Uzodimma: Making Imo Social Media Headquarters, East of the Niger

By: Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, February 12, 2022.

The #PeoplesGovernor His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma is walking the talks in practical youths empowerment in the emerging world of fintech.

Recently, the #PeoplesGovernor through his office of special adviser on Social media took a giant step toward engaging Imo tech youngsters in realizing their full potentials in the “new oil boom” but being prehistoric, like someone would always address them as ‘Ancestral Sympathizers Association’, the PDP in their medieval best are kicking against this laudable initiatives of the state government. This is highly unfortunate.

It is very unfortunate that the PDP in the state are still bedeviled with chronic anachronism. Being anachronistic, they see innovation as evil because they don’t live in the reality of our today’s time.

But we do not blame them; what can a party chaired by an octogenarian offer in a world of fintech run by the millennials?

The PDP state Chairman cannot even operate the commonest of social media platforms like a messaging platform like WhatsApp without the help and assistance of his aides… What can such a party offer in a 21st century? What contribution can they offer in building a new world order power by tech dreams?

This is in direct contrast to their counterpart — APC, chaired by an energetic youngster in his 40s, Ebere Macdonald Kelechi Ph.D who is in almost every social media platform interacting and engaging with the people of his generation, and knowing their pulse and vibes of the moment. The PDP don’t belong here neither do they live in our own world of today.

The PDP has, as a corporate policy of anachronism, that is why they see innovations in the world of fintech industry as fraudulent. To the PDP engaging on the innovative developments of the tech world like cryptocurrency amount to engaging in evils.

We can pardon them but the PDP deserves our collective pity because they don’t live in our times. They live and reside in the times past, in the days of our forefathers; that is why they are puzzled with the state government’s policy of supporting undergraduates with social media tools to aid them compete with their fellow members of the global community.

In the last 3 consecutive years, The information and communications technology (ICT) sector was the only economic sector that grew by over 2.5% incremental growth contributing to becoming the overall in our nation’s GDP. That is an accelerated growth index never seen in the economy despite the Covid-19 induced economic disruptions. Despite the in and out economic recessions, this sector of our economy grew consistently.

“The information and communications technology (ICT) sector has contributed a significant 17.92% of Nigeria’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2021. This is a 3.01% increase from the GDP contributions for the preceding quarter, according to a report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).”

By the 3rd quarter of 2020, there are roughly 28 million active internet users in Nigeria. By this year 2022 — that figure would have gotten to 30 million active social media users but some prehistoric dwellers somewhere at their small corner in Owerri think that investing in this market is worthing nothing.

“The ICT sector has become a major boost to the country’s GDP and has maintained steady growth, overtaking the mainstay of the economy, which was crude oil at some point.

“The NCC reports that the telecom industry had a 14.42% contribution to GDP, 2.76% higher than in the first quarter of 2021 and 1.97% higher than in the fourth quarter of 2020.”

By trying to tap into the potentials of our undergraduate youngsters who are fintech enthusiasts by distributing to them a working tool means that the #PeoplesGovernor truly have the interest of our people at heart and also intoned with the global economic shift which is a new world solely powered by the innovations of information communication technologies.

According to the Governor’s special adviser on Social media Dr. Okechukwu Paschal Chibuike AKA Cubana Chief Priest, a total of 2,700 android phones have been procured to distribute to Imo youngesters to aid those who are truly and genuinely interested to play in the new oil boom of this generation.

There are many talented fintech enthusiasts who are passionate in playing in the leagues of ICT professionals but are encumbered by lack of sponsorship as there are few of our undergraduates today who can cough out over 100,000 Naira to buy a new android phone with the capable features to power their passion in the tech world.

The ICT industry today in the country is the highest employer of labor even while we are faced by daunting unemployment realities. This sector has single-handedly lifted many of our young graduates and undergraduates from the radars of poverty to job creators.

Today, so many of us are social media creations as without the advent of the social media, none of us would be known anywhere.

Some play in the comic world, some in the fintech, some in the social marketing and brand enhancement and many more… It is highly unfortunate that the PDP do not see the economic potentials of the advent of the social media.

Gifting these gadgets will be of great relief of burden which will certainly spur on these lads to great dimensions in the ICT/fintech world.

In return, these seeds of love from the #PeoplesGovernor to our young brothers and sisters will in no small way contribute marvelously to the state’s economy because when they starting reaping and earning in dollars, they will live and spend in Owerri and out IGR will not be the same again because the #PeoplesGovernor has the foresight and knows how to create wealth. #HopeNetworking