Olubadan unveils first digital classroom

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The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, has unveiled the first digital classroom in Nigeria, aimed at equipping citizens with adequate technological skills in line with evolving global trends.

He also assured that the digital classrooms would be extended to the other eleven local government areas that make up the ancient city.

Olubadan made this known at the unveiling of the digital classroom, which was facilitated by a tech company, FOUND Africa, in Ibadan on Thursday. Kabiyesi was represented at the occasion by his children, Aremo Olasumbo and Prince Folaseke Owolabi.

He stated that Ibadan has lived up to its slogan as the Pacesetter, being home to several firsts, including the first television station in Africa, the first university in Nigeria, the first skyscraper, and the first university teaching hospital, among other developmental projects.

According to him, “As we are all aware, we are in the digital age, so making this project a digital classroom in Ibadan for the use of students, young men, and women will make them more accessible to the use of the Internet for knowledge.”

“Someone once said the illiterates of tomorrow will be those who are not computer literate. So, one needs to have good knowledge of computers. This digital classroom in Ibadan is very welcome because this project will further develop Ibadan, particularly in the digital realm,” he said.

Explaining the target of the initiative themed “Tradition Meets Technology,” the Managing Director of FOUND Africa, Olajide Aboderin, noted that everyone, especially students and artisans, must be taught the digital aspects of technology to create jobs and eradicate unemployment.

He emphasised that the world is advancing every day and that artificial intelligence is the new technological component that makes online activities vibrant and must be taught to all for adequate proficiency and reliability.

Aboderin added that the goal is to establish digital classrooms and expand their reach, saying that Ibadan was chosen as the centre point because the city is known for its distinct language and smooth traditional lineage, which has never caused disagreement, hence the theme and the paramount ruler’s attendance.

In his words, “We believe that Oyo State, Ibadan, where we are starting our mission, is known to have a distinct language, and they even call it the ancient city of Ibadan. I had the opportunity to inform the Olubadan’s Palace and explain the reason behind this initiative, and they accepted it immediately.”

“We asked ourselves, is there a better voice to help change the narrative of Ibadan and Oyo State than to have the Olubadan himself coming to unveil this project, which has a fifty-year roadmap for inclusion among Meta, which is Facebook, Google, Amazon, and FOUND, also being Africa’s pioneer technology company?”

“We want FOUND to be a big tech company, which is why we kept our name simple. So, there is no better person to introduce and lay the first foundation of a digital transformation in Africa than the Pacesetter State of Oyo, Ibadan, and the Olubadan of Ibadanland himself.”

“By ‘tradition meets technology,’ we point to the perception that Ibadan is the city of brown roofs transitioning into a state with multi-complex structures everywhere and advanced students.”

“We aim to have the highest consideration of Google-certified experts in Oyo State, and we have already started,” he concluded.

Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde, Adebayo Akande, asserted that digital skills are one of the biggest currencies an individual can have today, thereby commending the initiators of the project for their proactiveness.

The program had in attendance public officers, students, and others.

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