No fewer than 301 youths have benefitted from the one-month holiday programme on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) organised by the Centre for Information and Telecommunication Engineering (CITE), at the University of Port Harcourt.
The programme which was christened “Catch Them Young Digital Boot Camp” was designed to equip young individuals with essential skills on emerging digital realities and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
Speaking during the graduation/exhibition ceremony, the Director of CITE, Prof. Bourdillon Omijeh, explained that the “Catch Them Young Digital Boot Camp” was more than a traditional holiday ICT training programme.
According to him, it is a life-changing, impactful, and career-driven experience aimed at preparing participants for the evolving digital landscape.
He said the programme is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative; not profit-driven, providing both privileged and less privileged youths equal access to digital education.
“This inclusivity enables participants to tap into the vast economic opportunities offered by the ongoing AI revolution.
“The Boot Camp trained about 301 participants, including about 190 males and 111 females, in various digital skills such as UI/UX, web development, mobile app development, coding, robotics, embedded systems, IoT, Drone technology, 3D design and printing, Microsoft Office packages, Python Programming, Data science, and Machine learning”, he said.
Professor Omijeh emphasised that the platform not only builds digital skills but also sharpens the vision, activates potential, and nurtures creativity and innovation in the participants, preparing them for excellence in their future careers.
He thanked the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Abraham Georgewill, for his continuous support for the Catch Them Young programme.
He also expressed appreciation to the parents, partners, and friends who contributed to the success of the initiative.
In his speech, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt commended the CITE team for their efforts in promoting digital literacy among young people and praised Professor Omijeh for his visionary leadership.
Also speaking, the Regional Coordinator of the National Information, Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Bernard Ewah, pledged NITDA’s continous support for CITE’s vision.
Mr. Chinedu Ikejiani of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) who represented the General Manager, Research, Stats and Development of NCDMB, Mr. Silas O. Ajimijaye, affirmed his organization’s commitment to supporting the initiative.
The Director of ICT, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Engr. Emeka Ani, who was represented by the Deputy Director of Information and Technology, NDDC, Engr. Patrick Isicheli, reiterated the Commission’s dedication to the programme and lauded Prof. Omijeh for his passion in promoting digital literacy in the Niger Delta region.
The Technical Manager of MTN, South-South, Dr. Theophilus, who has been an industry mentor in CITE also expressed satisfaction with the programme.
The graduands displayed their knowledge and skills on the CTY SCHOOL App, TICTAC TOE GAME App, CTY SCHOOL Website, Design of Website station, Design of an attendance system, and Design of an automated green house watering system(smart farm),
Design of gesture-controlled Robot Car, Design and implementation of an obstacle avoiding robot, Design and implementation of a remote and voice-controlled Robot car.
Others were Design and implementation of an industrial distribution robots, Design and implementation of a smart home automation robots, Design and implementation of a line following robot, Flash card design, Age Calculator, Tic tac toe game, Analog clock, Count down timer, etc.
The Tide source reports that “Catch Them Young Digital Boot Camp” which commenced from July 29, 2024, to September 7, 2024, has proven to be an invaluable platform for empowering young people with digital skills, preparing them to harness the economic benefits of the digital age.

The President, Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), Mrs Mariya Lagbaja, has pledged to support the wives of soldiers to develop their skills and capacity to be self-reliant.
Lagbaja made the pledge at the Mind-set Reorientation Seminar, organised for members of the Nigerian Army Soldiers’ Wives Association (NASWA) by the NAOWA in Abuja, last Wednesday.
She said the mind-set programme was designed to impact the lives of the women through skills acquisition with a view to bring out the best in them.
According to her, it makes them to discover who they are, and their skills, because so many of them are educated and talented with skills.
“This is something that will develop their skills and they will be able to make good out of themselves, be productive and be able to sustain them and their families.
“ So, this programme is actually something that is not just for NAOWA it’s also for NASWA to make sure that they are not left behind,’’ she said.
The NAOWA president expressed delight with the level of exposure and skills of the soldiers’ wives, adding that she was not disappointed with the women.
According to her, some of them have skills that if they can get people to support their businesses, they can go far in life.
The facilitator of the seminar, Mrs Celina Onogwu, said that some of the concerns raised by the women, especially about financing was understandable, emphasising that transformation began with the mind.
Onogwu said that the programme was aimed at providing valuable insights that would pave the way for positive changes in their lives and the society at large.
According to her, by focusing on how the mind works and how it can be renewed, we create the foundation for addressing and overcoming challenges effectively.
She expressed confidence that the session would help them understand the dynamics of their mind set and initiate a journey of mental transformation.
“When your mind is renewed, it becomes much easier to foster positive growth and achieve meaningful results,’’ she said.

The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) has urged security agencies to stop bullying innocent Nigerians, criticising the infringement on fundamental human rights and the undermining of Nigeria’s democratic values.
In a statement by NAS Cap’n, Dr Joseph Oteri, the association expressed concern that despite the current economic challenges and the escalating insecurity in the country, security agencies are compounding the situation by harassing innocent citizens.
Citing the recent arrest of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the terrorism charges against several anti-high cost of living protesters, the association lamented the alarming trend of security agencies using the pretext of combating terrorism to bully law-abiding citizens.
The statement read, “The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) is deeply troubled by the economic challenges facing Nigerians and the rising insecurity gripping our nation.
“Nigeria, as Africa’s largest economy, is grappling with issues such as high inflation, foreign exchange rate volatility, low productivity, weak governance, and inadequate infrastructure. These challenges not only threaten our growth prospects but also jeopardise stability.
“In addition to these pressing concerns, insecurity in Nigeria is escalating. A recent report by SBM Intelligence revealing 7,568 kidnappings in 1,130 incidents between July 2023 and June 2024 highlights the growing insecurity affecting our country.
“Amid these alarming circumstances, where Nigerians are
already suffering from economic hardships and living in fear due to rising insecurity, it is disheartening to witness security agencies bullying innocent citizens under the guise of counter-terrorism.”
The NAS Cap’n further stated that such heavy-handed tactics violate fundamental human rights and erode the trust between citizens and the security forces tasked with their protection.
He added, “The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) unequivocally condemns these actions by security agencies that trample on basic human rights and undermine democratic principles.”
The association called for a thorough investigation into the persecution of innocent Nigerians, stressing that the country’s democracy is founded on fairness, justice, and equality before the law.
“It is incumbent upon all relevant authorities at federal, state, and local levels to ensure that those responsible for violating the rights of Nigerian citizens are held accountable within Nigerian laws and international human rights standards.
“We urge all stakeholders, including government bodies, civil society organisations, religious leaders, and the media, to collaborate in finding lasting solutions to improve the safety and well-being of our fellow citizens.
“We must unite to condemn the bullying of innocent Nigerians and give them a voice. They do not deserve the injustices inflicted upon them, especially in these times when many families are struggling with harsh economic realities and pervasive insecurity across the country. We must stand together to ensure such injustices are not tolerated in our society,” he concluded.