Tech I Impact Of Telecommunication On Nigerian Society

By Fred Nwaozor



May 17 each year, the global community commemorates the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD). This implies that the 2019 edition of the remarkable event was celebrated penultimate week.
In November 2006, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) during its plenipotentiary conference held in Antalya, Turkey resolved to celebrate both the World Telecommunication Day and World Information Society Day collectively on a day instead of celebrating them separately or individually as they were initially commemorated.
In respect of the above resolution, the organization called on the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to declare May 17 of every year as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. The day was chosen because it marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the ITU.
The annual World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is aimed at raising awareness on the possibilities that the use of the Internet/cyberspace and other Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can yield powerful societies and economies, and also help to bridge the digital divide.
Telecommunication can be defined as the science and activity of sending signals and messages over a long distance by the use of electronic or electrical equipment such as radio, television, telegraph, telephone, computer, cable, and satellite. The term is often used in its plural form – telecommunications, because it involves many different technologies.
Telecommunication – otherwise known as telecom – occurs when the exchange of information between two entities or individuals includes the use of technology. Communication technology uses channels to transmit information as electrical signals, either over a physical medium such as signal cables, or in the form of electromagnetic waves.
It’s worthy of note that ancient means of communicating over a distance included visual signals namely, beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags and optical heliographs.
A revolution in wireless communication began in the first decade of the 20th century with the pioneering developments in radio communications by Guglielmo Marconi who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1909.
Other highly notable pioneering inventors and developers in the field of electrical and electronic telecommunications include Charles Wheatstone, Samuel Morse, Alexander Graham Bell, Edwin Armstrong, Lee de Forest, John Logie Baird and Philo Farnsworth.
Telecommunication, which is one of the major factors that constitute an information society, has obviously contributed immensely towards nation-building. Indeed, the impact of telecommunications on the social, economic and political development of any country in existence cannot be overemphasized.
Telecommunication has helped vastly in so many areas of human endeavour including information dissemination, easy access to news reportage, education, politics, creation of awareness, advertisement, entertainment, as well as job creation and career cum entrepreneurship development.
The availability of telecommunication has enabled people the world over irrespective of age or status to easily access information even in their bedroom. The stated fact is obvious and indisputable.
The recent introduction of the social media, which can be assess via Smartphones and other related gadgets, has succeeded in boosting several personal cum business activities which were formally done on a low pace with the use of the old telecommunication systems such as television and radio, et cetera.
The provision of the visual satellite dishes has also assisted people from all walks of life to greatly appreciate the use of the television, either domestically or industrially, as a result of its ability to simultaneously assess every facet of the globe at all times.
To say the least, the transmission or dissemination of visual signals with the aid of the television alongside newspapers has helped profoundly in marketing of goods and services. This has been enthused by many schools of thought.
The impact of telecommunication on education has become so enormous that it cannot be expressed on a mere sheet of paper. Of course, the functionality of the various distant learning programmes situated all over, which are increasing on a daily basis, wouldn’t have been possible without the telecommunication system such as the internet.
More so, the series of educative programmes, soap operas, and what have you, being televised by the various television stations across the country and beyond can equally be included as one of the avenues that have encouraged distant learning.
As regards politics, the telecom has recently proven to the citizenry that they can as well observe any electoral activity such as voting and counting of election results from their respective homes without stepping out of their respective premises.
The 2014 Presidential primary election conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) prior to the 2015 general elections, which was observed by every concerned Nigerian both home and abroad, was a good example of the said practice. Such a step has helped to improve transparency during elections, thereby avoiding occurrence of various possible electoral malpractices and crises.
On a similar note, the inevitable and essential role of the telecommunication was equally felt in the just concluded general elections across the federation. During each of the events, concerned Nigerians were able to painstakingly observe at the comfort of their homes or wherever.
It’s not anymore news that millions of the citizens are currently employed by several telecom companies operating in the country. Statistics show that over twenty percent (20%) of Nigerians are presently engaged with various telecom firms.
It suffices to assert that the telecom industry is, at the moment, one of the major employers of labour in the Nigerian society, likewise other countries across the globe. The facts are conspicuous and verifiable.
Though telecommunication technologies play a very vital role in the information society and socio-economic development of any nation, it’s noteworthy that there are several anomalies needed to be addressed in the sector.
A situation whereby uncensored films, pictures, music or what have you are disseminated either via the television or the social media is totally unwholesome to the state of any nation, thus ought to be looked into severely by the apt authorities in the Nigerian society such as the Nigerian Communications Communication (NCC) and the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
The legislative bodies are equally not left out in putting up formidable laws that would tactically assist in checking the aforementioned societal menace. The implementation of such proposed bills, if eventually passed into law, should severely be handled by the executive arm.
As the world commemorate the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, the governments at all levels in collaboration with the various concerned agencies ought to prepare a stiff measure that would address the various ongoing questionable acts taking place in the said sector including propaganda, fraud, and all forms of immorality. This, no doubt, would go a long way towards sustaining sanity in the system.
On the other hand, this is also a moment to remind all the broadcasting stations within the shores of the country coupled with the NCC and Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) that the proposed switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting, in line with the ITU earlier directive, ought to be treated as sacrosanct hence shouldn’t be lingered any longer. In view of this, the awaited practice ought to be seen as long overdue.
For Nigeria as a country to truly grow in the area of telecommunication and allied matters, all relevant bodies must be up and doing as well as strictly stick to the rules as they variously carry out their statutory obligations.
Telecommunication has undoubtedly assisted tremendously in boosting business prospect and awareness mechanism of every existing locality or entity, but it’s worth noting that a sound and healthy informed society can only be achieved if its telecommunication system is duly regulated by the apt stakeholders.
Aside regulation, the persons and corporate bodies making use of the telecom shouldn’t be told or reminded that whatever that’s worth doing is worth doing well. Think about it!

Comrade Nwaozor, Policy Analyst, Rights Activist &
Tech Expert, writes via frednwaozor@gmail.com

BreakingNews I Traditional Marriage Invitation

Opinion I The FUTO Four, Nigeria's Tertiary Institutions and Others

By Fred Doc Nwaozor



The last time I checked, Imo as a State had been bedevilled with a case pertaining to drug abuse. And in this regard, she has from the onset remained jittery over what the state’s future entails.
It’s not anymore news that two weeks back, four students reported to be of the revered Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) kicked the bucket having indulged themselves in intake of prohibited drugs.
The report, however, disclosed that three of the deceased were of FUTO extraction while the remaining one who happened to be the only female in their midst was of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede (FEDPONEK), though the authority of the latter has refuted the alleged studentship of the female victim in the institution.
The three male undergraduates, who passed on immediately after the ugly practice, were reportedly found dead in their lodge situated off-campus, precisely Umuchima at Ihiagwa in Owerri-West Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State, whilst the female casualty was rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent resuscitation but eventually joined the rest to their early grave.
The lamentable and unspeakable incident, which rightly revealed that the deceased persons took some substances related to Tramadol and Codeine, took place on 3rd April 2019 during the late hours of the day.
Ever since the bad omen occurred, concerned Imolites and Nigerians in general have not ceased to ask themselves what the future of our various tertiary institutions of learning entails. The affected families who have been abruptly thrown into a mourning mood are equally not left out in this obvious state of sober.
Of course, it’s only a sadist that wouldn’t be saddened by the unexpected event because its unbearable consequence indicates that if drastic and apt measures aren’t taken, these citadels of learning might be headed for a doom state soonest.
But come to think of it; where have we really gone wrong? What actually informed all these uncalled practices indulged by our numerous students, particularly the undergraduates? We have overtime been challenged by the menace of cultism, and now we are facing drug abuse.
If such acts could occur among students of FUTO, it means there’s a high tendency that it is already taking place in virtually all other tertiary institutions located across the nooks and crannies of the federation. Read my lips!
The above assertion is informed by the notion that FUTO appeared to be the least of all the institutions in Nigeria I thought its students could be related to any kind of drug abuse, because in the said university, there’s virtually no tangible time for leisure let alone having any for anti-social vices.
It would interest you to realize that the university in question is my alma-mater. While we were on campus as undergraduates – particularly those of us in Physics/Electronics, years ago, we barely had reasonable time for recreation or various usual social activities such as playing football, clubbing, award nights and student politicking, let alone that of vices. The only activity I and my likes hardly cough up time for was student unionism and activism.
Even during our time, cultism was not really an ill of great concern in the university. It was at intervals the crime was relatively being heard of in some quarters, and in most cases, it never involved the FUTO students. I’m not saying such a societal menace wasn’t occurring on the campus or being indulged in by the students, but it was hardly heard of.
This recent incident of drug abuse is a conspicuous indication that our various higher citadels of learning have lately degenerated into an untold state, hence the compelling need for the relevant authorities to start thinking inwards and differently on how to aptly and timely address the myriad of ills.
It’s more appalling when realized that our secondary schools’ students have equally followed suit or joined the chorus. The incidence of uncalled practices among our young ones is not only found in the tertiary schools but also in the secondary ones. The news have been on that these students of secondary institutions of learning have for quite some time now been creating series of cult groups in their respective jurisdictions; and till date, the news haven’t changed.
It’s indeed disheartening, to assert the least, to hear that these young ones when sent to school to study for the sake of their future, they rather indulge into all sorts of immoralities and illegalities or what have you. Sadly enough, it has been reported that they usually take these illicit drugs to motivate them in sexual acts. What a world!
It’s really sad to note that when their contemporaries are busy thinking and making frantic attempt on how to impress their parents/guardians by making good grades after sitting for their examinations, they are rather concerned on how to bring shame to their households. What a shame and irony of life!
What’s actually the way forward? It has been discovered that most of our present days’ parents or guardians pay so much attention to their businesses, trades, offices or what have you, to the detriment of their children’s upbringing, thereby endangering their future.
These affected guardians ought to have a rethink by continually checking on their wards whom had been sent to distant schools, either via phone calls or whatever possible means. In addition, they should be ready to pay unscheduled visit to these guys from time to time.
It’s also irritating that the wealthy parents are invariably fond of sending any sum of money, upon request, to their children without hesitation. This set of guardians ought to comprehend that only necessary or needed funds should be made available to these students, so they wouldn’t go about constituting nuisance with their ‘heavy/loaded’ pockets.
The schools’ authority should, on their part, equally make candid efforts towards constructing as many on-campus hostels as possible, so that their students would be compelled to reside on the campus. Additionally, measures ought to be mapped out on how to checkmate those living off campus.
Similarly, the various schools’ management shouldn’t hesitate to expel any student found or caught in any ungodly act or who is being reported and confirmed to have been part of any illicit group parading itself on the campus. Expulsion shouldn’t in any way be optional or negotiable but strictly compulsory while issuing relevant penalty over these uncalled acts.
The governments at all levels should equally expedite action toward ensuring that these illicit drugs are holistically banned in their various jurisdictions. It’s saddening to understand that the sale of drugs like Codeine and Tramadol, among others, have been banned by the Federal Government, yet they are currently being sold by various pharmacies and patent drug dealers. Hence, apt and severe approach ought to be introduced by governments to tactically end these illegal practices.
All in all, the youth or students who indulge in this kind of wayward life ought to take into cognizance that they are variously endangering their precious lives, hence the compelling need to turnaround or have a rethink. You can't be constituting nuisance while others are concerned about how to become great representatives in the wider society.
As I candidly commiserate with the entire FUTO management ably led by a no nonsense academic/disciplinarian and well-celebrated industrial physicist Prof. Francis Eze as well as the affected families over the painful and irreparable loss, I urge us to henceforth map out a decisive measure towards ending this kind of catastrophic action and other related lingering ones.
If we don’t act now, I’m afraid, we may soonest be told that the country’s future is doomed. Think about it!

Comrade Nwaozor, a Policy Analyst & Rights Activist,
is the National Coordinator, Right Thinkers Movement