Young inventors emerge at Edo Technology Day

WHEN, soon after he assumed office as Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole set up the Edo State ICT Directorate, not a few must have queried the need for yet another parastatal, at a time when the clamour for less government is getting louder.
Again, when the first Edo Technology Day held last year, it could not be immediately clear to critics that the fruits of that event would be ripening for consumption in a very short period of time.
Witness: Schoolchildren went away with mouth-watering cash prizes as reward for their inventions, which were largely ICT devices. Thus, the 2nd Edo Technology Day with the theme “Repositioning Edo State Using Technology”, held last Thursday, with secondary schools from the three senatorial districts, students from higher institutions in the state, as well as artisans participating. At hand to see for themselves were dignitaries from far and near, including the international community.
Fashola task polytechnics
Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), who was thrilled with the different cultural exhibitions and talents discovered in some schools, recalled his days as a student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), and disclosed how street lights, designed and fabricated by Auchi Polytechnic students lit up Benin City then when there were none in some of the major cities in the country.

From left, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Mrs Ifueko Omogui-Okauru, Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) at the 2nd Edo Technology Day held in Benin City last Thursday.

Declaring the event open, Governor Fashola who commended his Edo colleague for his commitment in technological development in the state, lamented however that polytechnics which should be the learning base for technologica innovation now compete with universities to award certificates in business administration, accounting and other arts and social science courses.
He said as a student of the University of Benin, he had memories that whereas many parts of Nigeria did not have traffic light, “but there were traffic lights in Benin City.
There was one along Akpakpava and several areas. What is important about them was that they were locally made. They were powered by the bulb in our homes. They were made by students of Auchi Polytechnic. Just imagine what would have happened if we had continued”.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Executive Director of Edo State Information Communication Technology, Mrs Yemi Keri stressed the need to inculcate in our youths the skill of technology, explaining that the state government is aware of the importance of technology, hence the massive investment in the sector, adding that technology has changed over the years from manual to digital.