THE EMERGING INFORMATION ECONOMY IN AFRICA: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

While the rest of the world is fast heading towards a globally networked information economy (IE) and society, Africa seems far behind as it is still grappling to provide its citizens with the most basic requirements of life such as food shelter and equal distribution of resources. However, Juxtaposing the opportunities and impacts of IE with its challenges, Africa must wake up to the global challenge and the earlier we do that the better.
Information Economy on one hand may describe the ongoing economic and social transformations following the pervasive applications of ICT, yet on the other hand it can represents an emerging and fast growing economic sector. These two views are yoked together and any attempt to conceptualize the information economy must have the robustness to address both. Hence we conceptualize the information economy to include the following:
(1) The design, production and distribution of ICT goods,
(2) The development and operation of network backbones and infrastructure and other telecommunications services
(3) The design, production and distribution of software packages and application solutions (4) The design and provision of professional services
(5) The design, packaging and distribution of contents
(6) E-commerce related activities and
(7) The informatization of the economy and society through the use of ICT and lastly the expected benefits to the whole economy from the above 7. (Alemayehu Molla, 2000).
Whereas Information economy provide a window of opportunities in terms of hardware which help to gradually build technological capability, software (niche domestic market for application solutions due to language, tax and regulations), professional services (pride in made in Africa consultants), market for Content production, telecommunications services (Mobile service provision (both in urban and rural areas (following the Grameen model), running telecenters for business, internet service provision), e-commerce (teleservices and opportunities due to WAP), Alemayehu Molla(2000) has asserted that Africa is still a
very poor player with little informatization of its economy and society, with very small share of the world’s ICT market and with an infant e-commerce experience.
What then is the way forward?
The AISI’s vision, which is subscribed by African countries, is set to lead the continent to a sustainable information society by the year 2010. To achieve this African countries must be willing to tackle the following challenges.
1. The Awareness Challenge: Sectoral and national awareness programs on the whole aspect of information economy should be lauched while local, national, sub-regional and regional economic learning on ICTs should be promoted.
2. The restrictive policies challenge: Policies that inhibit or make it very expensive to procure, deploy and roll-out the infrastructure should be abolished.
3. The infrastructure challenge
4. The Human resource capital challenge: Low human resource capacity in key technical skill areas to support designs is a major challenge. Training facilities should be made available for manpower development.

GANI FAWEHINMI: A TRIBUTE

“…we spend our years as a tale that is told…For it is soon cut off and we fly away…” ps 90:9,10

He bestrode the nation’s social and political landscape like a colossus perching on the wings of law in his struggle to free the oppressed and the voiceless. He stood unequaled among his contemporaries for he was a constant thorn in the flesh to irresponsible leaders at a time when others were unconcerned, some others fled.

Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), is no more and its hard to say goodbye. It is hard to accept that we don’t have our Gani with us again.

This was a man who was honoured as Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM) when the power that be were reluctant to give him his well deserved honour as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). For Gani, no oppression was too trivial to overlook, none too big to fight, no leader too fearful to engage. He became nightmare to dictators. From Gowon to Obasanjo,Buhari, Babangida and Sani Abacha, he fought the establishment tooth and nail for the emancipation of the masses and in consequence faced torture, incarceration and all forms of inhuman treatment such that no Nigerian activist living or dead match his detention record. The cancer that eventually took his life cannot be unconnected to the inhuman treatments meted out on him in prison.

Gani, a recipient of many national and international awards such as the international bars association’s Bernard Simmons award one again demonstrated his sense of purpose when he rejected the national award offered him by president Yar’adua in protest against years of misrule since 1960.

Gani lived a fulfilled life, he was consistent with his creed and left a legacy for us all. Now that he’s gone, may his legacy live on.

Adieu, Gani. May you rest in perfect peace and we achieve your dream Nigeria which you lived and died for.

Comments are welcome in honour of this great man.

SHEA BUTTER: NATURE’S GIFT FOR BEAUTY AND HEALTH

Botanical Name: Butyrospermmum parkii
Origin: Africa
Texture: Butter-like solid
Melting point: 89-95oC

Shea butter, the beige coloured creamy solid that readily melts in the hand is derived from the seed of shea tree(karate nut tree: vitellaria paradoxa) found in the semi arid west and central Africa.
It comes from the large shiny brown seed (shea nut) contained in the egg shaped green fruit of the shea tree. Every part of the shea tree useful t man as a source of fuel(wood), food, income, raw materials etc.
SHEA BUTTER EXTRACTION
Shea butter processing is historically done by village women as passed down to them through their elders. To produce shea butter, the nuts picked from the shea tree are cracked, grilled and pounded by hand. They are then boiled in water until the oil rises to the surface of the kettle. The when scooped into a gourd is then allowed to cool which thickens into a butter-like consistency referred to as the shea butter.
USING SHEA BUTTER
Although shea-butter’s melting point is 89-95oC, it readily melt in the hand. This quick rate of absorbability make is effect almost immediate especially on the skin. There are many different uses for shea butter. Highlighted below are some of the ways it may be used.
· Add a spoonful to your bath. This is especially helpful for those with dry and itchy skin, or some muscles.
· In massage, Shea butter can be used to soothe overexerted muscles, sprains, dislocations, etc.
· Shea butter which has a conditioning effect can be added as recipe for handmade soaps
· Massage into the scalp to heal dry scalp symptoms and stimulates hair growth
· May be used also by pregnant women to keep the skin supple and prevent stretch mark even after birth

NOW THE KING OF POP MUST BOW TO THE KING OF KINGS

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts… Shakespeare.

…and so Michael Joseph Jackson bowed out from this stage on 25th June 2009. Michael Jackson arguably, the world’s greatest pop musician of all time was indeed the king of pop.
He practically had the music world at his feet, he bestrode it like a colossus. He was indeed a great man.Michael Jackson who gave up the ghost in controversial situations
has gone the way of all flesh. It should be noted that greater men has gone this same way for we must all return to our creator. There all men both great and small, rich and poor, old and young, sinners and saints must all bow to the greatest of all.
As it is with M.J. he must lay down his crown before the king of king.
I keep asking myself, what become of Michael Jackson, if he doesn’t find favour with this great King, for it is appointed for man to die once, after which is judgement. I challenge you to ask yourself, reader: ‘What befalls me when I have to bow to my maker?’
If you have doubts in your heart, say this short prayer:
Lord Jesus, I acknowledge you as the one who died that I may escape condemnation
I acknowledge also that your death and resurrection has remitted for my sins
I therefore confess(briefly name them) and repent of my sins
I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior
To Love to obey and to follow.
So help me God (Amen).
For help, you can visit the nearest living Church to you or contact airbase20@gmail.com, airbase_20@yahoomail.com, or call +234802717404.

Remember we must all bow before our creator, someday!

IT PRODUCT PACKAGING AND MARKETTING: IMPORTANCE OF GOOD USER INTERFACE

Good user interface design can be very crucial to the acceptability or otherwise of a software product. It can spell the difference between acceptance of a software product and its failure in the marketplace. If the end−users find the software to be too cumbersome or difficult to understand, then an otherwise excellent product could be doomed to failure. While the developer looks to make the software as professional as possible, he/she should also as much as possible and as matter of importance consider user friendliness.

Unfortunately, it has been observed that many companies pay little attention to the mechanics of good user interface style. "As long as it works, that's what matters!" seems to be their mantra, with little regard for the inconvenience that this imposes on the user.

Some important factors to be considered in design of good user interface include

• Ease of use: A software product that always force the user to consult manuals cannot be considered as user friendly.
• Flexibility: A software should allow users to perform tasks quickly and efficiently without sacrificing power and flexibility
• Aestheticism: Aestheticism simply put means pleasing appearance, an interface should be that to which the user is attracted.

Design considerations such as the use of buttons and list boxes for data entry, instead of typing it in by hand, pop−up dialog boxes, to guide the user along the way, use icons and other graphics can go a long way in achieving user satisfaction.

A system designer must strive for excellence by paying close attention to the elements of software usability and flexibility. These are critical elements of software excellence, and they are worth pursuing.

ICT INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMME: THE NIGERIAN SITUATION

“New technologies can be an incredible tool of empowerment in schools, homes, businesses, community centers and every other part of our civic life.…Bill Clinton

In March 2003, the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementing Committee (HSGIC) approved the NEPAD ICT Infrastructure Programme whose prime objective is to integrate the African continent by harmonizing ICT Infrastructure initiatives across the continent, enabling trade, social and cultural interchange to take place with ease and affordability and ultimately assist Africa to “Bridge the Digital Divide”. The idea was that according to Bill Clinton, the capabilities of an ICT driven economy are limitless.

In response to this, many African countries have initiated moves and implemented policies to attain to this lofty height.

In Nigeria, the case is not different as successive governments have realized the importance of ICT infrastructure. The aim is to now explore the limitless world of e-governance.

The problem of inadequate ICT infrastructure must however be tackled first.

To address the problem of inadequate ICT infrastructure, the Federal Government of Nigeria has taken the following steps:

• Launching of the new National Telecommunications Policy in September 2000 to further liberalize the sector.
• Declaration of information and communication technologies as a national priority project.
• Approval of the National policy on Information Technology and subsequent establishment of a National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in March/April 2001, as the implementing agency.
• The launching of the Nigerian Satellite System programme by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NARSRDA).

These steps are to take Nigeria to its ICT promised land as one of the 20 leading ICT countries by the year 2020.

The private sector of the economy has also been very vibrant in the provision of innovative new products and services that has immensely improved ICT infrastructure over the years.

The pattern of governance in the country is however a source of serious concern to any discerning mind. Most of government’s policies remain on paper, while the few ones being carried out are highly politicized. There are no framework for implementing these policies and corruption being the order of the day remain a major militating factor against the actualization of government policies.

Therefore if we must get there, it must start from the top, government must be genuinely committed by sponsoring enabling laws, implement policies, experts should man government agencies on ICT, while a public-private synergy should be fostered.