19 Oct 2011
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First Prize winners and students of The Bells University, Ota, Ogun State, holding their certificates, with their Vice-Chancellor (second row), Prof. Isaac Adeyemi, left; Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike; the Minister, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i; Director General, National Mathematical Centre, Prof. Sam Ale; with other officials, at the presentation of medals and certificates to winners of the Nigerian Universities Computer Programming Contest in Abuja…Monday


From Bukola Olatunji in Abuja

The Bells University of Technology Ota, Ogun State, has won this year’s Nigeria Universities/Polytechnics Computer Programming Contest, organised by the National Mathematical Centre (NMC).


It beat the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna and Covenant University, Ota to second and third places respectively, out of the 21 universities and polytechnics that participated in the competition. They were required to answer five algorithm questions in four hours.


Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, who decorated the winners with their medals, said, congratulated them and the organisers, saying, she would like to see every university offering Computer Science or related courses embracing the contest in subsequent editions.


Director-General of NMC, Prof. Sam Ale, explained that the Association of Computing Machinery Internal Collegiate Programming Contest (ACM-ICPC) is an annual multi-tiered computer programming competition, which began in 1970 at the Texas A & M University, for teams from the United States and Canada.


It has since grown to become a worldwide event, sponsored by IBM, headquartered at Baylor University and with autonomous regions on six continents. No fewer than 88 countries participated in the competition in 2008, a year after Nigeria joined the fold.
He appealed for more financial support from government and the private sector to keep the competition going, a request that was granted by the minister.


Vice Chancellor of the Bells, Prof. Isaac Adebayo Adeyemi expressed satisfaction that his institution has been among the top three in the country in the last four years. It came third in 2008 and second in 2009. The two teams it presented last year also came first and second.


“This is an indication of the quality of teaching and materials available to our students, the discipline and dedication of the students and their innate ability to deliver because this goes beyond their class work. While congratulating contestants in this year’s event, Ale expressed sadness that no Nigerian team has qualified for the finals of the world event. It is also a testimony that the decision to have private universities is a good one”, the Vice-Chancellor said.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/bells-wins-computer-programming-contest/100844/

Hrm. So both Bells and Covenant in the top 3.

Both in Ota.

If this power situation can be sorted out in Ogun State/SW, then it looks like there is suitable manpower for anyone looking to start a software company (or open an office/branch for his existing company.)

Interesting stuff.

OBJ's stolen money  and influence is working, diasporans are celebrating!


The triumph of corruption. Got to love it!

Was FUT Minna's performance in this a fluke?

Or is it generally a pretty good school at this type of stuff?

Anyone knowledgeable who can provide some insight?

What would be wonderful is if we could build a tech hub in the SW the same way they've done in Silicon Valley (and a few other cities like Boston, Austin, Seattle, etc.)

I hope whoever is the relevant authority in the Ogun State government on technology is paying attention and trying to figure out how to nurture and support these two institutions.

Would be great to see a startup/technology culture bloom in Ogun.

Progressives/intellectuals advocating for the govt to spend public money on private institutions?

As if their owners, a former president and a flamboyant pastor, haven't stolen enough public money already.

Interesting!

Sucks to be poor in this life.

@ekt-bear
I don't understand the way you reason. Must everything be regionalised or tribalised? How come it's so difficult to notice that two private universities werer in the top three. Rather you chose to be blinded with tribalism.

I don't even think those school had anything to do with their student's performance. They probably gained their programming knowledge elsewhere.

What am I tribalizing? I've made no mention of tribe or ethnicity. For all I know all the students on both teams were Igbo or Hausa.

I don't know and i don't care. What I do care about is that Ogun State now potentially has an opportunity on its hands. The same way Silicon Valley contributes massively to the CA economy, same way the tech companies centered around UT Austin contribute massively to the local economy, Ogun State needs to capitalize on the (high quality) human resource it has.

If I move back to Nigeria and it turns out all these kids are Igbo but they are amazing programmers, you think I'll let tribalism get in the way of me making lots of money? I'll hire them and we'll get to work.

And yes, the school probably has little to do with the student's being amazing. But that isn't really important either. Some way some how, Bells has collected a bunch of students who seem to do the best at these competitions.

Nairalanders easily confuse calls for developing one's regions as tribalism. It's a regular and erroneous occurrence.

Bawss1:

Nairalanders easily confuse calls for developing one's regions as tribalism. It's a regular and erroneous occurrence.

Abi o

I'm seeing dollar signs, a chance to bring hard currency from abroad into Nigeria. A chance to create jobs and growth. Others are seeing tribalism.

There is a piece of software I downloaded recently to make my life easier for a little side project I'm working on. Something called JRebel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JRebel).

Evidently it is developed/owned by some software team in Estonia. Think about what this company is doing for the economy of the town they are based in? Selling software to the US/Europe/etc and bringing hard cash to be spent in Estonia.

Anybody with sense would want the same to develop in his town/land, if possible.

And given the performance of Bells and Covenant, two universities in one town, it looks like it might be very much possible in Ogun State. At least, assuming the governor can figure out how to provide them regular power supply.

Just one competition.

Gosh.


With questions leaked to Bells, most likely.


No be the same naija. Too much noise on nothing!

The pertinent question is how we can convert the programming skills of those students into a viable enterprise.

Converting software development into an enterprise requires serious business skills especially in a terrain like Nigeria

We need a paradigm shift from regional and ethnic discussions to discussions about making Nigeria as a whole better.

@ekt_bear, Unfortunately, no matter how you say what you want to say, people can still change it into a tribal warfare because their brains have been trained to do just that. I think you should only reply if a few times when you think the risk of your message being lost due to people's baseless accusations is high.

Please check out the topic "Suggestions to make Nigeria better" at

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-764430.0.html

@aresenefc
You obviously don't understand software development!

Unlike normal tests, Knowing the QUESTION does not change anything!
And in most cases, software development competitions do not involve any questions.

A good analogy is a fashion design competition!

Skepticism is good only in moderation. Let's give Nigeria (ourselves not necessarily the government) a shot!

^^^

They were required to answer five algorithm questions in four hours

logic1:


And in most cases, software development competitions do not involve any questions.

Of course,Super ego is good only in moderation. Let's not underestimate OBJ's influence. Nothing spectacular about Yorubas or SW.

logic1:

The pertinent question is how we can convert the programming skills of those students into a viable enterprise.

Converting software development into an enterprise requires serious business skills especially in a terrain like Nigeria

Indeed. Even in the first world, finding a good idea/killer app is really hard. And then in the Nigerian setting, you have to deal with inconsistent power supply, expensive high-speed internet access, etc.

But from what I've seen/observed, the second biggest constraint (after good ideas) is manpower. Quality manpower, that is. Sharp guys who can turn your ideas into reality.

Anyway, my hope is that the Ogun State government is paying attention.

@ekt_bear
I doubt that Ogun state has the capacity to do anything.
At most, they'll probably just give the students state recognition and some money which will most likely disappear within a few years.

I think it's up to us as citizens to fix our problems through enterprise and economic and political activism!

A lot of posts on the thread at https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-764430.0.html will get us started as a nation on the path towards greatness!

However, there is one advantage the developing world does have over the first.

Cost of labor!

This is where you can potentially win big, even despite paying more for internet access, and other increased expenses.

A good programmer at one of the elite companies (e.g. Facebook) earns like $110k a year. Plus healthcare, benefits, etc. Factoring in all these benefits I wouldn't be surprised if Fbook was spending roughly $200k/head per programmer.

If one of these kids can deliver 70% of the value of your typical guy at an elite firm, but you only have to pay him $30k or $40k/year, then obviously there is a lot of potential for value.

logic1:

@ekt_bear
I doubt that Ogun state has the capacity to do anything.
At most, they'll probably just give the students state recognition and some money which will most likely disappear within a few years.

I think it's up to us as citizens to fix our problems through enterprise and economic and political activism!

A lot of posts on the thread at https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-764430.0.html will get us started as a nation on the path towards greatness!

Ogun could help them with power, if they are on gen. Build an IPP, wire them up to it. Easier to program if you aren't afraid of NEPA taking light in the middle you writing

@aresenefc
If the tests ONLY required the students to answer five algorithm questions in 4 hours then the students are only fit for large software development projects like the ones at IBM

What we need in Nigeria is not complex algorithms. We need fairly simlpe solutions to everyday problems.

thanks for not lambasting me. lol
I take my previous statement back.

Wow, this is the kind of news i love to hear!

I am a product of bells secondary school, and i can assure you that there was no foul play. I remember how strict and ruthless our principal was during our days in school. And mind you, this is when OBJ was in power. The results were obviously not the best in the country, but at least they were genuine.

So, if the school can finally pull it through to become the best in programming, then it is more honour to them!

One way or the other, this country is moving forward. It is only a matter of time! I forsee nigeria overthrowing South Africa as the giant of Africa in the nearest future!

Govt Officials & Individuals steal money meant to fund public education and social welfare and set-up private schools that charge exorbitant fees obviously not meant for the poor.

We sit here and clap for them while fighting amongst ourselves over which tribe did what.

Nigerians we are all a useless bunch.

ekt_bear:

Was FUT Minna's performance in this a fluke?

Or is it generally a pretty good school at this type of stuff?

Anyone knowledgeable who can provide some insight?

FUT Minna from the late 80s was the best equipped Federal university (I don't know the present ranking); of course that's to be expected as that was the period Babangida became the "President".

MARK-REN:

Govt Officials & Individuals steal money meant to fund public education and social welfare and set-up private schools that charge exorbitant fees obviously not meant for the poor.

We sit here and clap for them while fighting amongst ourselves over which tribe did what.

Nigerians we are all a useless bunch.

you're typing   trash.   So  what   should  we   do?   Because   they   steal   public  fund  so  we  should'nt   think  of  development  and  growth.   Are  you  not  the  same  person  that   voted   them  in?   You  are  stupidly  funny.  .

are we gonna turn this into another tribal fight ibos?

Hmmn.

Coincidentally, Nairaland HQ is also in Otta, and i heard a group of Babcock students have an opensource project doing well on sourceforge.

Ogun state will soon turn into India.

Wonder why this thread is under Politics and not Programming?

@ Acidosis It is people like you who buttress my earlier point. How can you talk of growth and development when there is no foundation for it, On what grounds can you achieve this when corruption has destroyed whatever is left of this country,where the level of inequality in the country is growing at an exponential rate, a system where merit is not rewarded but mediocrity is promoted, where rent seeking has taken over actual value adding economic activities, where there is so much wealth (with little economic activity to back it up) and poverty living side by side.

From your post you obviously support the looting going on and then turn around to ask why nothing is improving  in this country.

It is people like you who will support GEJ "you win" Idea when the very reason the Nigerian manufacturing sector is comatose and the entrepreneurship (and I don't mean buying and selling) is at a low point due to poor infrastructure and a very harsh economic environment which as we speak are yet to addressed.

Like I said earlier we Nigerians are a useless bunch!!! When pushed to the wall instead of facing the issue tactically and pushing back we break the wall and run injuring ourselves and anyone else in our path.

afam4eva:

@ekt-bear
[b]I don't even think [/b]those school had anything to do with their student's performance. They probably gained their programming knowledge elsewhere.

neither do I.
Congrats to the students though and by extension, to the school.
Setting up a tech company in Ogun State would not be such a bad idea. There is nothing tribalised about this, you set up your company in a place where there is proven availability of man power. The students might not even be Yorubas.

Ayowumie:

neither do I.
Congrats to the students though and by extension, to the school.
Setting up a tech company in Ogun State would not be such a bad idea. There is nothing tribalised about this, you set up your company in a place where there is proven availability of man power. The students might not even be Yorubas.

It won't be a bad idea for Ogun state to setup an IT mini-city. It's close proximity to lagos will help a great deal. But the Ogun state i know does not know what they're missing being close to the commercial hub of Nigeria.

thank God for them, hi nairalanders pls i need tips on how to recover deleted memory on my mp3 player thanks.

Gosh!!! I hate it when people start crying about private unis being expensive:-@ u want quality education yet u are not ready to pay. The people paying are not complaining so stfu.