Youth Empowerment through Digital Revolution

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Youth Empowerment through Digital Revolution
Gbenga Sesan me_at_gbengasesan.com
www.gbengasesan.com

• NACOSS National Convention
• Ladoke Akintola University of Technology,
  Ogbomoso, NIGERIA
• Friday, November 7 2003

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A Revolution is Here

• The Unknown -gt Pre-civilization -gt Agricultural
  -gt Industrial -gt Information Revolutions always
  bear the mark of a core existence. Information
  rules!
• Africa must get onboard Right now! Africa
  will be either on to the Information Age or off
  to the dark Agricultural Age Africa is
  suffering from knowledge apartheid that forces
  its children to eat the crumbs from the dinner
  table of the information-affluent nations. -
  Philip Emeagwali
• No man/woman can stand in the way of an idea
  whose time has come. The New Economy is driven by
  INFORMATION and it is only wise to be
  appropriately positioned regardless of the
  barriers we see or claim
• The Digital Revolution is a case of 0s and 1s
  youre either there or NOT

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Realities of a Divide

• The Digital Divide exists within and between
  nations and people-groups. The Digital Divide is
  the GAP that exists between the technologically
  advanced and the technologically backward
• The only way out of this side of the divide is to
  get to the other side! Compassion, constituency,
  or even Federal Character will not work in any
  ones favour
• The Digital Divide impacts negatively on the
  economy, livelihood, productivity, personal
  values and much more. It is like a virus that
  brings a web of woes - widening in certain
  places BUT also being bridged in some others.
  Malaysia and India are sample nations that have
  taken actionable steps towards bridging the
  Digital Divide
• The World Summit on the Information Society
  (WSIS) is a step in this direction of bridging
  the Digital Divide

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WSIS Closing the Gap

• World Summit on Information Society is being
  organized by the United Nations and will be held
  in two phases. The Summit will bring together all
  the worlds nations to develop a global framework
  to deal with the challenges posed by the
  information society, and fully and equally take
  advantage of the opportunities it presents
• World Summit? YES. But Nigeria is highly
  involved. The delegation is led by NITDA, please
  see www.nitda.org
• Nigerian youth are involved in the process. The
  recently concluded Policy Train and Jaras visit
  are visible signs of that. Please see
  www.ycdo.net/policy/wsis-nigeria
• You can get involved today! Get all the
  information you need at the Nigerian Youth Caucus
  page or request for the Nigerian Youth Caucus
  postcard, which contains basic information and
  the URL you need to visit

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Youth EmpowermentA Realistic Approach

• Seminars and summits provide platforms BUT
  sustainable empowerment is built on personal
  choice
• Get the best of the Nigerian Information
  Technology and Telecommunications environment.
  Get involved. Force doors open, lobby as groups
  and dont wait. Most life-changing opportunities
  come as light chances that if taken, will
  change your life for a long time to come
• The ball is in your court! We can keep giving
  excuses on why the average Nigerian youth does
  NOT enjoy the best of Information Technology and
  Telecommunications but that wont be an excuse to
  give to your future
• Locate your passion, and then go on to make a
  difference. Personal Development -gt Career Growth
  -gt Nation Building -gt Regional Relevance -gt
  Global Participation

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Youth EmpowermentThrough Digital Revolution

• This revolution is bigger than IT and computing,
  its built within an Information Society, which is
  focused on people and development over technology
  and profit
• Your computing background should be an advantage,
  answering your initial questions and providing an
  academic backbone to your personal pursuits.
  Dont focus on the certificate but on expertise
  be certified but not satisfied
• Your empowerment through this medium will require
  extra effort, and you must be willing to give
  such time, patience, etc
• The future of Nigeria will not be decided by oil
  or cassava, but by the willingness of todays
  youth to empower themselves with the tool of this
  age, the Information Age

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The Last Word?

• I see a new Nigeria emergingone that will be
  built on the labours of our past heroes, hewn out
  of the debris of the present waste and engineered
  by the strength of the future leaders the youth.
  These young men and women will adopt Information
  Technology for the purpose of personal
  development, nation building, regional
  cooperation and global participation. They exist
  unknown today, but in the secrecy of their abode,
  they master the tool that will change their lives
  and that of their nation. They remain unknown
  today but are nevertheless, silently building the
  nations tomorrow, today.