The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Computer Village

  • Relocation of Lagos Computer Village divides traders

    Relocation of Lagos Computer Village divides traders

    Traders in the popular Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos, are divided over the plan of the state government to relocate the market to Katangowa, a suburb of the state.

    While the traders, acting under the aegis of Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN), said the development will free up traffic along the way which incidentally leads to Alausa, the seat of the state government and offer sellers and buyers more room to do business, some of the traders say the relocation will dislocate their business.

    CAPDAN Secretary, Mr. John Oboro, said the rationale behind the relocation is to increase business and build a modern ICT centre that anyone would be able to compare with the likes of Silicon Valley in the United State (U.S).

    Mr. Oboro, who lamented that Nigeria is not into production, said: “We are a buying nation,”adding that the relocation would make a difference in Africa.

    He said; “Our plan for Katangowa is a place you would see factories producing products for Nigerians consumption. We would produce soft and hard wares, computers, phones and all accessories such that we will no longer import ICT products.

    Mr Oboro who made reference to some Nigerian companies, including, Omatek and Zinok that are already into production of computers, said the country has what it takes to manufacture ICT products but space has been the hindrance.

    “The government has been talking about African Content; we are trying to develop a concept that would be African driven, it would be in such a way that we would produce ICT products for our own use and even for exportation, he said, lamenting that the enabling environment for this to happen is non-existent

    “Computer chips, motherboard, and other accessories are not produced here. All the parts produced here are sub-standard. There is no factory in Nigeria that does production. What they do is mere assembling of f knock-down components. But we can have those facilities here if we have a sincere government, ready to drive the will of the progress of ICT.

    “Anywhere in the world today, ICT is the fastest world growing economy; there is no dispute about that, even more productive than oil. Today we see new dimensions of systems, there is an evolution in the ICT, and government has to sit up,” he added.

    He urged Governor Akinwumi Ambode to revisit the issue with a view to giving the market ‘a human face,’ saying the project would not only create jobs within but also extend to the West African sub-region. He said this will make the country to become ICT hub for the sub-region.

    But a dealer in phones, Christian Chukwu, disagrees with Oboro on the benefits of relocating the market.

    He said: “I don’t support the idea because a lot of people have invested in Otigba Market, some have bought plazas, and some have paid hundreds of millions of naira to buy shops, so for you to say you want to move them is destroying their plans,

    “Lagos Computer Village is an opportunity for the state government to have an edge in the ICT world, moving to Katangowa, a land between Lagos and Ogun would hinder Lagos State from having that edge in the ICT world.”

    Another phone dealer who identified himself simply as Obina, agreed no less with Chukwu. He said the government has no justification to relocate the market, stressing that buyers are closer to Otigba Market and considering the traffic, distance and stress of traveling to Katangowa, especially with bad roads.

    According to him Katangoa is not as spacious as Otingba Market in terms of the landscape: “It is not as big as this place, not even as broad as here, it is a narrow way and i don’t think it can accommodate what we have here except the government wants to spend all their allocation on that space, which means it will have to buy other portion of land and start building complexes. The movement will be negative, because the harm it will cost us is more than the benefit we will get from it.”

     

  • How to eschew stolen phones in Computer Village

    Computer Village, Ikeja has been described as the final destination of IT product in Africa where customers from within and outside Nigeria purchase quality laptops, phones, electronic accessories and other electronic gadgets. However the sale of stolen phones have dented the image of the ICT village.  Most people end up buying stolen phones during their first visit to the market.

    Business owners in the market blame this on ignorance on the part of visitors.

    One of them, Christian Obiora said people easily fall prey because most of them go after the purchase of second hand phones which most times are purchased from over-zealous road sellers who do not have addresses.

    “It  will be advisable for customers to always purchase new brand products which can easily be got from shops for which receipts are issued after payment. That way, there is a verifiable way of tracing the seller.

    Mr. Mark Amadi said people fall victim of buying  stolen products because they are often persuaded by roadside sellers who most times sell stolen phones.

    He said: ” The same phone that is being sold for N50,000  in the shop  is the same phone a person on the roadside will sell for  N25,000 and people will buy it. Few days after, the phone develops fault and you come back to that same spot, you won’t see the person who sold the phone. Who is to  blame?”

    He also said most people are fleeced because they don’t come to the right place to get the right product, adding that all people wanted is to get a quality gadget for a cheaper price.

    He said there are benefits of buying from Ikeja Computer Village which include the opportunity to buy a quality product at affordable prices. He warned that one could however end up buying fake product by paying attention to people soliciting patronage  instead walking into a shop and bargain  for the price of whatever you wish to buy.

    He said this is the reason most people come to Computer Village while some people think everyone is a criminal, He said this is the reason most people come to Computer Village while some people think everyone is a criminal, that it is a place for pick-pockets and swindlers. “This is not so because the buyers themselves don’t go to the right place to get quality product they desire. They prefer to patronise impostors whose stock in trade is sellling stolen gadgets or badly used ones which always brings reputational challenge to us,” he said.

     

     

     

  • The new Lagos riders

    The new Lagos riders

    In Lagos State, cycling is gaining momentum according to this report by Joe Agbro Jr.

    It was a bright day, perfect for outdoor activities. And for Komolafe Ademola and two of his friends in the highbrow Allen Avenue, Ikeja area, part of enjoying the day meant taking turns to leisurely ride a bicycle in the estate grounds.

    “I love to cycle,” Ademola gushed after his turn, bustling with the energy of a contented young man. Hitherto, eyebrows would have been raised at the actions of Ademola and his friends. Except in the rural areas, In Nigeria, riding of bicycles is largely considered children’s pastime. But, that is not the situation in Lagos anymore. “It is good exercise and my two children have bikes of their own too. Atimes, instead of driving you can just go around with it. That guy (referring to one of his friends) has two cars,” Ademola said. “But he still loves riding.”

    Ademola and his friend are not alone in this new found love for cycling. Indeed, many residents are beginning to adopt cycling as not only sports but also as a means of movement. And in different parts of Lagos, young people, especially boys and men can be seen pedalling away – either in the course of work or leisure.

    For 15-year old Olakunle, a student of Oduduwa Grammar School, Mushin, riding a bike is fun. Though, he said only rides his bicycles within his Mushin residence. According to Olakunle, it is his brother who is a mechanic that uses the bicycle most of the time. “If he has a job to do somewhere,” he said, “that is what he uses to go there.”

    While Olakunle rides just for fun, to Tunde Olaoye, a graphic artist who resides in Surulere, cycling is his mode of transportation to and fro work daily. “It is very easy and cheap for me,” he said. “I don’t have to worry about hold-up or transport fare. I just get on my bike and go where I want to.”

    Indeed, on nearly every nook and cranny of the state, there is someone pedalling, even contesting the use of the road with motorists. Asked whether he worries about being knocked down by other vehicles, Olaoye offered his advice offhandedly. “Anyone who is not expert enough should not ride on busy roads.”

    Also, it seems the introduction of the Lagos State Traffic Law which banned commercial motorcycles of categories of 200CC engine capacity or less from 475 roads in the state, has increased the number of bicycles on the road.

    One of those affected is Benjamin Okpokri who works as an office assistant in Ikeja and blames his biking on the absence of commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada. “In the course of my work, I have to move around at short notice,” he said. “Because they (government) have banned Okada, I can’t do that anymore. Since there is no law against bicycles, it was decided I could be using it to move around. At first I didn’t like the idea. But, I am now enjoying it.”

    Because of this renewed interest in cycling, second-hand bikes have flooded the market, and bicycle sellers are having a field day.  Akeem, a bicycle seller at the Computer village, Ikeja said he has been enjoying huge patronage. “I used to sell only used computer parts before,” he said. “But, for the past two years, I’ve been selling bicycles and it is moving well.”

    The costs of these second-hand bicycles range from about N10, 000 to N35, 000 depending on the functionality. Also, adornments such as crash helmets are available but so at the moment, traffic law enforcement officials hardly look at that. Hence, it is a common sight to see many of the riders get on highways without the proper safeguards such as crash helmets, shin guards, and knee pads. In addition, reflective lamps, and headlights are often missing on many of the bicycles.

    The risky activities of these riders however have come to the notice of the Lagos State Safety Commission headed by Mrs. Dominga Odebunmi, the director-general. According to her, bicycling is a legal form of transportation which the Lagos state government recognises. She however that caution must be adhered to by the riders.

    “The fun must be done in a safe manner,” she said. “If anything happens to them, it’s not going to affect only them. I notice that we don’t have as many bicycles as so many other countries. But, we want to encourage that bicycle riders should make use of their personal protective equipment which is their hard hats, knee pads, chin pads, and ride not in between vehicles. They should ride where the vehicle drivers can actually see them in the mirror. And they should lower their speed. They don’t race against vehicles on the road.”

    Good advice for the riders. And while some people believe biking is just a fad, there is no doubt that it is fast catching on. And whether for work or leisure, it seems this way of getting from point A to point B is going to be around for sometime. Anyone in doubt just needs to move around Lagos to see the citizens’ growing passion towards biking.