Oyo State Government, in collaboration with CodeGarageAfrica, Zeeh Africa, and 386konsult Limited, successfully concluded its groundbreaking “1000 Lines of Code” initiative on Friday, July 19, 2024.

This five-day program, which began with a grand kickoff event on July 15, 2024, aimed to spark a digital revolution across the 11 Local Government Areas of Ibadan.

It empowered 1,000 senior secondary school students from both public and private schools with essential coding and non-coding tech skills.

Rev’d Idowu Ogedengbe, Executive Assistant to the Executive Governor, highlighted the program’s success.

He expressed gratitude to the governor of the State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, for providing the opportunity to equip young students for a brighter future.

He also thanked the collaborating partners, schools, and teachers for their participation.

His words: “The 1000 Lines of Code Initiative has introduced senior secondary school students in Nigeria to the fundamentals of coding and programming.

With the growing importance of digital literacy, this initiative has equipped students with essential skills that will empower them for the future.

“We began the idea in January, followed by a press briefing in May. Technically working together with partners, we selected 10 schools from each of the 11 local government areas in Oyo State.

Each school sent 2 teachers and 8 students, starting the program on July 15 and concluding today, July 19.”

Mr. Bayo Akande, Senior Special Assistant on ICT to the Oyo State Governor, also praised the governor and partners.

His words: “This initiative is a monumental step forward. I am thoroughly impressed with the dedication and enthusiasm shown by the students. This program will continue, reaching more students across other local government areas in the state.

“Our vision is to make Oyo State a hub of technological innovation in Nigeria and to equip students for the future. Being able to teach students at a very young age is invaluable.

If you look at China, India, and other tech capitals of the world, they succeed because they start at a young age. The likes of Mark Zuckerberg started like this, and we want our students to have similar opportunities. The support from Governor Makinde has been instrumental in making this vision a reality.”

Mr. Tayo Stephen, Deputy Director of Secondary Schools from the Ministry of Education, expressed his admiration for the initiative: “This program is a testament to our commitment to improving education in Oyo State.

The skills these students have gained will not only benefit them personally but will also contribute to the development of our state. We are proud to be part of an initiative that is shaping the future of our young minds.”

David Adeleke, CEO of Zeeh Africa, shared his excitement, stating, “The 1000 Lines of Code initiative is a massive vision, and we’re thrilled to be part of it. We have not only trained 1,000 senior secondary school students but also empowered them to dream big, think boldly, and redefine what’s achievable.

Just as Mark Zuckerberg started learning to code at a young age and went on to create Facebook, we hope our students will achieve great things.”

He added, “The ‘1000 Lines of Code’ initiative extends beyond classrooms; it’s a catalyst for change that will resonate across communities, industries, and beyond.

Through immersive workshops, hands-on mentorship, and access to cutting-edge resources, I’m sure the students will not only learn coding and non-coding tech skills but will also cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and an entrepreneurial mindset.

The feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive, and many have expressed newfound interests in pursuing tech careers.”

Also speaking, one of the beneficiaries, Sanusi Ikimat from Wesley College Elekuro expressed her appreciation, saying, “This program has opened my eyes to the endless possibilities in the tech world. I am excited to continue learning and applying these skills.”

Victor Segun from UCH Staff School added, “Being part of this initiative has been a transformative experience. I now see a future in technology that I hadn’t considered before.”

The program featured various presentations from students, showcasing their newfound skills. Taiwo Emmanuel from Deeper Life High School presented on Front-End Development Analysis, Chukwu Goodluck from Baptist Secondary School focused on Back-End Development, and Okeayaninneh Michael Osamagbe from UCH Staff School presented on UI/UX design.