West Africa Civil Society Institute launches liaison office in Nigeria to strengthen CSOs

The West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) has officially launched its node in Nigeria to strengthen and provide resources to Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and ensure they perform better in the country.

The launch took place at the Nigerian Air Force, NAF Centre Abuja, on Wednesday.

Executive Director of WACSI, Nana Afadzinu said the node will serve as a liaison office connecting CSOs to the institute’s training, monitoring, mentorship, coaching and offerings.

She said “Today is an official entry into Nigeria. We now have a node. We are setting up a liason office in Nigeria to connect civil societies in Nigeria to the web and resources of WACSI office which is really about strengthening civil society organizations, looking at their the institutions, governance, management and their operations.

“We have always work with Nigeria but being here will enables us reach even wider to those who may not be able to connect with us online, they can still engage with the work that we do. If we are talking about local philanthropy, I believe that Nigeria is one of the place where we have really local philanthropy. You do have a lot of high network individuals in other organisations, young social entrepreneurs who are coming up, who are interested in supporting their development with their work and their resources. So how do we harness all of these?

“Nigerian civil societies have inspired many of us in the sub region. How do we make sure these civil societies continue to be strong and continue to enable a strong Nigeria democratic project, peace and security in Nigeria and the kind of prosperity that we all need and that is the reason why we are here”, She said.

Speaking further, WACSI Executive Director noted that at a critical time such as this, CSOs are expected to synergise and promote democracy, peace and security in the West Africa region.

She said “The region is at a crossroad and for Nigeria, the 2023 elections would pose a key test of the strength of the country’s democracy”.

Afadzinu stressed that a strong civil society in Nigeria is critical in repositioning the geopolitics in the region.

Also, Professor Adebayo Olukoshi, Wits School of governance, Johannesburg South Africa, said CSOs has an important duty in organising it self to achieve the expected result.

This according to him will help them respond to many discontent of democratisation witnessed in the past years.

He however charged electoral stakeholders to ensure that the 2023 general elections solidify the unity of the country.

“At a point in time when democracy is under severe threat in West Africa and indeed in the context of the global recession in democracy, civil societies has an important duty in reorganising itself inorder to be able to respond to any discontent in democratisation which we have seen over the last twenty -thirty-five years across West Africa. To do so will require a real politicisation of civil societies” he noted.