Over the last few years, Nigeria has made a lot of advancements in Information Technology. The scene has changed and exciting things are happening, but our economy is still far from becoming a technology-driven one. The sector is still riddled with so many problems and one of them is poor management.
A few days ago, I was watching Mr Mobility talk about this and he mentioned that Information Technology in Nigeria isn’t where it should be because the people at the helm of affairs are old men with very old ideas. He said:
They don’t understand the issues involved, it’s not their time. These people grew up when computers were novelty, when Internet was something you did as a side job… They do not understand the concept of Internet as a way of life.
He was right and I totally agree. This is one of the reasons Nigeria is still where it is today. I lamented on the state of Nigeria’s ccTLD a couple of months ago and how these same people killed its potential with greed and some rather stupid policies that has greatly hampered the use of the extension.
Regulating the IT sector: another absurd idea
I stumbled on a report on the Vanguard where the president of the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Professor Vincent Asor, said he was determined to fish out quacks practicing IT in the country. He said this as the Council inducted about 300 professionals into the IT profession. Basically, this professor of Mathematics wants every qualified IT professional to be registered with the council.
This means a freelance, self-tutored programmer has no right to get a job because he is a “quack.” He said:
By the nature of the profession, which makes it possible for a lot of people to use IT tool in their daily day to day operations, some people are now claiming to be what they are not. Also, those who are not qualified to execute IT jobs are the ones getting it. This is quite absurd and unacceptable to us. Therefore, as professionals, you have to join forces with us in fighting the scourge.
Obviously, this man wants to create a kind of “NURTW” for computer professionals. This man believes so much in the 1993 constitution set up by a repressive military government. According to the Act 49 of the 1993 constitution that established CPN, it is mandatory for all persons and organizations seeking to engage in the sale and/or use of computing facilities, and/or the provision of professional services in computing in the country to be registered by the Council and licensed to carry out such activities.
Instead of this man to seek the legislature to amend this repressive law, he’s quoting an Act that was made 23 years ago.
Is this the kind of leadership that would advance Information Technology? By CPN’s definition, Bill Gates is a “quack,” Mark Zuckerberg wasn’t a professional when he started Facebook and for sure, he’s a “quack” too.
Come to think of it, where were these so-called professionals when the “quacks” practicing IT in Nigeria developed our beloved Computer Village in Ikeja to became the mega IT business hub it is today?
Unfortunately, these dinosaurs will continue to implement archaic policies meant to kill development, doing a disservice to the country while the government keeps depositing fat salaries into their accounts every month.
Featured image: DiscoveryKids.com
