Former Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has recommended the folk of Ikenne in Ogun State to set a daring imaginative and prescient of remodeling the city into a number one hub for Synthetic Intelligence and era in Africa.
Osinbajo gave the price on Friday in Ikenne whilst turning in a lecture on the fiftieth Ereke Day Anniversary, Group Awards and Investiture of 2026 Ambassadors, arranged by way of the Ikenne Construction Affiliation, IDA.
Talking on the way forward for the historical the city, the previous Vice President stated the following 10 and 50 years might be outlined by way of AI, and Ikenne has what it takes to be at the leading edge.
He challenged the group to dream giant, noting that groovy transformations get started with daring concepts that many to begin with doubt.
He recalled how the past due Leader Obafemi Awolowo used to be advised by way of colonial government that loose training used to be unattainable, however he proved them incorrect. He additionally cited ValueJet airline, owned by way of Ikenne son, Kunle Soname, pronouncing if somebody had predicted 10 years in the past that citizens may fly from Ikenne axis to Abuja within the morning and go back identical day, many would have brushed aside it.
In step with Osinbajo, Ikenne already has one of the crucial absolute best concentrations of small and medium enterprises in line with sq. kilometre even with out planned making plans, and may succeed in extra with a transparent roadmap.
He subsequently proposed an Ikenne 2036 Plan, a 10-year building blueprint with outlined priorities, prices and every year measurable objectives.
Osinbajo stated the plan must place Ikenne as a centre for AI-enabled training and for development AI equipment, along the present curriculum.
He referenced Taiwan, a small island about 81 miles from China, which now produces a big proportion of the sector’s microchips, to turn that measurement isn’t a limitation however imaginative and prescient and backbone topic.
To reach the objective, he really useful a powerful STEAM programme – Science, Generation, Engineering, Arts and Arithmetic – with early creation of AI literacy from number one faculty, robotics, AI-powered finding out equipment and well-equipped laboratories.
He cited a finding out centre in Maiduguri the place kids orphaned by way of insurgency, who to begin with may no longer talk English or Hausa, changed into talented in robotics, era and English inside 5 years when given alternative and improve.
Osinbajo wired the wish to retrain lecturers as facilitators of AI-assisted finding out and robotics, spouse with Chinese language faculties with sturdy AI curricula, and determine a campus devoted to AI and complex programs that would offer answers in agriculture, healthcare, training and finance.
He recommended the city to not accept small ambitions however to pursue what others have no longer dared.
In his remarks, President of Ikenne Construction Affiliation, Otunba Olufemi Allen, described the birthday party as historical, pronouncing Osinbajo’s presence added immense worth to the instance.
Allen stated IDA stays dedicated to selling solidarity and conserving the cultural heritage of Ikenne for long term generations, in keeping with the beliefs of its founding fathers.