All over the world today, technology has become a dependable tool to transform the economy. It enables sustainable development, empowers the people for growth and productivity, and in fact, helps in stemming rural-urban migration, which is already making major cities like Lagos overstretched.
Digital transformation has, however, taken root in the South-West, the South-South, parts of the Middle Belt and Northern Nigeria without virtually any showing in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria.
On this premise, I, therefore, want to categorically state that South-Eastern states cannot afford, in this age, to pay nonchalant-attitude to the importance of technology for development.
Without mincing words, there is a huge gully between the South-East and other regions in Nigeria with regards to digital transformation. At present, there is no thirst for technology investment in that region as we find in others. Too bad!
Also, I choose not to use this piece to call names or reel out figures. However, as a concerned, averred and ardent believer in the powers of information and communications technologies as the modern tools to cure man of the ‘cancer of the pocket’ (financial lack) and intellectual malaise, I feel very grieved because of the neglect of this goldmine by the South-Eastern states.
If you travel through the streets of Lagos, London, New York, for instance; you will see or hear names of Nigerians of South-East extraction innovating while in the streets of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States, what you see and hear are the ever-vibrating sounds of ‘Okada’, street trading as hobbies, and the most annoying- wheel barrow pushing contractors. Such is a generation with tied-up destinies.
I dare say that politicians from this region are yet to value the bunch of talents among the youths. Such is the easiest way to kill creativity! They support: read your books, (though not a bad thing) pass your exams, and look for a well-paying job.
Our “billionaire” businessmen and women have sold themselves to selfish cravings for “Personalised-Wealth,” while some youths have taken to kidnapping, armed robbery, baby-factory business, or petty-trading.
Times are hard but smart people with their technological prowess still dominate the world. You need not to be as big as Facebook to face the world, but you can start as small as IrokoTV to win the war.
The truth is that we have to create a healthy competition amongst states; we need at least one state in each region to be technologically strong and viable. As an example, are you aware that — Finish Reading on the Punch Website
