By Sonala Olumhense
As a Nigerian with considerable interest in public affairs, the Grand Ballroom of New York City’s Hilton Midtown Hotel, the venue of “Afro-Economics & Government Policy: A Conversation with Governor Peter Obi,” was my destination last Sunday.
The
engagement followed others in the United States, some of which had been
mismanaged by local organisers who chose to charge a gate fee. Not New York,
which was free to every registered attendee, thanks to the Columbia
University’s Africa Business Club and Black Law Students Association.
The Hilton Grand Ballroom is a cavernous facility capable of accommodating 3,000 persons. For a city with nearly 700 hotels pre-COVID, Hilton bills the facility as the city’s largest ballroom. At the height of the event, it was about two-thirds full.
