Arewa Center For Regional Development - ACRD

CITIZEN AND KNOWLEDGE ENGAGEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT
First of all, change doesn't happen overnight. The important thing is to start on what is possible and then learn from that action in order to think about the next action. We can't go from 0 to 50 overnight. Start slow, see how we’ve gone, reflect on what is learned, and start again. And do it all inclusively in a way that's most comfortable, focus and result-oriented and which fits best in the spaces and opportunities that we have.

Now that's the advice for citizens, but for policymakers, the advice is equally apt and should not implement citizen engagement from above. What policymakers can do is provide the spaces into which citizens and civil society can step in to engage, bottom-up approach through convening groups of unlikely alliances to help them develop alliances. Ultimately citizen engagement is about the people but that's not to say that citizens will do it alone, in today's globalized world, it's the combination of citizens coming together with those in power and with strategic allies, building from below and across all levels, which ultimately will make the difference.

So, in addition to working at each of our levels, learn how to build links and relationships and trust amongst those people that are working across the levels, because again in a global world where local problems are also linked to global issues, it's how we solve the problems together at every level through a linked citizen engagement that will really make a difference. This is our challenge, Arewa challenge but very possible…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52mtaRXPpWo

Digital Artifact Video by Baba J Adamu Citizen Engagement is a game changer for national development - Corruption-free, transparency, accountability and responsiveness to people's needs are crucia...