The Internet And Me

I started noticing desktop computers in elite Nigerian offices in the mid eighties both at private and public offices. I viewed them as a phenomenon, oh how I use to behold those professional secretaries as they call them then, with much awe. For me I never thought I will be able to use one. Then the trends of laptops, the internet, browsing emailing arrived, this became another intricate thing for me. I began to realise that ICT has come to stay it was becoming a tool in our every day living banking, hotels, hospitals shoping travels etc. At this time I started getting experts to do IT stuff for me like opening an email, and helping me check and sending reply.

I remember now, I use to look at computer keyboards and its operations like aircraft flying buttons in a cock pit, I felt if you are not an engineer or a trained expert you could not operate one. One day I decided to learn this thing, I didnt own one so I started visiting the cyber cafe to tutor myself, with the help of the administrators I started myself taught lessons, gradually I could open, read, and send emails, I sarted surfing the net and amazingly a whole new world opened for me. I am a freak for information having grown up with lots of journals, books, and litreature. I joined my church media department and learnt more, I would volunteer to type the Pastors sermon that will be on the projector screen every Sunday, soon my typing skills improved greatly.

I became very attached to the world wide web, computers, and information, I couldnt do without one, I decided to get one at the time I didn't have enough money but I made a payment arrangement in installment. Now I own a laptop, a Samsung galaxy note and a smart phone.

I have been with the Internet closely for over 14 years I can say categorically it has helped to shape my life, influenced me and propelled me to where I am now. The internet has helped me access information about other people and their cultures, understand world issues better, like issues relating to Africa especially the looming food crisis, this moved me to start an enterprise, on agribusiness called FarmBiz Enterprises a fully mechanized farm and processing factories, and a social enterprise called the \"Earth wealth project\" where we train, mentor, raise awareness in upwardly mobile young people to embrace agriculture as a business, in Nigeria agriculture is in a moribund state, this I believe will check the preponderence of the older generation in the sector who are still using rudimentory methods, thus resulting to low outputs.

The funding for the start up of this business came from an online business plan competition, organised in Nigeria, I wrote the business plan myself something I have never done, I accessed all my materials from the Internet, the competition was a very tough one. This is one major thing the internet has done for me. The internet also helps me to connect with core industry players in my sector, both locally and international, through the net I am connecting to various networks who are linking me with investors because I need to expand my business. I dont think I could have achieved and get the connection, I have now without the internet. Here I am solving a problem of food crisis and putting agriculture in its proper perspective in Nigeria.