This workshop focuses on doing sustainable and impactful business in Nigeria. Business that positively affects the citizens and improves the average standard of living while being sustainable by not tearing down existing infrastructure and customs or negatively impacting the environment.

PANELISTS

ChiChi Dike
ChiChi D. Dike is the Founder and Executive Director of MNIA, Inc. She co-produces the Miss Nigeria in America Beauty Pageant and oversees Program Implementation and Development for the organization. As a veteran in the pageant industry, she was crowned the first Miss Black World-Nigeria in 1996, and was the first runner up in the Miss Africa USA Pageant 1997.

ChiChi Dike is well known in the Washington DC area for creating exclusive and unique fashion shows through her company Danick Productions. In 2006, she joined Cladiya Entertainment and has produced short films including Climactic which was accepted in the DC Film Festival, and Thorazine, a story about schizophrenia and Nigerians.

She received her Bachelor's in Accounting from Howard University, Washington DC. She further gained recognition by acquiring an MBA and a second masters in Public Administration from Strayer University, Washington DC. As a voice and a strong advocate for education, ChiChi created an education program for MNIA tagged "Project Women's Education − Project WE", that focuses on encouraging women to seek education as a way to enhance their lives. Her belief is that an educated woman impacts the national development of any country.

She is a member of numerous organizations and an avid supporter of organizations dedicated to bringing peace and quality to life in Nigeria. ChiChi is personally committed to empowering women who battle with self esteem issues, while realizing their potentials and taking charge of their lives.

Yibo Koko
Two years ago, comedian Yibo Koko made up his mind to take a leave from the Nigeria's entertainment industry. And suddenly he landed in the United Kingdom to upgrade his knowlegde of filmmaking. During his two-year sojourn in the Queen's land, he acquired a deep knowledge of filmmaking at the St Catherine's College, Oxford University, which is affiliated to the California, University Studios for another one year where he just finished a course on Advanced Filmmaking. The Theatre Arts graduate from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, described the course as intense. "We had a minimum of nine hours daily in the studios. I studied courses such as Directing Actors, Directing for Film, Cinematography, Scripting, Producing, Production Design, among others. We shot on 16 mm, DC, HD and 35 mm." He crowned his efforts at the Universal Studios with his short filmed entitled A Clean Woman, which won the Best Film in the class. "I did not just go and waste my time without anything to show for it. Trust a Nigerian, we always excel despite the fact that we are coming from a disadvantage position. God has given us that quality, the zeal to overcome all obstacles and dominate. That is why i feel sad that most people outside the shores of this country only see the bad side of Nigerians. But again, I and some other people are daily showing the world the stuff that an average Nigerian is made off."

Esther Tongo

Joining the Brain Gain: Moving Back to Africa