Rubbing Minds Gets Reloaded!

On the 9th of September 2007, Nigeria’s premier news TV Station, Channels Television and leading marketing communications firm for young people, RedSTRAT (organizers of “The Future…” Awards) will be presenting to the nation a brand new version of the quarterly event, Rubbing Minds.

In its second year now, Rubbing Minds prides itself as the only event of its kind in the country. Designed in the fine tradition of modern ‘town-hall’ meetings, it has quickly distinguished itself as the only avenue for young people from a vast cross-section to discuss issues around the social, economic and political, as well as to network and synergise.

Unlike other talk sessions that only manage to draw the attention of students or youths in advocacy, Rubbing Minds has achieved A-list status with its rare ability to pull a qualitative mix - from the corporate environment, business, fashion and style, music, comedy, the academia, the media, politics and advocacy. Rubbing Minds sees the elite of young people coming together to discuss of all subjects – Nigeria.

According to RedSTRAT’s Director of Operations, Adebola Williams, “the idea of Rubbing Minds is to make it cool and hip for young people to discuss the issues that ultimately define them, as young people, and as Nigerians. We took up this challenge because of our impatience with the way young people in their 20s and early 30s are being engaged. The fact is, the more you keep presenting those kinds of sessions in a boring, clichéd monotone, the more you alienate a generation of young people who have been exposed to the modern savvy of international debate and politics.”

The first edition of the new Rubbing Minds will seek to counter-balance the expected frenzy that will accompany the 100 Days in Office celebrations across the country. Themed ‘First Impressions’, it will reflect what young people from across Nigeria think about the new president, the governors, and the steps they have taken in the 100 days since May 29. Expected to be as intellectually charged as always, the organizers have promised that the event will maintain its easy ambience and the delicious mix of wit, candor and irreverence that have earned the event its credibility and acceptability.

The event is billed to hold at rave venue, Planet One, in Lagos, playing host to 250 selected young people, as well as three special guests to be revealed in a few days. Even better, this session will be broadcast live (4pm) on the Channels Television network – with a scheduled repeat broadcast. This is certainly unprecedented!

Explaining the new partnership with Channels Television, Williams reveals it was the CEO, Mr. John Momoh “in that unobtrusive way that is his trademark, who, having encountered Rubbing Minds, decided it was to time to put it on a bigger, more accessible platform, so that Nigerians can effectively move beyond empty clichés and begin to really integrate the voice of young people into national issues and the way our country is run. Indeed, people like Mr. Momoh, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, Mr. Tayo Aderinokun and others who have encountered the work that RedSTRAT does for young people and have decided to give it their full support prove themselves as authentic inspiration for the new Nigeria we keep talking about.”

With the irresistible blend of Channels Television’s professionalism and unwavering commitment to detail, combined with RedSTRAT’s savvy and popularity amongst the youth population nationally, the excitement as we all count down to the reloaded version of Rubbing Minds on the 9th of September 2007 is almost breathless!

Enquiries about the event can be made to redstratnigeria@yahoo.co.uk or redstart@thefuturenigeria.com, and details can be gotten on www.thefuturenigeria.com.

P.S: 40 seats are left open: if you wanna attend, please send a mail to chude@thefuturenigeria.com with your full name, age, and occupation.