" ITREALMS: Communal efforts pay off as Imode Digital Literacy Center debuts

Monday, October 09, 2017

Communal efforts pay off as Imode Digital Literacy Center debuts

The typical Nigerian communal efforts recently paid off as the Imode Community Digital Literacy Center (ICDiLiCe) was launched at Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State, reports ITRealms.

Disclosing this at the commissioning of the centre, powered by solar and equipped with state-of-the-art Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, recently, the President, Imode Development Association (IDA), Pastor Joseph Babatunde, said it would assist the education and curiosity of every citizen within and around the community,

The project, which involves a modern Information Technology (IT) centre and a school bus, he said, were to assist the students absorb the IT culture at this digital era.

Babatunde, in the company of his vice, Rev. Sunday Folayan, and Onimode of Imode, Oba Joseph Dada, recalled with joy that the idea of provision of a modern IT Centre for the school came to him, a couple of years ago when one of his 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,” he revealed.

In addition, Babatunde said, IDA has done the little it could by providing the facilities, stressing that “We want to see the impact through improved performances in all the exams of our students/pupils.”
Equally speaking, IDA Vice President, Reverend Sunday Folayan, noted that the Imode ICT Vision encompasses bringing the community, the resident and especially the students closer to attaining 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,” he said.

Folayan expounded that 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,” he said.

Members of the Imode community, he further said, 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.

Folayan pointed out that the Centre will serve as a launch-pad for making the community an ICT model in the state as well as the country by 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 DiLiCe and the community.

ITRealms gathered that the Paradigm Initiative (PI) is working with IDA for training and capacity building, while the equipment in the centre were sourced entirely online through Konga.

As said by the Executive Director at Paradigm Initiative and content partners on the project, Mr. Gbenga Sesan, said the initiative will be of huge impact if well managed.

Represented by Programme Manager at PI, Mr. Tosin Abolaji,  the Executive Director said, the facility is primarily setup for the youth in the community, assuring they would not 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,” he said.


Uj. N. Dominic/ED, Ops
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Pix: (L-r): President, Imode Development Association (IDA), Pastor Joseph Babatunde; IDA’s Vice President, Reverend Sunday Folayan observing as the royal father, Onimode of Imode, Oba Joseph Dada, cuts the tape to commission the Digital Literacy Centre donated by Imode Development Association to the Community’s Secondary School, Oke-Ero L.G.A, Kwara State on Saturday, September 30, 2017… 

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