Several decades after the famous Mock OAU Summit series at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, students of the Anglican Girls Grammar School, Abuja are enacting a session again. The simulation by young students described as ‘versatile SS 3 students of the Anglican Girls’ Grammar School Abuja’ by Mrs Debrah M. Ogazuma for Africa Vision 525 Initiative says the show takes place later today, Tuesday, October 19th, 2021.
Some of the participants at the simulation in Addis Ababa years back apear in a picture with Chief Obasanjo, a diplomat from Botswana, the then Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and Dr. Akin Adesina
Although a toned down version of the Mock OAU Summit has been going on in the school under Prof Okello Oculi, this year’s is the one with a biting touch to it. The simulation of now the African Union Assembly is a role playing exercise aimed at enabling young persons discover their competencies and endowment early enough. It is also a leadership grooming exercise with particular reference to Pan-Africanism. In this case, the young female students encounter exercises in the formulation of policies in governance; speech writing and presentation skills for public speaking.
Today’s occasion, the outcome of weeks of analysing and utilising researched data on 22 African countries, will be taking place at the Cathedral Church of the Advent at 6, Deji Omotade Street, Life Camp, Abuja from 4pm – 5:30pm. Interested observers have been invited to “come, watch, listen and encourage the girl child as she profiles issues and concerns of the African continent”
Prof Okello Oculi, the mastermind behind the Mock OAU, now Mock AU Series
Intervention recalls it is always a spectacle watching the girls imagining themselves as typical African leaders, trying to mimic them and enact how they are perceived to govern their respective countries. In a world of simulation of reality, the Mock OAU Summit series came many years ahead of its time when it hit the Nigerian academia like a bolt from nowhere. It is not clear why no sponsors has captured and turned it into a big budget production till today.
The students have performed at an African Union session in Addis Ababa with the help of former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Akin Adesina when he Minister for Agriculture under the Jonathan administration. Thereafter, assistance or sponsorship has ceased.
