While I gained admission to the prestigious university of Ilorin, better by far to study computing, my mates and I found out the course content was sandwiched with pure and applied mathematics, sets of statistics, chemistry and even biology, far from our expectations, for we anticipated computer sciences.
We registered, settled in, and waited for what was ahead.
We had our fears through prior discouragement from peers and advisors who already said computing was not going to extend beyond the traditional café, internet browsing through yahoo account creations and popular yahoo messenger, road-side typing, printing, graphics design for office ID and business cards, photocopying, and scanning. Alas! on the contrary, IT now seamlessly rules our world, a great blessing indeed.
Historically, computing or technology pitched its first impacts in arithmetic like the olden day abacus or counting machine and in fact, my first programming exercise involved building a modern digital calculator using visual basic 6, an innovative programming platform by Bill Gate of Microsoft many years ago.
Nowadays, technology has surpassed its expectations, it has become an angelic magnet drawing the world to a “better life”.
As we all know health outdoes wealth, there are more recent innovations and very significant e-health devices and solutions helping the patient, IT-enabled healthcare institutions have significant deposits of these technologies, treating cancer patients through digitally passed fractions of rays running few seconds per day.
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Our Nigerian and neighboring countries are enjoying this great feat by IT-driven healthcare centres.
Yes, lives are being saved through these smart information technologies (IT). What more? Saving a life is paramount! Second to None! Further to saving lives is convenience, comfort, or introducing new lease or eaze of life.
See our digital Automatic Teller Machine, the ATM by Interswitch, and the automatic transmission of sound virtually over kilometers to another recipient, engaging two or more in real-time talks or vocal engagements.
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This has brought us what we call telecommunications powered by our indigenous Globacom, the SA MTN, the Bharti Airtel and Emirates’ Etisalat.
I am “enjoying” the world of technologies, and so I believe you are too. With Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter, depression and suicide rates have substantially decreased, as we get to meet new people, old friends, gist, and play, relieving stress, and boredom.
Yes of course, it is the easiest way to reach the world! IT “built” the social media, not our beneficiaries, that is the social media marketers …lol.
While I graduated with first class leading the faculty of science, the University of Ilorin and have proposed many software systems even during my undergraduate days, I have been busy working on ground-breaking ways to contribute meaningfully to lives, and communities through e-solutions, such as the mibored software; that enables you book and meet new friends at zero cost or premium option, profile hint solution markets your business through shot videos, a business app called the map4biz connects you with nearby service providers and now is the unidollarapp that engages the youths and alumni of African universities.
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Lest I forget, should Open university remain the only institution of e-learning? More private and governmental institutions must be wholly virtual! Then even the “busy” can further learn. A community with learned people has fewer criminals, people want to work, earn, and study, technology makes this possible.
Now, everyone must take full advantage of technology. First is having most interactions done virtually, not only due to Covid-19 but also due to the cost of having to meet, or group physically for a purpose.
With virtual meetings on Zoom or Meet solution by google, you achieve more than having to travel or coordinate a physical meeting. Secondly, you have the benefits of recording your meeting and thirdly, a traffic-congested area like Lagos would be freed up.
Do you believe this “work from home” can be the norm? IT proffers solutions that support comfort and speed. Internet-enabled solutions such as teleconferencing keep the team virtually united. More like it is having to vote on a decision or opinion virtually and choose direction such as implemented in vevox solution.
In 2020, I strongly believe Nigeria must tend towards full adoption of IT in administration and governance, a reliable voting solution for fair and unbiased elections must be utilized. Are Nigerians? IT has sufficient solutions or smart chips to profile and validate every voter.
If communicating voting data from rural communities is an issue due to lack of “carrier” such as data or SMS, customizable IT solutions can address this, so that each vote counts. Have you envisioned having accurate voting results displayed for every region through smart and biotechnologies, with near-zero error margin? Yes, it is possible!
Further is having IT as leading force to combat crime and terror. What flying chips are monitoring terror filled regions?
What invisible drone is keeping watch over suspects, and vulnerable area?
What proactively communicates the security points through alert powered by expert system relying on real data? A field of artificial intelligence in information technology.
Everyone, Africa, and specifically Nigeria must overhaul her systems with the use of smart and innovative IT solutions. No human system beats technologies! Remember Osama Bin Ladin and the Flying drone of Obama.
