Abiodun Olasunkanmi Ojurongbe, an expert in the Information Technology, in this interview with ZEBULON AGOMUO, spoke on the limitless opportunities that ICT provides for the youth. He also urged the Federal Government to halt brain drain, settle its impasse with the Academic Staff of Nigerian Universities (ASUU), among other issues. Excerpts:
By way of introduction, may we know you?
My name is Ojurongbe Abiodun Olasunkanmi. I studied Mathematics Education from the Department of Adult Education, University of Lagos and I possess a Master Degree in Information Technology (MIT) from the same institution. I am the Chief Executive Officer of Azion Resources Limited, an innovating company which is into the business of ICT, Publication and Consultancy Services for over a decade. The company has worked for various organizations within and outside the country. My work experienced has taken us to several establishments and organisation including Nigerian Security Printing and Minting PLC; WAPA, Lagos State Government; Airtel Networks Limited; Bank of Industry, Nigeria; Anchor University; 3T Impex Trade Consulting; University of Lagos; TYDACOMM; VOE Enwenezi & Co.; Mind builders Schools; just to mention a few.
I am the author of the book titled ‘The Mastery of Computer Usage and Typing Skills: A Practical Approach’, a book published in 2007. We are into Publishing and Consultancy Services. The ICT arm renders services which include: Office Automation, Solar Installation and Inverter Technology, Data Recovery and Disaster Management, System Procurement, Installation & Repairs.
The Publishing arm of the organisation is into publishing. The services we render in this arm include: Book Publishing, Printing of Magazines, Journals, Packages, Souvenirs, Event Programmes, Signages and so on. The consultancy service is aimed at conducting a market research as we objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknesses of the existing businesses or proposed ventures, opportunities and threats as presented by the environment; we harness resources required to carry through, and ultimately the prospects for success; we render support in procurement of required equipment for the establishment of any proposed business venture; and we engage in staff recruitment and control.
As a player in ICT, do you think Nigerians are making proper use of it to make an honest living?
To start with, Nigerians to a great extent, are technologically-inclined, but I think we need to channel the use of ICT positively to enhance productivity. Truth be told, most Nigerians today are very eager to use ICT for fraudulent practices instead of channeling it for honest living. For example, the use of social media by some Nigerians has one way or the other dented the image of the country through fraudulent practices of her citizens. In this era of ‘new normal’, where businesses are no longer encouraged to be located in a densely populated environment which could attract the influx of different people and could aid the spread of viruses and other infectious diseases the use of ICT to reach our audiences is a must. The earlier the Nigerian government and her people start thinking of automating all their services including medical, communication, hotel and hospitality just to mention a few, the better for us. Just like we have uber cars where the potential customer could call for a taxi in her bedroom, Online pharmacy, online stores including supermarket, where customers could login and cart the goods he/she wanted should be considered. Today, there are several services that could be rendered through the use of ICT for legitimate earning which are yet to be explored by Nigerians.
Unfortunately, many people are “I.T-phobia” so it is difficult to teach an old dog a new trick! If we really discover the potentials in exploring ICT in our business engagement, we will experience an exponential growth in performance. The use of ICT should not be a mirage, we need to be kept abreast of technological growth and development to explore the advantages of ICT in Office automation, robotic technology, transportation, just to mention a few. Several organisations and individuals are addicted to their styles of business engagement that inflict retrogression in their business experiences and engagement.
There is manifestly high level of unemployment in the country with many youths roaming the streets; how may these youths be properly engaged?
Several youths are unemployed today because most of them do not want the days of little beginning. I for example, started my business as a youth with N4,800 in 1999 which was used to buy a manual typewriter. This has metamorphosed to a company that has clients within and outside the country.
How many of our youths are aware that there are legitimate businesses you can do through the use of ICT and make money both within and outside the country? Those who have negative eyes do not see positive things. Majority of them spend more time for fun than research. There are websites you register with and get you engaged for transcription, online document typing, online merchant, online stores (where you can buy and sell) and so on. Instead of roaming the streets, get yourself engaged explore every positive avenue to get wealth legitimately. You must be known you for something you do for a living and not idleness and talkativeness.
The ASUU strike has lingered for months, affecting many undergraduates and homes; what can companies like yours do to distract these youths from negative influence as a result of their idleness, and at the same time help them to acquire skills and make money while they wait for resumption?
While the ASUU strike is seen as evil, others see it as a blessing. I know a lot of students around that have explored this avenue to learn one skill or the other. Some learnt pastries, cooking, sowing, others float a cleaning outfit, laundry businesses, and so on. My organisation, for instance, has been training many people on different skills that are taking them out of financial predicament. We train on: Networking Installation, troubleshooting, and router installation; Solar Installation and Inverter Technology; Web Design and hosting; Book publishing and printing technology; graphic design; excel made simple; explicit training on the use of Microsoft office just to mention a few. Also, we engage group of professionals for Forex Trading/Signal Services/Account management services that guaranteed 15 – 20 % ROI per week.
We organize training on a regular basis. There are still ongoing ones. So, some people have started taking advantage by registering for those training exposures. The one we are doing currently intends to impact a typing skill that will make the participants to type professionally (without looking at the keyboard while typing). After this, it will give useful tips of how they can engage their new acquired skills through their engagement in online transcription, online typing, online writing and so on.
What danger do you see in Nigeria with the increasing political awareness among the youth, the trust deficit in society for government and what lesson can we learn from the recent #EndSARS protest in relation to youths’ impatience with non-performing government?
The danger is becoming obvious that the Nigerian government may not be able to curtail when it is fully blown as seen in the resent #ENDSARS protest which was escalated beyond the country. Thus, it is imperative that the government should get various organisations engaged in training and development of the Nigerian youth to impact useful skills they can live on. Nigerian government should not produce a graduate without at least a skill. Therefore, the government is to build more and fund the existing technical schools where secondary school leavers finish with a skill. Also, the period of NYSC should be utilised by the government for Skills Acquisition. Once the government neglects its responsibilities by ignoring the plights of the youth without putting in place adequate measures for their legitimate engagement, it will soon lead to a state of anarchy where it will be too late to cry after the head has been cut off. Training the youth for better engagement is inevitable to curb future breakdown of law and order.
It was once mentioned by one of the political elites that government should put the round peg in a round hole. Those responsible for decision making must have the necessary exposure to develop the human capital of this country. Nigeria has suffered from brain drain more in the continent of Africa because our youth hazard their lives in search of greener pasture. The best achievement recorded in the world most of the time has a Nigerian at its background. We have lost our youths to the western world because of poor governance and corruption. Nigeria government should wakeup and put efforts in place to build self confidence in its citizens to aid the development of her institution and curb the problem of brain drain experienced.
As a Nigerian parent, what advice can you give to FG and ASUU on the lingering impasse?
Government lingering to reach consensus with the ASUU is a proof of its delights in sitting on a gun powder. We should not forget that those who protested during the #ENDSARS protest were mostly students in higher institutions of learning. From the conversation we heard from them, majority of the protesters are not unlearned. Some of them are undergraduate students from Colleges of Education, Polytechnique and Universities. As it is popularly said, that an idle hand is a devil’s workshop, FG should reach a compromise on time with ASUU to terminate the strike that is gradually going to be one year in few months as we know that the strike has been on before the pandemic that sprung up in March 2020.
It is popularly said that, you cannot live and survive in isolation. A responsible government needs to listen to the plight of its people as ASUU revealed emphatically that the software adopted by the FG has been configured to shortchange her members. Government should reach a compromise with ASUU by removing all the stumbling blocks that impedes ASUU’s resumption.
