By peter oluka

In a tactical move to become a digitally smart community that delivers a decent living and respectable future to its people, irrespective of their social status, Imode Community in Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State has received a digital literacy centre donated by the illustrious sons and daughters of the land.

Imode Development Association (IDA) borrowing a leaf from the National Information Technology (NIT) Policy seeks to make the community dwellers, especially the youths, become IT complaint and ‘netizens’ in the information society by using IT as the engine for sustainable development and global competitiveness.

Speaking at the recent public presentation of the solar-powered excellent Digital Literacy Center (DiLiCe), equipped with modern ICT infrastructure to support the education and curiosity of every citizen within and around the community, Pastor Joseph Babatunde, the president, Imode Development Association (IDA), said that the projects: a modern IT centre and a school bus, were to assist the students imbibe the IT culture as the world has gone digital.

Babatunde said, “I recall with joy that the idea of provision of a modern IT Centre for our school came to me a couple of years ago when one of my children did the post-JAMB exam in University of Ilorin (Unilorin). The students were all given computers to do the exams. While she breezed through the exams, most of the other children were just starring at the device until the time was over. I felt challenged there and then, to give every child that needed opportunity”.

“IDA has done the little it can by providing the facilities. We want to see the impact through improved performances in all the exams of our students/pupils”.

Explaining the ‘Imode ICT Vision’, Reverend Sunday Folayan, IDA’s vice president, said that they are closers to achieving a digitally Smart Community. “This will be achieved by reliance on technology, carefully backed up with traditional methods that are functional. A significant number of indigenes will continue to live outside the community or the country, and their needs and requirements to stay connected to their roots will continue to inform the community’s development policies.

“ICT will be used to solve practical problems, such as educational deficiency as well as the security of lives and properties.

“Most aspects of the Community engagement activities will be conducted electronically towards widening access and participation especially with its citizens in the diaspora, using appropriate technologies.

“Members of the Community will come to accept a high standard of up-to-date facilities, ease-of-use and reliability, richness of information, integrated services and excellent support”, he explained.

The Imode Digital Literacy Center, Folayan added, will serve as a launch-pad for making the Community an ICT model in the state as well as the country developing local software and systems that preserves the language and culture of Imode people Providing technical support for the repair and maintenance of Communications equipment such as phones, tablets and computers within Imode Community and providing Internet access for both the DiLiCe and the Community.

The Paradigm Initiative (PI) works with the Association for training and capacity building, while the equipment in the centre were sourced entirely online through Konga.

According to Mr. Gbenga Sesan, the executive director at Paradigm Initiative (PI) and content partners on the project, said the initiative will birth huge impact if it’s well utilized.

Sesan was represented by Mr. Tosin Abolaji, a program manager at PI, who said, “The facility is primarily setup for the youth in the community and we believe they won’t be denied the use of it. We will encourage the Association (IDA) to have a committee that will look into the management of the facility, design a program that will ensure that the youth are regularly/constantly trained, even use the facility as a source of generating fund for the school and community by making it a resource centre. Neighboring communities can subscribe to the usage of the facility and pay stipends. The list of possibilities goes on and on but what is very important is a strong management”.

“It’s a welcome development and we encourage such in every community. Technology is now a necessity not a luxury and no one should be denied of the privilege. Our work at Paradigm Initiative is around youth and community development; that makes us connect more with the Imode Community Digital Literacy Centre project. The youth of Imode Community will no longer be denied the opportunities that come with ICT”.

Professor Mike Abiodun, chairman, IDA’s Education Committee, said, “Let’s agree that that the community has done a very good job, by setting up an ICT Centre and it’s important to understand that education is a collaborative venture.

“The government cannot do it alone; the same thing applies to the schools and parents. It has to be collaborative between the government, the community and parents. “We are in the ICT age; if you are not computer literate it will be difficult to contribute effectively. So, the community thinks that if our children must go higher in life, then it becomes necessary. With the calibre of persons that we have that will handle the kids; we believe that the students will take full advantage of it.

The solar-powered DiLiCe fully equipped with 40 laptops, printer, internet connectivity, and other facilities, was presented to the Community’s Primary and Secondary Schools with the representatives of the State and local governments, lawmakers, educational bodies and the traditional ruler, the Onimode of Imode, Oba Joseph Dada, among other dignitaries.

Wale Abegunde, education secretary, Oke-Ero, LGA, Kwara State, said “I am super excited about this initiative because it will relieve the government the burden of developing an IT Centre in Imode Community.

“Surprisingly, this people have done it and it is the responsibility of the government. They see it as part of their efforts to add value to the community development. Other community development associations should borrow a leaf from IDA”.

Excited by the projects, the Principal, Imode Community Senior Secondary School, Mr. Raheem Adebiyi, said “Everything is done online these days and I believe that our registration is going to be made easier because students don’t need to go the café to register again.

“This initiative was developed by IDA, when I initially heard about it; I was elated because it’s going to help our students a lot in their career”.

Imode ICT Roadmap

IDA established the Imode Digital Literacy Center (DiLiCe), to enhance the teaching of ICT in the Community schools and cater for those who want to avail themselves of ICT education. DiLiCe will:

Be the rally point for digital literacy in the community, organize Training programs on computer appreciation and usage for pupils, students and the different categories of staff, and Be the testbed for digital ideas within the community.

Ultimately, the goal, as contained in the ICT roadmap is to ensure deployment of ICT for teaching, learning, and community development. Thus, ICT will be used to solve practical problems, such as educational deficiency as well as the security of lives and properties.

“Most aspects of the Community engagement activities will be conducted electronically towards widening access and participation especially with its citizens in the diaspora, using appropriate technologies.

“Members of the Community will come to expect a high standard of up-to-date facilities, ease-of-use and reliability, richness of information, integrated services and excellent support.

“The DILICE will allow members of the Community, who have their own portable computers, tablets and mobile phones to also communicate using the Community Infrastructure. This means that the Network Infrastructure strategy will not only focus on access but also on information and data security”, Rev’ Folayan pointed out during the presentation.

The Centre, is surely going to promote digital literacy and eLeaning in the various schools within the community, as Imode Development Association has pledged that its people must have access to resources such as Computers, Network resources and the Internet at all times, whether in the DiLiCe or in their various homes.