Involve meeeeee!
You wey your school no go allow you attend OBO concert??
What’s up guyyyyy?
Congrats! you’ve survived another week of Nigeria. That’s not small work, so I’m here again, sliding into your inbox with the latest tea. we’re talking strong reactions, interesting empowerment programmes, and major campus announcements. Settle in, and be involved!!!
If you’re reading this, so kindly click the button below and share What’s up by 10.8.8 Africa to your friends. Tell them how much you enjoy reading us.❤️ If you don’t, i’m judging but okayyy, let’s get into it.
Freedom of speech for where?
This week, Nigeria reminded us that free speech is still luxury.
Isah Mokwa a student at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University – IBBU, Lapai) decided to call out the governor of Niger State — that’s Mohammed Umaru Bago — on social media. He allegedly referred to him as “Governor Amunike” in a Facebook post and asked for accountability on infrastructure and security.
He’s been in custody since October 25, and the court refused him bail till November 17.
Let’s be honest: when laws for “national security” start sounding like “don’t tweet at your governor,” the line between governance and tyranny gets blurrier than the electricity schedule.
Freedom of speech? No be so oo
As students, we know how much social-media posts can spill. Sometimes we’re joking, sometimes we’re serious, and sometimes we just want to rant. But if you can get arrested for that, uhmm… that’s heavy o.
If a student can be hauled away for “calling out” a governor, what about us when we critique lecturers, institutions, or explore social issues. If you’re posting your hot takes, maybe add “in Minecraft” or “allegedly.” Just in case.
No Davido, No wahala!
On a lighter note, imagine your VC coming to take attendance to make sure that no student went out for Davido’s concert at Enugu… This was the case for Godfrey Okoye University students. Their uni said attending the concert would earn them suspension. So, what did they do? They organized their own concert! 😂
Peak energy: “If we can’t go to Davido, we’ll make our own concert.”
Breaking newsssss: Youths officially empowered to ‘push’ Nigeria forward🤭
In Roni LGA in Jigawa State, The LGA Chairman holds a “Youth Empowerment Programme”. But the visuals… well, they went viral for all the obvious ironic reasons.
Pictures show a group of older men (not exactly “youths” in the usual sense, but that aside) receiving wheelbarrows + rows of yellow jerrycans and this is their government’s definition of “Empowerment”. Many online folks are like: “Wait… empowerment = water-business equipment for senior citizens?” “If the government had provided stable water supply, there wouldn’t be a need to ‘empower’ these people.”
There’s a lot of things empowerment can look like but wheelbarrows and jerrycans? “The Hunger Games: Jigawa Edition.”
On the other hand, turns out that Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is planting a campus in Nigeria. Yes, you read right. West Africa’s first IIT campus is slated for 2026 at the Federal Government Academy, Suleja (aka Nigerian Academy for the Gifted) in Suleja, Niger State.
India will provide faculty, training and curriculum; Nigeria provides infrastructure and logistics. The first batch will be undergrad + postgrad in engineering/tech/research.
Why we should care?
If you’re chasing STEM or design tech or you just want to say “I studied at an IIT-branch in Nigeria” Well, hello bragging rights.
Could shift the whole “student experience” culture: maybe better labs, better global linkups, maybe more scholarships?
But…will it be accessible to the average Nigerian student or just the chosen-few? We’ll wait and see.
Let’s recap,
Free speech is now a premium subscription. Empowerment comes with a jerrycan. IIT is coming, but probably not for you, and Godfrey Uni students just proved that where there’s Wi-Fi and vibes, there’s a way.
Stay safe, stay smart, and don’t tweet at your governor after 9 pm.
Till next gist,
Gbemi from 10.8.8 Africa ✨