Oladapo Oluwadora Glory, Aboluwarin Olaluwa David and Banjo Mofesola Paul of the Federal University of Technology FUTA , Akure have won ISPON software cup 2013, they were among the 70 students from the Nigerian higher educational institutions that competed in the 2013 Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, ISPON national software conference and competition holding in Tinapa Business Resort, Calabar, Cross Rivers to win Software Innovation price.
Vanguard checks revealed that twenty one schools including Usman Danfodiyo, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, University of Benin, Delta State University, Anambra State University, uli, Federal Polytechnic, Okoh, Niger Delta University, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Uyo City University, Covernany University, Ajayi Crowther University, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife among others are participating in the national software contest hosted by the Cross Rivers State government for three years running.
However, 24 teams in different categories including mobile app, web app, desktop app, and mobile game battled to win software innovation price sponsored by Main One, Nigerian Communications Commission, NEXIM Bank, NITDA among others.
At the event that attracted key industry stakeholders and university Vice Chancellors, participants among other things discussed how best software strategies can help retool the workforce. Earlier in his opening speech on Monday, the Governor of the Cross Rivers, Senator Liyel Imoke said with optimism that future belongs to the competing students.
According to him, there was need to review Nigerian educational curriculum to match global standard.
While urging the students to use the tools and knowledge in their hands to contribute to the economic development of the country, he said that Cross Rivers State was well positioned for IT hub in Nigeria.
“How the winners will contribute to local economy is the next challenge. In this conference, we have the future of the country. We have the capacity. We can drive knowledge economy with right policies. The students in the software competition here are entrepreneurs of the future. Your destiny lies in your hands” he said.
For the ISPON President, Chris Uwaje, unless the workforce were retooled with local software, the challenge of the knowledge society may not be resolved.
According to him, there was need to retool the workforce with innovative sofTware strategies for national survivability.
