Ebenezar Wikina lives in Rivers State, Nigeria. His father's love of books and magazines coupled with his early career in journalism are the roots of his thirst for learning and his dedication to reform government policies. His passion is taking national, long-term goals and bringing them to success in local governments... the six Nigerian states and their subregions. This, he believes, is where change takes root. He formed Policy Shapers to empower young people with knowledge, skills, and tools to engage in public policy. River States is one of six states in Nigeria. Formed by the Niger River delta, "it is warm there, like Florida," explains Ebenezar. The 11,100-square mile state is home to nine million people. Less than 40% have access to electricity. Right now, given major national grid problems, less than 20% of the population has power and their are routine power disruptions to hospitals, hotels, and the entire community. Many schools have no power at all. Ebenezar explains how he formed Policy Shapers and how he coalesced and facilitated diverse interest groups. Led by youth, Policy Shapers is inclusive of all ages, of women, and sensitive to the needs of people with disabilities. Participants and topical experts were brought together with WhatsApp, Zoom, and other social media platforms. They raised awareness and have used "hack-a-thons" to delve deeply into specific issues. Ebenezar and his colleagues brought thousands of voices together, surveying them on the most pressing problems facing the state and nation and the African continent. They suggested solutions. Together they began to craft River States' long-term sustainability plan... called Rivers 2050 Vision. In the discussion, Ebenezar focuses on five factors that will profoundly affect River States' future. The first is energy and the need to make power ubiquitous and to transform the hydrocarbon energy to renewables. The region has rich oil and gas reserves, that are sold off and that have polluted rivers there to the point where people cannot fish. Rivers State is rich in wind coming off the Atlantic Ocean, hydropower, and solar. Tapping into these resources and making structural changes, like not taxing solar panels, will help to spur this transition. Second is global climate change, that he reports is quite well known given the internet and widespread use of cell phones. Its impacts are certainly being felt in River States... events such as extreme heat waves and flooding. What can his generation do to shift from hydrocarbons to renewables? Can they promote agriculture and the development of renewables to shore up the economy as oil and gas revenues recede? Third is population, expected to rise 400,000 people per year. Ebenezar notes that River States is a religious community but that family planning is important there. To accommodate increased population and the fourth major planning element -- sea level rise -- River States needs housing. Policy Shapers promotes creative architectural solutions such as getting back to building on water using floating homes and businesses, now using more advanced building materials and sanitation. The fifth factor that Ebenezar highlights is AI and the workforce that kids like his own son will have to adapt to when they reach the workforce. Ebenezar notes the pace of AI's penetration and how many jobs have already been lost, and how many more will be lost in the planning timeframe. Clearly, Rivers State will have to adapt. He makes strong statements about teaching youth critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence. For schools, he suggests that there is a need for new curriculum, based on what AI can do and what it cannot do.
