CEYWI COO Joins ECOWAS Election Observation Mission to Côte d’Ivoire.
By Raymond Enoch
In a significant stride toward promoting democratic governance and inclusion in West Africa, the Chief Operating Officer of the 21st Century Community Empowerment for Youth and Women Initiative (CEYWI), Adekunle Lukman Adefolahan, has been selected to join the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission to Côte d’Ivoire ahead of the country’s presidential election scheduled for October 25, 2025.
The mission, led by Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, former Vice President of Nigeria, brings together distinguished individuals, civil society actors, and governance experts from across the region. Their shared objective is to ensure a peaceful, credible, and inclusive electoral process, reinforcing ECOWAS’s long-standing commitment to democratic consolidation and regional stability.
CEYWI described Adefolahan’s selection as a major milestone for both the organization and the broader civil society community in West Africa. “This nomination affirms our capacity to lead and influence governance beyond national borders,” the organization stated, emphasizing that the appointment underscores the importance of youth and women’s participation in democratic processes.
During the mission, Adefolahan would be playing a key role in observing voting and collation activities, engaging with critical electoral stakeholders—including political parties, electoral commissions, youth and women’s groups—and participatipn in training short-term observers on ECOWAS’s digital reporting platform. His involvement reflects ECOWAS’s growing emphasis on inclusive and technology-driven election monitoring.
Founded in Nigeria, CEYWI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women and youth through civic engagement, policy advocacy, and governance initiatives. The organization’s participation in the Côte d’Ivoire mission aligns with its broader mission of advancing inclusive governance and amplifying underrepresented voices across the West African region.
Through this engagement, CEYWI reaffirms its commitment to fostering a transparent, participatory, and peaceful democratic culture—a cornerstone for sustainable development and regional unity.
