A Professor of software engineering at the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA Oluwole Akinyokun, has advocated for concerted efforts to develop and crystalize the software industry in Nigeria into a vehicle that can drive the country’s global competitiveness and become a major generator of jobs for the teeming populace of Nigerian youths. Professor Akinyokun stated this while delivering his valedictory lecture titled," Computer Software Industry, A Potential Source of Job and Wealth Creation for Youths in Nigeria,” to signal the end of a glorious career in the University system following the attainment of the mandatory retirement age of 70.
According to Akinyokun, “A lot of financial and Infrastructure development can be gained in Nigeria through IT which drives the global economy today. The success and sustainability of Nigeria's future development is contingent on the fundamental inclusion of software professionals and practitioners, deployment of critical software infrastructure and building new frontier's constitute strategic imperatives for sustainable services to the perennial problems of national leadership, governance and development crisis across the length and breadth of Nigeria in all the three tiers of government."
Highlighting other opportunities of the Software Industry in Nigeria the Don said it is cheap to start a business in software industry as there is cheap labour which is an incentive for foreign and local investments that would use local labour. He added that there is an emergence of Nigeria software products, services and markets that are capable of effective and efficient competitiveness in the global markets.
Professor Akinyokun said in view of the abundant strengths and opportunities of the Nigerian software industry, the establishment of software incubation, development, and deployment centres in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria is imperative for accelerated job and wealth creation for youths and empowerment for women.
He advised that the country should take advantage of the many capacity building programs funded by multilateral bodies to support the development and deployment of software solutions in both public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy. He said the relevant Ministries Departments and Agencies should be versatile with and deepen programmes such as “e-Government, e-Business initiatives, e-Payment and national personnel and payroll management information system in the public. d private sectors"
He debunked the fear that IT will take away jobs from humans stating that experiences in both private and public sectors of the Nigerian economy clearly show that IT creates jobs whereby domain staff have to be retrained, but a domain staff that fails to be retrained shall be made redundant and consequently obsolete.
Akinyokun pointed out that software development has become a critical part of modern infrastructure and a vehicle for implementing the other key elements of knowledge economy which drives the economy of all countries in the world.
Professor Oluwole Akinyokun joined the services of FUTA in September 1987 as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Industrial Mathematics and Computer Science and rose through the ranks to become a professor in October 1995.
He was an Endowed Professor of Computer Science of First Bank of Nigeria in 2000 through 2002. He was the Acting Director of FUTA Computer Centre between 1998 and 2000 during which the Computer Centre was adjudged to be the best by the National Universities Commission in terms of infrastructure and services to the university community.
He has served the university also as Chairperson, FUTA Sports Council, from 1997-2000, Member, University Governing Council, 1990-1993 and Permanent Member, University Senate FUTA, 1995 till date.
Professor Akinyokun belongs to many national, regional, and International learned bodies. His research and work experience cuts across diverse areas of Computer Science, Software Engineering as well as Information Technology. During his exemplary career, he attended many conferences within and outside Nigeria and made presentations as participant and speaker. He is also a recipient of many National and International awards, honors, and distinctions.
Akinyokun has successfully mentored and supervised over 51 Ph. D Theses and Masters Dissertations in FUTA and served as External Examiner of both undergraduate and postgraduate theses in many universities within Nigeria and overseas.
In her capacity as Chairperson of the occasion, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji described the retiring don as a mentor of mentors and a builder of FUTA whose contributions have impacted on the growth and development of the university. She said his research acumen and expertise have tremendously enhanced intellectual discourse and innovation in his area of specialization.
The Vice Chancellor wished him well in his future endeavours and a successful retirement.
