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.
*ObiThe
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.