Elizabeth Alexander, an American poet, essayist and playwright, is the director of creativity and free expression at the Ford Foundation. She is the inaugural Frederick Iseman Professor of Poetry and a Thomas E. Donnelley Professor of African-American Studies at Yale University. In this interview with Senior Correspondent, ONYEWUCHI OJINNAKA, the 54-year-old egghead talks on civil society organisations in Nigeria, human rights among other issues.
What is your perception of civil society organisations in Nigeria?
I can say that I am learning a great deal about that. That is why I have come here with my work to observe, and what I have seen yesterday, for example, the convening of amazing people who are working in areas of investigative journalism, art and culture and film, there are very robust activities of the civil societies here, especially in the area of creativity. Today, we saw young people whose imaginations and training have enabled them to vision a more just civil society and therefore a more productive Nigeria, a more productive Africa and a more productive world.
In what ways can these organisations be funded?
That is a great question. So many organisations need funding to do what they want to do, and there are a lot of ways to go about supporting an organisation. No one entity can support everyone. To me, the question is how they can be very strategic, about who to support, whose work is exemplary, whose work is normally wonderful and touches lives and also shines some light on a sector, empower a sector, create linkages and networks within a sector that can essentially have large impact on such organisations.
What about monitoring the fund?
Another excellent question. The programme officers at the Ford Foundation, for example, are very scrupulous and careful, and this foundation has varied elaborately and designed systems of engagement that partner with grantees to ensure that monitoring is taking place and the funds are well-utilised.
What measures should be taken if some lapses are discovered in the management of the funds?
I think the way we try to do it lies with different levels of management, and they deal with it before getting to that point. So, deal with it before you get to that point. The programme officers have very rigorous relationships with the grantees they work with, and a lot happens before we get to the point of actually making a grant. So there are real partners. These are people we are working with. These are the people we know. These are the people we are investing on with our eyes wide open.
As director of Creativity and free Expression at the Ford Foundation, what is your position on Freedom of Expression and human rights in Nigeria?
This is not where I live. I would not offer an informed opinion, but what I would say is that freedom of expression around the world can always be enhanced. I think that if we look to the creative sector, we can create and encourage conditions that will allow free expression to thrive.
What are the objectives of Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative?
It is not a Ford foundation-funded organisation, and so it is really the organisers that can say that. But as I understand it, the central premise is that we need to look to our empowered youths, to find solutions to the questions that are facing them for the coming generations. So we have presentations where young people are talking on how to increase the number of young women in some professions, for example, activating the entire neglected portion of the society from young people by bringing them to the fore.
We also had some solutions from young people on how to think about the young people living in Makoko area and the ways they might be empowered to be more productive in their communities. So I think the basic premise is that young people need to be engaged to manage the future.
What about empowerment?
I felt that in our society today, there are professionals in various fields who are part of the empowerment mission by giving very honest, direct, constructive feedback to each of the teams on their proposals. So I think the way young people commit their time and talent will help them to be better and help them to sharpen their skills. That is one of the most important steps on the road to economic empowerment which will bring about the needed change.
What advice would you give to civil society organisations?
What I will say is that Nigeria is a nation with extreme history and have very powerful culture and very powerful sense of self. I think that their culture is an invaluable commodity and so they need to continue to think about where they stayed, who they represent and what the people they represent have to say, and show the unique powers of what flourishes in Nigeria.