Theme: Pause

There is a silence that often precedes action- a moment of deliberation and careful consideration. What do you call that?
A pause.

Pause
By definition, a pause is
a temporary stop in action or speech.
However, by connotation, that simple word refers to a vast array of things: a process, an object, an emotion, an action and so on.

Consider the red indicator on the traffic light- the stop sign
or
those anticipatory seconds before the penalty shot in a game of soccer. You know, the milliseconds after the referee blows the whistle; before the ball embraces the net (or shuns it entirely)- that deep breath.
or
that friendly childhood game of “freeze”.

It’s beautiful how a single word can evoke a plethora of meanings and at TEDxRiversStateUniversity 2023, we intend to explore PAUSE in its full essence.

We will be exploring this theme through the lens of three sub themes:
- Reflect
- Reconsider
- Reward

Reflect
“Reflect” as a sub theme seeks to appraise the past: our actions and inactions, our mistakes and successes. Everything that got us to where we currently are - as individuals and a collective.
Everyone has a past, and in order to fully understand the present you must know the past. We must take a step back and ask ourselves the “why’s”. Why are the systems not working?
Why do we act the way we do? Why are we where we currently are and is this truly where we want to be?

From the systems that shaped our current state of economy, the institutions of government, our politics, the educational system, health care, down to tech, fashion and lifestyle, we’re questioning everything.


Reconsider
Mahatma Gandhi once said:
“The future depends on what we do in the present”.
After answering all the “why’s”, we must then seek out the “how’s”.
We need to learn to adopt new methods, think outside the box, break out of the cycle, if we must advance and grow.
Reconsider our methodologies and strategize on how to proffer sustainable solutions for the future.



Reward
Finally, reward. In the midst of the frenzy of living; the constant change and development; the need to keep up with all the trends, we must learn to imbibe the culture of rest- taking a break.
Oftentimes we become too fixated on the issues that plague us that we forget to celebrate our wins.


Hence, the PAUSE.

The Student Dialogue Centre
Rivers state university
PortHarcourt, Rivers, 500262
Nigeria

Daniel Eche

Artist + creative technologist + fashion designer

Daniel Eche is an artist, technologist, and fashion designer, who has learnt to relate the various forms of art and design to create interdisciplinary works. He is very particular about maintaining our connection with our cultural identity using creativity and technology, as a people, and this reflects in his work.

Glory Okoro

Legal Practitioner + Human Rights Activist

Glory Ijeoma Okoro is a Legal Practitioner who specializes in Human Rights. She is also the founder of The Mercy Inmate Aid Foundation: a Non-Profit Organization that offers free legal representation for indigent inmates awaiting trial in Nigerian Prisons. Glory graduated from the prestigious Rivers State University.

Hanamel Kingston

Storyteller

Hanamel Kingston, is a Storyteller; Chef; and In-house Mental Health Counselor with Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative. His writing is a nicheless, vocation/talent focused on multiple life aspects like surrealism, motivational, satirical, poetical, fiction and nonfiction storytelling. Hanamel is also a passionate champion of mental health antecedents.

Ikekpeazu Nkemjika

Visual artist

Ikekpeazu Nkemjika is a self taught visual artist known professionally as Epsellon. Epsellon has an ambition to bring growth to the way art is created and perceived in Nigeria. His end goal, which he is currently gearing towards, is film-making and film direction.

Jago Emmanuel

Neurological patterns analyst

Emmanuel Jago is a certified Neuro-linguistic programming practitioner, an Ericksonian hypnotherapist, and the lead consultant of potters consulting: a firm focused on helping individuals and businesses understand their respective market needs and behavior, using neurological repatterning tools. In 2018, He was nominated by the British council, Nigeria for the African 25Under25 awards.

Lesley John-Jumbo

Systems developer

Lesley John Jumbo is a talented systems developer. With a passion for using technology to solve problems, Lesley is dedicated to building robots that are both efficient and effective. With his unique combination of expertise and drive, he is poised to make a significant impact in the field of technology.