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The future is coding: 8 reasons why it is important.

Not long ago I posted about the breakthrough of Chinese scientists in developing the LiFi (Light Fidelity), a new technology that uses visible light from LED bulbs to transfer data much faster than radio wave-based WiFi. With this discovery, we could be waving goodbye to WiFi. It is therefore not far-fetched to say that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is already upon us. We are already witnessing new ways in which technology is embedded within our social life and even physically in the human body. Today, I came across a piece originally published by The Irish Times on why coding is the thing for the future and decided to share. Coding simply means the process of assigning a code to something for classification or identification. Technically it can be described as a type of programming that closely represents how a processor executes instructions. Coding made the creation of software, apps and websites possible. Your internet explorer or chrome, WhatsApp and Facebook wouldn’t be there without coding. So here are 8 reasons why you may want to consider learning to code. 1. Code rules everything around me, cream get the money All major tech companies, from Google to Facebook, aggressively compete to hire gifted young coders. In the Silicon Valley area, for example, some reports suggest engineering graduates from Stanford University expect their starting salary to be nothing less than $100,000-120,000. “It’s fair to say that for school-leavers looking to maximise their potential income, few other skills open the door to as many well-paying and varied careers,” says Prof Rory O’Connor, head of the school of computing at Dublin City University. 2. Make code, not war Coding bridges the universal divide. It is the one language that connects different nationalities and countries. “We live in trying times and are pummelled each day by the news of cultural divisiveness,” says Doreen Lorenzo, founding director of the centre for integrated design at the University of Texas in Austin and board member and adviser for several startups. “If we look for common ground to bring countries together, coding is one of the rare exceptions. Everyone speaks the same language. There are no prejudices and no boundaries. People are unified to create. 3. Machines cannot code While many more jobs will continue to be lost to automation, ultimately it is coders who control what is automated. “You will always be in demand despite the predictions of your demise,” says Lorenzo. “Machines are machines. As they become smarter the fear is that human jobs may be replaced by the machine. That is true, but someone will have to code those machines. As those machines learn and begin to “code” themselves, humans will create and programme the next evolution of artificial intelligence. After all, humans have the empathetic ability to see when something new should be created.” 4. Coding… the real Esperanto Coding is used in almost all aspects of life and work now, be it directly or indirectly. It’s not just for companies in the tech sector. “An increasing number of businesses rely on computer code, from accountants using complex spreadsheets, to artists and designers using graphics software,” says Prof O’Connor. “Tensions between engineers and business people can arise due to a misunderstanding or lack of appreciation for the engineer’s job. An understanding of coding, across business functions, can eliminate such disconnect.” 5. The language of maths Literature and maths are two disciplines frequently polarised – formally and academically but consequently by individuals also. Coding straddles the divide between the two. It is the language of maths and has the power to be used for both creative and technical pursuits. “Computational thinking is a vital skill for the future,” says O’Connor. “While not every job in the future will involve coding, by learning to code or at least to understand the basic language of computers, you will develop an appreciation of how software engineers use maths and algorithms in code and thereby learn how to problem solve and to think both logically and creatively.” 6. “We’ve only just begun [coding]” – Karen Carpenter Programming is still in its infancy. In fact, two of the very first programming languages ever invented are still being used today: Fortran (developed in 1957) and Cobol. “This does not mean that we are using old technology,” says Josue Balandrano Coronel from the Texas advanced computing centre at the University of Texas at Austin. “Those programming languages are being used in very narrow contexts. Even so, this shows us programming has barely started on its own evolutionary path. UNIX was developed in 1969 and TCP/IP (the protocol powering “the internet”) was introduced as the standard in 1982 while the first iPhone was introduced in 2007. So although it may appear as if technology is advancing rapidly, we are witnessing something that is growing exponentially with much room for improvement. Fifty years from now, programming will not be anything like we know it today.” 7. Bringing code to Newcastle – there will always be new problems to solve Some will remember the scenes from the 1980s as thousands of coal miners took to the streets in pointless protest against the inevitable demise of their industry. Industries rise and fall as new technologies emerge. But we’re not likely to see code miners losing their jobs anytime soon. “This is the beauty of being a software developer,” says Coronel. “Not a single piece of software is built in solitude. There’s a team behind it, meaning two projects can never be the same. This makes programming an art. There will always be problems to solve. Computers are and will continue to be the cornerstone to building great things.” 8. “The world is one big data problem” – Andrew McAfee Second only to AI, the talk of the town for techies is “big data”. Being able to analyse large sets of data has always been an important yet difficult task. However, while we may have far easier access to data, it is arguably harder than ever to make sense of. Regardless, answers to fundamental questions are literally all around us

Blog, Essays, Writers

Letter From The Future by Folarin Oluwatimilehin.

The President,  Federal Republic of Nigeria.    Dear Sir,  LETTER FROM THE FUTURE  It might seem weird when you see the date on this letter. My intention is not to scare you, but to pass across a vital message that will be crucial to the nation. I am writing to you from 2035. Nigeria is in stern danger and we need your help. You might probably want to ask yourself what you have to do with that. It is not a big task; your decisions tend to be creating an unbearable problem for us. I will like to quintessentially break down the problem so that you can position yourself well to understand the next series of actions to take.  Presently in 2035, foreign debt has proven to be one of the foremost challenges facing us in the land due to the accumulated budget deficit, the inevitable desire of previous leaders to embezzle the nation’s fund, and most importantly, the politics behind infrastructural projects experienced in the first three decades of the 21st century in the country.    Without any iota of doubt, the major factor that distinguishes developed nations from the under-developed or developing ones is the ability to comprehend actions that can foster their economic growth, national development and eliminates poverty. In this regard, developed nations take the bold step of improving the state of their infrastructures. In fact, without a second glance at their airports, road networks, power lines, and the likes, a visitor will definitely fall in love with the serene environment. These infrastructures do not only provide a befitting atmosphere but also responsible for the booming of the economy. I was very happy to discover that Nigeria is learning from the super-giants, and inviting foreign nations to help her redefine the state of her infrastructures. However, it is disdainful that Nigeria is now looming in the ocean of financial debt as a result of some concealed happenings among the leaders.  Sadly, as I was going through the social media a few days ago, I discovered that Dr. Bongo Adi, the Director of Centre for the Infrastructural Policy Regulation and Advancement (CIPRA) said, “Nigeria lacks accountability, transparency, and responsibility to refund its loan.” [1] This is nothing but the truth. Digesting the words of Dr. Bongo, you will acquiesce with me that the government is causing great damage to future generations.   With China being Nigeria’s leading partner for the execution of infrastructural projects, statistics behind the scene is not encouraging. “Nigeria owes China about $3.1 billion, representing more than 10% of the nation’s $27.6 billion external debt stock,” Minister of Finance disclosed in February. Can Nigeria refund the extravagant loans from China and other foreign countries if the rate of borrowing keeps aggravating? This is a question that bothers me. Sadly, while taking a survey on the root cause of this revolting debt, I realised that most of the citizens erroneously think that it is due to the gigantic exceptional infrastructural projects being executed in Nigeria by these foreign countries. This is absolutely wrong I must profess and confess!  In contrast to people’s belief about foreign countries delivering quality projects in Nigeria, Peter Adebayo rendered such supposition invalid. He said, “It depends on how we perceive success.” Reinforcing that, Engineer Adejimi Lanre, a civil engineer disclosed to me during one of my visits to a construction site. He revealed that “the Nigerian government pays foreign contractors massively for their services which are sadly below par compared to what they are constructing in their respective countries.” He further added, “It is quite disgusting that foreign companies are paid almost 10 times greater than indigenous ones.”   Also, we need to learn from Dr. Labiran, a Nigerian Structural Engineer who did his Master’s degree program at Imperial College, and later bagged his doctorate degree from the University of Ibadan. He once said, “The government should start coming to Nigerian universities and see outstanding innovations by young brains. Students are making discoveries, and designing sky-scrapers, dams, bridges, drainage systems, magnificent road networks, among several other mind-blowing developments with 100% structural analysis success when examined, and tested with software. Why is the government not exploring these great minds, but rather finds pleasure in dishing out funds to people with white skins?” The answer is not far-fetched!   Corruption is the bedrock and one of the leading causes of infrastructural politics in Nigeria. Even if the nation is confronted with a financial dilemma, with no other option than to turn to International Financial Institutions for help, nevertheless, the government must not concede too easily to yield in the direction of taking depraved steps that could have been curtailed if things are done without bias, and there is the absence of hidden desire to loot funds. It is sad to even discover that the youths and aged men who are craving to taste out of money from corrupt practices are more than the cabals presently siphoning the government reserves. Dangers looming over dangers! This is a critical challenge facing the nation that must be addressed.  I would be glad if there is a turnaround and the financial risk associated with infrastructural projects is put under check. The state of infrastructure in the nation has called for aggravated worriment in the heart of all. Even though it is evident that the accessibility of functional infrastructures like roads, uninterrupted water supply, bridges, among several others seem to be fundamental, nevertheless, there is an observed public display of exasperating political show in that aspect.    It is no more news that infrastructure has connections capable of having precarious financial implications on the economy due to the enormous funding it commands. This is the reason the government must be cautious of the financial implications of borrowing. [2] I must have to reiterate it again at this point that the Federal Republic of Nigeria is in danger. The government is not taking cognizance of the increasing rate at which loans are being collected from foreign countries, without recourse to the future!  Interestingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that all countries need to equip their economy with vibrant labour force capable of dealing with internal affairs. Just as the cry for the government to shower the health sector with funds because there is no foreign country that will want to welcome a sick person into their land in this perilous period no matter how severe the case may be, it is high time such ideology is incorporated into the infrastructural industry. In light of this, if employees in indigenous companies are groomed, exposed, adequately trained, and are given projects to handle, then the need for inviting companies from foreign countries will dwindle drastically.  In conclusion, I will end with the word of James Lendall which says, “A man in debt is a man in chains.” We are not building a nation that will last for 4 years or two tenures. Rather, we are raising a country that will forever be a testament to the coming generations. The time to stop receiving loans that will injure the mental state of the future inhabitants is now.  I believe in Nigeria. I believe that there are people who are capable of cascading the nation into greatness. Together, we will fight and conquer the enemy called ‘foreign debt’ that is disturbing the peace of the land in the name of infrastructure politics before things get out of

Blog, Resources

British Council Presents #FutureLeadersConnect 2018 Apply Now!

You now have a chance to join a network of skilled, innovative and globally connected young leaders in the 2018 Future Leaders Connect organized by the British Council. Members will visit the UK for nine days to attend programmes on advanced policy and leadership development at the University of Cambridge, and equally participate in discussions at the UK Parliament. Eligibility: You must be aged between 18-35yrs. You should also reside in one of the participating countries that include Canada, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tunisia, UK, and the USA. Click here for further detail on how to apply.

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