#mytedxeustonstory — Part 2: 2012

We Challenged Conventional Wisdom.In every way.

So we convinced Ike and Chikwe TEDxEuston could not end with one event. We secured a theater style venue at UCL and spent all of 2010 meticulously planning. A week to the event, the student fees protests meant our venue had succumbed to a sit in. I was running the technical delivery and suddenly had a pre-historic AV system in the substitute hall to manage. On the day, by 5pm I had not had a drink of water and Fee came up to the technical room and ensured I did not faint. It was a truly mad day and the first signs that this team was the #bestestteamintheworld. 
 
Against all odds we delivered. I met Prof Barth Nnaji.

Utomi and Father Kukah delighted us along with all the speakers.
The energy in the room was incredible. We had to go again. But lessons were learnt. We could not risk student digs.

Chuks Adichie joined the team and we discovered RIBA and delivered 2011.

At the beginning of 2012 we challenged ourselves in so many ways. Diggi got on stage with Ike for the first time.

And she blew us all away. We also had a mostly female speaker list. This was in the Year of the Woman. It made sense. Most importantly, we challenged the notion that an event about Africa cannot dream about being first class in every way.

So we took the dreams and aspirations of the team to Shell. And they responded with a big YES!! I cannot forget the elation we felt as we took this outside the meeting.

And we set off to deliver a most amazing day.

Komla sang the national anthem of Nigeria. And encouraged us to own our African stories.

My wonderful sister, Ndidi Nwuneli, inspired me to turn my rage about the rot into a drive for change. She is one of the major reasons why I have an office in Lagos today. 
 
And of course, Chuks managed to put sibling love to great use and we secured Chimamanda. And she gave THAT talk.

The one that ended up on Beyonce’s album. The one that the Swedish government (no less) have published and distributed to their youth.
 
We got local schools involved too.....we challenged conventional wisdom.

In every way.

We had found a home worthy of the mission.

The best part of 2012 for me personally was Amina joining the team and working with me on partnerships. As part of succession planning we agreed to mentor our younger team members.

From the first partnership meeting, Amina was ace to work with. Bustling with energy and enthusiasm and a burning desire to learn and learn quick. 
 
For 2015, alongside Diggi and Ifediba, Amina has curated “Vision to Reality”.

These three epitomize that perfectly.