BY EMEKA AGINAM
One of the the leading private owned information technology (IT) training institute, New Horizons Nigeria, at the weekend opened an international IT resource centre valued at over N100 million at Landmark University, Kwara State.

The centre is expected to empower students of the institution with the most sought after IT skills and professional certifications.

At the commissioning ceremony, the Pro Chancellor of Landmark University, Professor Yemi Nathaniel who commissioned the IT resource centre alongside the vice chancellor, Professor Mathew Ajayi; the acting registrar, Dr. Mrs. Rachael Adebayo and many other professors, academic and non-academic staff and students enjoined the students to avail themselves of the opportunities that new Horizons brings to their future.

The vice chancellor who welcomed the New Horizons team led by Mr. Tim Akano, its managing director said the journey to actualise the project began four years ago.

“I want to specially commend the New Horizons team for their tenacity and for not giving up even when things seems not to be going the way they were expecting. I know the impact New Horizons is making Covenant University has been wonderful. “That is why when I resumed here I stated that certified IT professional courses must be part of our curriculum.

“I want our students to take maximum advantage of the opportunities available at the IT resource centre. I believe even if you are studying History with the skills and certification programmes offered by the New Horizons/Landmark University you can work anywhere in the world including the oil industry.” He said the role IT plays higher institutions like Landmark University cannot be overemphasized.

Prof Ajayi said right from inception, the school invested millions of naira in ICT connecting the school’s classrooms, lecture halls, halls of residence and offices with fibre optic cables to provide high speed internet to aid instructions. “Every organisation is seeking competitive advantage; I believe with this partnership with New Horizons, we are in for a good time. We are blessed to have New Horizons.

Tim Akano in his brief speech spoke on how the ICT world is being controlled by young innovators who have founded companies like Google, Facebook, WhatsApp etc. He urged the students to empower themselves with IT professional certifications to be relevant in today’s world.

“You can be self-employed after graduation. You can create your own companies and become employers of labour. Some days ago, Facebook acquired WhatsApp, a messaging company founded by two young people for $19bn, that is about 40 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP.”

“Few months ago, Apple Inc. bought a mapping company owned by a young Nigerian by name Chinedu for $1bn. Google also bought a company called WAZE for $1bn. You can begin to do similar innovations by dreaming big” he said. Akano to the elation of the university said he was at Hebrew University, Israel few weeks ago and held discussions on how they can enhance Nigerian higher institutions competencies in agriculture technologies.

He has also held discussion with the Israeli ambassador to Nigeria who has promised to come and deliver a lecture at Landmark University the same topic. He added that New Horizons is committed to improving the skills of the students and lecturers alike. The pro chancellor on his part enjoined the students to make best use of the opportunities available from the partnership urging the students to go out and make names for themselves and the country.