Olubadan Inaugurates, Promotes First Digital Classroom In Ibadan 

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, Ige Olakulehin 1, on Thursday inaugurated the first digital classroom facilitated by a tech company in Nigeria, for the purpose of equipping citizens, especially youths with adequate technological skills in conformity with evolving global trends.

The tech company, “FOUND Africa, was the initiative of Olajide Aboderin and it was embraced and given royal acceptance by the Olubadan, who at the inauguration, was represented by his children: Prince Olasumbo and Folaseke Owolabi.

Wit the new project, the monarch expressed his delight that Ibadan has lived up to its slogan of being the pacesetter having being the first to house the first skyscraper, the first University Teaching Hospital, the first television station, the first University, among several other monuments.

The Olubadan said: “As we all aware that we are in the digital age, so, bringing this project of digital classroom to Ibadan for the use of students, for young men and women, will make them more accessible to use of Internet for knowledge of what it is all about.

“Someone once said the illiterates of tomorrow will be those who are not computer literate. So, one needs to have good knowledge of computer.

“So, digital classroom in Ibadan is very welcomed because this project will develop Ibadan the more particularly digitally,” he said.

Explaining the target of the initiative themed: “Tradition Meets Technology,” the Managing Director of  FOUND Africa, Olajide Aboderin, noted that everybody must be taught the digital aspect of technology especially students, artisans with a view of creating jobs and eradicate unemployment.

He emphasized that the world is advancing everyday and that artificial intelligence is the new technological component which makes online activities colourful and as such must be taught to all for adequate sufficiency and reliability.

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

He stressed, “We believe that Oyo State, Ibadan, where we are starting our mission is known to have distinct language and they even call it the ancient city of Ibadan. Now, I got the opportunity to inform the Olubadan’s Palace and explained the reason behind this initiative and they accepted it immediately.

“So, we said to 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?

“We want FOUND to be a big tech company, that is why we kept our name so 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 and Ibadan and also the Olubadan of Ibadan-land himself.

“We would have the highest consideration of Google certified experts in Oyo state and we have already started, Aboderin said.

Also speaking to the audience which included public officers, students, and youths in general, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Digital Technology, Adebayo Akande, asserted that digital skills is one of the biggest currencies an individual can have today, thereby commending the initiators of the project for their proactiveness.