TEDxEuston

Inside TEDxEuston

2012-01-25T22:04:00.000Z

We asked Chioma Onyenwe to do a 'simple' job ...tell the story of TEDxEuston in 10 minutes! We saw her walking around the venue with her crew doing her thing .....and we had no idea on what to expect. She captured the essence of TEDxEuston beautifully in this short film titled- "Inside TEDxEuston". The Story of the how it all started, and the hope for the future. One for the Oscars?

Chioma is a budding Nigerian filmmaker. With a background in economics and management, and behind the scenes experiences, she plunged into full time film making over a year ago. She has undertaken film courses in the London Film Academy and Met Film School in London with interests spanning through film, television, and documentaries. Her debut web series ‘Goddammit It’s Monday’ - A show targeting the growing young professional class in Lagos will be released shortly. If you have an interesting project, contact her on - chioma.onyenweATgmail.com

Watch her amazing film at TEDxEuston 2011 here.....and share it!

TEDxEuston - Kwame Kwei-Armah - 'Standing on shoulders of giants'

2012-01-25T22:00:00.000Z

In an interview with the Financial Times, Kwame Kwei Arma describes how he spent 6 hours on the roof top of the residences of one of Senegal’s greatest musicians Baaba Maal - which ended up in his being appointed - artistic director of the third World Festival of Black Arts and Culture, held in 2010, in Dakar. Kwei-Armah has explored his roots in the Caribbean and before that in Ghana - and we were privileged to have him on the stage at TEDxEuston 2011.

Kwame Kwei-Armah is an actor, playwright and director. Kwame was born Ian Roberts to immigrants from Grenada. His father was a factory worker, and his mother worked three jobs to put her three children through private schools. He changed his name in his early twenties after tracing his family ancestry to Ghana. He is currently Artistic director of Centerstage Baltimore- the State theater of Maryland. He was artistic director of the 2010 historic 3rd World festival of black arts and culture in Dakar Senegal and is an associate artist at the Royal National Theatre. He is Chancellor of the University of the Arts London was the first black playwright to have his play Elmina’s Kitchen produced in London’s West End.

Watch his amazing talk at TEDxEuston 2011 here.....and share it!

TEDxEuston - Lola Shoneyin - 'Boys, sex and control'

2012-01-25T21:52:00.000Z

It is difficult to put Lola Shoneyin in a box - novelist, poet, teacher, mother, activist. Perhaps that is what makes her so unique and interesting. Perhaps that is why we chose her to start off TEDxEuston 2011 - with no idea of her topic. What a start it was....

Lola Shoneyin says that she considers herself very lucky to have a day job that she absolutely loves: teaching English and drama at a secondary school in Abuja, Nigeria. She is also Deputy Principal of the school and first says that she writes in her spare time, and then admits she really writes 'all the time', constantly trying to memorise a catchy line or jot down phrases on paper. Lola wanted to be a writer because of the many stories she had to tell, having spent exactly 7.673% of her life day-dreaming. Her best seller; "The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives" is set in modern-day Nigeria. It explores the intricacies of a polygamous family. It has been described as "A fiercely funny, endearing and provocative novel" and as "...a powerful, mature and absorbing work of fiction". Lola has four children and is married "to a lovely, compassionate man who used to have a huge moustache."

Watch her amazing talk at TEDxEuston 2011 here.....and share it!

Last few Early Bird tickets for TEDxEuston

2011-09-13T22:00:00.002+01:00

Get one of the last few Early Bird tickets for TEDxEuston 2011!

With another great lineup of speakers, TEDxEuston aims to reflect ideas and inspired thinking of a new generation of African thinkers and leaders, positive about their continent and confident in their ability to shape its future. Our speakers are all committed to engaging in an active and meaningful manner with the African continent and are carefully selected to reflect the diversity of thinking and action on the continent from the arts, business and public sector.s. As in our previous 2 events, we can promise another incredible day, full of amazing ideas about Africa.....you will not want to miss this.

But, in addition to the speakers, TEDxEuston is also about you. You are the reason we bother, the only reason! The energy in the room at each of the previous two events, has been testimony to the amazing potential awaiting to be unleashed on the continent. We promise that you will be inspired not only by the speakers but the person seating on your left and your right, in front and behind....and yes....you can take that to the bank!

You will think....

You will applaud....

...and sometimes you will let it all out!

Grab one of the few Early Bird tickets left

Click here to register

TEDxEuston 2011 registration opens

2011-08-27T09:35:00.001+01:00

We are delighted to invite you to TEDxEuston 2011!

For a third year, TEDxEuston will aim to reflect ideas and inspired thinking of a new generation of African thinkers and leaders, positive about their continent and confident in their ability to shape its future. The speakers are all committed to engaging in an active and meaningful manner with the African continent. TEDxEuston is licensed by TED, and like all TED events, is run as a not-for-profit event. It is organised by an entirely volunteer group of African professionals. Our speakers are carefully selected to reflect the diversity of thinking and action on the continent from the arts, business communities and the public sector.

We present another incredible line-up of speakers spreading amazing ideas about Africa.....you will not want to miss this.

Arnold Ekpe has been Group Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank Transnational, Inc., and its subsidiary, Ecobank Group since 2005.

Rt. Hon Paul Boateng MP is a British Labour Party politician and was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent South from 1987 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 he served as the British High Commissioner to South Africa and was in July 2010 introduced as a member of the House of Lords.

Toyin Saraki is the Founder of The WellBeing Foundation, a front-line maternal and child health focused Non-Governmental Organization in Nigeria. She was until recently the First Lady of Kwara State in Nigeria.

Hadeel Ibrahim is the founding executive director of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation which was established in 2006 to support good governance and leadership in Africa.

Kayode Fayemi is the Governor of Ekiti state in Nigeria. He was sworn in October 2010 after winning a protracted legal battle in which he proved his opponent had engaged in electoral rigging. Prior to going into partisan politics, Kayode Fayemi was Director of the Centre for Democracy.

Lola Shoneyin says that she spends exactly 7.673% of her life day-dreaming. Her best seller; "The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives" is set in modern-day Nigeria and is about four wives and their husband, exploring the intricacies of family life.

Moky Makura is a TV presenter/producer, publisher, writer, actress and entrepreneur. She wrote the acclaimed book: ‘Africa’s Greatest Entrepreneurs’ and in In 2008, co-produced and presented a lifestyle TV series for MNet called “Living It", about the lifestyle’s of Africa’s wealthy elite.

Jerome Okolo runs Maxivision, which that provides the highest standard of eye-care delivery in the country. His life story provides a vivid and personal illustration of our tumultuous and rapidly changing epoch.

Herman Chinery-Hesse co-founded the SOFTtribe Limited, which has become the leading software house in Ghana and possibly West Africa. Herman’s current venture Black Star line (BSL), seeks to financially empower rural Africans via e-commerce.

Kola Karim is the Chief Executive of Shoreline Energy International. Shoreline Energy International is a leading energy holding company operating in Africa with a diversified portfolio of companies in Construction, Oil and Gas, Power, Telecommunications, Engineering and Manufacturing.

Helen Lieberman is the founder and Honorary President of Ikamva Labantu (The Future of our Nation), a South African grassroots organisation, constituted during the Apartheid years.

Femi Temowo is a guitarist ‘par excellence’. His latest project sees him in a Trio/Quartet setting where he is currently experimenting with combining Nigerian folk sounds and the jazz song form.

Kwame Kwei-Armah is a musician, playwright and actor. He was recently named artistic director of CENTERSTAGE, the leadingprofessional theater in Baltimore, and the designated State Theater of Maryland.

Paula Akugizibwe, a writer and HIV and human rights activist. She was born in Nigeria to parents of Rwandan and Ugandan origin and grew up largely in Southern Africa. She considers herself a happy pan-African nomad.

For more details on the speakers and how to register, go to our website www.tedxeuston.com

How to rise above the culture of low expectations

2011-03-10T22:56:00.000Z

She says went into politics because she was angry...angy about education and angry about international development. But there is a lot more to this beautiful talk by Kemi Adegoke. In finding the words to describe the complex issues of what she describes as "The culture of low expectations" in inner city British schools she lets us into how she started on her incredible journey:) . She takes us through her amazing forray into politics and how she suddenly became on of the leaders of policy formulation on Africa in the Conservative Party. Kemi inspires us by her words and her story.....at TEDxEuston 2010.

Kemi Adegoke, was the feisty, outspoken Conservative Party candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood in south London in the recent elections in the UK. She otherwise works as a systems analyst within the RBS Group. She studied Computer Systems Engineering (M.Eng) at Sussex University, graduating in 2003, and is also a Chartered Member of the British Computer Society. In June 2009, she completed an undergraduate degree in Law at the University of London (Birkbeck). She is a school governor at St. Thomas the Apostle College and the Jubilee Primary School in Southwark and Lambeth boroughs respectively. She is also on the board of Charlton Triangle Housing Association, part of the Family Mosaic group of housing associations. She was born in Wimbledon although lived in Nigeria until she was 16 and now lives in Herne Hill ward within the Dulwich and West Norwood constituency. She stood for Parliament under the Conservative Party during the last elections in the UK. Before her selection, she was the Deputy Chairman of the Dulwich and West Norwood Conservative Association and worked as a project leader for the Conservative Party Globalisation and Global Poverty Policy Group in 2006 and 2007.

TEDxEuston - Richard Dowden - Ordinary miracles from Cabinda to Cape Town

2011-02-24T09:30:00.001Z

Richard Dowden is the President of the Royal African Society. He was previously the African Editor of The Economist. Ten years ago his magazine published an article he had written on the state of affairs on the African conitnent titled "The heart of the matter". However, the cover of the magazine carried the extremely judgemental headline; "The Hopeless Continent". I remember vividly the furore caused by this headline as the continet responded to the views of The Economist that appeared to sterotype us all as being without hope!

At TEDxEuston, Richard speaks about this experience for the first time.

But he also speaks about a lot more....from his reaction to the typical stereotyes on Africa, through the growing influence of China to his analysis of how generations of Africans have changed since his engagement started. You cannot help but admire Richard's knowledge and honesty about the continet.

Watch the talk again HERE.

Richard Dowden first worked in Africa as a volunteer teacher at a bush school in Uganda in the early 1970s. On his return to Britain he was employed by a peace organisation in Northern Ireland and then became a journalist, and was made Editor of The Catholic Herald in 1976.

After joining The Times foreign desk in 1980, he reported from the Middle East and Africa, before being appointed Africa Editor at The Independent when it was founded in 1986. During the next nine years he visited almost every country in sub Saharan Africa. He later became Diplomatic Editor. In 1995 he was invited to join The Economist as Africa Editor continued to travel regularly to Africa. He left The Economist in 2001 and a year later, began working as a freelance journalist and writer. In November 2002 he was appointed Director of the Royal African Society.

In addition to writing extensively about Africa, he has made three full length documentaries on Africa for Channel 4 and the BBC as well as several shorter films. He also continues to write on African issues and appears frequently as a commentator on African affairs on the BBC, CNN, Sky News and other broadcast media. His book: Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles was published by Portobello Books in September 2008 .

Michela Wrong - Telling the story of a whistle-blower on a crusade for the truth

2011-02-20T21:19:00.000Z

At the inaugural TEDxEuston we heard Nuhu Ribadu speak eloquently on his struggles and challenges as the Chief Executive of the anti corruption agency in Nigeria. At the 2010 TEDxEuston, Micheala Wrong, a journalist who spent many years working in Africa spoke about how she met John Githongo the former anti corruption czar in Kenya who also had to leave his country when the truth became too uncomfortable for the powers that be. Why are these matters important to us? Well, while it is true that we seek to inspire ourselves and friends with the great stories of progress from our continent, it is also true that we will remain honest regarding the challenges we face and celebrate those people that choose to walk the difficult path of honour that hold people in public service to account. Michela's talk is about one of these people.

Michela tells this story honestly, with a clear sense of responsibility and clarity that is so rare in reportage on similar issues. She tells it without stereotyping or hyperbole....with calm and rectitude that left the audience deep in thought on why it has to get to this and why many of our leaders just do not learn. Watch again HERE.

Michela Wrong has spent the last 16 years writing about Africa. As a correspondent for Reuters news agency, based in first Cote d'Ivoire and then Zaire, she covered the turbulent events of the mid 1990s in west and central Africa, including the fall of Mobutu Sese Seko and genocide in Rwanda. She then moved to Kenya, where she became Africa correspondent for the Financial Times. In 2000 she published her first book, "In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz", the story of Mobutu, which won a PEN prize for non-fiction. Her second book, "I didn't do it for you", focused on the Red Sea nation of Eritrea. Her third book, "It's Our Turn to Eat", tracks the story of Kenyan corruption whistleblower John Githongo. It has been described as reading "like a cross between Le Carre and Solzhenitsyn".

TEDxEuston - Paul Onwuanibe - Taking your business home to Africa

2011-02-09T01:22:00.000Z

Home is always on the minds of many Africans living in the so called Diaspora. We talk about Africa with emotion and nostalgia, at once yearning for its embrace and fearful of its challenges. The decision of leaving our comfort zones, the paycheck at the end of the month, constant electricity, healthcare etc often proves a step too far. So our plans to support the renaissance of the continent ends on our dinner tables and wine bars. With our decision not to engage, dies the dreams of a continent. Paul Onwuanibe chose to challenge conventional wisdom by not only founding a successful company in the UK but in taking his business back home to the continent. He tells the remarkable story of this journey that has taken him to open offices in all the major African cities. He shares the pains and the joys......and you cannot help but be infected by his enthusiasm for the opportunities that await those who dare to dream.

Listen to the talk HERE.

Paul Onwuanibe began his career in the 'built environment' with a formal education in Architecture, Property Development and Construction Management, together with a London Business School MBA with a merit in "Value Engineering".Paul has 20 years in the professional property environment with experience of design and execution projects (Africa, USA, Europe). He served as Development Director with Beacon Housing, a UK based house builder producing over 1000 homes. Paul was the Executive with responsibility for the Property and Logistics team of Regus Plc during its rapid expansion years, which oversaw the opening of 190 business centres in 62 countries globally. He has expert knowledge of commercial property and workplace management and led Landmark's expansion into America, Europe and Africa. He has a deep and passionate interest in real estate in Africa, knowledge, experience and fresh views.

Father Matthew Kukah - the folly of ethnic compartmentalisation

2011-02-02T23:15:00.001Z

Father Matthew Kukah is quite a man. Many that grew up in Nigeria got to know him from his articles in the Guardian. Very few contributors to debates on the Nigerian polity could articulate the complexity of the country as eloquently as Father Kukah. When we invited him to speak at TEDxEuston we expected a lot and wow, did he deliver! He produced a fascinating tour de force of his engagement with the country. Few people can address the complex issues of religion and ethnicity with integrity, authority and wit. Father Kukah left us laughing uncontrollably about the tears in our eyes, and the pain in our hearts. The gentleman below could not hold himself!

His talk beautifully encapsulated the unfulfilled potential of a country that awaits greatness and what Nigerians can do about it. Watch his talk here....

Matthew Kukah is a Catholic Reverend Father and former Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat in Nigeria. He served on Nigeria's Presidential Truth Commission into Past Human Rights Violations. Until recently a Senior Fellow at St Antony's College, University of Oxford, Dr Kukah is a rigorous scholar and respected commentator, Dr Kukah received his PhD from the University of London.

He is the author of the critically acclaimed work, Religion and Politics in Northern Nigeria since Independence (Spectrum, 1994), and most recently of Democracy and Civil Society in Nigeria (Spectrum, 2002). Father Kukah is a regular commentator on complex social and political issues in Nigeria.
Professor Bart O. Nnaji is currently the Special Adviser to the President on Power and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power – an organ charged with the reform of the Nigerian Power Sector. He is the founder Geometric Power Limited - the first indigenously owned private sector power Company in Nigeria. Geometric is currently building a US$400 million Integrated Power Project (IPP) in Aba to generate more than 188 MW. He served as Federal Minister of Science and Technology of Nigeria in 1993.

Hannah Pool - Discovering herself while discovering Eritrea

2011-01-26T00:10:00.001Z

When we decided on the theme for the first session of TEDxEuston 2010 as "Discovery and Re-discovery" nothing quite prepared us for Hannah Pool's beautiful story. Her name gives nothing away either. Born in Eritrea, growing up in Sudan and Norway - she arrived Manchester as a beautiful black girl speaking Norwegian! But the many countries Hannah had lived did little to prepare her for her big journey of discovery of Eritrea to re-discover herself and her life, as she admits, has never been the same. Listen to her talk here:

Hannah Pool is, in her own words, British-Eritrean, Eritrean-British. She was born in Eritrea in 1974 and was adopted at the age of six months by a British scholar who lived and worked in the Sudan. She was raised in Manchester, England, believing that both her parents had died shortly after her birth. She now lives in London where she works as a columnist for The Guardian. Her book titled My Fathers' Daughter was published by Hamish Hamilton in 2005.

Is Pat Utomi an entrepreneur, teacher or politician?

2011-01-18T23:05:00.002Z

Is he an entrepreneur, teacher or politician? He says he does not particularly like any of these titles and will prefer to to known as a "citizen"....citizen??? In this era of do-or-die politics in Nigeria - this may be what stands Professor Patrick Utomi out from the crowd.

It is not often that one listens to a Nigerian politician connect with an audience quite the way Pat Utomi does. In this stirring talk at TEDxEuston 2010 he leaves the audience deep in thought about our responsibilities to our countries in Africa in seeking the leadership that will drive the growth we need to really take off. He describes the PDP, Nigeria's ruling party as "an elite platform in the sharing of economic rent...the antitheses of nation building"......but insists that "citizens" can turn things around.

Listen to the talk here.

Pat Utomi, a professor of political economy and management expert is a Nigerian entrepreneur whose ultimate goal is to positively affect humanity. In 1982, he was appointed special assistant to President Shehu Shagari. Following the demise of the Second Republic, he became assistant general manager, corporate affairs, Volkswagen of Nigeria Limited, Lagos, 1983-93.

Utomi co-founded the Lagos Business School, now Pan African University in 1994 with the Opus Dei, a Catholic religious group. He was scholar-in-residence, American University, Washington DC, USA, 1996 and research associate, the Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 1996. He coordinated the establishment of several civil society groups on good governance and accountability such as Transparency in Nigeria and the Restoration Group. In the business sphere, Utomi is the vice-chairman, Platinium–Habib Bank. He is an accomplished columnist, and chairman, BusinessDay Media Limited and creator of Patito's Gang, a television talk show. Utomi has published several books on political economy and management. He was a presidential candidate in the 2007 elections in Nigeria and is again standing for election in the April 2011 polls.

A man more passionate about Nigeria, you will not find.

TEDxEuston - Remi Okunlola - "care more, do more"

2011-01-10T23:00:00.001Z

Listen to Remi Okunlola at TEDxEuston on how he took a leap of faith back home to participate in the "Nigeria project" but now he wants to care more and to do even more...find out how..then spread the word.

Remi takes us through how his journey from the legal profession, through entrepreneurial success to probably his biggest challenge yet bringing us to engage with passion on the issues that confront us in our society today. He implores us not to look away, but to stand firm and do the right thing. But it is not just what Remi says but how he says it that leaves such an impression. We laugh about his being shot at by robbers in Nigeria and cry about the boy in his hands.....that boy...! I can't get him out of my head. Be prepared to listen to an incredible story of love, courage, and believe in the future of the continent.

Remi Okunlola is co-founder and executive director of Africa's first indigenous offshore drilling company, SeaWolf Oilfields. Prior to his joining in establishing this first of its kind enterprise, Remi had established an international reputation as a respected Nigeria focused energy and natural resource lawyer - in his capacity as partner of Perchstone & Graeys, a Lagos based firm of Solicitors. Remi holds an MBA from the University of Dundee and an LLB from the University of East London. He is an English Barrister, a New York Attorney and a Nigerian Legal Practitioner. In his 16 years or so since returning to live in Nigeria, Remi has participated, initially as lawyer, and now on the business side, in delivering some of Nigeria's most internationally regarded transactions - including the first of its kind and award winning Nigeria LNG financing transaction, the Brass LNG project, and now Africa's first offshore drilling contractor.

He brought TEDxEuston to life!

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TEDxEuston - Winnie Ssanyu-Sseruma - "Why It means so much for me to be alive"

2011-01-08T14:20:00.002Z

"It means so much for me to be alive....so much to be alive"....Who cannot possibly forget Winnie's talk at TEDxEuston 2010.

In this beautiful story of life and hope, find out why Winnie has not shut up since she experienced her "lazarus effect". Her talk challenges our societies, that are still living in denial and avoid discussing the difficult issues that confront us. She challenges us through her own incredible story to wake up and smell the coffee, talk with our families, yes our own friends and families to celebrate those that are lucky to be still living with HIV and advocate for treatmet, prevention and possible...a cure!

Winnie currently works as African services manager for Positive East and was one of the first people from the African community in the UK to have the courage go public with her HIV status. After discovering she was HIV positive, Winnie now spends her time volunteering; writing, researching and speaking about issues affecting HIV positive Africans. Winnie is chair of the African HIV Policy Network (AHPN) and trustee of National Aids Trust (NAT).

Listen to this beautiful talk and think weather you are doing enough to break the stigma in our communities and really confront this disease as a simple disease like all others.

Ghanaian entrepreneur Bright Simons speaks at TEDxEuston

2010-08-21T20:10:00.002+01:00

Can technology drive a renaissance on the continent. Many say that this has already started.

Across the continent, more than 30 percent of malaria medicines are estimated to be fake, and many look identical to the real thing. Counterfeit medicines are reckoned by experts to kill at least 2000 people daily in the developing world and can constitute more than 40% of all medicines on sale in some countries. A new project called mPedigree lets consumers send in a code via text message that lets them check if their drugs are genuine. It was recently adopted in Nigeria, with plans for wider use elsewhere in Africa. Last month, the Nigerian government decided to introduce the technology for all medicines in the future, not just anti-malarials.

Customers send a text message to a central hotline with the code and instantly get an "OK" response telling them if the drug is registered and thus real. It also sends them additional information like the drug's manufacturer and expiration date. If the drug isn't registered and potentially fake, people receive a text message that says "No. Please recheck code." The system is free for consumers and is paid for by pharmaceutical companies and governments. It is such a powerful example of how Africans are coming up with innovative solutions to challenge conventional wisdom on the continent. If we can put information in the hands of the consumers then we will be able to hold our governments, companies and ourselves t account.

Ghanaian entrepreneur Bright Simons developed the mPedigree system; and he will be speaking at TEDxEuston 2010.

Bright B. Simons is a technology innovator, development activist and social entrepreneur. As an Executive at accra-based think tank IMANI (www.imanighana.org), he contributes to activities that challenge received wisdom about Africa's development challenges. Bright is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Councils and Technology Pioneers Community. He is also an Ashoka Fellow, TED Fellow, Tech Museum Laureate and a Brain Trust member of the Evian Group at IMD, widely considered Europe's foremost business school. His work has led to speaking engagements around the world and consequently to numerous citations in the international press, ranging from the Economist, New York Times, the Financial Times, BusinessWeek, Asian Times, and the BBC, where he is a regular commentator for the World Service. In 2010, he was conferred with an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Award by the African Leadership Institute.

When asked on the TED Fellows home page...besides work, what is he passionate about ...he responded.....

I worry about the pace of African growth, and I am fanatical about the need to inject some urgency into the transformation of the continent. what is peculiar about the African condition is that resource-rich nations like Congo and Angola and resource-poor nations like Mali and Benin, fast-reforming countries like Ghana and Tanzania and fast-retrogressing ones like Zimbabwe and Guinea, all huddle together at the bottom of the global development heap. I am enamored of projects like My Heart's in Accra and the Timbuktu Chronicles that shift our collective focus from the high-minded effusions of ideologues to the epic wave of change gathering within the donor-driven and elite-governed continental political and economic programs.

Kemi Adegoke speaks at TEDxEuston

2010-08-15T13:30:00.000+01:00

We are proud to present one of our fascinating speakers at TEDxEuston 2010; Kemi Adegoke.

Kemi is one of the "famous five" people of Nigerian extraction that stood in the April 2010 parliamentary elections in the UK.

Kemi Adegoke works as a systems analyst within the RBS Group. She studied Computer Systems Engineering (M.Eng) at Sussex University, graduating in 2003, and is also a Chartered Member of the British Computer Society. In June 2009, she completed an undergraduate. degree in Law at the University of London (Birkbeck).

She is also on the board of Charlton Triangle Housing Association. She was born in London, although she lived in Nigeria until the age of 16, and now lives in Herne Hill, South London. Before her selection as a candidate for Parliament under the Conservative Party, she was the Deputy Chairman of the Dulwich and West Norwood Conservative Association, and worked as a project leader for the Conservative Party Globalisation and Global Poverty Policy Group in 2006 and 2007. She was selected as the Conservative Parliamentary candidate, running against Tessa Jowell in the Dulwich and West Norwood Constituency in the 2010 Parliamentary election.

Kemi was widely celebrated in the Nigerian press. 234Next led with a story rightly titled Kemi Adegoke blazes trail in UK politics called her the "feisty, outspoken Conservative candidate"....In the article she describes her challenges in winning the votes of Nigerians living in her constituency ....describing the response of one particular man during her campaign as "E ba ti lo si party to favour foreigner...” asking in a mixture of Yoruba and English, why she didn’t choose a party that was sympathetic to foreigners. On the other hand, in this article in the Mail online, she is described as one of David Cameron's "cuties". The paper goes on to suggest that Kemi, with the other "cuties" were chosen for the wrong reason: to carry David Cameron's message that the Tories have changed. Not changed their principles, but their appearance.

Photo credit Daily Mail

But what does Kemi have to say herself about her experience in British politics? On the challenges and the joys?. On the campaign trail, walking the pavements and shopping centres speaking to people. What does she want to share with us on the joys and pains of seeking public office? What is her take on African politics, knowing that in most countries, the chances of a bright young lady like her standing for office would be almost unheard of ?

Kemi challenged conventional wisdom in many ways - smart, young, female, black and conservative.

Don't miss her talk at TEDxEuston. To register, get in touch with us through our website at or by emailing team@tedxeuston.com.

Registration opens for TEDxEuston 2010

2010-08-08T22:54:00.000+01:00

We are excited to open registration for TEDxEuston 2010!

After the very successful first event in 2009, we again offer you an opportunity to share ideas and ideals that will shape our future and the future of our continent. Registration is open until the end of August at a specially discounted fare.

We have another fascinating line up of 12 thinkers and doers that will share their "ideas worth spreading" about their engagement with the continent. The speakers will be sharing with us their experiences about some of the big issues confronting our generation: themed around "OUR destiny in OUR hands" - how new ideas are shaping our interaction with Africa"

Father Matthew Kukah, Nigerian Catholic Priest and social commentator who has fascinating and bold ideas on public sector leadership.
Moky Makura, Nigerian-born South African actress and presenter. Her book 'Africa's Greatest Entrepreneurs' tells the success stories of the top entrepreneurs on the continent.
Petina Gappah, Zimbabwean writer and her beautiful book "An Elegy of Easterly" tells stories out of Zimbabwe that offers a completely new view of the country.
Professor Pat Utomi, a founding Senior Faculty of the Lagos Business School (Pan African University). He has served in senior positions in government and in the private sector. He was a candidate for President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 2007 general elections and leader of the shadow cabinet of a rainbow coalition of political parties.
Kemi Adegoke, Nigeria-born British Politician. She parted with conventional wisdom and stood for Parliament under the Conservative Party during the last elections in the UK.
Bright Simons - Ghanaian technology innovator, development activist and social entrepreneur. As an Executive at Accra-based think tank IMANI (www.imanighana.org).
Hannah Pool is, in her own words, British-Eritrean, Eritrean-British. She recently embarked on a journey back to her origins, which she recounts in her fascinating book titled My Fathers’ Daughter.
Paul Onwuanibe, Nigerian Entrepreneur who has spent the last two years growing his business in Africa with hubs in Lagos, Johannesburg and Nairobi.
Michela Wrong, British writer who has spent the last 16 years writing about Africa. Her most recent book, “It’s Our Turn to Eat”, tracks the story of Kenyan corruption whistleblower John Githongo. It has been described as reading “like a cross between Le Carre and Solzhenitsyn”.
Muhtar Bakare, Nigerian Publisher who retired from banking after 12 years, in June 2004, to launch the publishing house; Kachifo Limited. Because of Bakare's vision, writers are energised and Nigerians are beginning to see literature as viable again.
Richard Dowden, British journalist and writer is the Director of the Royal African Society. His book: Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles was published by Portobello Books in September 2008 .

Date: Saturday November 27

Time: 12 noon - 7.30 pm

Venue: UCL London

TEDxEuston is an invitation only event. If you want to attend the event get in touch with us by filling out this short form."I AM INTERESTED IN ATTENDING TEDxEuston"

The event last year sold, this year's will. If you plan to attend, don't leave it late. Register now!

For more details on TEDxEuston go to www.tedxeuston.com

To find out more about TED go to www.ted.com

Continuing the conversation

2010-03-21T17:14:00.000Z

Following TEDxEuston members of our emerging "community" suggested that we meet up again soon to re-live and continue some of the conversation of TEDxEuston over drinks ....so yesterday we did precisely that!

In the "Red Room" of the Cicada restaurant in London about 40 of us met for drinks, canapés and a couple of TED talks to go.

We watched two short films showing William Kamkwamba...amazing stuff. If you have not - go to TED.com and watch his talk - you will see the world differently...promise. If you want to read his entire story - buy his book "The boy who harnessed the wind"

Watch out for the date of the next TEDxEuston to be announced soon. The buzz has already begun!

A few other updates...

Read Funmi Iyanda's post on her experiences at TEDxEuston on her blog.
Read Chika Unigwe's fascinating essay on "How to be African" here.
Watch Nuhu Ribadu on CNN here
Watch the talks from TEDxEuston here.

View all the other pictures HERE.

TEDxEuston - Pictures and Video now online

2010-03-11T22:31:00.000Z

The talks from TEDxEuston are online!

Every time you listen to them they seem more profound. The first batch of 6 are now on our website here:

Watch again, rate the talks, make comments on them, send them round to your contacts. People often use the term "talk shop" in a derogatory manner. But think of all the people we regard as heroes. From Martin Luther King to Nelson Mandela to Barack Obama. What did they all have in common? They had an extraordinary capacity - not just to do the great things they did in their lives, but also to inspire a whole generation of others to believe in their vision of the world as it should be.

So listen again to Funmi Iyanda's stories of hope from the most deprived areas you can imagine. Listen to Nasir El Rufai share his vision of the role of cities in development and how his vision transformed a Abuja, listen to Bola Olabisi share with you her relentless drive to put a face on the millions of women that invent stuff we use day-to-day. Listen to Onyekachi Wambu challenging conventional wisdom of our attitude to leadership and Lawrence Mbugua on how private investments are driving growth on the continent. Cap it all up with the smooth tunes from Aletia Upstairs. All for you @ http://www.tedxeuston.com/tedx09.html

All the pictures are still available here.

TEDxEuston - Our destiny in OUR hands

2009-12-07T21:05:00.000Z

It was indeed a long journey putting together TEDxEuston but seeing things fall into place on Saturday made it all worth it!

Our primary goal was to continue the conversations started at TEDGlobal in Arusha, Tanzania; exploring the issues that matter to Africa and Africans. We stayed true to the spirit of the TED, hosting fascinating thinkers and doers to:

....this was done by talks in 3 fascinating sessions:

As we digest the profound contents of the talks over the next few weeks and months, we will reminisce on their content via this blog.

Join us on the journey of reflection! Look forward to your comments....