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Tag: Bosun Tijani

  • Bosun Tijani reacts after emerging Communications Minister

    Bosun Tijani reacts after emerging Communications Minister

    President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday approved the appointment of Bosun Tijani as Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Tijani is a Nigerian-British entrepreneur and co-founder of Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), a leading Pan-African innovation and technology centre.

    President Tinubu assigned Tijani as Communications Minister after an excruciating screening by the Senate.

    During his ministerial screening, the Senate made reference to one of Tijani’s past tweets, which raised questions about his nationality. He was also perceived to have disrespected the Senators when he called them ‘morons’ in one of his old tweets.

    However, after surviving the ministerial screening scare and following his appointment as Communications Minister, Tijani is now faced with the onus task of creating and formulating policies that will propel the Nigerian economy to a digitalized economy.

    Meanwhile, the 46-year-old tech entrepreneur and investor has said he looks forward to raising the level of productivity across the Nigerian economy through the smart application of technology.

    “It’s an exciting time to build a bigger and better future for all Nigerians.  Grateful to President Bola Tinubu for the opportunity to join his team working to deliver a more inclusive and prosperous Nigeria.

    “I look forward to working with all stakeholders to raise the level of productivity across our economy through the smart application of technology,” Tijani stated.

    As Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Tijani will oversee the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Galaxy Backbone.

    TNG reports the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and Nigeria Communications Satelite Limited are all also under the purview of Tijani as Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.

  • Ministerial Screening: Why I tweeted in anger against Nigeria – Bosun Tijani

    Ministerial Screening: Why I tweeted in anger against Nigeria – Bosun Tijani

    The Senate on Saturday quizzed Bosun Tijani, one of the 48 ministerial nominees of President Bola Tinubu, when he appeared before them for screening on August 5.

    In a vexatious post, on the 21st of July 2019, Dr Bosun tweeted against Nigeria saying he does not appreciate the Nigerian passport and Nigeria as a nation.

    Senator Abdulfatai Buhari representing Oyo North Senatorial District, began to tackle the 46-year-old Tijani, an Information Technology expert, shortly after he (Bosun) read his profile to the lawmakers.

    Senator Abdulfatai  asked the nominee to clarify whether he still believes in Nigeria and the country’s passport.

    Reacting to the question, Tijani said he is very passionate about Nigeria and he is committed to the country’s development. The nominee said he tweeted as a result of a frustrating experience he had with the Chinese Embassy.

    “I tweeted in anger,” the ministerial nominee from Ogun State admitted.

    Senator Ishaku Abbo representing Adamawa North Senatorial District immediately rose to Tijani’s defense, saying that the nominee tweeted out of a mixture of frustration and love for Nigeria.

    Also, Senator Solomon Adeola from Ogun West Senatorial District defended the nominee from his state, saying his “youthful exuberance” and “shortcoming” should be forgiven.

    Adeola, who chided the nominee, said Tijani has what it takes to use his skills to develop Nigeria’s IT industry, saying the baby should not be thrown away with the bath water.

    Similarly, Senate Minority Leader representing Plateau North Senatorial District, Simon Mwadkwon, read another “non-patriotic” by Tijani which was posted sometimes in 2021.

    Also, Senate Majority Leader representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Opeyemi Bamidele, described Tijani as an “EndSARS protester”.

    Bamidele said his daughter also protested police brutality and extrajudicial killings in October 2020.

    He said said Tijani was trying to speak for his generation and should not be haunted for the tweet.

    The Senate Leader said Tinubu wants to work with young people like Tijani to bring harmonise their ideas for the betterment of the country.

    Bamidele asked youths to learn from Tijani’s situation and thereafter urged his colleagues to forgive the nominee.

    The nominee subsequently apologised for his non-patriotic tweets and Senate President Godswill Akpabio said his apology was accepted.

    “We are all fathers and we cannot throw the baby away with the bath water…On behalf of the Senate, I want to accept your apology,” Akpabio said and asked the nominee to take a bow.

  • Facebook, CcHUB to connect start-ups with big businesses

    Facebook and Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB) say they are partnering to connect start-ups to medium and large corporates.

    The companies made this known during the Press Day of Innovation Showcase Week (ISW) 2019 on Wednesday in Lagos.

    Speaking during the programme, Chief Executive Officer of CcHUB, Bosun Tijani, said that the firms had organised Innovation Showcase Week (ISW) 2019 for the start-ups.

    Tijani said that ISW, which opened between February 27 to March 1, 2019, would unveil the latest transformative technologies that would redefine industries.

    He said that the transformative technologies would solve some of the most pressing business and consumer challenges in Nigeria.

    According to him, a first of its kind event with over 20 exhibiting technology startups, will showcase the latest technology innovations to some 400 business and industry representatives across two days.

    ”Innovation Showcase Week, tagged ”ISW 2019” is the first technology product showcase exhibition out of the startup support programmes by technology innovation centre – Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB) and global enterprise, Facebook.

    ”We recognise the urgent need to accelerate innovation support to medium and large corporates who are positioned to secure significant gains for the economy through smart application of technology.

    ”ISW will close the gap between corporates and startups by being an unprecedented platform where industry leaders can experience and adopt homegrown innovations and solutions first hand.

    ”Showcasing startups at ISW would unveil their ground-breaking innovations built in Facebook’s deep-technology startup programme – FBStart Accelerator and the CcHUB 2018 Incubation programme,” he said.

    Tijani said that the products on display leveraged advanced technologies such as Data Science, Internet of Things, Visual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

    He said that the products were across eight categories of Healthcare, Agriculture, Mobility, Energy, Education, Safety, Training and Security.

    According to him, these solutions proffer break-through advances to business and consumer challenges in Nigeria.

    On the ISW 2019 showfloor, exhibiting AI and Security-focused startups are Chiniki Guard, SayPeace, Identity Tech, E-Estates, DeepQuest AI and Insyt demonstrate AI’s promising power.

    Other products on display for the Health and Agriculture sectors include Vetsark, Doctoora, Plantheus, TrepLabs, Gricd and Truppr.

    Energy and Mobility dedicated areas have Upnepa, Smart Electricity, Hydrolite, Cycles and Lara products on display.

    The Virtual reality and Safety Training section showcases immersive solutions from Quadron VR, Kanji Drive and Project Move.

    Ms Kendra Nnachi, Facebook Startup and Developer Programmes Manager, said that ISW embodied the innovative spirit that defined the Nigerian startup ecosystem.

    Nnachi said that the world was in the age where innovation matter, hence, the need to support and promote innovations.

    She urged the start-ups to always develop innovation that stand the taste of time and sustain their livelihoods.

    ”The products and services launching here by the Facebook and CcHUB supported startups will empower individuals and enterprises to change our world for the better,” Nnachi said.