“We will use social media to drive change,” Olufemi Oguntamu, Convener, Handle it Africa. 

The maiden edition of the social media and marketing conference, Handle It Africa, took place on March 31, 2017 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos. 

The conference tagged ‘Social Media: Language of Expression’, was convened by digital marketing outfit, Penzaarville Africa to serve as a point of convergence for individuals and organisations who use social media to develop their brands, as well as to share innovative ideas on the development and growth of the Nigerian social media sphere.

 Olufemi Oguntamu, CEO, Penzaarville Africa, and convener of the Handle It Africa Conference, while giving the opening speech, said one of the purposes of the event was to identify how social media can be used to proffer solutions to problems identified by brands and individuals, and to further develop the phenomenon into a force of civic, industrial, and economic change in Nigeria.

 “This conference was conceptualised for one reason: to find new solutions, to rework some already existing ones and maybe even discover some new problems. With an internet connection we together inspired ourselves to action and protest with the #OccupyNigeria, #IstandwithNigeria hashtags, and more,” Oguntamu said.? “Yes, we have come far but there is further still to go?. We are not going to stop, we are going to use social media to drive change, solve civic and industrial problems.?”

Panelists at the conference include Yemi Adamolekun, Director of social advocacy group Enough is Enough Nigeria; Osagie Alonge, Editor-In-Chief, Pulse Nigeria; Japheth Omojuwa, founder omojuwa.com; ?Tosin Ajibade, founder Olorisupergal.comand Olusola Amusan, Philanthropies and CSR Leader Microsoft Nigeria.

 Others are Otto Orondaam, founder, Slum2School Africa; Temie Giwa, founder and CEO, LifeBank Nigeria; Aliyu Giwa, Deputy Superintendent of Police and the Assistant Police Force PRO Annex Lagos; Dayo Israel, development specialist and political aspirant; ?Sola Obagbemi, Deputy COO, Red Media Africa, and others.

 The conference expounded on a diverse range of topics such as personal branding and promotion using social media, advancement of new media skills, developing viral content, the rise of entertainment on social media, advocacy and governance using social media, the role of social media in community development, social media applications and marketing, and more. See photos from the event below