No fewer than 25 females between the ages of 16 and 35 have benefitted from the AboCoders Free Training Programme in Ogun State.

Speaking during the graduation ceremony organised by the Ogun State Government in collaboration with AboCoders, a subsidiary of Aspillos Foundation at Ogun TechHub along Kobape in Abeokuta, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Funmi Efuwape represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Melucia Ogunremi congratulated the graduands of the first phase of the AboCoders Programme, encouraging them to utilise the knowledge gained meaningfully.

While presenting Certificates of Completion to the beneficiaries, Efuwape stated that they should cascade what they have learnt to their peers.

In her remarks, one of the programme facilitators of AboCoders, Ema Effiong appreciated the Ogun State Government for creating an outstanding ambience for learning and providing all-round internet facilities as well as laptops to the learners, calling for more of such a collaboration. Effiong advised the females in the State to make the best use of the advantage by participating in the programmes, adding that the Ogun State Government realised the relevance of technology as the way to go, even in the global post-COVID19 “new normal” situation.

She also said that provision has been made for the graduands, as they would be engaged in other positive activities even after their passing out.

Dr Bola Onashoga, South West Coordinator of the Nigerian Computer Society, NCS charged all participants not to feel inferior or intimidated whereever they meet male counterparts especially on job searches, noting that being a female professional does not stop them from getting married.

She also said continuous learning makes a successful person, “and so don’t stop acquiring knowledge and skills wherever needed,” she said.

Earlier in her welcome address, the Director IT, Bureau of Information Technology, Mrs Olatundun Adekunte said the programme was aimed at repositioning the girl child and women to be ICT-compliant and make good use of their future on a large scale, charging the graduands to further impact the acquired skills on other people. She disclosed that the State Government would be engaging the best three graduands on internship at the Ogun TechHUB, adding that those that were not able to complete the programme due the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown would be given a chance to complete it at the second phase of the training.

One of the participants, Patience Ozumba expressed gratitude to the Ogun State Government and AboCoders for availing her the opportunity to be a qualified data analyst, and also said she would gladly pass on the knowledge unto her fellow females.

The high point of the event was the launching of the second phase of the Female AboCoders Programme on Web Development and Data Science by the representative of Efuwape, Mrs. Melucia Ogunremi.