…Showcases young talents at Byte Busters in Ibadan

The Odu’a Investment Foundation (OIF) through its Byte Busters Coding Club under the DEFINED (Digital Education for Innovation and Economic Development) has engaged 3,367 school learners and 1,334 of them registered actively in the Coding clubs.

The Byte Busters Coding Club of the Odu’a Investment Foundation (OIF) is the flagship initiative that empowers public secondary school students with digital literacy and creative problem-solving skills.

Speaking at the Byte Busters showcase event in Ibadan, Bimbo Ashiru, group chairman, Odua Investment Company Limited represented by Nureni Adisa Chairman, Wemabod Limited said “our goal is not just to teach coding, but to cultivate a generation of problem-solvers, critical thinkers, and digital entrepreneurs who will reinforce the South-West’s position as Nigeria’s pace-setting region.

“So, to our students, I say this: You carry the hopes of a region renowned for its firsts. Do not just be users of technology; be its creators. Do not just play games; build them. Do not just browse the web; design it. Let us celebrate not just today’s achievements, but the dawning of a new era of digital excellence in our region.”

According to him, the DEFINED project is not a departure from our past, but a vibrant continuation of the legacy of our founding fathers. The same foresight and spirit of communal progress that Investment Foundation to build human capital for the 21st century. This initiative showcase, we are not just planting seeds; we are nurturing a whole orchard Development, and A- are the first fruits of that visionary planting.

“This project embodies the Yoruba spirit of ‘Omoluabi to se bi baba re’ a child who follows the worthy footsteps of their parent. We are following the footsteps of progressive leadership, but we are walking a new path-the digital path.

Abdulrahman Yinusa, Group Managing Director represented by Yemi Ajao, Executive Director, Investment and Business development at Odu’a investment company said the DEFINED Project was conceived with a clear and critical mission: to equip our youth with the tools not merely to adapt to the digital age, but to shape it. “Digital literacy is the new education. It is the key that unlocks innovation, drives economic development, and secures our future relevance on the global stage and the Byte Busters Coding Club is the vehicle for this new literacy.

“Over 1,334 students actively enrolled across the six South-West states, a curriculum that has taken them from the fundamentals of Scratch to building functional websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and even to exploring the frontiers of Generative AI. A powerful College of Mentors—12 distinguished professionals—guiding our students, proving that our community spirit is alive and well.

“But the true measure of our success is not in these numbers. It is in the confidence of a student who can now create a multiplayer game. It is in the pride of a team that built an educational tool to help children learn. It is in the over 50 percent female participation in several states, shattering stereotypes and building a more inclusive tech ecosystem.”

Ọlatokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, chairman, Advisory Council of OIF in her goodwill message, urged the South-West governors and other stakeholders at home and in diaspora to support the work.

She urged the state governments and stakeholders for long term commitment saying, “help us strengthen the pipeline from classroom curiosity to career capability.”

She said the next phase would be taking the Byte Busters to under-served communities across all the six South West states for more pupils to have access to the path-breaking opportunities.

According to Ọlatokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, “We will prioritise expansion to schools and neighbourhoods where digital access is lowest, strengthening centres with devices connectivity and age- appropriate progression routes for 11-16s, micro- certification and badges, inter-school hackathons and mentoring circles.”

Seun Kolade, professor and project director, the DEFINED project in his paper titled ‘Runways to The Future: Forging Digital Wings for a Generation to Soar,’ sought private sector’s partnership to underwrite computers and equip the clubs, saying: “Our ambition is to reach every one of the 137 local governments in South West Nigeria, every Naira invested here has a multiplier lager than we dare to imagine.

“Two years in, the runway is laid, the engines are spooling and the tower is clear, our young people are ready- some of them touching a keyboard for the first time only months ago, now standing tall to present products they built themselves.”