In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Horlikins Event Center
5 Eastern Bypass, Old G.R.A.
PORT HARCOURT, Rivers, 500272
Nigeria

Beauty Eru

Singer/Songwriter

She is an sensational afro-soul and R&B artiste from Delta State, Nigeria. She was raised in the city of Port Harcourt. She started singing at the age of 10 and then professionally at age 18. She is just finishing up a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics and Communications Studies from the University of Port Harcourt. Her musical expression is one that tends to always astonish her audience because of her vocal strength and effortless ability to gracefully capture and captivate listeners with soothing libretti. She released a debut single ‘Fowl na Fowl’ on the 19th of June 2019 which incidentally was her 20th birthday. The song was greatly received and got her a lot of attention in the city of Port Harcourt, and was cemented with a follow up single ‘Paradise’, which was released 3 months after, a song captioned ‘A Song For Everyone That Has Lost Someone’. The two tracks are off her EP titled Adiaha (First Daughter), which is scheduled to be released in November 2019.

Charles Emembolu

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR & IT ARCHITECTURE EXPERT

Charles comes with combined experience from both Telecommunication, Financial Services and Technology Innovation with 15 years' worth of experience. In 2016, he co-founded a technology focused business incubator called Roar Nigeria with the management of University of Nigeria Nsukka,the 1st technology hub within a University in Nigeria - conceptualized under the Triple Helix of Private Sector – Public Sector - Academia. He co-founded a social enterprise, TechQuest STEM Academy (www.tqstem.org) in 2015 that teaches Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics concepts to young Nigerians and has impacted nearly 20,000 people across 15 states using an innovative community model that is currently a subject of academic research. Charles is the Chief Executive Officer of Crestsage Limited, an information technology architecture and consulting company founded in 2010. He is an avid traveller who, in his spare time, enjoys swimming, playing squash and strategising on blue ocean projects

Chibugo Okafor

WOMEN/YOUTH ADVOCATE & APICULTURE ENTREPRENEUR

One of the 25 young Nigerian women champions for UN Women Beijing+25, Founder-President of The Walk with Women and Children; an organisation that leverages off of the ‘power of the collective’ to advance the personal, social, health, education and economic rights of children and women across Africa. An avid advocate for women and youth development, with over 3 years professional experience working with communities, governmental and NGOs. Her passion has led to key engagements between the Houses of Parliament London, Senate of Nigeria, United Nations Addis Ababa. She sits on committees and works closely with different NGO’s focused on the advancement of communities and the empowerment of women and youth; World Bank Youth Forum, Youth Initiative for Diversity in Nigeria and Rotary Foundation. She doubles up as the CEO of Kendake Honey, a social enterprise focused on utilizing apiculture to promote job creation for women and youths, food security and wealth creation for the Africa.

Chinwe Egwim

ECONOMIST

Chinwe is an Economist with strong analytical and research skills. with sound understanding of macroeconomic indicators. She has practical experience in producing policy relevant economic research reports which cover fiscal profile, fx dynamics, interest rate, trade,GDP growth trends, reserves management, inflation and sectorial trends. Chinwe has over 400 published economic notes,she was listed as one of the 100 most inspiring Nigerian women by Leading Ladies Africa. In 2018 she was included to the Corporate Nigeria PowerList as one of the ten most influential professional Nigerians under 40 and also recognised as a leading woman in banking, Nigeria. She has been nominated as young professional of the year by Future Awards Africa and won the 2018 HER Network Career Woman of the Year, been included to high profile committees such as World Bank and the UN. An active member of the ADB Annual Meetings and currently sits as a board member on research at the Nigeria Economic Summit Group.

Chioma Agwuegbo

WRITER / SOCIAL COMMENTATOR

Chioma's interests revolve around women, media, politics, and technology. Her strategies advance causes, build businesses and foster engagement between government and citizens. The Founder TechHer, a community designed to demystify tech for women and deploy innovation towards solving societal problems that affect them. She believes that technology not applied is not useful. A founding member of Enough is Enough ,an alumna Global Shaper community, Not Too Young To Run Bill, now Act. She joined the Powering Jobs Steering Committee for Nigeria. She has a Master's Degree in Social Media and first degree in Mass Communication. She has graced podiums from The Hague to The House of Lords, and several locations as a speaker. In November 2018,she was invited as an inaugural speaker at the Global Women Leaders Forum in Iceland A writer and political/social commentator, she has held columns with Foresight for Development,Huffington Post, and contributes regularly to Premium Times and others.

Diseye Tantua

VISUAL ARTIST

He is the Vice President, Society of Nigerian Artist (South East) and a member of the Guild of Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria (GFA). Born to Nigerian and Ghanaian parents, he studied fine and applied art at the Ignatius Ajuru University, Port Harcourt. After graduating in 2001, Diseye remained a full time artist best known for his iconic style of "Afro Pop Art", combining graphics symbols, bold colors, and expressive text style of urban art with an Afrocentric vibe. Tantua's three dimensional art forms are as a result of his longstanding relationship with master artist and architect Demas Nwoko. His new experiments made from classic car parts, creating chairs, beds, stunning couches and tables, have been welded and painted to breathe new life into salvage car parts.His brand 'D-ARTIST', have adorned homes and outstanding restaurants. His works have been exhibited both local and internationally, forming part of many significant collections.

Dr. Jekwu Ozoemene

FINANCE SPECIALIST / WRITER

An African finance specialist, amateur economist, an author of short stories, poet, playwright and a banker, he is currently the MD/CEO of Lyceum Alliance Limited (a pre-eminent management consulting firm) and a Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) Nominee Director on the board of Business Partners International East Africa LLC (BPI EA), a risk finance company that supports SME growth. He has over 20 years’ experience in banking and finance within,he has held various strategic positions such as; Senior Investment Officer at the FMO in The Hague; MD/CEO of Access Bank Zambia, Deputy MD of Access Bank Rwanda. He holds a B.A from the University of Lagos, an MBA in Finance from the University of Leicester, a Chartered Banker MBA from Bangor University, and a DBA in Banking and Finance from Binary University College Malaysia; a Board member of Jalada Africa Trust, a Pan-African Collective to promote Writers and Creatives of African origin.

Dr. Ureh Oparaodu

CONSULTANT ENT SURGEON

Dr. Ureh is a consultant Otorhinolaryngologist/Ear, Nose & Throat Surgeon in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching hospital.She attained the MBBS degree from the University of Port Harcourt, did her residency program in Ear,Nose and Throat Surgery, same University Hospital. She was the 1st female doctor from Rivers State to attain a Fellowship in Otorhinolaryngology, West African College of Surgeons. During her residency, she served as Treasurer, Vice President and she was the first female President of the Association of Resident Doctors,South-South Region, Nigeria.The platform presented the opportunity to organize the first ARD Research methodology course, setting up an electronic library and giving back to the hospital community. In 2018 Dr. Oparaodu was awarded Leading Women in Rivers State by Port Harcourt Business and Peoples Award Organisation, as well as a Fellowship from the Institute of Policy Management and Development. She is the iniator for Chimdi Odu Foundation (COF).

ENEMI ALABO GEORGE

WRITER, LEADER & FARMER

Hon. Enemi Alabo George hails from Abalama town in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State. He holds a B.Sc with Double Honours in Political Science/Public Administration from University of Uyo, a Masters Degree in Business Administration and a Masters Degree in International Relations from University of Port Harcourt. Hon. Enemi spent most of his work life as a banker. He worked with Zenith Bank Plc and left to Fidelity Bank Plc where he resigned as Head of Public Sector Group to run for legislative office in 2015. He is the representative of Asari-Toru Constituency 2 in the Rivers State He has just been re-elected for a second term in office. He is a writer, poet and public speaker. He also engages in Agro enterprise and likes to be called a farmer. Enemi is passionate about young people and spends most of his time coaching and mentoring them, a social intervention strategist and has worked tirelessly to lift people out of poverty lines.

HRH Eze Nyema Onunwor

TRADITIONAL RULER/HUMAN CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT LEADER

Nyema Onunwor is passionate about the development of human capacity and is particularly interested in women and young people. He founded Ontogenesis Youth Development Initiative, an NGO set up to dignify the human spirit. He is a graduate of Chemistry from the University of Port Harcourt and the traditional ruler of Oropotoma Kingdom in Rivers State; before ascending to the throne, he has worked and partnered with several local and international organizations ; Mind Mine Services, Development and Leadership Institute, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Pamela D.Moore and Associates, Wetlands International, Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency, Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Project and the British Council’s youth program “Next Generation Youth Debates”. A Paul Harris Fellow, past president of a Rotary Club. He has a few involvements in literary publications to his credit.

Lawrence Macaulay Pepple

SECURITY,CONFLICT RESOLUTION & SUSTAINABILITY EXPERT

In 1983, Larry as fondly called, started out in the Nigerian Security Organisation, now Department of State Security, until 1999 when he was appointed as Chief Detail for the then Executive Governor Dr. Peter Odili and then became the CSO responsible for overall Planning, Implementation and Enforcement of all Physical/Personal Security for the first family and designated government official including security planning and peaceful resolution of conflicts and also ensuring optimum peaceful co-habitation in the state. He graduated from the University of Port Harcourt with a degree in Sociology with emphasis in Social Welfare and Community Development and a PGD in Police Science and Criminology, a Master of Science degree in Conflict, Security and Development from the University of Birmingham.. Larry enjoys discussions that will engender sustainable development of Rivers State and the Niger Delta as well as enjoys reading biographies of world leaders and civil rights activist

Pamela Scott

Singer, Artiste.

Pamela Scott is an alternative Rock Artiste, songwriter and guitarist. She was born on the 11th of March 1998 to the family of Engr. (Dr) Scott Akpila and Mrs. Fortune Akpila. She is the fourth child of seven children and hails from Emago Krubo in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State Nigeria.

Pastor David Ibiyeomie

LEADER & PHILANTHROPIST

A Bonny born native of Ogu-bolo in Rivers State, Nigeria, David Ibiyeomie attended Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri after his primary education from Banham Primary School Port-Harcourt. In 1980, he bagged a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from the now Rivers State University and also holds an honorary doctorate degree in Divinity from the Bradley University of America, awarded in 2004. He is intensely involved in community service with a commitment to restoring hope and impacting the world. His establishment, the David Ibiyeomie Foundation (DIF), through welfare schemes and programme such as scholarships, skills acquisitions training and medical outreaches contribute massively to society, providing much needed aid to the less privileged in orphanages, prisons and at centres for the physically challenged. He is also the Senior Pastor of Salvation Ministries, a fast growing global church in Port Harcourt, currently with over 350 satellite churches worldwide.

Prof. Frank Ugiomoh

Scholar, Writer and Artist.

Prof. is an independent scholar and studio artist : a non-institutional affiliate professor of history of art and theory. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sculpture from the University of Benin, Benin City (1980), a Master’s degree in African Visual Arts from the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan (1986), Master’s and Philosophy Doctoral in Philosophy of History and Aesthetics from the University of Port Harcourt (2000 & 2003). He held a teaching position at the Department of Fine Art and Design,University of Port Harcourt (1987–2018), occupied the Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Chair of Fine Art and Design at the same university. His academic interests include historiography of art history with a focus on African art history; also embracing art criticism and photography discourse. His studio interests include sculpture, printmaking, and stained-glass design. Ugiomoh is widely published, and his academic contributions have appeared in books, book chapters and journals.

Uji Terkuma

PRODUCT DESIGNER

Uji Terkuma is a Nigerian who is strongly passionate about solving problems with creative solutions. From age of three, he began scribbling product ideas, with emphasis on automotive design ideas, and was later convinced the design of products was not solely the responsibility of engineers. The realization inspired him to pursue a degree in Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, he majored in Graphic Design. On completion of his studies, he worked as a visualizer at the advertisement agency of Franchise Law and Kenneth, creating materials for marketing campaigns as well as designing hardware products. He was industrial designer with Tecno Mobile for three years, where he was tasked with the research, concept design, and development for mobile phones and accessories. Currently,an automotive designer with Mureza Auto Co, a startup automotive developer and manufacturer. In his spare time, he works on design projects ranging from drones to hospital equipment.