Armed guards and military checkpoints?  In Port Harcourt, Nigeria, the Humanists Without Borders (HWB) was one group among many navigating these obstacles to attend the Nigeria Humanist Movement's 2007 Annual Convention.  The conference took place on the 24th and 25th of August at the Students' Viewing Centre of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.

The conferences themes were "Discovering the Power of Humanism" and "Witchcraft and Superstition in Nigeria."  In attendance were representatives from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, River State College of Education, University of Port Harcourt, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, Universal College of Technology, Osun State, Benue State University, Makurdi, Unversity of Calabar, Cross River State, and the University of Benin (Edo State).  

Adewale Akintayo Olugbenga, the founder and president of HWB, read the welcome messages sent in by humanists and freethinkers from Australia, Britain, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Tanzania and the United States.  Leo Igwe, executive secretary of the Nigerian Humanist Movement (NHM), read the purpose of the meeting, while host speaker Patrick Naagbanton welcomed everyone to Port Harcourt.  He likened the city to Darfur because of the warlike situation in the oil-rich city.

The convention had over 80 participants, including the traditional head of the Umuchieze people, a clergyman who left his Catholic faith in favor of Humanism.  However, getting to the venue was tough because of stern-looking soldiers deployed at strategic places in town to watch the inflow and outflow of people due to the militants' reign on the city.  Even members of NHM and HWB has to pass various guard points with hands raised before we could get to the conference location.

Dr. Enyeribe Onuoha, the chairman of NHM and the traditional ruler of the Umuchieze people, presented a paper on "Discovering the Power of Humanism: An Alternative Worldview."  Leo Igwe’s paper on "The Power of Humanism" kept the attendants with eyes and ears opened as he caught people’s attention with his unique and effective style of presentation.

Others speakers included John Edor of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Calabar, who talked on "Superstition: An Impediment to Development."  Dr. Gbenda of the Religion and Philosophy department at Benue State University delivered a paper on "Witchcraft in Tiv Land."  Jimkelly Abegbe, a student of statistics at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, discussed "Witchcraft Among Certain People in Edo State."  Their presentations sparked questions from the participants as they began to understand the humanist perspective on the existence of supernatural, witches and wizards.  Patrick Naagbanton delivered the World Humanist Day Lecture at the convention.

During the youth and students talk session, Adewale Akintayo Olugbenga of the HWB addressed the participants on "Humanism on Nigerian Campuses" and how students can come together to start a humanist and Freethought group on their campus, citing examples of HWB and how it started.  

At the end of the two-day event, participants from the host community gladly received materials on humanism and freethinking.  They intend to distribute these materials among students on their own campuses and help start groups there.  

The NHM 2007 Annual Convention at Port Harcourt was a fun-filled and educative event for HWB as it afforded members the opportunity of witnessing and taking part in a convention on humanism, skeptism and reason.  HWB members were very happy to be at the convention because it came up at a time when they needed training and education on humanism.  To this end, Humanists Without Borders wishes to thank the International Humanist and Ethical Union, the Nigeria Humanist Movement and the other humanist and freethought organizations who made the convention possible.    

At HWB, we are looking forward to receiving NHM and other organizations both in Nigeria and outside, promoting Humanism to OSUN STATE, most especially ILE-IFE, the cradle of the Yoruba nation where it is believed that there is no single day when the IFES do not sacrifice to one god or other. HWB believe that such educational programs, when taken to all higher institutions of learning in Nigeria, will help the country on its way to freedom from falsehood, deceit unreason, and religious fundamentalism, which are its trademarks and have eaten deep into the pores of the socio-economic development of Africa’s “largest” nation.

Adewale Akintayo Olugbenga is the president and founder of Humanists Without Borders in Nigeria.  This article originally appeared as a post in the SSA forums.  He can be reached at thenigerianhumanist@gmail.com, humanistgbenga@yahoo.com, humanistswithoutborders@yahoo.com, or humanistswithoutborders@gmail.com.