Reflections 2.10

I grew up around stories that the earth can no longer support man and we have to look for a new abode.

Where? Where will man make his new home?

I asked these and many other related questions many times and the usual and confusing answer – coming from mostly my pre-teen peers as confused as I am – is space.

My appropriation of space then was something in the clouds – today, many, ok not so many years after, it still is. And dateline for our ultimate transition to the cloud, man’s new abode was the magic year 2000.

Today, grown – yes, if I go by counting the number of hairs on my chin- and a lot more appreciative of the challenges that face man’s continued habitation of the earth, I smile when I think about those years.

Indeed man has not relocated to the clouds, but his data has – or more appropriately is doing so.
Increasingly, the cloud is housing our data – whether or not we like it. And going the way of the cloud seem the most sustainable approach to data management and storage.

Nerds and those who pay them, believe so much in the concept of cloud computing – which in its most literal interpretation stands for computing suspended or housed in the skies/clouds, but in its real  and most basic sense stands for shared computing  resources accross boundaries of geography (and if you will time and spac) - that entirely new technologies have been and are being developed to manage what exists and create new avenues for  enabling and entrenching the concept.

Infact, there are such things as privately owned cloud – yes a piece of the sky – and public clouds and a lot of in betweens. This concept promises a lot of benefits and a lot of reasons to be (or not to be) concerned. Benefits largely includes:

• lower/low costs of ownerships and;
• in some cases no ownership as hardware  and software can be/are now provisioned as services and on demand service too meaning you use and pay for what you have used
• universal remote access – you can reach and manage your assets in the cloud from wherever you are –yes even from space if you happen to be on a Virgin Galactic’s tour of space in 2017
• little or no dedicated expertise – yes, most cloud computing features at the moment downplays the need for a huge IT staff

The many reasons for worry and for which many people are working without sleep to remove include:

• Cloud unfriendly government regulations – OMG! Yes, I don’t know of many, but the Canadian government forbids the storage of data generated in Canada anywhere outside its borders. True I do not know the depth of this regulation and also the exceptions should there be any.
• Security! Yes, good old security! How in the world am I certain that my data is not been stolen, corrupted or…?
• Bandwidth – or what I have come to regard as the cost of reaching your/the cloud(s), but with the recent finish example embargoing telcos in the ISP business to provide nothing less than 1MBPS data to all citizens (whether or not they need it I guess) there may be hope of fast and optimal access to the clouds, but whetehre that will be affordable or not we are yet to see.

Well, no matter your reservation(s) for the cloud – I hate going to live on the cloud myself, valuing the safety and reassurance of the solid ground beaneath my feet – we have all been involved one way or the other with the cloud, except of course you are not reading this online (yes, a copy of it will be in my collection of essays and that well, offcourse will be printed online only ) , or you do not use email, social network or  have an hosted website. And for those of us who already benefit from the battle for supremacy between the giants Microsoft and Google and the smaller giants, we already enjoy free storge, Software as a service and some who are extrememly perfect at milking situations, already own our own private cloud and guess what it is free of charge.

Oluwakorede Asuni, was a 2008/2009 Microsoft Anti-Cyber Crime (MISSPIN) Ambassador in Nigeria , founded and managed the technology consulting outfit ‘Korede Asuni Consulting which provided IT services to small enterprises and non-profits in Nigeria. He currently works with CIVICUS an international non-profit based in Johannesburg South Africa, where he happily lives with his MacBook:) !

By Emeka Aginam   (04 March 2009)

Originally posted here. 

A batch A 2008 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Mr. Oluwakorede Asuni   has successfully launched the first public high school web portal in Niger State – www.GovernmentSecondarySchoolMX.org. 

The system, which was created for the Government Secondary School Minna Niger State, where Mr. Asuni is completing his primary community service assignment, will serve a number of purposes for not only the staff and students of the school, but also the general public and a broader worldwide audience.

These purposes include: 

•    An online billboard – making the school accessible to a worldwide audience;

•    A means of internal communications (for staff and students) – allowing teachers to leave home work for their students, for example;

•    A central source of information for internal and external use _ divided into two major sections: public or general area and member area which requires registration;

•    And a custom email system. 

At the launch event on Thursday 19th February 2009, the school management, led by the Rev. Fr. J. D. O’Connell (MFR) was positive about the project, which he described as something long in the making.

He thanked Mr. Asuni for taking time out to design, implement and train teachers and students to manage the system, which will be in place well after he has completed his one year community service as a part of the NYSC. 

Jummai Umar_Ajijola, Citizenship Manager for Microsoft Nigeria who was represented at the event by Nana Mintah Adjooh, citizenship co_ordinator,  said that the strides that Mr. Asuni has taken  regarding the empowerment of the state’s  youth to participate in the emerging knowledge economy serves as an example of the positive change that locally_relevant and meaningful technology can bring about.  

“There is a clear need for multi_stakeholder partnerships to ensure the entrenchment and continued utilisation of technology in Nigeria’s Education system,” Hajia Umar_Ajijola said. 

“Microsoft Nigeria has many partnerships with Government and other stakeholders involved with education – all of which aim to empower teachers and students in Nigeria to take advantage of the vast resource base that comprises Microsoft for Education.”

The school’s old boys association’s delegation _ some of whom had travelled down from their bases outside the country  have pledged to take over all financial responsibilities for the school’s web portal _ to cater for any upgrades that may have to be undertaken after the first two years that have been funded by Mr. Asuni. 

Mr. Abubakar Salisu, director of the Department of ICT in the ministry of Science and Technology for Niger State, speaking on behalf of the ministry’s commissioner, has lauded the project, which he described as a positive pre_emption of the state government’s plan to create a central school web_portal for all schools in Niger State.

“The ministry pledges continued support from the government for such initiatives, which aim to improve the way that teachers and students interact with each other and the inter_connected world outside of the school’s boundaries. 

“Mr. Asuni is very driven, energetic and a positive optimist who other young people should emulate for the general betterment of Nigeria as one of Africa’s most technologically_progressive countries,” he said. 

The portal, which is built on Microsoft technology, can be supported from virtually anywhere in the world, which makes Mr. Asuni’s commitment to the school even greater. 

As part of his commitment, Mr. Asuni, who is also an Anti_Cyber Crime ambassador for Microsoft, will also spend a few days annually in the school helping out with other engagements that can help the school develop its students’ technology capabilities and prepare them adequately for the challenges they may face in a world of evolving technology. 

”I am beginning work to create similar systems for other educational institutions in Nigeria, utilising a social enterprise business model, which entails cost_effectively delivering important services not necessarily for financial returns,” Mr Asuni said.

”These efforts are in line with my commitments to engaging young people positively in the use of technology and creating alternative channels away from the menace of cyber_crime, which plagues our country’s youth and tarnishes the country’s image everywhere,” he added. 

“It is critically important that in today’s modern society, we promote access to technology for Nigeria’s youth.  It is very necessary to help them prepare for a place of relevance in the emerging knowledge economy, and the earlier we do this in their education, the more experience they will gain when the time comes to enter the working world,” Mr. Asuni concluded.

What a title…

Hung out most of the day with my buddy Ugochukwu Nwosu and realised how much I miss working at PIN (www.pinigeria.org) and especially with Ugo and the man we all call Gs and respect so much (though sometimes he jokes we do not).

I travelled with him to Ajegunle where he met with the managers of the local government’s education agency and I was a privileged observer. I was so happy to note that the Ajegunle.org project is eventually enjoying the patronage of the local government and they can now own the project as has been intended from inception.

Ajegunle.org, the project which forms part of the strong grounds for Ugo’s nomination for the future awards 2009, aims at reaching and helping to transform the lives and livelihood systems of young people from Ajegunle a rundown community otherwise known as a slum popular for both notoriety and for producing some celebrities in many areas of human endeavour including entertainment, sports and business. The training includes basic computer skills acquisition and entrepreneurship session. Noting the poor presentation abilities of most applicants for the training program which is intended to run quarterly, Ugo informed me that there will be a focus on soft skills development especially those relating directly to presentation skills. Ajegunle.org (www.Ajegunle.org) enjoys the patronage of the UK deputy high commission for trade and investment (UKTI) and many UK company and has once hosted the UK High Commissioner to Nigeria in one of its many interactive sessions.

Ugo has passionately worked on the project badgering relentlessly with the many challenges that faces such endeavours in this part of the world and those peculiar to the project itself. I remain happy I have once volunteered with the project and look forward to the rich interactive sessions with participants and graduates in future sessions as my present ‘out of state’ situation cannot allow me participate in the first session for 2009.

Back to my day, Ugo was all alive and hilarious and we joked about many things including our work and our boss –don’t tell him , and our aspirations. Yes, we have huge dreams. Ugo wants to go as far as … (ask him oh!) and I …(keep watching this space).

Ugo, quite honestly our many talks today reinvigorated me and furthered my resolve but note that I have forgotten about those ones that concerned top ten countdown , Ugo knows what I mean!

Ugo, thank s for your time today.