The tech scene has evolved in Nigeria over the last few years, from the hubs era led by companies like Andela and CCHub, the online shopping phase with big companies like Konga and Jumia, today it’s the Fintech companies snatching all the investments now. While we fan over the trendy tech companies in the ever-expanding tech space, our entire ecosystem is getting bigger allowing coders, dreamers building other Internet-based products to solve different problems Nigeria still faces.
Oluwaseyi Akinsola Samuel, born on December 31st (Second child) into a family of 4 children is the founder of StudentVillage, a platform he explains as ‘An educational based forum & marketplace that is set to connect Nigerian students.‘ There’s no infrastructure for so many tech-based ideas to blossom but it’s getting better allowing young dreamers like Samuel to try new things.
We catch up with Oluwaseyi Akinsola Samuel for a chat;
Tell us about yourself, who is Seyi?
After leaving secondary school, I went through a lot of challenges in gaining admission into the University, never failed Jamb, or post Jamb but it just didn’t cut out. Back then I blamed the system, until 5 years after I realized I was to blame, I found out, my first admission opportunity was lost because I used awaiting result to apply for Jamb, another instance was when I felt Pre-Degree programs were for people who didn’t do well in secondary school, and I was wrong, I didn’t take out time to do proper research on the best academic opportunities out there, and if caused a little delay in my academic pursuit. I once aspired to be an accountant, then a lawyer, eventually it dawned on me that I could be a solution to the problem I had to go through for more than 4 years, hence student village. I felt students need to be informed, they need to know it’s okay to try other options besides the popular ones.
How did you conceive the idea of Student Village and what pushed you to start?
Seyi: Firstly my mom and siblings. Secondly, even if I’d blame myself for not making the right academic choices earlier in life, the system shared a piece of the blame, there was so much distance between the school system and the students, which undoubtedly leads to a decline in the growth of education. In simpler words, I realized students needed to interact more with. They needed to get more information about their schools or prospective schools online. The most effective push is more of a credit. It goes to my aunt, Aunty Molara, she loaned me some cash, even though I didn’t use it for student village because family demands were high, it drove me to ensure I won’t rest till the site is alive.
Do feel Nigerian education is arcade, in relation to the generation we’re in and how much information is provided through the internet and social media?
Seyi: Education in Nigeria is arcade in so many ways. I’d list a few obvious ones. Lecturer/ teacher incompetence goes unchecked, Information dissemination is poor between schools and students. Teachers aren’t properly equipped mentally and academically to teach students. Poor adaptation of the latest technology into education. Teachers are underpaid.
As for the roles of the internet and social media, I’d say a lot of platforms like student village are doing a great job in information dissemination, let’s take into consideration platforms like www.myschoolgist.com and www.myschool.ng.
Your platforms have a Q & A angle for students to help each other with information, do you feel there’s not enough information shared in the academic space between the students and teachers?
Seyi: The Q&A feature of student village is to provide a platform for student interaction outside the classroom and also to make up for the lack of communication among students and teachers. So yes I feel there’s not enough information shared in the academic space between students and teachers.
Most people say in strong-willed, I guess they are right. I’m pretty young, but I’ve come to realize in life you need one of these things or all to make something good out of life. God, Hard work, Family Good people around you, And a Plan.
Most of your content is based on Higher education, do you plan on expanding to lower grades of education?
Seyi: In a long run. We have expansion plans that will cover all academic spheres, from home tutoring services to online libraries for secondary school students. We also intend to have consultancy stalls across the country, where students and their parents can walk in to get a free academic consultation.
What future do you see for Student Village in terms of monetizing and expanding?
Seyi: Monetising plans are mostly on sponsored posts and partnering with ad agencies like Google Adsense, info links.
How can African education grow through the internet?
Seyi: The internet can help African education throughout the classroom platforms that educate students, distant learning programs should be embraced and also adopted by schools, this would break distance barriers. Take YouTube for an example, it has enough videos to teach a child from primary till Ph.D. level.
Education in Nigeria is arcade in so many ways. I’d list a few obvious ones. Lecturer/ teacher incompetence goes unchecked, Information dissemination is poor between schools and students. Teachers aren’t properly equipped mentally and academically to teach students. Poor adaptation of the latest technology into education.
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