Obasanjo fears for Nigeria Education

Robbotic education will not escalate unemployment rate in Nigeria – Obasanjo

Abeokuta – Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has allayed the fears of Nigerians over robotics education, saying its adoption would not increase unemployment rate in the country. 

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo 

The former President who admitted that Nigeria is “far behind in terms of general education”, said there is need for Nigerians to embrace robotics education for the country not to further extend gap in technological and scientific education obtainable in developed nations. 

Obasanjo stated this on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, during a two-day robotics workshop jointly organised by United States Consulate General, Lagos and RoboRAVE International, a US-based robotics education academy. 

The workshop held at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, had over 300 participating students drawn from five states. 

Obasanjo said robotics education would not escalate unemployment rate in Nigeria, submitting that more jobs would be created if robotics education is well planned and embraced. 

Obasanjo said “Let me also comment on what has been the fears of the people. Here we have problem of unemployment and people will say we need to create mass employment opportunities for our people. 

“If you start introducing Robotic education then you will deny people employment opportunities. It will not be so. What will normally happen is that there would be jobs that would emanate from Robotics. The jobs would compensate what Robotics will take over. 

“We have seen that through history when train came, people think there would be no way for road transportation. Same thing happens when railway came. People also thought when aeroplane came that railways and cars would not be useful. But, today roads are being constructed and we have not even done enough. Yet, Airports are being built and enlarged. 

“So, if we actually planned well, Robots will have a place and other jobs will be created for our teeming population not only in Nigeria and Africa, but also all over the World.”

 He however, urged the pupils to take advantage of the robotics education to better their future. 

“Children, take it as a play but at the same time take it serious because the play of today is the pay of tomorrow. And while you are still young and manageable unlike me, even now, I am not computer literate yet because I was BB, born before computer,” the former President admonished. 

In his remarks, the United States Consul General in Nigeria, F. John Bray said robotic education would help the country in providing global partnerships and economic development, disclosing that the Mission in Nigeria are deeply committed to supporting the country’s economic development. 

He said many developed countries have based their continued economic growth on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). 

Bray stated that his government would continue to support the education, stressing “This is is the beginning of our efforts to support robotics education in Nigeria”. 

“The question I was asked in Lagos was ‘why is the United States supporting robotics education? How is this going to help Nigeria? As Acting Special Representative Thomas Debass said’ because robotics touches on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), it can capture the imagination of children and young adults around the world and provide a platform for global partnerships and economic development” 

His words: “Children who receive STEM education via robotics training will be better prepared to solve real life problems with more creativity, critical thinking and effectiveness. These are the tools that they will need to compete effectively in the global economy”. 

He charged the students, ” We know that around the world, girls and women are under presented in both STEM and STEM careers. To the girls here, don’t give up. If this is your passion, pursue it”. Bray disclosed that ROBORAVE would next year hold events in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan in order to expand access to robotics education.