By Emmanuel Elebeke
As the nation continues to savour in the thrills and frills of her 50 years of nationhood sojourn, with various sectors of the economy showcasing their exploits in the period under review, Bethany Hall Primary School, Ogudu, Lagos in partnership with New Horizons Systems Solutions Limited recorded a landmark for Nigeria by presenting first six pupils, who broke the world record in the last Microsoft Office Specialists (MOS) examination, making them the youngest Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs).

lCaption Dayo Talabi of New Horizon and four of the six whizzkids.

The schools also by this feat automatically became the first primary school in Nigeria to produce six Microsoft Office Specialists (MOS) in one fell swoop. The six whizzkids are : Alamin Lawal, Chukwudeni Anyafulu, Sufiyan Mohammed, Tobi Lawal, Mubarack Jaruna and Ifeoma Udu, all between age 10 and 11.

The occasion which saw the celebrants, their parents and guardians celebrating in joyous mood, attracted friends and relatives of the celebrants as well as IT experts, who gathered to salute the gallantry and exploits of the latest MOS professionals.

Speaking at the formal presentation of the pupils at Bethany Hall premises in Lagos, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of New Horizons solution limited, Mr. Tim Akano, represented by Oyerinde Shina commended the six whizzkids for their excellent performance and described them as the hope of Nigerian future. He expressed satisfaction with their ability to achieve so much at such a tender age.

“We are here to celebrate the first Microsoft Office Specialists. We are also here to speak to the whole world that these kids have actually done so much and have done the nation proud. That is why we are celebrating success, trying to change the notion of celebrating criminals and people of no means.

According to him, the six children deserved to be celebrated because at ages 10-11, they were able to achieve only what adults and university students do. Akano likened the celebrants to Bill Gates and the young boys introduced Googgle and Facebook at ages 18-19 and expressed hope that they would soon grow to becoming world celebrities with their own inventions.

Quoting a recent world economic report, Akano said “Nigeria will in the next 10 years will become one of the computer outsourcing countries”.

For Nigeria to become a great nation, he advised government to focus on IT and accord it a pride of place and place less emphases on  oil, since it is a non-renewable resource. He also, urged Nigerians to leverage on IT to actualize their potentials.

“If these children can start at this young age performing wonders, it means that Nigeria can produce the next Bill Gates,”he opined.

While urging parents to allow their children use computer at home, he advised government again to emulate the United States of America and Finland by providing computer to every Nigerian child, with internet access to every home.

Akano further commended Bethany school management for exposing the children to IT at such tender age and urged parents to make their wards available for IT training., if they must remain relevant and be able to compete favorably at the global arena..

“The world we are in today is driven by IT and if we encourage them and celebrate these young ones, we are going to be an economy to reckon with. Now Nigeria had produced six youngest MOS, we hope that the country will in the next 10 years begin to export  computer processionals to other countries,”he added.

Earlier in her welcome address, school proprietoress, Mrs. Mabel Anyafulu who was full of joy said “ I believe so much in them and if we expose them to IT, the sky will be their limit,” saying that Nigeria must begin to embrace IT now, since it is the in thing all over the world. It cuts across disciplines and with IT knowledge anyone can excel in his/her choice of career. What we stand for is to give our pupils world class education to enable them compete very well any where they go.”

The celebrants could not hold their joy. Sufiyan Mohammed who spoke for them expressed gratitude to their parents and teachers for partnering with New Horizon, which they said had shown them a world of great opportunities.

“Indeed, the training and examination was not easy but through the encouragement of our instructors and conducive atmosphere prepared by Bethany hall school, we are proud to be qualified as Microsoft Office Specialists,” he said.

The MS specialist examination is an examination designed to text peoples’ ability and competence in the use of IT. It usually takes two weeks to complete.