By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
The chief executive officer (CEO) of the Urhobo Innovation Hub, Mr. Kingsley Ubiebi, has assured Urhobo youths and multitudes of Nigerians that, the Urhobo Innovation Hub would definitely lift them from abject poverty, unemployment, youth restiveness and other social vices confronting youths of today.
Mr Ubiebi made this remark recently at the Power of Faith hall of the Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Agbarha-Otor in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State during the Tech Ughelli 2021 with the theme, ‘Tech And The New Normal.’ put together by the Urhobo Innovation Hub for students, graduates, entrepreneurs, techpreneurs, civil servants and the general business class.
In his opening remarks during the event that drew together students from different secondary schools across the state, the traditional ruler of Agbarha-Otor Kingdom, HRM, Richard Oghenevwogaga Ebelle, Okoroefe 1, who was the royal father of the day thanked the organizers of the event and also the management of the university for organizing such an academic event for the students and other members of the general public to exploit their potentials and talents.
The revered monarch who was represented by a chief in the kingdom, Olorogun (Hon.) Felix Ekure (Rtn), advised the students and all those that attended the event to always put to use the practical knowledge that they would acquire at the end of the day.
In her speech during the unveiling of the tech hub, the president of Michael and Cecilia Foundation, Dr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Ibru, advised Urhobo youths and students to make use of the golden opportunity offered them by the Urhobo Innovation Hub and the Michael and Cecilia Ibru University.
The speech which was delivered on behalf of Dr. (Mrs.) Ibru by the vice chancellor of the university, Professor Ibiyinka Fowape, centred on the productive use of digital skills in a digital world. She however commended the organizers of the event for pursuing a noble vision that would pay greatly in the nearest future.
The event which featured different topics from the central theme looked into areas such as acquiring digital skills, digital economy, crypto trading and many others.
The guest speakers, selected based on their areas of specialization in the use of the internet and technology in a digital world, spoke extensively to the understanding of participants at the event.
The event included the presentation of scholarship awards to some deserving students that demonstrated knowledge of the use of the computer by the CEO of Vorem Nigeria, Mr. Rume Dominic.
In a media chat with our correspondent after the event, organizer and CEO of Urhobo Innovation Hub, Mr. Kingsley Ubiebi said, “The Urhobo Innovation Hub is the brainchild of the Urhobo Economic And Investment Summit. It was birthed on 22nd November, 2019. The objective is to bridge the gap of youth restiveness, unemployment, armed robbery and other social vices confronting our youths on daily basis.
“This is a vision that the Delta State government should key into, entrepreneurs and other business organizations. Today, the world is changing very fast and as a people, we need to change at the pace of the industrial revolution and modern technology that is gaining much attention in Africa at the moment. I want to advise our youths out there especially those that couldn’t make it to this event today to avail themselves of our numerous programmes.
“Let me now thank the management of this university for accepting to host our technology hub and also our numerous programmes. The same way we thank our revered monarch, our guest speakers and all the participants.”
The event ended with the presentation of awards to the four guests speakers, viz: Kelvin Ogba Dafiaghor, chief promoter, AI Africa, Cynthia Okeroghene Orife, CEO, Coriftech Solutions Ltd, Rume Dominic, CEO, Vorem Nigeria and Ejiro Akowien, CEO, Maktay Integrated Ltd, “who are soaring higher in the digital and tech businesses in Nigeria and other western countries in the world,” by the CEO of the Urhobo Innovation Hub, Mr. Kingsley Ubiebi.