From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Diocese of Nnewi Anglican Communion has set up the first Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics Hub in Nnewi, Anambra State, making the first of its kind established by a Church in Nigeria and perhaps in Africa.
In a ceremony to commission the Hub, yesterday, at Bishop Uzodike Memorial Seminary, Bishop of the Diocese, Rt Revd Ndubisi Obi said the Church had taken a giant leap into the future with the establishment of the Hub.
He said about three years ago, the Church embarked on a journey that some thought was a bit ambitious and wild.
“Yes, we went from Sunday sermons to coding classes, from prayer meeting to AI workshops. And you know what, our students loved it.
“But here is the thing, our students didn’t just want to learn, they wanted more. They wanted to dig deeper, explore further, and be more than just participants. They wanted to be creators, innovators, and leaders in the new technological world.
“And as their Bishop, I couldn’t just sit back and watch their enthusiasm fizzle out.
“We needed to find away to keep this momentum going, sustain their interest, and feed their curiosity.
“So, I asked myself what would be the most sustainable way to engage our students in this rapidly evolving world of technology?
“Do we have to build something that would serve our students, community, and future?
“So, we decided to get uncomfortable, roll up our sleeves, and build a lab that would not only sustain our students’ interest but also put our Diocese on the map as a leader in technology education, “the Bishop enthused.
He disclosed that the Diocese would not have found a better partner to manage the lab than EDUFUN Technik, experts in that field lead by Uchenna Onwuamegbu-Ugwu, a Harvard graduate.
“I told her ‘you’ve got the smarts, and we’ve got the spirit, together, we’ll make history’, “the Bishop added.
He said the Diocese was planting the seeds of innovation, believing that the seeds would grow into something truly extremely.
The Bishop said after using the Hub that he believed the students would be inspired to pursue careers in cutting-age fields including Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Data Science, Cybercrime Security, and IoT, among others.
He expressed optimism that some of them would become AI engineers, Robotics specialists, software developers, or tech entrepreneurs.
Onwuamegbu-Ugwu, in response, expressed delight to be part of success story to open the doors to the AI, Coding, and Robotics Hub, describing it as a place where the future begins.