What appears to be the genesis of growing data
scientists in large number is Saturdays.AI, a global movement orchestrated as a
non-profit organisation with a mission of letting interested individuals
understand artificial intelligence beyond the conventional education path.
Throughout the world, Saturdays.AI has been coded as AISaturdays in cities and
towns. In Nigeria, it is AISaturdays Lagos.
As one of the leading AISaturdays’ cities in the country, Lagos AISaturdays has
attracted and still attracting prospective Data Scientists.
Ahmed Olanrewaju is one of the global 5,000 AI Fellows and the initiator of the
Ibadan AISaturdays. In a recent interview with
Infoprations, Olanrewaju, a Staff at the Nigerian oldest University,
University of Ibadan says “I felt strongly that it is really worth creating and
driving a community in the city of Ibadan to give more upcoming researchers and
professionals more opportunity to learn.”
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| Source: Google Trends, 2019; Infoprations Analysis, 2019 |
For more than a year, AIStaurdays Ibadan has been
training a number of data science enthusiasts and professionals at Kola Daisi
Hall, Department of Computer Science, University of Ibadan. Olumide Adaramoye
is one of the beneficiaries of Olanrewaju’s decision to change various narratives about
Ibadan. In this WETi (What Expert Tells Infoprations), Olumide speaks
about his experience, the future of data science and artificial intelligence in
Ibadan.
How would you describe
your experience so far?
My experience has been an amazing
one. Being a member of AI Saturdays Ibadan, I made a big jump in my interest in
data science when I co-hosted Data Science Nigeria's AI+ Boot camp in the city
of Ibadan. Through our concerted efforts, we were able to enlighten over three
hundred youths in Ibadan on the skills of the Future (through new media) and
introduce more than one hundred youths to the basics of data science and
machine learning programming. As a Step-down we're taking this knowledge to the
younger generation and introducing them to these competencies even at their
young age. By 2020, it's our vision to have trained a total of 1000 teenagers
in python for data science and machine learning programming.
What have been the significant skills and
knowledge you have gained that you intend to use to unlock inherent
opportunities in data economy?
Basically, behind all data analysis
is the need to solve a problem. I've been exposed to the effectiveness of data
analysis in solving everyday problems. I want to apply this knowledge to help
FCMGs make better consumer and marketing decisions.
Does AI have a future in
Ibadan?
Yes, it does. I can boldly say Ibadan
has one of the budding economies in Nigeria currently. There has been an
increase in influx of knowledge, investment and innovation in Ibadan compared
to the past and it can only get better. Ibadan is one of the largest and most
populous cities in Nigeria. There are truckloads of data being created,
transferred and processed daily and wherever data is, Artificial Intelligence
thrives. By building appropriate frameworks, we can convert these piles of data
into meaningful information that can help fast-track development and innovation
in the state. I look forward to the synergistic partnership of AI Saturdays with different innovation hubs and
government's ministries and agencies within the state. I believe the goldmine we're sitting
on can and should be shared to various networks in order to achieve Data
Science Nigeria's vision of 1 million AI talents in 10 years. It's possible.
100,000 can emerge from this city.
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