The GoNigeria Initiative, which encourages youth participation in the electoral process has announced the names of young Nigerians who won the top 3 prizes in its Pidgin Rap Challenge.

The winners, announced by the organisers include, Victor David Oche from Benue State, who emerged as the Star prize winner of the competition and will receive a cash prize of N1,000,000 (one million Naira); Uroko Isreal Ejike from Enugu State who emerged as the first runner-up and receives a cash prize of N600,000; and Oluwatimilehin Fadimiroye Fortune from Ondo State who emerged as the second runner-up and received a cash prize of N400,000.

The Pidgin Rap Challenge was organized to further boost the public enlightenment campaign of GoNigeria, an advocacy initiated by Anap Foundation whichseekstosensitize Nigerian youths to register to vote, obtain their PVCs and participate in the electoral processes during the 2023 General Elections.

The online challenge which ran from Saturday, 14 May, 2022 to Saturday, 04, June 2022, was aimed at engaging Nigerian youths with a strong inclination in rap to showcase their talents and be part of the ongoing GoNigeria advocacy campaign.

The poster boy for the GoNigeria Pidgin Rap Challenge was renowned rapper, Folarin Falana (Falz) who is also a GoAmbassador.

The digital competition offered persons between ages 18 to 34, an opportunity to create a 45 seconds rap video while holding their Permanent Voters’ Cards [PVCs]or registration slip and encouraging other youths to go register and pick up their voters’ cards, whilst playing with the acronym PVC in the video, then posting their video using the hashtag #GoNigeriaRapContest. The objective was to encourage the youth demographic to register with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and collect their PVCswhile the Commission’s Continuous Voter’s Registration [CVR] exercise remains open in preparation for the 2023 General elections.

Falz alongside other ambassadors, is at the forefront of celebrities and activists who are eager to see youths participate more actively in the nation’s electoral processes, as their direct involvement in the 2023 general elections can be pivotal to reshaping the country’s political terrain. GoNigeria is an initiative of Anap Foundation, a non-profit organization which is committed to promoting good governance.

Via its GoNigeria Initiative, AnapFoundation has been partnering with Advocates and enlightened celebrities(GoAmbassadors), corporate bodies eager to support the Initiative via co-branding(GoPartners) as well as many enthusiastic young volunteers who will help to amplify the messaging to their age mates (GoVolunteers). The overall aim is to encourage Nigerian youths to register and vote en-masse in the 2023GeneralElections. The 18 initial Advocates of the GoNigeria Movement are drawn from all the 6 geopolitical zones (3 from each zone).

They are: AtedoPeterside (Convener), AishaYesufu, Nuruddeen Lemu, Dike Chukwumerije, Folarin Falana (Falz), BishopMatthew Hassan-Kukah, Arunma Oteh, Hamzat Lawal, Tomiwa Aladekomo, OsitaChidoka, Dr. Tony Rapu, ‘Yemi Adamolekun, Muhammad Ali Pate, HHMuhammad Sanusi II, Dr. Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman, KashimIbrahim-Imam,Ayisha Osori and Ibrahim Dahiru Waziri. To know more about Anap Foundation’s GoNigeria Initiative,visit: www.GoNigeria.com