In the belief that Nigeria and indeed Africa can reach their full potential, Oluwajoba Oluwaniyi is equipping the next generation to take charge of the near future. Project_Inspire speaks to him about the work he is doing through SMOG EDUTECH.PROJECT_INSPIRE: Can we meet you? Oluwajoba: I'm Oluwajoba Oluwaniyi. I'm 26 years old, from Osun State, Nigeria.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: Tell us briefly your childhood experience.
Oluwajoba: I was born in Lagos State and had my kindergarten education there before my family relocated to Ibadan. If there is anything I remember about my childhood, it is waking up in the middle of the night to drink tea. Even now, I can taste tea granules in my mouth.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What’s your educational background?
Oluwajoba: I'm a computer science graduate of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State. Growing up, I wanted to be anything adventurous and experiential. In secondary school, I was bored with most of the things we were taught because they were not practical. I chose to study computer science because it's a practical discipline, and my undergraduate research project reflects this love for experiential learning. In the project, I developed an inclusive E-learning system for Civil Right Advocacy in Nigeria. By God's grace, I got a job offer to work in a tech-education organisation before I graduated.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What are your contributions towards making Nigeria a better place?
Oluwajoba: In very simple terms, all I'm doing is to help Nigerian kids develop the skills they need to compete globally in STEM. I'm doing this by coordinating a team of skilled personnel in STEM research and strategy, STEM curriculum development and professional development, as well as creating exciting STEM experiences for students from kindergarten to secondary school. These activities are coordinated under the auspices of SMOG EDUTECH, an enterprise I founded.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What have your achievements been?
Oluwajoba: Having been in the science-and-technology arena for a while now, I have encountered kids in their hordes. It's always intriguing to see children exhibit creativity; to see them fail forward without fear of judgement. Several students under our tutelage have reimagined their world and proposed bright solutions using technology as an agent of change. For instance, a sophisticated Kodu version of Jet Fighter game was created by Miaad Olawale, an 8-year-old, third-grade pupil. Robots have been built, simulations of Uber self-driving car have been programmed, and some of our students in FESTAC built an automated house. These young minds now interact with technology as a powerful tool for innovation and productivity. Doubtless, they will go on to be great disruptors of their time. Perhaps, the most significant achievement for me is that more and more students now believe in their own abilities. There is no dumb child in my class. In the end, it is not just about the technology but about the lifelong adaptive skills they are developing at every moment of our interaction together.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What motivated you to do what you are doing?
Oluwajoba: Answering the following questions will give you a basic understanding of my passion and undying motivation: Is the present education system preparing our children for the realities of tomorrow? Are we catching up with the rest of the world? Will our kids be relevant in the next 20 years, knowing that artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and blockchain are here to stay? What happens to young people who will not be privileged to get an education in advanced countries? If you have answered these questions honestly, you probably understand why we do what we are doing.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: Tell us more about SMOG EDUTECH.
Oluwajoba: My team and I are exploring as many avenues as we can to provide students with a quality STEM education. We partner with schools to provide STEM activities, and we also have weekend STEM cohorts for community learning. We develop curriculum and train teachers in STEM competences. We supply STEM kits and provide mentorship. Our unique selling point is the price point. We want to provide every Nigerian child with a top-notch and an affordable STEM education. Our lives are constantly influenced by science and technology without our permission. The robot economy is here, and man and machine will have to find a way to work together. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses are leveraging technology by moving their activities online. Children have got to develop digital technology inclination early on. It's not about making every child a scientist or a programmer; it's about developing in them the ability to communicate in the language of the 21st century—technology. Amazingly, in addition to helping children learn and have fun, STEM helps them to develop soft skills, which are highly in demand today. What this translates into for our nation is that we will have groomed a generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers, creatives, and adaptable young men and women who can compete globally and identify opportunities in future challenges.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What has been your major challenge since you began your enterprise?
Oluwajoba: The challenges that come with actualising a vision are usually associated with resources and resourcefulness. While we shall continue to work at our resourcefulness, accessing funds for expansion requires more perseverance than I thought. (Laughs.)
PROJECT_INSPIRE: Many young people have great ideas, but lack of funds is always a stumbling block. What’s your advice in this regard?
Oluwajoba: Resourcefulness is the greatest resource any entrepreneur needs. With continuous resourcefulness, you will find provision for your vision. Just keep at it.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: How have you been able to raise money to implement your ideas?
Oluwajoba: My team and I generate seed capital for our projects. Now that we have been able to establish the viability of our idea, we hope to explore other funding options.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: Could you please share with us one or two experience(s) you have had in the course of your campaign that has/have impacted on you?
Oluwajoba: We organised a coding and robotics training in a mega church at Gbagada in the summer of 2018. The last day was for projects exhibition, and we had some of our students' code robots and fly drones on display. Then, this beautiful 4-year-old girl dragged her mother to me saying she had to fly a drone too. She was super-determined, and I tried to explain to her the reason why she needed to exercise little patience. She didn't buy into my persuasive talk. Her mum had to request my phone number, and I was surprised when the little girl called me on the phone and said she just wanted to confirm that her mum got my number. She obviously was smarter than the average 4-year-old child. After the event, we started to research STEM activities which kindergarteners could engage in.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What are your prospects in the next 5 or 10 years?
Oluwajoba: We are currently implementing a 3-year plan to establish at least one STEM centre in every constituency in Lagos. We are refining our digital solutions and hope to develop and deploy them in coming years. We expect to seal some international collaborations soon and are already speaking with foreign and homegrown experts who may be interested in a partnership.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What do you think is the major cause of unemployment among the youth today, and how can we get over this?
Oluwajoba: This is a complex issue, but I’d say it’s a combination of unemployability and an unfriendly business environment.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: What would you say is the role of the youth in national development?
Oluwajoba: Young people are the lifeline of any society. The Nigerian youth must consciously create positive impacts on all aspects of life. How great Nigeria will be if every young person can devote 4 hours every day to personal and professional development. You cannot honestly do this and not get to a point where there's a radical shift in your mindset that all you will want to do is to be productive. In a nutshell, the major role of the youth in our national development process is to develop their capacity and deploy their ability.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: How can you be reached in social media?
Oluwajoba: Via: Email:oluwajobaoluwaniyi@gmail.com | joba@smogedutech.com, and Instagram: @jobaniyi.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: The final word for the Nigerian youth.
Oluwajoba: There's a mindset problem with the average African, and we celebrate mediocrity. We also display an unworthy sense of entitlement. If we will realise our full potential, we must rise above these limitations. We must be willing to take positive risks.
PROJECT_INSPIRE: Thank you for sharing your story with us, and we do hope that a great many are inspired as they read.
Oluwajoba: My pleasure!
Many thanks to our editor: Pookers Literary & Editing World. www.pookers.com.ng +234 703 009 4966
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