Nekpen Obasogie is the key host of NEBO TV in Toronto, Canada. She was recently elected as the Assistant General Secretary of the Nigerian Canadian Association (NCA) in Toronto, Canada.
Her online television network (NEBO TV) was inspired and birthed by an organization she founded at York University called Immigrant Women’s Alliance (IWA) in 2015. Nekpen is popularly known for promoting Benin Cultural Heritage in Nigeria and the Diaspora. Her enthusiasm and love for Benin Culture are primarily rooted in her childhood memories and upbringing in Benin City.
She argues that the Benin Culture is one of the most important and richest of all Cultures in the world. As a result, Nekpen has taken the bold initiative and stance of promoting and showcasing the rich Benin Cultural Heritage to the rest of the world. In 2021, she published her first historical book titled Great Benin: The Alcazar of Post-Colonial Culture and Its Relationship with the Europeans Since 1400 AD. The book analyzes the political, social, and cultural arrangement of the Benin Kingdom before the advent of the Europeans in the land. Furthermore, it summarized the relationship between the Benin Kingdom and the Europeans, such as the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Spanish, and the French. How this relationship helped a great deal to enhance the development and civilization in the Benin Kingdom. The book summarizes the British Punitive Expedition of 1897 in Benin. She argues that the contact between Benin and the Europeans was a conglomeration of development and domination, as the relationship resulted in acculturation and colonialism.
Nekpen is also a passionate advocate for Women’s Rights and their recognition. She gainfully asserts that the experiences of most women especially, those from ethnic minority groups, are less publicly highlighted in many Western Countries. As a result of this inappropriate gap, she took it upon herself, to create the African Women of Elegance group page, to showcase the missing spotlight on the beauty and talents of African women. The success of that group page led her to upgrade it into an Online Television Program (NEBO TV) in Toronto. NEBO TV, as it is popularly known, focuses on shining light on talents and highlighting some of the major issues affecting people in Africa. Nekpen doubles also as the founder of an Organization in Africa called the “African Child Labour Relief Foundation” (ACLRF). The purpose of this foundation is to eliminate homelessness and the dire economic burden among African Children. Assisting them to get quality education and basic necessities of life.
The core objectives of this organization include the opening of small businesses for the low and ‘no-income’ group of families, and also advocating for Government, social and financial assistance (especially Child Benefit Program), for vulnerable families. In Nigeria, for instance, young children of eight-year-old and younger are street vendors in the cities. A myriad of Nigerian children are facing a lack of social assistance in the system, they are usually subjected to harsh economic vagaries, so they have to seek economic sustainability, and support for themselves and their families. This harsh reality is foretelling this economic excruciation on these families. Nekpen Obasogie is a dedicated and ambitious Nigerian-Canadian woman of vision. She is humane and caring. Her hard work and educational successes continue to guide her visionary passion, which finds expressions through her community services, and humanitarian endeavors, such as promoting the Nigerian Cultural Heritage fora, empowering women, and using her Online Television Programs to shine a light on people’s talents and achievements and raising awareness about some of the very important issues affecting people in Nigeria and other African Countries. During the 2014-15 School year, Nekpen’s academic achievements qualified her as a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. In 2015, she was among the ten students nominated for the Award at York University by the Golden Key International Honour Society. As an immigrant woman in Canada, Nekpen Blessing Obasogie has gained a lot of personal experience in life which starts to rile off as astounding and encouraging, especially the many barriers faced by the Immigrant Communities in the country. She has come to the conclusion, that education was the major key to social and economic integration. To address this issue, she formed an association – under the York Federation of Students’ Club at York University called “Immigrant Women’s Alliance” (IWA) in the 2014 to 2015 academic year. This organization seeks to empower immigrant women, especially those that are facing social integration challenges in the areas of education and accessing social services. She believes that education benefits women, their children, families based in Canadian society, and the rest of the world. In 2016, she graduated from York University with Honours and a Bachelor’s degree in “Sociology” and a second degree in “Law and Society.” Then a Certificate in “Refugee and Migration Studies” was added to her coffers.
On June 19th, 2019, she walked through the aisle and collected her Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW) at York University. Nekpen’s educational accomplishments cannot be separated from her dedication to community service and activism. In the process of getting an education, the articles she has written as a blogger, have all attracted a significant audience. Indeed, in early October 2016, Bronze Page Magazine in the US published one of her articles, which addressed some of the most biting social barrier issues affecting African Immigrants when they migrate to the Western Nations.
AWARDS
- On January 15th, 2019 Nekpen Obasogie received an Africa Luminary Cultural Heritage Award of Excellence, for promoting Benin Cultural Heritage in Diaspora.
- On February 24th, 2019, she was also recognized in the Toronto Police Service’s Black History Month Magazine.
- On May 4th, 2019, Nekpen Obasogie received another Award from the Nigerian Canadian Newspaper in Toronto.
- On September 28th, 2019, she received Community Excellency Award from Abedorc Arts and Entertainment in Toronto, Canada.
- On February 23rd, 2020, Nekpen Obasogie received an Award from Toronto Police Service today. “Black History Month Award” hosted by Toronto Police Service.
- In 2021, Nekpen was recognized as one of the prominent women in the Benin kingdom in a book titled Ancient Heroines and Modern Women in the Benin Kingdom.
- On May 30th, 2021, she was elected as the Assistant General Secretary of the Nigerian Canadian Association (NCA) GTA Environ.
- Black Diamond Awards May 27th, 2022
- In 2015, Academic Achievements Qualified for Member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.
- In 2015, Nominated for the Golden Key International Honour Society Award.
NEBO TV 