Breaking: We Will Fulfill Our Campaign Promises To The People – Governor Sanwo-Olu, Senator Abiru

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Senator Tokunbo Abiru have stated that they will fulfill their campaign promises to the people.

They spoke at the technology hub initiated and built by the lawmaker and his wife, Feyisola, as part of their empowerment programme to drive youth empowerment and entrepreneurship.

The venue was Ipakodo axis of Ikorodu All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and members from all the wards that make up Lagos East Senstorial District were in attendance.

The highlight was the unveiling of a state-of-the-art innovation and technology workroom by the lawmaker representing the Lagos East District.

Creative young people within the Ebute, Ipakodo axis now have the opportunity to enhance their tech skills and knowledge.

Built on a large space that was once the family home of the lawmaker, the ambience provides a complete and safe environment for exploring innovative ideas and training cohorts in basic foundations of ICT and cross-functional programmes.

The innovation lab which took off in 2021 was designed in collaboration with a leading innovation centre, Co-creation Hub, and would serve as a training centre for youths, teenagers and teachers in and around Ikorodu, free of charge.

The lab offers a unique community innovation workspace for tech start-ups to inspire grassroots innovation and build partnerships to prosperity.

Sanwo-Olu said that science and technology are the way forward.

Sanwo-Olu said the lab would give Nigerians the advancement and opportunity needed to create solutions not just for the country but globally.

Governor Sanwo-Olu stated the following, and I quote:

“To see this level of facility in the heart of Ikorodu speaks to the fact that politicians, the likes of Senator Tokunbo Abiru can indeed raise the level of governance and the level of people’s representation, an intervention that will change the life of the community.

“This has shown that there is a lot of “can-do spirit” that we need to project among ourselves. We need to be able to project positive narratives about people that are in public service.

“This is a demonstration of an intervention by a serving senator who has seen the need for the youths in his community, for the leaders of tomorrow to give them a walk of the future.

“The walk of the future is about technology; about innovative centres. It is about creating a hub where they can come together and think and learn.

“I am truly enthused and happy to come and unveil this place. You can see from the name — it is a sailing centre. It is where people can come and sail up and reach for the sky.

“The conversation for me is that it provides an opportunity to change lives. They come in here and get trained for free, get the right skills and be ready for the world.

“That for me is something that is remarkable and needs to be encouraged,” he said.

The SAIL project was created to deepen the acceptance of tech innovation in the Lagos East senatorial district, using a human-centred design approach.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the new language of the world is tech. All around us, we see how tech is shaping social interactions, disrupting how we live, work and interact with others,” Abiru said.

“I have given this context to set the tone for why the setting up of the SAIL Innovation Lab became necessary. It is not a project of the future. It is a project of today; one that needed to be done. Tech is the way and it was important to provide a platform for our ingenious youths in this district.

“The innovation lab facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and is managed 100 per cent by Co-Creation Hub, which is arguably the biggest innovation hub in Africa and by highly-trained facilitators who take on the wide range of programmes we offer.

“I need to express that the programmes we offer in the innovation lab cost a significant sum, but it is offered free of charge to participants who come from different parts of the Lagos East senatorial district.

The senator added that since its inception, the innovation lab has recorded some significant milestones.

To date, over 490 participants have benefitted from the several programmes, in-person, while over 2,000 have participated in the online programmes.”

He added that the tech hub will provide access to cutting-edge technology and resources to support participants as they develop their skills.

“We will work closely with indigenous employers and other stakeholders to ensure that our programmes meet the market’s needs and provide our graduates with real career opportunities,” he added.

Also speaking, Tomiwa Williams, country manager of Microsoft, commended Abiru for the initiative.

William described the launch of the tech hub as an opportunity for Nigerians to compete favourably with their pairs around the world.

“I was wowed by the focus and passion Senator Tokunbo Abiru has for Nigerians; his interest in everyone, no matter your background, to participate in the digital economy,” she said.

“It is a level playing field for third worlds to properly transform. We have the youth population and we have the technology. That means Nigerians have the opportunity to drive innovation in the world.

“With access to the right tools, resources and skills to participate in the digital economy, Ikorodu now has a platform to achieve that.”

Lagos skill acquisition centres to become Eko Creation Innovation Hubs

Sanwo-Olu said that his administration is set to convert some of the skills acquisition centres in the State to Eko Creation Innovators Hubs as part of measures to curtail ‘japa’ syndrome.

He said that converting skill acquisition centres to innovation hubs was part of measures to curtail ‘japa syndrome’, a situation whereby a citizen leaves the country to another, for greener pastures.

According to him, Yaba will be made Tech Campus, as a way of encouraging the youths on digital skills.

The governor said that Abiru’s initiative to better the lots of his constituents was in line with the vision of the state government to leverage technology for the development of the youth.

“I do not doubt that the expectation of the people of Lagos East will be achieved, some of the things that we promised, we have been seeing in Senator Abiru.

“We, as your government, are to give hope to the hopeless, to allow those who are depressed. I am excited to see the impact of governance on people.

“The issue for us is to replicate what Senator Abiru has done. Tech is what will leap-frog our youths. Tech is what will give us that advancement, creating global solutions.

“Lagos will continue to remain the tech hub in Africa. Now the government is doing a metropolitan fibre mesh. We are creating internet capability that will become easier and faster,” he said.

While stressing the importance of the lab, Sanwo-Olu said that the youths needed not to ‘Japa’, but to compete and cut their teeth in Ikorodu.

“We want to make Yaba a tech campus. That is the synergy that you have created in line with our vision. We will be converting some of our skills acquisition centres into Eko Creation Innovation Hubs.

”The concern of this government is to leave this place far better than we met it. Abiru is a man that we identify and work with,” the governor said.