My 54th Independence Anniversary Message to Nigerian Geeks

Great day!

This is born out of my previous post on Facebook about a $10million Education Project posted by Strive Masiyiwa

As great and fascinating the challenge/project sounds, I won’t recommend any Nigerian Start-up to plunge into it. Kindly ask me why before objecting

1. Let me ask you, why do you want to do it? …..it is most likely because of the prize. 1.639 Billion naira is not a small money. When I said “it is about making difference and not about the money” in my comment to that same Facebook post, I was just being “purposeful” and “Christ-ly”.
2. It is an international competition that will attract great companies from around the world. I’m sure there are numerous companies with products that will just require a little tweak to achieve the needed aim. And who says Bill Gates Foundation cannot do it for #Charity, not minding the prize? Or the 200 employees at Wikipedia Foundation cannot be tasked to do such? Chances of being the winner is just too low, let’s be sincere.

Anyway, that’s my opinion which I don’t need you to agree with, if you have an objection, just drop it in the comment box below.

However, I believe we stand a great chance by doing something local for our country Nigeria. Just take a look around, a lot of processes that needs automation. It is time we start designing and building technologies to suit our lifestyle here especially people’s budget.

Having known that not every Nigerian have access to Smartphone, Facebook in partnership with network operators rolled out USSD service  enabling people to use FB by dialling some codes on their phones. Tell me is there a better ergonomics than that? Google today does not have a strong market in China, you know why? They have a local search engine (Baidu) and their govt’s security policy too kind of aided the localisation.

We are the wearer of the shoe; the ones feeling the pain. Let’s look inward and create great apps and solutions for our country Nigeria. We can even work on a local version of what Strive explained; it takes about 5-10 years for us to adopt new technologies and who says one can’t gain grounds before then. In fact, the sky is just too spacious for all the birds that choose to fly.

#Enough about Technology
It is not only about ICT. Are you satisfied with the transportation system in the country? Are you okay with the moral values portrayed by Nollywood and that of our Musicians? Are you satisfied with the fact that 10 out of 10 kids in your neighbourhood wants to be like Davido/Wizkid?
If you are cool with all that, I believe you are not when it comes to poor telecom system and bad customer service in banks.
Maybe that is God pushing you and me out of our comfort zones to be a change by doing something using the sound mind HE gave unto you. Oh, you thought you are only saved for  Heaven like a friend asked. I’m sorry, there is more…..

Just so many opportunities around us to make an impact and to make money, yes a whole of money #winks. Just use your God-given head and let that river of living water flow through you.

I pray God Bless Nigeria as we mark our 54^th independence anniversary.

Don’t forget to drop your comment. Thanks

PS:
In case you have any idea relating to ICT, let’s talk. I have a circle of friends that are doing real good e.g Wale Akanbi (Exhoust Media), Abioye Samson (Creator of JambCBT App), Akinlaja Adedayo (Winner, Microsoft Imagine Cup Competition 2013 at National level, represented Nigeria in Russia same year), Onifade Xeyi (CEO XyLuz Developers) and so on. We can look into it together. Mind you, we sign NDAs; so your idea is still totally yours.