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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu said his
administration is set to convert some of the skills acquisition
centres in the state to Eko Creation Innovators Hubs as part of
measures to curtail the ‘japa’ syndrome.
Sanwo-Olu, who stated this during the commissioning of Sail
Innovation Lab, an initiative of Senator, Representing Lagos
East, Tokunbo Abiru, said Yaba would be made Tech Campus
as a way of encouraging the youths on digital skills.
The innovation lab which took off in 2021 is situated in
Ikorodu area of Lagos East where the Senator is representing.
The lab, which is designed in collaboration with Co-creation
Hub, would serve as a training centre for youths, teenagers
and teachers in and around Ikorodu free of charge.
Speaking during the inauguration of the centre, Sanwo-Olu
said Abiru’s initiative to better the lots of his constituents was
in line with the vision of the State Goverment to leverage on
technology for the development of the youth.
According to Sanwo-Olu, “You can see the enthusiasm in my
voice. It is not evey time that you see a politician doing this
kind of thing. Our names are used in different ways.
“I have no doubt that the expectation of the people of Lagos
East will be achieved, some of the things that we promised,
we have been seeing them in Senator Abiru.
“We, as your Goverment, we are to give hope to the hopeless,
to give people the opportunity to those who are depressed. I’m
excited to see the impact of governance to people. In public
service, we still have people who can do it without knowing
them. When you do things selflessly, you won’t know when the
reward will come.
“The issue for is to replicate what Senator Abiru has done.
Tech is what will leap-frog our youths. That we can see in
Ikorodu and compete with anybody in any part of the world.
Tech is that that will give us that advancement, creating global
solutions.”
The govenor, expressed satisfaction with the partners such as
Microsoft, Bank of Industries, saying as a government
providing enabling environment would be created for
international businesses.
He added, “Lagos will continue to remain the tech hub in
Africa. Now Government is doing a metropolitan fibre mesh.
We are creating internet capability that will become easier and
faster.”
While stressing on the importance of the lab, Sanwo-Olu said
the youths needed not to ‘japa’ they just have to compete and
cut their teeth in Ikorodu.
He added, “We want to make Yaba a tech campus . That is the
synergy that you have created in line with our vision. We will
be converting some of our skills acquisition centres into Eko
Creation Innovation Hubs. The concern of this Goverment is to
leave this place far better than we met it. Abiru is a man that
we identify and work with.”
Abiru in his remarks said, “The New language of the world is
tech. All around us, we see how tech is shaping social
interactions, disrupting how we live, work and interact with
others. Quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and the
internet of Things (IOTs) are now the buzzwords in a world
that is changing faster than we can adapt to it.”
He added, “Since inception, the innovation lab has recorded
some significant milestones. Till date, over 490 participants
have benefitted from the several programmes, in-person, while
over 2,000 have participated in the online programmes.
“In this age where digital skills are high in-demand, the lab will
help to bridge the resource-gap. In the coming months and
years, we will be offering a range of training programmes in
areas such as digital product design, data science, metaverse,
among others.”
Vanguard
