The BHR Group Digital Rights Careers Newsletter - Issue 16

Sep 18, 2023

Dear Colleagues:

It’s always an honor to learn from leaders in the field of digital rights, especially so when it’s a member of the new generation of advocates. I’ve been privileged to see first-hand the work of this month’s guest practitioner, Adeboye Adegoke, who leads Paradigm Initiative’s programs strategy and resource mobilization efforts. Boye brings his sharp intellect, deep commitment, and ever-present empathy to all his work. You can see examples of this in his writing about advocacy, his explanations (beginning at 19:30 of the video) of the challenges and opportunities of advocacy, and in another interview he gave on the topic of careers in digital rights advocacy.

Boye also notes that being raised under the rule of military government in Nigeria shaped his personal and professional commitment to civic liberties, and it gives us all a window into his respective and passion for advocacy for democratic values and on behalf of vulnerable groups. You’ll also see his willingness to ask questions and not to be afraid – despite being a self-described introvert – to engage senior government officials and others in positions of power on pressing questions around Internet freedom. I’ve worked with a few of Boye’s mentors, including the incomparable leaders Edet Ojo and ‘Gbenga Sesan, and can see the throughline in Boye’s work and thoughtfulness.

You’ll also enjoy hearing his story about learning so much from the work of Rebecca MacKinnon yet being hesitant about expressing to her the influence her work has had on his own thinking. Having worked with Rebecca for nearly two decades myself (and always assigning her work in my courses), I’ll be sure she gets your message Boye! I know it will mean a lot. And finally, readers shouldn’t miss the cross-over between cultural and political influences and Boye’s reference to Fela Kuti, the King of Afrobeat. Be sure to follow Boye’s work and advocacy as a rising star in the field of digital rights.

Michael Samway
The Business and Human Rights Group
Website: www.thebhrgroup.com

Guest Spotlight: Adeboye Adegoke

Adeboye leads Paradigm Initiative’s programs strategy and resource mobilisation efforts, including driving PIN’s program direction and maximizing impacts. He has amassed massive expertise and skills in digital policy interventions, stakeholder engagements, capacity building, strategic litigations, coalition building, and media campaigns in various roles at Paradigm Initiative in the past ten years. Adeboye led advocacy for the passage of the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill by Nigeria’s parliament. He's led PIN work on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Surveillance Accountability, Accountable Digital ID systems, Data Protection Advocacy, Convenings, and Capacity-Building Programs these years.

He is a fellow of the African School on Internet Governance and a fellow of the San Francisco-based Centre for Digital Policy and Artificial Intelligence. He’s a member of the Danish government’s Tech Advisory Council and a member of the Freedom Online Coalition. He was a Twitter’s Human Rights Advisory Council member until December 2022. He has written several articles and authored many reports. He’s the author of Digital Rights and Privacy Report and co-authored the Digital Rights in Africa report by Paradigm Initiative. Adeboye leads PIN’s digital rights engagement with policymakers, parliamentarians, and judicial officers in Africa. He’s facilitated training for judges, policymakers, and parliamentarians in Nigeria, Zambia, Chad, Tanzania, and Malawi. He’s consistently a featured guest on leading television stations such as Channels TV, ARISE TV, and TVC. He co-founded the Monkmedia Yellow Pages in 2006 as an undergraduate. He had five years of work experience in the private sector before joining the development space.

Adeboye holds a master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa from the Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, and a Bachelor of Science in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from Obafemi Awolowo University. He also holds a professional public relations certificate and completed Public Policy courses at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

What are some of the most formative period or events in your life that shaped your work in technology and human rights?

I grew up in the days of military rule in Nigeria. On June 12, 1993, a presidential election was annulled by the then military junta in Nigeria. This was not the first time elections were annulled by the Military after multiple promises to return the nation to civil rule. However, June 12, 1993 was significant in Nigeria’s history. There was an overwhelming consensus that the election was free and fair and that the military had no basis to annul it - These led to protests and demands that the military should declare the candidate with the highest vote as winner of the elections and declare him as president-elect. This struggle continued until May, 1999 when power was eventually returned to a democratically elected President. Out of my first 14 years of existence, Nigeria was under military rule for 12 years. I saw how brutal force were deployed in governance, suppression of voices and silencing of dissents. This created a strong social consciousness and political awareness in me. At this time, I got drawn to reading the dailies and particularly pages that talked about governance and politics. A few years after this, I got admitted to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics for my undergraduate study.
I got admitted for my undergraduate studies at a time when mobile and digital technology was beginning to permeate our ecosystem. Mobile telephony systems was introduced to Nigeria two years earlier. My University was one of the first three higher institutions with Internet Connection in Nigeria. This helped my awareness of technology at that critical stage in my life. I earned my first income creating a flash video with mozilla firefox for a friend who got a gig to build an e-commerce website.
As you’d observed, the first critical stage of my growth as a human being was defined by the struggle for civic liberty while the next stage was defined by the technological incursion of the time. The work I do today can not be divorced from these realities of my growing days.

How do you continue doing what you do, pushing and advocating for digital rights, and human rights more broadly?

The institutional support that I have has been helpful in this regard. There’s a funny saying I heard that “When passion doesn’t pay the bill, it could lead to depression”. Thanks to my current employer and every institution that has made significant investment in me to be able to focus on doing this work.

Who are some people or an individual you’ve met during your work in this field who have had a profound influence on your work? And in what way?

There are many of them. However, I don’t think anyone would come close to ‘Gbenga Sesan given that he was my earliest influence and continues to be a huge influence. I learnt of Gbenga's work from third parties and I had always admired him without even knowing what he looked like. On a fateful day in the year 2012 or so, he walked into my former office, seeking our services. I had about an hour chat with him with zero idea that he was the guy I had admired for so long. When he was leaving, he left his business card which I didn’t bother to glance at until a few hours after he left. It was at this point, I realised! A year and half later, I joined him at Paradigm Initiative and look where we are. Also, at the early stage of my career, I came across Rebecca Mckinnon’s book “Consent of the Networked” which shaped and helped my understanding of digital rights advocacy work. Oh my God, Anriette Esteryusen is like a God Mother and I believe not just to me but to many other colleagues (especially from Africa), working in the Internet Governance space in Africa. Another man I revere a lot is Edet Ojo, Executive Director at Media Rights Agenda. When I joined the space, I noticed Gbenga revered Edet a lot so I thought to myself If ‘Gbenga reveres him so much, I’d better pay attention to him as well. Earlier today, Edet sent me a link literally to nudge me to apply for a PhD opportunity. Probably the only advice I wouldn’t take from him. 😂

What are some of the values, broadly speaking, that guide you in this field or in life more broadly?

My values are centred around empathy, and a sense of responsibility and accountability. I have a heart for the vulnerable. I believe those who hold political and economic power must demonstrate a great sense of responsibility and be accountable to the people. Empathy is important to me because I believe in understanding and supporting the most vulnerable people around us. Lastly, I'm committed to personal growth, both personally and professionally, because I see it as a way to learn and improve constantly."

What’s a specific event when you feel like your team’s or organization’s work (or your own work) was able to make a significant impact in the field of digital rights?

I have a few at different points in time. We had written a letter to Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police demanding respect for digital rights in the context of the police recent acquisition of surveillance technology and collaboration with the Interpol at the time. A few weeks later, I got a letter inviting the team to a meeting with one the highest ranking Police officers (Top 5) in the country at the time. The response showed me what was possible if citizens dared to ask questions. I recall how we got a judgement against Nigeria’s Ministry of Science and technology for failing to respond to our freedom of information request around its investment in surveillance-related equipment. In 2022, we were hosting an event in Lilongwe, Malawi where the Minister of ICT was a special guest of honour. I noticed how he was treated with so much awe and reference with literally no one willing to engage him in a conversation. Well, I walked up to him and asked for a meeting. He did not only accept to meet but offered to come to my hotel where we had a good conversation about Malawi’s government’s interest in deepening digital access and literacy in the country including opportunities for collaboration.

What are some ways you think the technology, policy, and human rights fields can become more diverse, inclusive, and equitable in composition, policy topics, learning, and advocacy?

Creating more diverse, inclusive, and equitable technology, policy, and human rights fields requires ongoing commitment, collaboration, and a recognition that diversity enhances innovation and problem-solving capabilities. Here are some ways to foster diversity, inclusion, and equity in these areas:
Diverse Recruitment and Hiring Practices:
Implement inclusive hiring practices that focus on skills and qualifications rather than traditional markers of privilege. Establish diverse hiring panels and blind recruitment processes to reduce unconscious bias. Create partnerships with organisations that specialise in underrepresented talent pipelines. Organisations tend to pay lip-service to the demand for diversity and inclusivity. This is heartbreaking. For example, many US organisations recruit African- American, Asian-American etc to signal to the world that they have a global workforce. This is not to say these groups of competent Americans don’t deserve a job that they have been recruited to do but you shouldn’t pretend to be hiring Africans or Asians when in the real sense, you have just hired another American. These play out at many levels. The example I gave is at the macro level but this happens at the micro level too, and many corporations of different origins are equally guilty of this.
Educational Initiatives:
Promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in underserved communities to create a more diverse talent pool in technology fields.
Advocate for inclusive curriculum development that highlights the contributions of diverse voices and perspectives in policy and human rights studies. Support scholarship programs and mentorship opportunities for underrepresented individuals in these fields.
Cultural Competency and Sensitivity Training:
Provide training to employees and students on cultural competency, unconscious bias, and respectful communication to create inclusive environments.
Encourage discussions about diversity and inclusion in the workplace and academia to foster understanding and empathy.
Inclusive Policies and Advocacy:
Advocate for policies and regulations that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in technology, policy, and human rights.
Engage with underrepresented communities to better understand their needs and concerns and incorporate them into advocacy efforts.
Representation and Role Models:
Highlight the achievements and contributions of underrepresented individuals in these fields through media, conferences, and publications to serve as role models.
Encourage diversity in leadership positions within organisations and academic institutions.
Intersectionality Awareness:
Recognize that individuals may belong to multiple underrepresented groups and consider intersectionality when designing policies, programs, and initiatives.
By taking these steps, these fields can better address the complex challenges facing our world today.

For undergraduate or graduate students reading this, what type of course (e.g., computer science, human rights, language) or activities (e.g., internships, summer jobs) do you think might be most helpful as they contemplate careers in technology, public policy, and human rights?

Law, Public Policy, Humanities are all ideal courses. However, I believe anyone with interest in human rights and technology irrespective of the courses they studied or are currently studying, can thrive in this space. What would be required in such a context would then be a strong interest/desire/passion, research skills, networking skills, engagement skills. They may also take short online courses offered by many prestigious institutions such as Havard, LSE, Diplo and many others.

For current practitioners in this field, and given your own career experience, what are some considerations you think are worth taking into account when deciding whether to change sectors, say from civil society or academia to the private sector? Or from the private sector to government or civil society?

This is such an interesting question. I came from the private sector myself and for me, I was searching for fulfilment and that search led me here. I have had the opportunity to go back to the private sector. In fact, I have almost been poached by two of the top 10 tech companies in the world at a time, but the timing wasn’t right at both times. I think what’s most important for everyone is the need to find yourself. Where do you really belong? If you search deep into your hearts, you’d find the answer. For me, career decisions should never be about how much money was involved alone, you really should enjoy what you do as well. Also, a good understanding of times and seasons is helpful. A time may come in your career journey when you’d absolutely need that switch. It’s your job to recognise this moment.

What are some of the non-mainstream sources you turn to when building knowledge or keeping informed on tech, policy, and human rights related issues? And what sources do you follow to keep current on the latest happenings in technology and politics today?

Grateful for networks and coalitions. But my simple answer would be that I follow the right people and institutions on twitter and linkedin. That itself is inexhaustible. Other sources such as research groups, alumni networks are very useful.

What are some obstacles you’ve faced in the digital rights field? And what are some unconventional strategies you find helpful when responding?

It’d be the difficulties in making the people understand what digital rights is all about. This is particularly true for my context as someone whose work is focused on Africa and the global south. We introduced the Digital Rights Academy at Paradigm Initiative for this reason.

What’s something you didn’t expect in work in this field?

I hate to talk about this but sometimes we see the very darkness we call out in our own sector too.

What are some ideas on how to find and engage regularly with mentors in this sector?

I am probably the wrong person to ask this question because I am almost an incurable introvert🤦🏾‍♂️. Meanwhile, I have realised that mentorship works in many ways so it doesn’t have to be a conventional approach. My mentors barely know what I think about them. Take for example, I have been in the same room with Rebecca many times but I have never walked up to her about how much of an influence she was to me. All I had to do was read the things she wrote and watch her speeches and Interviews on Youtube. I guess this is one of the reasons I defend the right to use technology. As an introvert, it’s made my life easier and better from both a social and career perspective.
As a rule however, you can be deliberate about networking and engaging during conferences and meetings that brings you into close proximity with these mentors.
In my view, the most important idea is to be a resourceful person. Your talent will bring you before kings. Mentors are human too and tend to gravitate towards value when they see it. Instead of employing gimmicks, just be valuable, be resourceful and hardworking. These values will create a natural platform for engament with these mentors from time to time.

What are two or three books, podcasts, albums, poems, works of art, etc. that inspire you or that you’d recommend to people interested in working in this field?

The BHR Group Digital Rights Careers Newsletter

The BHR Group Digital Rights Careers Newsletter - Issue 16

Guest Spotlight: Adeboye Adegoke

Positions in Policy, Law, and Digital Rights

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