'Youths Let's Talk Politics' wins BBYDI Civic-Tech Hackathon 2022
Posted by Ahmed Iyanda | 2 years ago | 1,435 times
L–R: Abideen Olasupo, Executive Director BBYDI; Obasanjo Fajemirokun, Convener Youths Let's Talk Politics at the 2022 Yvote Naija Civictech Hackatho
A civic-tech idea aimed at enabling People with Disabilities to participate in elections, Youth Let's Talk Politics WI-APP, has emerged the winner of the 2022 Yvote Naija Civictech Hackathon organized by Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative(BBYDI).
The idea was listed among the top seven finalists after scaling through the rigorous selection process. According to the Executive Director of the organization, Olasupo Abideen, they received 30,252 applications from the 36 states of the federation.
He said that the 30, 252 entries were reviewed on a rolling basis and 81 ideas were shortlisted and enrolled in a virtual fellowship where they had mentorship opportunities from experts for the next round of the selection.
"It was from that number of fellows that the top seven solutions who would participate in finals were shortlisted."
The hackathon, sponsored by Christian Aid, aims to encourage Nigerian youths to create applications that provide solutions to issues affecting the country’s electoral system.
Olasupo said that the hackathon also was aimed at bringing together young social innovators and developers between the ages of 18 and 35 to develop ideas, build skills and connect with others .
This, he said, was to work towards a shared goal of strengthening the electoral process and civic participation in governance in Nigeria.
“My diagnosis is that the biggest obstacle to Nigeria’s glory is the lack of courage to change things we can, instead of acting as captains of their fate, Nigerians, under successive governments, have played victims of imposed leadership.
“The average Nigerian, youth especially, is politically numb. Years of electoral violence, vote buying, and rigging have stoked deep feelings of betrayal and mistrust in governance and election.
“Since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, the country has recorded massive voter apathy because of unhealed wounds of electoral malpractices.
“The trend has fluctuated over two decades, falling to an all-time low in the last general elections which saw only 35.66 percent turn out (28,614,190 cast votes out of 84,004,084 registered voters) in spite of the excitement that distinguished the 2019 general elections,” he said.
Speaking with the Convener, Youth Let's Talk Politics, Obasanjo Fejemirokun said WI-APP being announced as the winner of the Hackathon means a lot to the team as People with Disabilities(PWDs) will now have opportunities to vote and make their voices heard in the electoral processes in the coming elections.
"Over the years, PWDs have been left out of the election processes and have been counted as minorities. In a democratic society, regardless of ability or disability, they have the right to elect their leaders. In pursuit of sustainable development, an all-inclusive process is a key factor that should not be left out."
He, however, decried the exclusion of PWDs during election, adding that WI-APP will enable them to participate actively in elections by providing them information on polling units that are inclusive and accessible with a pilot phase set for use in the 2023 elections.
"It is time to go back to the drawing board to develop new initiatives and accessibility features that can be included in the app to ensure PWDs voices are heard in the 2023 general elections," he added.
