You don’t know anything about politics.

Have you ever tried discussing politics with an older relative? Forget the older relative who might dismiss you with the question: “What do you know about politics?” Every day, from newspaper stands to beer parlours, and their modern equivalents like the social media platform X, people engage in heated political conversations. And often, someone is quick to tell you that you know nothing, or not enough.

What then is politics? And how does one truly learn about it?

If you were an art student like me in secondary school, you likely offered government as a subject. And if you were born in the early 2000s, at least you offered civic education. You might recall the core curriculum: definitions of democracy, the three tiers and arms of government, the history of the 1914 amalgamation, and basic rights and responsibilities. But does this foundation truly prepare us for the complexities of political discourse and participation today? My answer is No!

Nigerian politics can often seem confusing, at least to me. There’s a theoretical understanding of things, and then there are the practical workings, including concepts like street politics, geopolitical politics, and party politics. Where do young people like me, who are newly eligible to vote and have limited knowledge of politics, go for education? This gap is precisely what Learn Politics aims to bridge.

What is  Learn Politics about?

Learn Politics (LP) is a Nigerian non-profit, launched in September 2023, dedicated to democratizing political education for youth. Its mission is to empower young Nigerians with the knowledge needed for informed political decisions, constructive civic dialogue, and meaningful change, ultimately fostering a politically aware and active citizenry. The organization achieves its goals through research, community sessions, educational materials, and workshops, supported by strategic partnerships with civic organisations like Civic Hive, Infraspotlight, PoliZ, and AdvokC, and funding from organizations like the Nigerian Youth Futures Fund, along with peer-to-peer fundraising and its Civic Donor Club (CAT Club).

My Introduction to Learn Politics 

Since the 2023 elections, Nigerian politics has been a constant source of reflection for me, particularly the dashed hopes for the country’s future. It left me questioning: are we truly helpless until 2027? What lessons did we miss in the last election?

These thoughts led me to Victoria Oladipo, a policy professional and the founder of Learn Politics, widely recognized as “Victoria || Political Saviour” on X. Her insightful discussions on political apathy, the importance of local government elections, and timely commentary on daily political events immediately captivated my attention. It was around this time that Learn Politics, in collaboration with Archivi.ng, another non-profit dedicated to preserving Nigerian history through newspaper archives, launched a “Nigerian History Course.”

Given how intertwined Nigeria’s political landscape is with its history, I was eager to enroll in the course and begin my learning journey. Unfortunately, an academic examination coinciding with the course duration prevented me from participating. Learn Politics launched two other courses afterwards, including a physical class on Introduction to Politics.

The LMS Launch and Stakeholders Engagement Event 

On October 10th, at 10 AM, in the Sabo environs of Yaba, “Lagos’s Silicon Valley” and home to innovation hubs like Civic Hive. Learn Politics convened young leaders from media, transparency and accountability organizations, researchers, policy experts, and politics enthusiasts. The gathering deliberated on the theme “Reimagining Civic Education: Pathways to A Participatory and Informed Citizenry.” Kryvent, as one of the media partners, was represented by me.

The event commenced at 10:49 AM with a welcome speech by Victoria Oladipo, Executive Director of Learn Politics. She shared that LP, having turned two years old last month, has been dedicated to improving political education and is now accelerating community engagement and youth participation. Her speech was immediately followed by the Keynote Speech from Mr. Joseph Idahosa Amenaghawon, head of Civic Hive. Civic Hive, the innovative civic tech center of BudgIT, a Nigerian non-profit focused on transparency and civic engagement, provides technical support and capacity-building for civic-oriented non-profit organizations like Learn Politics.

Mr. Joseph Idahosa’s speech was rich with insights. He highlighted that our civic learning as young people is shaped by our homes, culture, religion, and educational institutions. He questioned how basic civic education can shift from note memorization to practical engagement. He also stated that effective civic education is hindered by poor leadership that actively shapes narratives of participation, projecting fear and division along religious and geopolitical lines, and a failure to emphasize civic values and critical thinking. He stressed the need to move beyond urban centers to areas with low internet penetration, establishing solid connections with local communities, and deeply engaging in our communities (LCDA and LGA). We must shift from focusing solely on general elections, which are often the most polarizing. The way forward for young people is to join communities that foster year-round active participation, use platforms to combat misinformation, engage in peer to peer education, and lead by example through values and volunteering.

The next item on the agenda was a breakout session where attendees deliberated on various sub-themes and presented their findings. This was followed by a panel session led by Mayowa Akinleye (Programs and Partnerships Lead, Learn Politics) and featured the following speakers: Temidayo Musa (Head of Operations and Programs at Civic Hive), Glory Ukwenga (Executive Director of the Political TV Show, Nigeria House of Commons), and Ufuoma Nnamdi-Udeh (Deputy ED, Programs, EIE Nigeria).

Temidayo Musa of Civic Hive shared a personal experience with his community’s LGA chairman many years ago, where his concerns were dismissed due to a perceived lack of knowledge of how things work. This emphasized the need for young people to study and research to effectively engage with their leaders. The panelists stressed the importance of engaging young people aged 25 and below in conversations about youth and politics, rather than focusing solely on those 27 and above. Temidayo and Glory further highlighted that as more young people develop platforms and solutions, prioritizing horizontal partnerships and harmonizing efforts is crucial. After the panel concluded, it was time for the much-anticipated reveal: the LMS platform, presented by Victoria Oladipo.

The LMS Interview

Kryvent:  Congratulations, Victoria! How long has the idea of an LMS been in the works?
Victoria: The idea of an LMS has always been part of the plan from the beginning. Learn Politics has always aimed to design courses, and we’ve been using Google Classroom for our cohort-based classes. I’m thrilled that we’re now able to host accessible courses that people can take anytime on the LMS, while also continuing our cohort-based courses there. Thanks to Civic Hive and the Nigerian Youth Futures Fund for making it a reality. Civic Hive is a partner in the advancement of the LMS. Nigeria Youth Futures Fund is also a partner in the course recording on the LMS.

Kryvent: That’s amazing. Does this mean Learn Politics focuses solely on young people with internet access?
Victoria: Yes, right now we’re focused on young people with access to technology. I know most people assume internet access equates to being well-informed, but many young people, especially online, don’t know as much as we believe, or they lack accurate information. I see it frequently on X. One of the things that spurred the launch of Learn Politics was a false tweet about the June 12, 1993 election. However, we will develop other strategies in due time to engage youth in local communities without access to technology.

Kryvent:  What courses can people take on the LMS right now?
Victoria: “Understanding Politics” is currently live on the LMS. We hope to bring our election course there soon, and future cohort-based courses will also be added.

Kryvent:  Is this the end of physical classes at Learn Politics?
Victoria: No, Learn Politics will still hold physical classes on some occasions.

Kryvent:  What has been the hardest part of building the LMS?
Victoria: Tech is hard! We’ve worked on this for a while and conducted several tests. Today, the platform was temporarily down due to traffic, but it’s now up and running smoothly. We’ll need to conduct further backend testing to ensure it’s ready for a larger number of visitors and users.

Kryvent:  What are you looking forward to in the coming year with the LMS?
Victoria: We want to see more young people invested in understanding politics, how it works, why we have a government, and how to engage effectively.

Kryvent: Alright, Thank you for having us!
Victoria:  Thank you, Kryvent!

Parting Words
The LMS Platform is now live! The understanding politics course is also available for enrolment. To stay updated on future courses designed by Learn Politics and their upcoming citizenship handbook, you can follow them on IG or X. The team is aiming for their first 500 enrollments by the end of the year. I would definitely be part of that number. And if you see me on X sharing political ideas, you won’t be able to question my standing.