There’s a certain allure that accompanies being one of the best graduating students in any educational institution for that matter, not to mention one as prestigious as the famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in Boston, U.S.A.

Finishing at the top end of your class from such an institution, to a reasonable extent, would imply that you get to wear the “Hot Prospect” label and enjoy the rare privilege of having your pick of six-figure job offers from top firms who would be tripping over themselves to have you put pen to paper. And that’s just for starters.

Well, that was pretty much the case for Nigerian techie, Obinna Ukwuani, who may have left everyone in shock when he opted to toe an entirely different line.

By turning his back on the lure of a fat paycheck that could well build a comfortable life to pursue a deep-seated passion that could have just as easily proved a fiasco in the end, he exhibited quite the courage.

Obinna Ukwuani is on a path to building Africa’s first STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) campus in Nigeria – a project that was borne out of the need to level the playing field and bridge the learning gap between young African students and their counterparts in the developed world.

The seed for the project was sowed some years ago, when Obinna was only a boy. Having lived most of his life in Washington D.C. where his parents had relocated the family to when he could barely form words, his folks thought it important that he paid a visit to his home country, Nigeria, to get a feel of his roots.

That meant Obinna returned to Nigeria where he completed both 8th and 9th Grades. The experience was an eye-opener for him in many ways, but none more so than the realisation of the problems bedevilling the school system in his homeland.

“I met up with my peers, the friends and classmates I’d met during my time there and it was shocking to see how far behind me they were. It was a very real experience for me,” says Obinna.

Most kids would simply revel in the knowledge that they had the edge over their school mates, but Obinna knew better. It was clear to him studying in the United States had given him an advantage and just about anyone could be just as good if they had the opportunities he’s had.

Rather than taking pleasure in the satisfaction that besting everyone else should normally bring, he felt sick to his stomach. To him, it was an “injustice.”

He returned to the United States with a hole in his heart; one he knew would not be filled until someone did something about the disparity. At the time, it didn’t occur to him that that “someone’ might as well be himself.

Back in the States, Obinna Ukwuani blitzed his way through high school, and his stellar academic was to earn him a place at MIT back in 2008.

All that time, he worried about students like him back home who would be hampered from going anywhere near their full potential due to the flaws in the system, and it wasn’t until freshman year that he realized he could just as well be the one to effect change.


And that realisation eventually morphed into organized action. In October 2011, he launched Exposure Robotics Academy – one of Nigeria’s first high-profile STEM education programmes – in Lagos.

It was designed as a five-week residential program aimed at teaching creative problem solving, engineering principles, and programming to high school students during the summer.

Within three years, the academy coached up to 113 students from 17 states across Nigeria and Ghana on how to code and build robots, some of whom have since gained scholarships into American universities and are just as determined to further the teaching of STEM back home.

With Obinna overseeing the programme, and Shell Oil as its sponsor, a number of MIT students were also jetted off to Nigeria where they taught and mentored high school students.

Interestingly, the programme was also recognised at the Roxbury International Film Festival. Naija Beta; a documentary based on the program, took home the award for “Best Documentary Film.”

But the Nigerian techie seems to be far from done and is spoiling for more. After putting in some relentless work towards putting together a business plan and trying to sell it to potential investors for several months, it does look like he’s making some headway.

In January 2018, he partnered with the Bank of Kigali to launch Makers Robotics Academy Rwanda; the first-ever robotics Bootcamp in the country. The programme hosted 40 Rwandan high school students on an intensive three-week course facilitated by MIT students.


The Nigerian tech entrepreneur has also gone on to set up NESA by Makers; a brick-and-mortar new economy skills accelerator based in Lagos, Nigeria. It rolled out its first course; full-stack web development, in June 2017.



NESA by Makers aims to provide a learning environment that inspires trainers, as well as a rigorous curriculum that would transform students from novice coders to employable junior web developers within three months.

Through such initiatives, the Nigerian entrepreneur hopes to build capacity in young Africans which would bring about the unlocking of potential and the discovery of genius innovations that would put the continent on the technology map.

Obinna is determined to change the perception of Africa as a mere consumer of technology by helping to equip young creators with the tools with which they can develop novel technological solutions to some of society’s most-pressing problems.

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suicide mission

Nice one broda keep it up.d lord continue to bless u more n more

His decision, His choice.


Las las check well na something dey carry am come back

We need more of him in Nigeria. It’s just unfortunate that Nigeria will frustrate him and he’ll be underutilized

Won ti get broda yii!!!

Woah... That is a very tough decision.

Guys, it's here again... Nairaland get together party (Easter version). Check this link for more details

https://www.nairaland.com/5062225/nairaland-get-together-party-6.0

Later they will say igbos love money too much.
This man got true love for his nation but sadly na next level we dey.
We expect you to bring development with your talent obinna, particularly to our yeast.

Wow. Congratulations to the young man!

Meanwhile, dis tred go soon hot.

This one is making same mistake some of us made when UK still had her doors open to Nigerians that schooled there. My prayer is for him not to regret his action like some of us do.

And some people would want to follow and do. There is a popular proverb in Igbo that says- if a rat jumps inside water to copy a lizard, when they both come out of the water,
if the lizard’s skin drys the rat’s skin would still be wet.

Look at the guy again, this time carefully. Does he look like an average Nigerian who is looking for a job?

Your village people at work
And am afraid its too late for you

But if you can read this please fast for 40days and night then re think your decision because hell is no place for handsome Christians

Hmmmm!

God continue to bless him and through him, help the Nigerian youth!

chisos...this guy just made d biggest mistake of his life...cuz nothing works in nigeria...



his initiative and intention will die a fast death.....nairalanders let's pray for him.....I know say afonja no fit know book like this guy...




na only to day chop broom soup with their cone disgusting heads and mine skulls...



spits

Brainy and handsome....
Nice one!!!

Let those lazy youths continue to leave Nigeria via the Sahara all in the name of escaping their mental slavery.
You life is what you make of it. Not everyone has the previllege of being born in a first world country or born with a sliver spoon.
All the best bro..

Village people on mission

He looks like someone from East Africa

If he has green card he can always go back in case things don't work out.

Nice move.... Maybe God bless your dreams

Tinalex:
Won ti get broda yii!!!

Wrong.

He has a lot of tech Startups he can invest his ideas on here in Africa in exchange for equity.

5 years from now, some of them would be billion dollar firms and he'll have a slice in every pie.

Fine bobo! He should also think of establishing in the east as well!

Lies!
GRV or what’s his name that contested against Yayi did the same!