Bola-Ige Alabi-Efeshodiamhe National Coordinator at World Youth Alliance Africa, Global Ambassador at Ayn Rand Institute Global and Regional Leader at Paytomat by Deep Dive Research Studied Public Relations Studies at Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Lagos, Nigeria. Lives in Lagos, Nigeria
John: How is the movement in Nigeria? BA: We are trying. Just need support (intellectual, advisory, etc) as a startup organization in a choked socialist and communist environment like Africa. We need a volunteer Board of Advisors at the moment.
John: What is your vision? BA: Personally, my vision is to witness a freer African society. Politically, I and my team are in the process of registering the Libertarian Party in Nigeria (first in Africa soil). We are filing for registration in a couple of months once we raised the #1,000,000 (equivalent $2,750) registration fee demanded by the Electoral Commission in-charge of party registration. With African Objectivist Movement (AOM), we aim to advance freedom and liberty through educational awareness, advocacy, dialogue, and discussions about the ideas of liberty, freedom, and Objectivism; leading to free, prosperous and peaceful society where limited governments defend the rule of law. We move around teaching Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism by organizing speaker events, discussion groups, and other activities. I love that interaction.
John: How did you become Libertarian, sir? BA: The journey of my Libertarianism and Objectivism started back in my High school days in 1997 after reading through Ayn Rand book “Fountainhead” and participated in an essay with it. I later ended up reading some of her other publications. I joined Students for Liberty in 2013, served as Campus Coordinator, Local Representative, and African Director of Branding and Success Stories until I became alumni in April 2019. I started the first Objectivist Campus Club in Africa while I was in University and I have been teaching Ayn Rand, Frederick Bastiat, Mises, Hayek, Reed, and publications about Libertarianism across African campuses. Now the Libertarian movement is growing quickly throughout Africa.
John: Yes, the movement is blooming in Africa… as well as some of the economies. BA: Recently, I come across a poll where Jo is ahead of Trump and Biden. How I wish Americans will make it real in November.
John: Yes, I am excited about the election… What seems to be working in Africa? Where is your best ROI? BA: Return on Investment? This is not to make money sir. My interest is to see my society with freedom and liberty. The need to end authoritarianism in Africa is what is moving my actions
John: I understand… I thought maybe your funds were limited… BA: O’ yes, very limited at the moment. Our members used to contribute voluntarily to our activities.
John: How do you measure results? BA: We measure results based on acceptance and changing the climate of ideas.
John: How do you measure those things? BA: Presently, we have launched chapters in 16 African countries, members of the chapters independently have executives, organize programs and events, and report back for updates. We have a website with a link to each country chapters in South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Niger, Togo, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Cameroon, DR Congo, Guinea, Zimbabwe, Gambia, Zambia, Kenya, etc We receive monthly updates of activities from our National chapters and numerous campus chapters, with updates on the website, before it went down recently due to the inability to renew the web hosting right. Even with inability to host in-person events due to global pandemic, our chapters and members are organizing webinars and virtual events to teach the idea of freedom almost every week as it applies to a time like this, to impact the society with our mission. Also, the reports and feedback we are getting from participants and audience at our programs both in-person and virtual, the media coverage we received, how government and its officials debate about our ideology and the agenda we are setting with the idea of liberty and freedom across Africa are proving the outcome that new idea is in town, and Authoritarian socialist and communist lifestyle are on their toes. And we just started.
John: Do you have any advice for new libertarians and the curious? BA: My advice to new libertarians and the curious is to be open to learning about the idea of freedom and liberty. There is much to learn, most importantly for the African because Libertarianism is still new in Africa. Africa has been an authoritarian environment under Socialism and Communism for close to 100 years, and the majority do not know that there is something like Libertarianism. So, some of us that are Libertarian and the curious need to learn widely and be grounded in the idea. Then, the need to keep pushing for policy debate, publicity, awareness, etc should be common in our activities for now. With this, I believe we can start making an impact on the idea of liberty in a few years to come.
John: Do you have any advice for discouraged long time libertarians? BA: Discouraged long-time libertarians should wake up to reality. It is not easy to suddenly change the idea that has been in operation for ages. They should renew effort in advancing Libertarianism, in the end, their impact will be felt with a change in the climate of ideas from an authoritarian environment to a free society.
Josh Rawdon Lives in New Franklin, Ohio Founder at Veterans for Libertarianism Former Northeast Regional Coordinator at Ohio Libertarians JE: What is “Veterans for Libertarianism?” JR: It’s my page that I have been running since 2012. It’s intended to be a page for veterans, but everyone is welcome. JE: I am going through that Atlas Network training program. Advice on how to build a Facebook page? JR: I don’t know if I’m the best source, on that issue, lol. I’ve been running the page since 2010 and I still have just under 6,000 fans. During the Johnson campaign, we did a few “sponsored posts” (bought advertisements from Facebook) and it definitely helped very quickly. JE: Do you still have an ad budget? I was chair of Brazos county… now I am trying to build up its page… https://www.facebook.com/groups/407149956928801/ JR: No, I just run the page as a hobby, instead of a blog or something. Even when we bought ads, it was only for $50-100 or so for a week at a time. If I recall correctly, “boosting” posts was the best bang for the buck. For about $5 you could get your post in front of thousands of eyes. JE: I see… Many Libertarians in New Franklin, Ohio? JR: The page you shared is a Group, so I don’t know if you can boost posts or create ads. The page I run is a political page, which is treated a little differently. There are a few here, but it’s a pretty strong MAGA country. JE: What do you think of MAGA country? JR: I pretty much mind my own business like a good libertarian, so I don’t care too much what anyone else around me thinks politically, lol. JE: I understand… so your involvement is mainly with your Facebook page and not “on the ground” locally? JR: That’s correct. We tried to start a Summit County Libertarian Party a while back, but there wasn’t much interest. I figure that by sticking to Facebook, I’m interacting with tens of thousands of people a week, but in person, I could only really contact a few dozen a week at best. JE: Wow, you are doing great… What is your vision for your page? JR: Right now, I share libertarian news, but when there’s an election, I try to push LP candidates. I don’t mind if it stays small, because it’s more of a hobby for me. During the last Presidential election, I was a campaign volunteer for Johnson/Weld and I put a lot of time into using the page to campaign for them. JE: 6-12,000 sounds great to me… JR: I am trying to get this group up to 250 so we can run analytics… Hehehe JE: Your mission? JR: Don’t really have one. Just to get libertarian messages in front of people’s faces. JE: Using Facebook… that is a mission statement right there! What makes your page unique among libertarian pages? How does one decide whether to have a page or a group? JR: There are very few libertarian veterans’ pages, and I’m pretty sure mine is the oldest. I think a group is more of a community of like-minded individuals who want to communicate directly with one another. I don’t think that’s a bad route for you if you want to keep it as a group for people who have signed up for the Self-Determination Advocates Group, or whatever. JE: So one of your selling points is as the “oldest libertarian veterans group on Facebook?” JR: Page not group! A page is more of YOU talking to an audience, but the audience can comment on your posts. If that makes sense. I think you can also make a page and then connect the group and the page. JE: I am torn…. part of me… I am retired with a small pension and a love for freedom and travel. I want to help unrepresented peoples, defacto nations, and secessionist movements receive recognition through non-violent means. Can you suggest people and organizations I should be aware of? JR: You could create a page to disseminate information/memes/ etc. and connect the group for people who have officially decided to join and use it to plan meet-ups, etc. JE: But part of me…. so many ideas…. I just want to throw the ideas out like seeds… and see which ones grow…. hehe. JR: I know there are plenty of libertarian pages with WAY over 10,000 likes, but I don’t know what their secrets to success are. JE: I am excited about this Atlas network training… they have webinars on social media and Facebook, and even grants too JR: I haven’t heard of that. JE: https://www.atlasnetwork.org/academy/courses So, I started this Page and group… How do we turn it into a community? JR: Just have to get people commenting and posting. Share posts from your page into the comment sections of other page’s posts. JE: Great idea… How do I do that from a page? Having trouble sharing the posts in groups JR: When you are logged into Facebook as yourself, you should see a little circle with a dropdown arrow right next to the Share button on another page’s post. If you click that, you’ll have the option to switch over to your page. Then, if you like or comment on their post, it will show up as your page, instead of you personally. JE: Thank you, sir
Most people don’t think about singing when thinking about revolutions. But in Estonia song was the weapon of choice when, between 1987 and 1991, Estonians wanted to end decades of Soviet occupation. The Singing Revolution is the name given to the step-by-step process that led to the re-establishment of Estonian independence in 1991. This was a non-violent revolution that overthrew a very violent occupation. It was called the Singing Revolution because of the role singing played in the protests of the mid-1980s. But singing had always been a major unifying force for Estonians while they endured fifty years of Soviet rule. The Singing Revolution lasted over four years, with various protests and acts of defiance. In 1991, as Soviet tanks attempted to stop the progress towards independence, the Supreme Soviet of Estonia together with the Congress of Estonia proclaimed the restoration of the independent state of Estonia and repudiated Soviet legislation. People acted as human shields to protect radio and TV stations from the Soviet tanks. Through these actions, Estonia regained its independence without any bloodshed. Independence was declared on the late evening of 20 August 1991, after an agreement between different political parties was reached. The next morning Soviet troops, according to Estonian TV, attempted to storm Tallinn TV Tower but were unsuccessful. On 22 August 1991, Iceland became the first nation to recognize the newly restored independence of Estonia. Today, a plaque commemorating this event is situated on the outside wall of the Foreign Ministry. The plaque reads; “The Republic of Iceland was the first to recognize, on 22 August 1991, the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Estonia,” in Estonian, Icelandic and English.
JE: MY, my name is John Elkins and I am taking the Thinktank Navigator course with you. What do you think about the course so far?
MY: Thanks John I think the course is one of the greatest that enables think tanks to flourish. And what are your thoughts on it?
JE: I am also glad to have found a nonprofit incubator… What webinars have you watched? Which have you gotten the most out of?
MY: I watched several, can’t remember all, but some of them are: 1. The rhetoric of liberty with Tom Palmer, 2. Driving social media engagement and reach 3. Creating impactful partnerships: three keys to success, 4. Looking through the Overton window: how to win the battle of ideas and change policy, 5. Leveraging direct mail campaigns- success tips from France, 6. Liberty pod: casting for freedom. The basics of podcasting and how you can use it to share your message, 7. Making tough decisions: how to handle events in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.
And some more others.
JE: What are you doing in the movement now?
MY: Advancing libertarian on a daily basis contributing towards the revolutionary restructuring of Sudan.
JE: Revolutionary restructuring of Sudan?
MY: Removing the power from the hands of the Islamic Fundamentalist elitist group which have been committing genocides against our masses for decades, that led to the separation of the bigger part of Sudan.
To enable the people to get the power so as to restructure the country on New complete constructive change basis in which no one racist, religious, sectarian, mafia or elitist group have a monopoly over the state and decide on behalf of the people over who will be their enemy or friend.
Rather people will be free to coexist as individuals and groups who will cooperate with each other voluntarily, and the state will be there only to facilitate their internal and external flourishing rather than becoming an obstacle to their prosperity and turn one group against the other to benefit the elitist group in power while sinking the masses into hatred and violence.
JE: Wow, you said a mouthful… What do you see as your roll in this?
Role in the road to positive progressive inclusive Sudan for all Sudanese is to create awareness in the field of human rights, liberty, and mobilize masses to demand their stake in the country through peaceful and voluntary means.
Using peaceful protests and sit-ins as it’s going on in several areas within the most war-torn areas like Darfur to pressure the genocidal regime to withdraw and disarm its militias and secure the farms of the farmers.
So their lives will be undisturbed by the tribal and racist militias which were being armed by the regime of Bashir to carry out genocide in Darfur 18 years ago which have never stopped the atrocities even though the media stopped covering those crimes long ago.
JE: I don’t know anything about Sudan…. is there a libertarian party there?
MY: There has never been an influential political party with libertarian philosophy but there are powerful armed revolutionary movements with libertarian programs and non-armed activism based libertarian movements struggling for a free society.
JE: What are the names of the libertarian movements?
MY: Sudan Liberation Movement/Army led by Abdulwahid Mohammed Alnur is fighting for Libertarian, Democratic, Secular, and Federal Sudan based on equal citizenship rights and obligations.
The movement has Students’ faction known as the United Popular Front that has the strongest presence in all Sudanese universities that promote values of the free society and create awareness about the misinformation being instilled on the people by the Islamic Fundamentalist State machinery.
Through organizing discussions, informative symposiums, and debates on the daily matters of the state and mostly on the field of marginalized communities and regions of Sudan but also there are other movements with the same name.
Sudan Liberation Movements with slight or no differences in the name led by other leaders who were initially part of the same movement but broke away to sign peace agreements with the regime.
Some managed to sign some kind of agreement based on shaky ground that could not bring any positive change on the ground even to themselves so those groups some changed their libertarian principles to other than libertarianism.
They thought it is too radical to accomplish such as libertarian free society and others still claim libertarianism, but in the field, they have no political or military influence. So the only strongest movement with libertarian principles in Sudan as per now is Sudan Liberation Movement/Army led by Abdulwahid Mohammed Alnur.
The strongest student-led movement in all Sudanese Universities is its very own student wing United Popular Front that advocates rationally about free prosperous Sudan based on libertarian principles.
There are individual advocates and civil society organizations which started embracing libertarianism.
JE: On a scale of 1-10 one being totally statist – 10 totally libertarian… How would you rate the Sudan Liberation Movement?
MY: 9. Sudan Liberation Movement/Army did not reject non-violent means rather it was formed in 1992 by university students as one of the nonviolent movements basically to call for the rights of the marginalized people of Sudan.
At the end of 2002, it’s being forced by the regime of Omer Al-Bashir who said that we came to power by the use of guns. Whoever is dreaming of liberty in this country has to take up arms and refuses to listen to the peaceful means of ending human rights violations.
It left no option for the movement but to take up arms. That’s the language the elitist ruling group could understand at the time but that does not mean Sudan Liberation Movement/Army is only using arms as the means to accomplish a free prosperous peacefully coexisting society. Rather it’s using popular peaceful means of demonstrations and intellectual liberation as great pillars to liberty.
JE: If I were to send you a list of non-violent tactics… Could you tell me if you (SLM) have tried them, how effective they were, and the consequences of using them?
MY: You mean you have the list or want to know about it?
JE: Here is my list;
THE METHODS OF NONVIOLENT PROTEST AND PERSUASION
Formal Statements
1. Public Speeches
2. Letters of opposition or support
3. Declarations by organizations and institutions
4. Signed public statements
5. Declarations of indictment and intention
6. Group or mass petitions
Communications with a Wider Audience
7. Slogans, caricatures, and symbols
8. Banners, posters, and displayed communications
9. Leaflets, pamphlets, and books
10. Newspapers and journals
11. Records, radio, and television
12. Skywriting and earth writing
Group Representations
13. Deputations
14. Mock awards
15. Group lobbying
16. Picketing
17. Mock elections
Symbolic Public Acts
18. Displays of flags and symbolic colors
19. Wearing of symbols
20. Prayer and worship
21. Delivering symbolic objects
22. Protest disrobing
23. Destruction of own property
24. Symbolic lights
25. Displays of portraits
26. Paint as protest
27. New signs and names
28. Symbolic sounds
29. Symbolic reclamations
30. Rude gestures
Pressures on Individuals
31. “Haunting” officials
32. Taunting officials
33. Fraternization
34. Vigils
Drama and Music
35. Humorous skits and pranks
36. Performances of plays and music
37. Singing
Processions
38. Marches
39. Parades
40. Religious processions
41. Pilgrimages
42. Motorcades
Honoring the Dead
43. Political mourning
44. Mock funerals
45. Demonstrative funerals
46. Homage at burial places
Public Assemblies
47. Assemblies of protest or support
48. Protest meetings
49. Camouflaged meetings of protest
50. Teach-ins
Withdrawal and Renunciation
51. Walk-outs
52. Silence
53. Renouncing honors
54. Turning one’s back
THE METHODS OF SOCIAL NONCOOPERATION
Ostracism of Persons
55. Social boycott
56. Selective social boycott
57. Lysistratic nonaction
58. Excommunication
59. Interdict
Noncooperation with Social Events, Customs, and Institutions
60. Suspension of social and sports activities
61. Boycott of social affairs
62. Student strike
63. Social disobedience
64. Withdrawal from social institutions
Withdrawal from the Social System
65. Stay-at-home
66. Total personal noncooperation
67. “Flight” of workers
68. Sanctuary
69. Collective disappearance
70. Protest emigration (hijrat)
THE METHODS OF ECONOMIC NONCOOPERATION: ECONOMIC BOYCOTTS
Actions by Consumers
71. Consumers’ boycott
72. Nonconsumption of boycotted goods
73. Policy of austerity
74. Rent withholding
75. Refusal to rent
76. National consumers’ boycott
77. International consumers’ boycott
Action by Workers and Producers
78. Workmen’s boycott
79. Producers’ boycott
Action by Middlemen
80. Suppliers’ and handlers’ boycott
Action by Owners and Management
81. Traders’ boycott
82. Refusal to let or sell property
83. Lockout
84. Refusal of industrial assistance
85. Merchants’ “general strike”
Action by Holders of Financial Resources
86. Withdrawal of bank deposits
87. Refusal to pay fees, dues, and assessments
88. Refusal to pay debts or interest
89. Severance of funds and credit
90. Revenue refusal
91. Refusal of a government’s money
Action by Governments
92. Domestic embargo
93. Blacklisting of traders
94. International sellers’ embargo
95. International buyers’ embargo
96. International trade embargo
THE METHODS OF ECONOMIC NONCOOPERATION: THE STRIKE
Symbolic Strikes
97. Protest strike
98. Quickie walkout (lightning strike)
Agricultural Strikes
99. Peasant strike
100. Farm Workers’ strike
Strikes by Special Groups
101. Refusal of impressed labor
102. Prisoners’ strike
103. Craft strike
104. Professional strike
Ordinary Industrial Strikes
105. Establishment strike
106. Industry strike
107. Sympathetic strike
Restricted Strikes
108. Detailed strike
109. Bumper strike
110. Slowdown strike
111. Working-to-rule strike
112. Reporting “sick” (sick-in)
113. Strike by resignation
114. Limited strike
115. Selective strike
Multi-Industry Strikes
116. Generalized strike
117. General strike
Combination of Strikes and Economic Closures
118. Hartal
119. Economic shutdown
THE METHODS OF POLITICAL NONCOOPERATION
Rejection of Authority
120. Withholding or withdrawal of allegiance
121. Refusal of public support
122. Literature and speeches advocating resistance
Citizens’ Non Cooperation with Government
123. Boycott of legislative bodies
124. Boycott of elections
125. Boycott of government employment and positions
126. Boycott of government depts., agencies, and other bodies
127. Withdrawal from government educational institutions
128. Boycott of government-supported organizations
129. Refusal of assistance to enforcement agents
130. Removal of own signs and placemarks
131. Refusal to accept appointed officials
132. Refusal to dissolve existing institutions
Citizens’ Alternatives to Obedience
133. Reluctant and slow compliance
134. Non Obedience in absence of direct supervision
135. Popular nonobedience
136. Disguised disobedience
137. Refusal of an assemblage or meeting to disperse
138. Sitdown
139. Noncooperation with conscription and deportation
140. Hiding, escape, and false identities
141. Civil disobedience of “illegitimate” laws
Action by Government Personnel
142. Selective refusal of assistance by government aides
143. Blocking of lines of command and information
144. Stalling and obstruction
145. General administrative noncooperation
146. Judicial noncooperation
147. Deliberate inefficiency and selective noncooperation by enforcement agents
148. Mutiny
Domestic Governmental Action
149. Quasi-legal evasions and delays
150. Noncooperation by constituent governmental units
International Governmental Action
151. Changes in diplomatic and other representations
152. Delay and cancellation of diplomatic events
153. Withholding of diplomatic recognition
154. Severance of diplomatic relations
155. Withdrawal from international organizations
156. Refusal of membership in international bodies
157. Expulsion from international organizations
THE METHODS OF NONVIOLENT INTERVENTION
Psychological Intervention
158. Self-exposure to the elements
159. The fast
a) Fast of moral pressure
b) Hunger strike
c) Satyagrahic fast
160. Reverse trial
161. Nonviolent harassment
Physical Intervention
162. Sit-in
163. Stand-in
164. Ride-in
165. Wade-in
166. Mill-in
167. Pray-in
168. Nonviolent raids
169. Nonviolent air raids
170. Nonviolent invasion
171. Nonviolent interjection
172. Nonviolent obstruction
173. Nonviolent occupation
Social Intervention
174. Establishing new social patterns
175. Overloading of facilities
176. Stall-in
177. Speak-in
178. Guerrilla theater
179. Alternative social institutions
180. Alternative communication system
Economic Intervention
181. Reverse strike
182. Stay-in strike
183. Nonviolent land seizure
184. Defiance of blockades
185. Politically motivated counterfeiting
186. Preclusive purchasing
187. Seizure of assets
188. Dumping
189. Selective patronage
190. Alternative markets
191. Alternative transportation systems
192. Alternative economic institutions
Political Intervention
193. Overloading of administrative systems
194. Disclosing identities of secret agents
195. Seeking imprisonment
196. Civil disobedience of “neutral” laws
197. Work-on without collaboration
198. Dual sovereignty and parallel government
MY: Great list. Any documents or books in those fields that can break them down in for detailed form
MY: Pleasure, And great to know you. I appreciate your friendship
JE: What can I do to help you in your present situation?
MY: Great question. You can help through linking me to better educational opportunities if you can. Engage in our future campaigns. Connect us to wider pro liberty families. And give advice and suggestions on how free prosperous societies develop. Also u can help in linking with leadership mentors.
Self-Determination Advocates 