Nwachukwu Egbunike.

Nwach Egbunike is a poet and social media researcher, who lives and work in Ibadan, Nigeria. He joined GV as an author in March 2011, and has been the Community Manager for the sub-Saharan Africa newsroom team since 2018.

All candidates in the 2020 board elections have been asked to answer the set of questions listed below. Feel free to ask Nwach additional questions in the comments area below this post!

What appeals to you most about the prospect of serving on the GV board?

GV is my extended family, to serve on the board will be an unmerited honour. A sign of affection by my peers and a call to give more to a community I truly love.

What talents, skills, connections, and expertise can you offer Global Voices in your role as board representative?

I have been writing for GV since 2011. I joined as a volunteer and have engaged with practically all the projects of Global Voices – Rising Voices, Advox, etc. In the past years, I have been deeply involved in building the Sub-Saharan African team from a once ‘problematic’ region to one that seems to have the most admirable presence in the GV community.

Once upon a time, GV SSA had little coverage due to a dwindling contributor base. But we have within the past years, been able to attract two grants, increased our reportage and have maintained the charts with well-read posts. This obviously, was not my doing. Far from it. Rather it took dedication and team work. The ability to work and motivate a team, to identify partnerships, and a personal touch of getting to know team members is what I hope to bring to my role as board representative.

As you look ahead to the next three years, what, in your opinion, should be GV’s overarching priorities as an organization?

To attract, cultivate and maintain funding opportunities that will help Global Voices retain its independent and credible voice. This is imperative if we wish to continue acting as bridges to the most under-represented voices.

What aspect of GV’s work interests you the most?

Advocacy — for obvious reasons. Coming from Sub-Saharan Africa, it is a continual battle to protect free speech and press freedom in the continent.

What would you like to get out of this board service experience, both professionally and personally?

I hope to learn from the best and broaden my knowledge on corporate governance.

How will you fit board service into your personal and other professional work commitments?

As I have done for the past years since I started working as the Community Manager of SSA, it’s a matter of living order a little bit better. That way, I squeeze out more time each day for all the things I need to do – personal, family and professional commitments.

What methods would you use to engage and listen to the community in order to represent them effectively at board level?

To listen, listen and listen. Many times, leaders are tempted to talk more but listening is a great communication skill which when imbibed, makes a lot of difference. By listening more, one gets to know the people who make up the community better and by so doing, is better equipped to serve them.