Digital Transformation vs South East States Wheel-Barrow Pushing Generation

All over the world today, technology has become a dependable strategy to transform any economy. It enables sustainable development, and empowers the people for growth and productivity.

On this premise, I want to state categorically, that South Eastern State cannot afford, in this age, to pay nonchalant-attention to the importance of Technology for development (T4D).

Without mincing words, there is a huge gully between South East and other Regions in Nigeria with regards to digital transformation; presently, there is no thirst for technology investment in the region. Too bad!

Let me state that in my opinion there is a huge difference between the courageous entrepreneurs from the SE zone who are investing in Tech in major cities like Lagos and the actual activities currently happening in these areas.

Also, I choose not to use this piece to call names or reel out figures. Reason: we know the truth. However, as a concerned, averred and ardent believer in the powers of information and communications technologies (ICTs) as the modern tools to cure man of cancer of the pocket (financial lacks) and intellectual malaises, I feel very grieved due to directionless encumbrances that have bedeviled the South Eastern States as far as ICT is concerned.

If you travel through the Streets of Lagos, London, New York or name the place, you will see or hear names of Nigerians of South East extraction developing mission-critical digital dynamites, while in the streets of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States are ever vibrating sounds of ‘Okada’, street trading as hobbies, and the most annoying- wheel barrow pushing contractors. Oh boy, such is a generation with tied up destines!

We are not meant to suffer this way. Enough is Enough! We are “industrious-spirit” to “smart-business acumen”. Gone are the days you are measured by the number of children you take to the farm, rather the world has gone into mechanized farming; wait, robotics are coming too - I saw this in action on one of my trip to some German states.

I dare to say, our politicians are yet to value the bunch of talents among our youths, such is the easiest way to kill creativity! They support; read your books, though, not a bad thing, pass your exams and look for a well-paying job.

Our “billionaire” businessmen and women have sold themselves to selfish cravings for “personalized-Wealth”, while most of the emerging youths have taken to kidnapping, armed robbery, baby-factory business, or petty-traders. Well, times are hard, but smart people with their technological prowess still dominate. You need not to be as big as FaceBook to face the world, but you can start as small as IrokoTV to win the war.

As a politician, the distribution of bags of rice, wrappers, tricycles/motorcycles, sewing machines; some even go as low as distributing T-shirts and caps, are simply ways of multiplying poverty in the land. Are you aware that Kano, Kaduna, Jos and a few other states in the North have an enclave of pretty good developers/coders?

The greatest monuments our politicians should establish in the zone are clusters of ICT-HUBs or support young entrepreneurs working hard to setup up theirs in the South East. Even Delta State endowed with natural resources, has commenced its diversification process with Delta State ICT-Hub and appointing the Oracle, Chris Uwaje as Director General.

The state Governments are supposed to be pacesetters to drive technology investment into the South East and foster technology development thereby creating employment opportunities for the people.

Permit me to cite one example, the Australian Government is encouraging local councils to find technology solutions to improve suburbs and cities.

Speaking at a Future Cities Summit in Brisbane recenly, Angus Taylor, Assistant Minister for Cities, announced a series of stakeholder roundtables to be held in September to kick-start the AU$50 million (US$38 million) Smart Cities and Suburbs Programme. A key election commitment of the new government, the programme will support councils across Australia to fast-track open data and innovative technology solutions to fix local problems. Taylor said the goal was to encourage local governments to partner with tech experts to make cities and suburbs more liveable, sustainable and productive.

“The Smart Cities and Suburbs Programme is to support clever technology ideas to fix difficult or long standing community issues,” he said. “The most valuable projects will be transformative collaborations between multiple councils and technology industry partners that link closely with future plans for the area.”

Recently, Ken Nwogbo, publisher, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek started a facebook conversation that called attention to the need for articulated ICT plan for Anambra State. Thus, he wrote, “In line with my position of a single tenure of four years only for Anambra state, methinks, that the next governor of Anambra should concentrate on the development of science and technology. That way we will diversify our revenue earnings. Building of flyovers and payment of salaries are not enough”. This goes beyond Anambra State; we all South-Easterners are guilt; we are failing the next generation!

We can reverse these “dead-end and obnoxious agenda” with IT tools. Who said Late Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s war museum in Abia State cannot be tourists’ honey-pot through ICT inclusive tourism sector, likewise tourist sites scattered in Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi State? We must tell our youths the obvious truth: today’s rich do not wear suits as such; their sleeves are always rolled up, because it’s about hands-on and no longer hand-out!

It is a truism that we are known for commerce and agriculture, however, the long term goal of the South East States ought to be on timely interventions of technology geared towards the emancipation of the people from poverty, unemployment, high mortality rate, social vices etc. presently, we are no where to be found in the comity of IT “indoctrination” drives. Every sector has succumbed to the power of technology. Most of the ground breaking innovations are coming out of Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt with little or none coming from key cities in the South East!

We must stop blaming infrastructural deficit; once there is a will, solutions will come. Our youths must now allow themselves to be “used and dumped”. We must brace up for the challenges ahead. If politicians fail us, we shouldn’t fail ourselves. As brave and industrious people, let’s turn around this zone for our good.


CFA is the founder of www.techsmart.ng and co-producer/presenter of Tech Trends on Channels TV