Olive Branch Resumes Digital Conversations to Support Young Nigerians, Leverages Social Platforms for Wider Reach

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

The Olive Branch has renewed its youth-focused digital conversations as part of its ongoing efforts to encourage learning, dialogue and personal development among young Nigerians. The initiative, led by Ayokunle Adedipe, is gradually rebuilding engagement through online discussions designed to support young Nigerians seeking clarity, direction and safe spaces to learn outside traditional institutions.

Confirming the development in a conversation with ThisDay in Lagos, Adedipe explained that The Olive Branch resumed activity in November after a brief restrategising period, with a renewed focus on driving structured, honest conversations for young adults in areas such as mental health, substance abuse, cultural expectations, emotional stress and peer dynamics. She revealed that the platform first began as a blog on June 4, 2015, before expanding into live conversations and social learning initiatives.

“We started very simply, but the need and demand grew with time,” she said. “Our community kept asking for more than just articles. They wanted real conversation, and we decided to leverage social platforms to engage them and also reach new audiences.”

According to figures shared, the blog was recording over ten thousand monthly views as at November 2023, just before the platform began its reactivation process. The first major public engagement took place last Friday, December 1, during an Instagram Live session where the co-founders reintroduced the platform, shared their personal journeys and outlined future plans for the community.

The Olive Branch, co-founded by Adedipe alongside Esther George and Asmau Omezia, originally hosted conversations on topics such as adulthood, mindset, mental health and life transitions. Its return, she explained, marks a deliberate effort to reach young people in digital spaces where they already gather.

“We realised young Nigerians are not unwilling to learn, they just want information that is relatable and respectful,” Adedipe told ThisDay. “Many people are looking for clarity, and they want to hear it from a voice that understands their reality. That is the gap we are trying to fill.”
Beyond the shift to Instagram and other social platforms, Adedipe said the core values of the project have remained intact. “The Olive Branch has always been a space for honest thought,” she said. “A single conversation can change how someone thinks about their life. That is why it was important to bring this platform back.”

Speaking further, Adedipe added that the team intends to introduce more topic-based conversations in the coming year, including discussions on emotional health, decision-making, career uncertainty and the realities of early adulthood. “Young people do not need perfection,” she said. “They need honesty and context. They need somewhere they can listen and also speak without judgement.”

She also revealed that her own personal journey has shaped the direction of the platform. In 2022, Adedipe became a member of the Lions Club, and in August this year, she began a master’s programme in Public Health at Georgia State University in the United States. She described both decisions as expressions of her commitment to community service and long-term impact.

“Everything I am learning and experiencing feeds into the work we are doing,” she said. “You cannot guide people if you are not also growing.”
As engagement increases and more young people interact with the platform, the team says it hopes to build a steady and reliable community where learning happens freely. “Young Nigerians want support that makes sense to their lives,” Adedipe said. “If we say we care about them, we have to show up where they are, speak their language and create the kind of conversations they can trust. That is the commitment we are making going forward.”