Wale Jagun
A total of 72 students have been taught about Computer Appreciation and Application in the Summer Boot Camp organized by the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG), in conjunction with Always Building IT Experts, as part of the group’s programmes at empowering Ikorodu youths and students with ICT knowledge, in order to make them competitive.
At the graduation ceremony held at the Barr. SAB Oteju ICT & Innovation Hub of the Ikorodu Ultra – Modern Town Hall, Ikorodu, on last Friday, the participants were issued certificates of participation.
At the ceremony that recorded impressive attendance of dignitaries and parents, Miss Alli Kafila, a 16 years old student of the Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba, Lagos, emerged as the best participant and was awarded N20, 000, by Otunba Ganiyu Abiru who chaired the occasion on behalf of the Ikortodu Division Peace Initiative Limited, while Paseda Olamide Sharon, 11 years old student of Biswood College, received N15, 000, and Ogunlewe Favour, 16 years old student of Queen Betty College, got N15,000 and N10, 000 respectively, for coming second as third student.
Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, who is also the Secretary of the lkorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited (IDPIL), while speaking, commended the IDRDG, under the leadership of Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, stating that the training will afford participants with knowledge in IT, which will be useful for them.
“Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, is a Chairman that has turned the IDRDG around. This is the first time that we will be having this kind of a lesson for you people that are coming behind, and I must say that you are very lucky”, he said.
“This training is to enable you to appreciate the trends and happenings now, because you are the leaders of tomorrow, and for you to be leaders, you must be equipped with the wherewithal of things that you are required to make a success of your career today and tomorrow.
“You can hardly succeed in anything that you want to do if you cannot operate a computer. Computer is becoming the determinant and what you have privileged to learn is to prepare you for the future”, Otunba Abiru said.
“Among you are doctors, engineers, teachers and other professionals, and that is why the group has decided to bring you together and expose you to the use and application of computer, and I am sure this has presented some of us the opportunity to see what is called computer.
“Some of you are in primary and others in junior secondary schools, and you are seeing computer and studying about its applications. In those days, those that even studied Computer Science, did not have the opportunity of seeing what a computer is like”, Otunba Abiru said.
He charged participants to continue developing their computer knowledge, and use it to plan for their future.
“What the IDRDG is trying to do for us is to guide you to become the future leaders, not only in Ikorodu but in Nigeria. So, when you leave here, I want you to continue learning more about the technology called computer. It is very important and you must not end it here”, he said.
“I can assure that this is going to be a yearly event that will be exposing you to various programs of computer. As you are the first set, you have become the symbol of the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group, and I am sure that they will be inviting you to participate in any other computer programmes to develop your skills since they now have your details.
“For you to have decided on your own to come and study computer, it means that you have decided to plan for your future, and I pray that God Almighty will help you all to be proud citizens of this country called Nigeria”.
While charging them to also ensure that they concentrate on other subjects, Otunba Abiru also counseled the students not join cult groups and not to be too much in a hurry.
“I can assure you that Nigeria is a good country and all of you have good opportunities to become whatever that you have decided to become in life, and you will have the opportunity to make the difference”, Otunba Abiru said.
“I want to appeal to you to make the best use of this opportunity that you have and be prayerful, because anything that you want to become in life, God has a hand in it.
“I want to thank our Chairman particularly, because he has done wonderfully well for the Ikorodu’s socio – economic and political development, and what you are doing today is part of his numerous initiatives that he brought about to change the narratives of Ikorodu”, he said.
Alhaji Monzor Olowosago, Publisher, Oriwu Sun, also commended the IDRDG, for the initiative, especially its Chairman, Sen. Ogunlewe whom he said has passion for the development of education.
He said that the IDRDG Chairman has also been given out scholarships to students in Ikorodu division.
“The man has decided to give you, the leaders of tomorrow, education in ICT which is trending now. This computer appreciation and application will help you greatly, and you need to appreciate him for this”.
“The best legacy any parent can give to his children is education, and because of that, many children that are from poor backgrounds are great men today. So, you must take your education seriously”, he charged them.
A retired Principal and General Secretary of Ikorodu Division Human Resource Development Board (IDHRDB), an arm of the IDRDG, asked the students to consider themselves lucky for participating in the programme, because of the opportunities that it offer them.
He, like other speakers, commended Sen. Ogunlewe, for the initiative and his passion for youths and educational developments.
Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, in a chat, thanked all that have been supporting the trainees of the Barr. SAB Oteju ICT & Innovation Hub, like Sen. Tokunbo Abiru, Otunba Ganiu Abiru Abiru, Alhaji Monzor Olowosago, SAIL Innovation Hub, IDPIL and other partners, for assisting the IDRDG in developing students and youths in Ikorodu.
Recall that 70 other students, last week, graduated from the IDRDG ICT Launchpad program, with the three best students given a laptop each, bag, free Wifi and also admitted into the Senator Tokunbo Abiru’s SAIL Innovation Hub, for further training.
Also at the ceremony are Alhaji Oduntan Qudus, General Secretary, APC Igbogbo/Bayeku LGA, Kunle Adelabu, Member, Ikorodu Town Hall Management Board and Musediq Alogba E -Library & Research Centre among others.
