the night of August 5 by Nigeria’s secret police for their role in mobilising the August 1-10 #EndBadGovernance protests, Adaramoye, Sodiq, and others endured 59 days in custody. During this time, CAPPA and allied civil society organisations responded immediately, condemning these abductions as violations of democratic rights and calling on the Nigerian government to uphold constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of assembly and expression.
Speaking further, Adeyeni interrogated the value of building momentum for social change, noting that significant transformative shifts in society require sustained efforts. He expressed optimism that recent actions by social movements are part of a broader momentum-building process for radical societal transformation in Nigeria.
The gathering provided a platform for movements to collectively denounce the ongoing victimisation of activists, including three student activists at the University of Ibadan: Aduwo Ayodele, Nice Linus, and Mide Gbadegesin. As the assembly came to an end, participants affirmed their commitment to building solidarity for radical societal change and responding decisively to any assaults on democratic rights. A committee was established to oversee the fulfilment of these commitments, with CAPPA’s Gideon Adeyeni nominated as a member.
