The Oyo South Senatorial candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), Hon. Adedeji Olajide, has disclosed plans to make bridging the digital divide in Ibarapa land a major priority in his proposed development agenda for the senatorial district.
Odidiomo made this known on Thursday while speaking as a guest on an Independence Day X Space discussion, themed: “Where Are the Real Opportunities for Young People in Oyo State?”
The interactive session, which attracted more than 200 young people, provided an opportunity for the Oyo South senatorial candidate to discuss his vision for youth development, digital inclusion and economic opportunities across the senatorial district.
According to Odidiomo, significant progress has already been made in efforts to reduce the digital gap in the Ibadan axis, which he said was over 60 per cent covered. He identified Ibarapaland as the next major area requiring attention.
He explained that his digital inclusion agenda would go beyond providing computers and other digital facilities, stressing the need to establish an ecosystem where young people can acquire digital skills, access quality digital education and participate meaningfully in emerging employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Odidiomo, however, identified inadequate electricity supply as a major challenge to achieving sustainable digital development in Ibarapaland. According to him, “One of the issues I have on my agenda is to tackle the issue of power supply to Ibarapaland. Without stable electricity, we can’t achieve the goal,” he said.
He disclosed that he would seek collaboration with the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and the Oyo State Independent Power Project to improve electricity access across the zone.
He noted that reliable electricity would provide the foundation for expanding digital infrastructure and economic opportunities, particularly for young people and businesses in Ibarapa.
Olajide further explained that digital inclusion should translate into practical benefits, including digital skills acquisition, remote employment, technology-enabled entrepreneurship and greater access to the wider digital economy.
Olajide said his objective was to ensure that young people in Ibarapa land are not left behind as technology continues to reshape employment, business and economic opportunities across Oyo South and Nigeria.
