Tech

By Sabiu Abdullahi

X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has closed its Brazilian office due to a dispute with Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes over censorship.

According to X, Judge de Moraes threatened to arrest its legal representative in Brazil unless the company complied with his directives to censor certain content. 

Despite the office closure, X confirmed that its platform remains accessible to users in Brazil.

The dispute began when Judge de Moraes ordered X to block accounts accused of spreading misinformation, primarily supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro. 

X owner Elon Musk criticised the judge, leading to daily fines of $19,774 and potential legal consequences for X’s Brazilian representatives.

Musk is now under investigation for alleged obstruction of justice and other charges. 

X stated, “As a result, to protect the safety of our staff, we have made the decision to close our operation in Brazil, effective immediately.

The responsibility lies solely with Alexandre de Moraes. His actions are incompatible with democratic government.” 

Musk posted on X, “There was no question that Moraes needs to leave. If we had agreed to (Mr. Moraes) @alexandre’s (illegal) secret censorship and private information handover demands, there was no way we could explain our actions without being ashamed.”

By Ishaka Mohammed

The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy has invited schools, parents and guardians to register their wards for the Build-A-Thon Holiday Camp, three weeks’ training for secondary school students aged 10 to 18.

The Ministry said via its verified X handle that the training will be held in 14 states simultaneously from August 19 to 30, 2024 to immerse the schoolchildren in the global digital economy.

“Build-A-Thon is an initiative of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy with the goal of introducing students between ages 10 and 18 years to embedded systems and other emerging technologies, equipping them with future-proof skills that will make them key players in the global digital economy,” part of the post reads.

However, as opposed to the number of states (14) mentioned in the post, The Daily Reality noticed 15 states on the form. At the time of filing this report, The Ministry or its X handler has yet to respond to the enquiry about the difference between the figures.

The states on the form are as follows:

Gombe, Taraba, Yobe, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Kwara, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Imo, Abia, Anambra, and Cross River.

Earlier in January, the first phase of the programme was held in three cities (Owerri, Abeokuta and Maiduguri), targeting 1,500 senior secondary school students from 150 schools, who were introduced to Raspberry Pi, embedded systems, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT). The Cable reported that the participants built prototypes of smart homes, speedboats, automated parking lot, heartbeat monitor, digital timer alarm systems, electric car, smart doors, etc.

For the August phase, interested schools, parents or guardians can register their kids in the aforementioned states via this link: https://shorturl.at/nMgNn.

By Ishaka Mohammed

If I had had enough money a few days ago, I would have bought a new phone because of a certain feature I seriously wanted. However, I got an alternative from the internet. A free Android application brightened my gloomy day, so I call it my app of the year.

My wireless microphone couldn’t capture my voice during video recording but worked well with pure audio recording. I tested the mic on two Android phones and got the same results. 

I complained to the guy from whom I bought the mic, but he ghosted me for several days after informing me that it worked well when he tested it. I knew this guy through a friend, so I thought he was a retailer, not knowing he was a shopping agent. 

I later met with the retailer, who stressed that the one-month warranty period had elapsed. However, he examined my phone and said I needed a more advanced one to be able to use a wireless mic for video recording. He proved his point beyond doubt by testing the same mic on his phone and other mics on mine.

It was a difficult situation for me. After examining my options, including the cost of using effective noise reduction apps or getting a quiet open space to shoot videos, I almost resolved to stop creating audiovisual content for a while.

But I later watched a YouTube video on a related challenge and tested the recommended app and bingo! My problem was solved.

Open Camera is a free, offline app written by Mark Harman. It might save somebody’s neck the way it did mine. It’s on the Play Store.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has announced plans to hire new staff.

A statement by NNPC spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, confirmed the development on Friday.

The recruitment will be for various positions across various departments within the energy company.

Interested applicants have been directed to visit the NNPC careers page for application instructions.

“NNPC Ltd is pleased to announce that we are currently hiring for multiple positions across various departments.

“We are seeking talented and dedicated individuals to join our team. Visit our careers page for application instructions,” the statement read.

However, due to unprecedented traffic to the NNPC Ltd career page from applicants applying for vacancies, the site is currently experiencing slow load times.

The company has assured that its technical team is working to resolve the issue.

Despite the technical challenge, the application process deadline remains August 20, 2024.

By Halima Ibrahim

Sheikh Ali Isa Ibrahim, also known as Pantami, a former Nigerian minister, called for a debate over his books. In response, Ibrahim Bello-Kano, a Professor of English from Bayero University Kano, called Pantami a “poor writer”. The rejoinder, as obtained by The Daily Reality, reads:

Now, I have a few points to make about Mr Pantami wishing or asking to debate his critics. But before my first point, let me say this. If the forwarded message on this platform is really from, or written by, Pantami, then it’s clear that he’s a poor writer and a shoddy thinker to boot.

Look at the poorly written prose and the ample indicators of the writer’s low critical thinking acumen.

So, back to my first point: millions of books and papers by living authors are reviewed across the writing and publishing world daily, but I’ve never heard of any serious writer or author asking to debate his or her reviewers or commentators on his or her book. Pantami’s demand to debate his critics is pretty odd for any sound academic or scholar.

Second, Reviews have a world of their own and are not personal or personalised pieces or responses.

Third, Pantami can respond to his critics in writing. This is quite acceptable. His quip that his critics should rather write their own books is powerful evidence of his being an alien to academic culture.

Fourth, the debate on skills versus degree qualification is an old one, since the 1950s. It was an old credo of American Pragmatism from William James to John Dewey (see, on this, Richard Rorty’s “Consequences of Pragmatism”, 1989). So, Pantami isn’t saying anything new. He’s, again, not conversant with the topic in Education, Pedagogy, or Teacher Training.

Fifth, Pantami is the typical semi-educated person who’s pained by ASUU’s rejection of his illegal Professorship and is desperate to soothe his badly bruised ego.

Sixth, his or the claim that his book is being translated into many other languages is either a lie or just an attempt to pass off his questioned erudition. Let him or his defenders mention or give evidence as to the languages that his book has been translated into. Just how many? It’s rare to see an author literally begging to debate his critics or reviewers in the immediate moment.

Finally, Pantami can have his dubious “bragging rights”, but that’s where his case properly belongs — bragging rights for a man whose ego and scholarly claims have been badly and justifiably bruised.

Indeed, the whole debate on skills and not just degrees was misconceived. Richard Rory in his book, “Consequences of Pragmatism” shows how skills as such and theoretical understanding or epistemic capacity cannot ever be separated. Pantami’s book was a cowardly critique of University academics in general. As a person, Pantami has had deep inferiority complexes relative to his more intellectual colleagues. That became worse after his illegal Professorship debacle, which was heavily criticized by many groups. The Latinate word TECHNE says it all. You learn to root knowledge in the very act of doing.

Conceptual thinking is always present, even in the so-called skills. Take a mechanic who has had long years of learning by doing. Yet that mechanic cannot now know about changes in technology in which one has to follow diagrams, instructions, and manuals to install an electric circuit or new nozzle equipment in a new model car. The best doctors or mechanics are those who keep abreast of theoretical or conceptual developments in their field. Skills are not enough. Theoretical understanding prepares one to adapt to a situation. Pantami is just flogging a dead worse.

Again, he’s not well versed in the very philosophy of action that he wrongly thinks comes before the episteme. Finally, what would Pantami say about a cutting-edge science called THEORETICAL PHYSICS?

By Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Abdullahi

I have recently seen the proliferation of the use of some letters which are clearly not part of the mainstream Hausa writing system. These letters are now getting ground and are even trying to push away the real and bonafide owners of the place. These are no other than the new Ƙ and Ƴ and some of their other dependants.

You see, in the field of Hausa orthography, we are already battling with various challenges that defy simple logic and reasoning and lack uniformity amongst the Hausa scholars. However, I find this recent one very shocking and disturbing. This is simply because, when you have a controversy about how to write a Hausa word, that may not be a big problem as perhaps each variant of the spellings may have some scholars backing it, and they may have a cogent and academic reason for that. But for these new entrants – Ƙ, Ƴ, ƴ – I don’t know who backs them. I don’t know who sent them. I don’t know who among the scholars promotes and propagates them. I feel like they are sent by some hidden forces of technology.

I can guess from where these recalcitrant intruders are coming. They are from our (newly) electronic gadgets and some Hausa keyboard applications, which are just sent into the market without any regard to the experts and knowledgeable professors in the field. Someone who has a company of smartphones will just employ those who think they know Hausa or, those who speak Hausa, or those who don’t even care about Hausa to do the Hausa technical dealings for him. This is where the problem probably came from. If you check our smartphones and some computer symbols, you find these deviant Ƙ and ƴ hanging around without any reason and without knowing who brought them. They are just like gatecrashers who are trying to feast more than the invited VIPs.

The affected legitimate Hausa consonants, which are the victims of this I-don’t-care mischief, are primarily the К and ‘Y. These are the correct ways in which these two are written: /К/- /ƙ/ and /’Y/- /’y/ respectively, and not as /Ƙ/ and /ƴ/. The main point of contention is the hook and where the hook should be. For the sake of knowledge, these are the only primary hooked and twin letters we have in Hausa, both small and capital, respectively /ɓ/,/ɗ/, /ƙ/,/’y/ and their capital Ɓ, Ɗ, К, ‘Y. The hooks you see on them have their specific and fixed position. It is not hooked anyhow and anywhere.

Phonologically speaking, /К/ is the capital letter of that Hausa voiceless velar ejective sound, while the /ƙ/ is the small letter. Equally, /’Y/ is that Hausa palatalized-glottal stop sound, and /’y/ is the small letter, but we don’t know of the newly emerged – /Ƙ/, /Ƴ/ and /ƴ/, from where are they and how are they phonologically represented? All we know is, that they are the illegitimate trying to push away the legitimate sons of the Hausa alphabet. And they are gradually gaining ground and getting momentum even among those who ought to have cared a lot and dismissed them for long.

Hausa orthography is one of the essential forms of knowledge, yet many people don’t bother to learn. Many writers don’t know how to write Hausa correctly or even know they don’t (know that). So sad! But very few are trying to learn. Good!

Generally, in the Hausa language, the hooked letters suffer a lot of trouble and total neglect by those who don’t care. But we are there for them as we surely care. I recently bought a smartphone and decided to return it when I realized it doesn’t contain Hausa in its language entry setting. I took it to someone who did something to it and the Hausa is back. Later, I formatted the phone and lost the Hausa again. I feel like throwing the phone away because I always feel embarrassed when I have to type something or respond to someone while the hooks are not properly represented. This is something serious to us that many others see as nothing.

I don’t have any problem with them if they are accepted, authorized, and certified by respected members and our professors in the field, but I have problems when they keep popping up and occupying the legal orthographical space of others.

Whatever someone says about them, one thing is certain: They are not in the books or from the books. Who can clarify this for us? Please help and save me or save them. If we accept them, fine; they are welcome. If not, please jail them. They are real intruders and disrupters of peaceful and correct writing.

Muhammad Sulaiman Abdullahi is a Hausa Language lecturer with the Department of Nigerian Languages at Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. He can be reached via muhammadunfagge@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Samsung has regained its position as the world’s leading smartphone seller, overtaking Apple, according to the latest report from the International Data Corporation (IDC) released on Monday.  

The industry tracker revealed that worldwide smartphone shipments saw growth of nearly 8 percent in the first quarter of this year, reaching 289.4 million units.

This marks the third consecutive quarter of growth, indicating a recovery from a previous slump in the sector. 

Samsung shipped 60.1 million smartphones during this period, capturing close to 21 percent of the market share.

On the other hand, Apple shipped 50.1 million iPhones, accounting for just over 17 percent of the market.

Apple’s smartphone shipments experienced a 9.6 percent decline compared to the previous quarter, while Samsung’s shipments decreased by less than one percent. 

Chinese smartphone brands are also making significant strides in the market.

Xiaomi saw a 33 percent growth in shipments, reaching 40.8 million units, securing the third position.

Transsion, another Chinese brand, experienced an impressive 85 percent growth, shipping 28.5 million units and claiming the fourth spot in the overall smartphone market. 

Ryan Reith, Vice President of IDC’s Worldwide Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers team, commented on the shifting dynamics, stating, “While Apple managed to capture the top spot at the end of 2023, Samsung successfully reasserted itself as the leading smartphone provider in the first quarter.”

Reith also expects Samsung and Apple to continue dominating the high-end smartphone market while Chinese competitors aim to increase their sales. 

Nabila Popal, Research Director with IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team, highlighted the changing landscape among the top smartphone companies.

“There is a shift in power among the Top 5 companies, which will likely continue as market players adjust their strategies in a post-recovery world,” Popal said.

She also noted Xiaomi’s strong comeback and Transsion’s growing presence in international markets as key developments to watch.

By Salisu Uba, PhD, FCIPS

In Nigeria, especially in the North, the time is ripe for successful entrepreneurs and business leaders to forge an alliance and spearhead investment in the burgeoning startup ecosystem. By forming angel syndicates to venture capitalists, we can create a robust foundation for attracting substantial investment not only from within Nigeria but also from across the globe. This aligns with locally supported startups through investment, addressing market fit and confidence in the business model, especially if the solution is locally targeted.

Why is this crucial?

Firstly, establishing angel syndicates allows us to tap into the wealth of knowledge and experience possessed by seasoned entrepreneurs. Imagine having a syndicate of angels across all states investing in and mentoring startups and small businesses; this could lead to more successful ventures, social impact, and job creation. Typically, when you have resources and skills in business, it becomes an avenue for addressing challenges and opportunities within the startup landscape, making it a source of invaluable mentorship for emerging businesses.

Secondly, starting with angel syndicates incentivizes the process of attracting more venture capitalists, signifying a maturation of the investment ecosystem. It’s important to understand that venture capitalists bring not only financial backing but also strategic guidance and access to extensive networks, propelling startups towards rapid growth and scalability.

I am glad that some folks are forming partnerships and have come up with venture labs funding. However, my question is how effective this is, especially when we don’t get updates about the deals they have closed? I want to be positive, as a typical round of investment can take anywhere from 3-7 months.

Furthermore, without adequate funding, promising startups risk stagnation or even relocation to more investment-friendly destinations. Incorporating in these alternative jurisdictions not only deprives Nigeria of potential economic growth from the ecosystem but also undermines the socio-economic development of the country offered by the startups.

Lastly, to catalyze this transformation, heightened awareness and targeted training programmes are essential for our successful entrepreneurs and business leaders. Educating successful entrepreneurs on the benefits and mechanisms of investing in the startup ecosystem will empower them to become active participants in driving innovation and economic prosperity.

Business schools in Nigeria should come up with tailored programmes on startup investment opportunities and the future of sustainable business practices. Our revenue houses should perhaps create incentives for high net-worth individuals when participating in investment in startups or small businesses.

I am absolutely certain that Nigerian entrepreneurs and business leaders should be engaged in creating a network of angel investors to invest in the startup ecosystem. We can foster a culture of innovation, drive economic growth, and position Nigeria as a leading player in the global startup landscape. Now is the time to act, to seize the opportunity, and to realize the full potential of Nigeria’s entrepreneurial spirit.

I am sure platforms like Startup Arewa, NITDA, Ministry of Finance, FIRS, and many other stakeholders can facilitate a dialogue and create a conversation around my proposition.

Salisu Uba, PhD, can be reached via salisuuba@ymail.com.

By Al-Jannat Mohammed

The distinction between one’s private and public life is becoming more and more hazy in a time when social media dominates. Celebrities, who were formerly admired for their abilities and accomplishments, now have to navigate a world in which the public is interested in every aspect of their lives.

The younger generation has been influenced by this culture of perpetual exposure, as they readily divulge personal information online, undermining the idea of privacy. The story of Nigerian actor, Yul Edochi, and his second wife is a compelling illustration of this phenomena, and offers a prism through which to consider the effects of this invasion of privacy.

Without a doubt, the emergence of social media has completely changed how people communicate, making it possible to share information instantly with anyone on the planet. The loss of personal boundaries that results from people voluntarily disclosing their private lives to the world is the drawback, though.

Because they are in the public glare, celebrities have been hardest hit by this cultural change. For example, Yul Edochi’s second marriage turned into a social media show, with every detail of their union, family dynamics, and personal hardships visible to everybody with an internet connection.

Beyond just celebrities, this tendency affects the younger generation as well, who have grown up in a time of continual communication. Many people reveal personal information about themselves online because they want to be validated and accepted by others.

The younger generation frequently compromises privacy in the chase of likes, comments and virtual acceptance, whether it be for relationship milestones or personal struggles. This raises questions about how such behaviour may affect people’s general well-being, self-esteem and mental health in the long run.

Although the loss of privacy is a complicated problem with wide-ranging effects on the society, there may be ways to lessen its effects. Above all, it is critical to teach the next generation the value of establishing and upholding limits. Giving people the skills to decide what parts of their lives are best kept private helps them feel more in charge of their own story.

Prioritising digital literacy education is important, with a focus on the lasting nature of online content and the possible repercussions of excessive sharing.

Social media sites can also be extremely important in encouraging responsible sharing. Pop-up reminders and privacy checklists are two examples of features that can be implemented to encourage users to reconsider sharing sensitive information and prevent impulsive sharing.

Platforms should also make investments in strong privacy settings so that users may decide who can see their content. Encouraging social media usage in a way that is balanced and respects one’s personal limits sends a strong message about how important privacy protection is.

In the end, the degradation of privacy in the era of celebrity culture is a complex problem that calls for cooperation from people, organisations, and digital platforms. Fostering a healthier connection with the digital world requires finding a balance between the advantages of connectedness and the maintenance of personal boundaries.

We may endeavour to create a culture that values and respects privacy in an increasingly connected world by embracing responsible sharing behaviours, encouraging digital literacy, and setting positive examples.

Al-Janat Mohammed is an NYSC corps member with PRNigeria in Abuja

By Haruna Chiroma, PhD

Internationally, nations across the globe are actively exploring the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to address real-world societal challenges spanning diverse sectors of their economies. Nigeria, too, is actively addressing its economic challenges by seeking solutions from various perspectives. In light of the significant role played by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in propelling the real sector of the economy, a dedicated agency, the SMEs Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), was established. SMEDAN aims to promote, regulate, and implement measures to sustain and enhance the performance of SMEs. In today’s dynamic business landscape, integrating AI tools has become essential for SMEs looking to achieve sustainable growth and gain a competitive edge.

This article provides a guide exploring how strategically employing AI tools can enhance various aspects of SME operations, considering the specific economic context and challenges SMEs face in Nigeria. The success and growth of SMEs have been demonstrated to hinge significantly on the innovations they introduce to enhance their products, services, or marketing strategies.

Research has consistently revealed that SMEs incorporating new innovations tend to achieve higher success levels than those that do not. SMEs can use cutting-edge AI tools to infuse innovation into their products, services, and marketing approaches. AI is replacing traditional roles and transforming the conventional methods of performing tasks, thereby creating novel opportunities within the economic landscape.

From a marketing perspective, entrepreneurs now have access to AI tools that streamline the process of creating compelling jingles for advertising products or services. This innovative AI tool simplifies the user experience by prompting them to input the text of the advertisement. Once initiated, the tool automatically generates a captivating and engaging video. Users can choose from various ready-made templates, voices, and gestures to customize the video to their preferences.

Additionally, the tool comes equipped with video editing features, enabling users to fine-tune the video to match their requirements precisely. To overcome language barriers and reach a broader audience, another valuable AI tool for video translation is available. This tool allows users to translate their videos into different languages, expanding their reach to a larger and more diverse pool of potential customers. Together, these AI tools empower entrepreneurs in the marketing realm, providing them with efficient solutions for creating and translating engaging promotional content.

Seamless, an AI-powered platform, caters to the sales and marketing needs of both business-to-business and business-to-customer interactions, facilitating a broader reach for businesses. This innovative platform ensures the acquisition of precise customer email addresses, phone numbers, and direct dials, thereby enhancing the promotion of products and services for SMEs. By enabling businesses to connect with a diverse customer base, Seamless contributes to increased sales and fosters collaborations among various entities in the business landscape. 

In product design, AI brings innovation by offering tools that streamline the design process, enhance creativity, and optimize product performance. From the perspective of design, a new design of a product or packaging can be generated using an AI tool. An AI tool for generating design from the textual description is available; a user will write the text description of the design and prompt the AI tool, and a new design based on the description will automatically be generated. On the other hand, an existing design can be uploaded to the AI tool, and then, automatically, it will be redesigned.

Users can generate as many designs as possible for the best-redesigned item or product. Generative design AI aids in product design by generating multiple iterations based on specified parameters. This enables SMEs to explore diverse design possibilities, optimizing for factors such as cost, materials, and performance. A business logo is significant in business as it gives the first impression to the customers when interacting with the products or services of the SMEs. An appealing business logo can be designed with the AI tool for generating design.    

Many excellent products and services offered by SMEs and startups in Nigeria often lack online visibility, relying primarily on WhatsApp status updates to reach their contacts. This limited visibility poses a challenge, with many SMEs hesitating to invest in costly website or e-commerce development because of restricted funds. Fortunately, a solution has emerged for such SME owners in the form of an AI tool that automatically generates e-commerce sites. This tool provides a variety of pre-designed templates for e-commerce sites, simplifying the process for users. By selecting a desired template and filling in essential information such as product details, business location, and payment methods, users can proceed through the steps until the final page.

Upon clicking “generate,” the e-commerce site is automatically created. Following this, users can download and host the site, making it live online. This straightforward process allows SMEs to easily establish an online presence, overcoming the challenges associated with traditional website development costs.

Chatbots like Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPT) can seamlessly integrate into SMEs’ e-commerce websites or social media platforms specifically designed for business promotion. The incorporation of GPT enhances interaction with potential customers by providing virtual assistance.

SMEs can implement virtual assistants on their websites or social media platforms to actively engage customers, respond to product or service inquiries, guide customers through the sales process, provide support, and ultimately enhance overall customer satisfaction. By embedding chatbots within SMEs’ e-commerce sites, these tools can efficiently process orders and offer real-time assistance. This integration ensures a seamless and responsive e-commerce experience for customers, contributing to the overall effectiveness of SMEs’ online presence.

I trust that this article serves as a source of inspiration for many SMEs and startup owners. I hope that it encourages them to explore these strategies to enhance their business ventures and, in turn, expand their operations. By doing so, these entrepreneurs can create additional employment opportunities, fostering increased business activity within the real sector of Nigeria’s economy.   

Haruna Chiroma is a professor of artificial intelligence at the University of Hafr Al Batin, Saudi Arabia. He can be reached via freedonchi@yahoo.com.