SIR: As the prediction of Luhan Marshall on the world translating to a global village becomes a reality with information and communication technology (ICT) as its sole facilitator; the emergence of a new market to carter for the universal demand for information technology (IT) equipment and devices became inevitable. While the Europeans boast of the California’s Silicon Valley as one of its largest and phenomenal IT market, West Africa parades Nigeria’s Computer Village, Ikeja, on the same scale.
But the fact that Computer Village is a historical incident with consequential deficiencies is oblivious to many. History has it that the present location of the IT market was a residential area until late 1999 when Information Technology was identified as a key element for sustainable national development. And with the high number of rural migrants searching for a greener pasture in the mega city of Lagos, many businessmen decided to invest in the trade of IT gadgets and devices.
Overtime, the residential street of Otigba, Ikeja, metamorphosed into a commercial area, lacking an initial feasibility plan by both the government and stakeholders. The nemesis of this inaction is evident in the disorderly state of the market where every kind of illegal and unethical trading activities thrive, from sales of sub-standard smartphones, laptops and accessories, to sales of stolen IT devices as well as swindling prospective customers. The list goes on and on. In fact many people end up buying fake or stolen products at their first visit to the market. This is a dent on the highly esteemed IT hub of West Africa
Besides, the menace of touts and street urchins make a visit to the market almost intolerable. Regardless of the different route one may ply to access the market, a wave of unsolicited invitations and beckoning to patronise these street urchins, disguised as walkway traders always awaits prospective customers. And in an attempt to avoid their “rugged invitation”, one can never tell when one is dispossessed of personal valuables. Although there is a Police Post situated at the market to curb criminal activities in the market, but often time, duped customers cannot even identify a suspect amidst the crowd of tout and lack evidence to assist investigation into the case.
Also, the “almighty” landlords are not making trade endurable for both traders and customers. The crazy rent they charge for each shops have driven many IT dealers to the street to eke out a living. But these streets and walkways are already congested with petty traders who sell clothes, shoes, bags and other items in the free IT market. The addition of many IT dealers who could not afford to rent a shop to join the train at the walkway results to the rowdiness predominant in the market. And when the Kick Against Indiscipline (KIA) officials conduct a raid, all they seemed to be interested in is bribery which may come in any form; cash, kind and goods.
All these defects coupled with the controversy of relocating IT market to Kantangowa, a suburb area lacated along Lagos-Badagry Expressway, undermines the hope of Computer Village, Ikeja becoming a world class IT market. Stakeholders in the IT industry must join hands to develop and restructure the market. Counterfeit products do not fly “unaided” or into the country. The Customs officials must bolter up their fight against the importation of fake and contraband IT equipments and devices into the country. Also, frequent raid should be carried out at the market to sniff out erring dealers.
The National Information Development Agency (NITDA) must recognize that though the development of new IT parks and innovation hub is a commendable effort, sustainability and maintenance of existing IT hubs must not be ruled out in order to meet the commercial demand for IT equipment and accelerate the rate of technological innovation in Nigeria and West Africa at large.
Comments
Post a Comment