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| Members of the High table displaying the book shortly after unveiling it. |
The Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) stakeholders have applauded the presentation of the book: A
Decade of ICT Reportage in Nigeria, the award-winning series authored by Mr.
Remmy Nweke, the group executive editor of DigitalSENSE Business News.
Those who spoke at the presentation
held weekend at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Victoria
Island, Lagos, said the book unveiling was timely, especially given that the
nation just celebrated a decade of evolution of Global System for Mobile (GSM)
communication, which commenced with the globally acclaimed transparent
licensing of the initial three operators, namely the MTN Nigeria, Econet now
Airtel and the mobile arm of the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL)
known as M-Tel.
Lead speakers at the book
presentation was the man at the helm of affairs when the revolution began as
the chief executive officer of the telecom regulator, the Nigerian
Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, who is currently chairman,
OpenMedia Group and a director at the Lagos Business School.
He noted that throughout his tenure
at NCC, he never had challenge with the author, who then was presiding largely
as the head, ICT Desk for a national daily, the Champion Newspapers and was
always disposed to working with such a person, which depicts the interest in
knowing what goes on in the industry and ability to report accurately on
issues.
Dr. Ndukwe also enjoined Nigerian
journalists and media practitioners to look inwards by finding a solution to
scarcity in finding experienced journalists across board, saying that such
persons can stand the test of time and bring their experiences to bear on
issues of national interest by knowledge background.
As much as he encouraged mentorship
among the media practitioners, he emphasised the importance of also having
experienced journalists to relate at the same frequency with key players in the
industry, even as he condemned attacks on telecom infrastructure in the
country.
Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem of Teledom
Group described the work of Mr. Nweke as usually self-explanatory and enjoined
the emulation of such character, which shows diligence and beckon on the
nation’s ICT industry to support media practitioners, especially within the
sector to grow alongside the progress reportedly made in the sector, otherwise
there will be a divide.
According to him, the industry
cannot support enough the media in Nigeria and owes its growth and evolution to
the media, insisting that the book by Mr. Remmy Nweke has widened the challenge
before some of the key actors in the industry to further document their roles.
Also speaking, one of the lead
presenters of the book and chief executive officer of Buford International, Mr.
Innocent Emeh, applauded the author painstakingness and used the opportunity to
urge Nigerians to read books as there are lots of benefits attached, especially
at this digital citizenship.
For the director, drama at the
National Troupe, Ms Josephine Igberease, who represented the Permanent
Secretary, Federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Mrs.
Ibukun Odusote, commended the author and lamented the decadence in the society
over comparism of knowledge to affluence by some Nigerians, cautioning that
parents must know what their children are doing, especially the students for
them to take their studies seriously.
For the reviewer and
Director-General, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion
(NOTAP), Dr. Umar Bindri, who was represented by deputy director for Lagos
Zonal Officer, Mrs. I. T. Imiyoho, said that the book is divided into two
sections in addition to the award-winning series.
The first Section, he said,
contains 10 chapters which include effects of World Summit on Information
System (WSIS) on Nigeria, ICT Agenda for politicians, and repositioning Nigeria
youths with ICT, lessons for Members of the Parliaments (MPs) on ICT for
development. Other articles within the section include right-time for
E-voting. The last two chapters in this
section dealt with the issues of African initiative; the Digital Solidarity
Fund (DSF) which is increasingly gaining global attention, more so, uniting the
Least Developing Countries (LDCs). The
issues of lack of bio-fuels feed stock and the impacts on ICT sector were also
examined.
The Award Winning Series Plus
catalogued all the author’s national and international awards which started in
2004, when he became the first Nigerian Winner, African Siemens profile award
on Information Technology (IT) Business Solution, Winner, 2005 African Siemens
profile award on Information Technology (IT) Business Solution, Second Prize
local content Application category at the African Information Society
Initiative (AISI) awards 2005 organized by the United Nations Economic
commission for Africa (ECA) based in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, Merit award in
business solution at Africa Siemens Profile 2008, nominated into the
International WHO’s WHO of professional 2009 Edition, first – ever winner for
Free and Open Source Software Foundation for African (FOSSFA) 2010 and also the
Second runner up Highway Africa New Media Award 2010.
This section also contain articles such as
Open Source Software as Business Solutions, Broadband – Technology of the
future in which the need to unbundle the benefits of broadband technology is
examined, Magic of communication through antenna in which A Catholic Priest,
Rev. Chike Uba, used antenna technology to empower his people, as the need to
communicate with modern technology grows stronger in Nigeria. Other article in this section includes Data
Recovery.
In this section, it is clear that
the author is an advocate of internet for all Nigerians. “If internet is made available in the rural
areas of the country, it would discourage rural urban migration, as well as
emphasize on providing equal level of services in rural areas as it obtains in
the urban centres.”
Section B of this book contains 11
chapters dealing with author’s thoughts on E-voters registration; between INEC
and Local Content. It also dwelt on the relationship between term churned out
for various aspects of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT),
including Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave
Access (WiMax). The author also
emphasized that ICT must be seen as part of the solution to sustainable
environment in Africa and Nigeria particularly.
The last of this section gives an
account of a colloquium held recently in Lagos to deliberate on the issues of
ICT to achieve women agenda in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) where a consensus
was reached that African women are still yearning for their rightful place in
the ICT sector.
The concluding part of the book
ended with the exposition of the concept and philosophy of “Agenda 1777”
conceptualized by the Director General, NOTAP, Engr. (Dr) Umar Buba Bindir to
achieve sustainable development agenda for Nigeria win which the author had
noted that it may serve as a development paradigm for the continent and
Nigerian nation particularly.
Earlier in his welcome address, the
author, Mr. Remmy Nweke, noted that the book emphasises the significance of
raising analytical ICT reporting so as to create relevant awareness among
politicians and state government officials, linking university education with
recent developments and trends in the ICT held globally and increased efforts
in Global system for Mobile communication (GSM) tariff on business, mostly
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to name a few.
Even as he enjoined media
practitioners in the country, and mostly within the ICT sector to document
their experiences in a book for posterity sake.
Remmy Nweke
... Making SENSE of digital revolution!
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