The TASCK Creative Company has partnered with YIAGA to drive the 60percentofUs Initiative, which aims to mobilize up to 29 million young people to vote in the upcoming elections.
A statement by the organisation said TASCK has played a significant role in driving the initiative through creatives, in keeping with the company’s commitment to encouraging creatives to use their platforms for change.
The statement also noted that TASCK hopes to accomplish the initiative’s objective of obtaining 60 percent of eligible young voters to obtain their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and cast their ballots in the 2023 elections by using modern and innovative political mobilization techniques.
The 60percentofUs initiative has seen a number of creatives step up through TASCK to encourage their audiences to collect their PVCs. Josh2Funny, Dandizzy, and M.I Abaga are among the creatives who have contributed to the project.
The statement hinted that with a sketch that raises awareness of how young Nigerians may address their problems by voting, comedian Josh2Funny inspires his youthful audience through humour.
He further challenged young skit makers from across Nigeria through a competition called the ‘Get Big’ challenge, which offers a cash prize to skit creators who generate creative content encouraging their audience to vote.
Popular Port Harcourt rapper Dandizzy took to the streets to freestyle for unaware Nigerians, pushing them to go and collect their PVCs with the help of his inspirational lyrics. With over 150k Instagram views, his initial video quickly became viral and is still being shared online.
The statement said: “Well known rapper and CEO of TASCK, Jude M.I Abaga was a driving force behind the #SixyPercentofUs initiative. Through networking events and his own platform, MI continuously motivated young creatives and influencers to use their platforms to encourage their listeners to collect their PVC’s.”
In his remarks, Abaga said: “As creatives, we have the power to influence our audience and so it is important that we use that power to create change. We cannot just sit back and let the older generation decide for us. We have to play our part in getting young Nigerians to the polls come 2023.”
The statement added that in line with his comments, MI further held a networking session with young creatives in Jos educating them on the importance of using their platforms and influence to encourage PVC collection and voting in the next election.
He further released the song 2023 and launched the #SixtyPercentofUs challenge, inviting artists to produce their own versions of the track with compelling lyrics urging young Nigerians to vote in the coming elections.
The statement revealed: “The winner of the challenge, Jeblinx, was invited to the Incredible Music Festival in Jos where YIAGA representative Ibrahim Faruk presented him with a N500,000 cash reward. Over 3,000 spectators watched some of Jos’ most iconic artists perform over the course of the two-day festival, which featured repeated references to the 60PercentOfUs message.”
Programme Manager (Governance and Development), Yiaga Africa, Ibrahim Faruk, said: “The 2023 General Elections will be decided by those who come out to vote and this is what TASCK is contributing to the #SixtyPercentOfUs Project. Using music challenges and the soft power of creatives as a non-traditional means to mobilize young voters to register, collect PVCs and vote in the 2023 elections.
Across various states, creatives have been creating content to mobilize citizens and have been using their platforms to ensure citizens collect their PVCs as well as voter mobilization efforts to turn out and vote on election day.”
The statement further explained that the initiative also aims to mobilize a significant portion of first-time voters who may be eligible to cast ballots, mostly among Nigerians who have recently turned 18 years old, or roughly 18-20 million young people.
The statement also noted that to achieve YIAGA’s objectives, TASCK keeps working to capitalize on the influence that creatives have on social change.
