Vice Chancellor of UBa, Prof. Theresia Nkuo Akenji
The University of Bamenda, UBa, recently, in partnership with Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune, India, launched a Public Limited Company called UBa Consult.
Coming on the heels of the launching of the University Development Fund, UBaDEF, a few weeks earlier, the Vice Chancellor of UBa, Prof. Theresia Nkuo Akenji, said with the launch of UBa consult, the university has decided to start off with Information Technology and they have opted to work with the Vishwakarma Institute of Technology of Pune, India which is much acclaimed in that domain.
However, Prof Akenji explained that UBa Consult is not only an IT consortium but rather a conglomerate of a multi-dimensional and a multi-purpose business venture.
“Individuals, groups, institutions and, why not, viable communities are encouraged to become active stakeholders. Considering our Android Generation and the fact that the world has gone digital where our knowledge of the society and economy is technologically driven, I am convinced that we made the right decision to start off this business venture with Information Technology,” Prof Akenji remarked.
The current partnership with the Indians will enable UBa Consult draw from the rich experience of the Silicon Valley of Bangalore in India for purposes of eventually transforming the hills surrounding UBa Consult into the Silicon Hills of the Northwest Region, a veritable cradle of knowledge and a catalyst of socio-economic development, not only for the Northwest Region, but for Cameroon as a whole.
Prof Akenji expressed immense gratitude to President Biya who she qualified as architect of the new University of Governance Policy which veritably transformed, for the better, the face of Higher Education in Cameroon.
Presiding at the launch of UBa Consult, Northwest, Governor, Adolph Lele L’Afrique, reminded the stakeholders that in a knowledge-based society and economy like Cameroon, diverse knowledge and dexterity in Information Technology are indispensable for knowledge creation, management, distribution and appropriation.
“IT is even more crucial for a nation that is poised to be emergent by 2035, so, it is a laudable bold step by the University of Bamenda.” Lele opined.
Judging from the already assembled human resources, expertise and experience, Lele expressed the hope that in “no distant future, the University community, the Northwest Region, in particular, and Cameroon as a whole, will start experiencing palpable transformation as a result of the UBa Consult.”
As a business venture, it should contribute to guaranteeing the viability, autonomy and sustainable development both in the University and in various sectors of the national economy.
Stating that Bamenda shall be transformed into “Silicon Hills” to be a role model of ICT revolution, the international expert in information technology from Vishwakarma Institute, Pune India, Prof. Siddarth Jabade, who was accompanied to Cameroon by Prof. Yuviaj Lahoti, said the Northwest Region is blessed with human capital as well as available resources which UBa Consult and Pune Institute will galvanise to ensure that the whole Region is transformed before other regions are attended to.
“India is a developing country, but we are blessed with problems and are, at the same time, innovators.What is required is to identify the problems, and solutions will come.”
Prof. Siddarth Jabade said ICT embraces diverse sectors touching on health, education, science, governance, agriculture, tourism, employment and others.
“In India, we believe in what we have and who we are and that is the way we read the Northwesterner.” He considered himself a ‘Bamenda man” having been in Bamenda and held talks with Prime Minister Yang, UBa and traditional authorities before the launching of the company.
The Amphi 430 was crowded with private business agents from MTN, Orange, Camtel, bankers, who attended the workshop that preceded the launch of UBa Consult.
The legal instrument permitting UBa consult to exist officially was presented at the Launch by Dr. Richard Mbifi, whose efforts were praised by Governor Lele for acquiring the document within the possible shortest time.
Cameroonians, Prof. Charles Tabod Tabod and Prof. Uphie Melo Chinje joined their Indian counterparts in drilling the stakeholders during the workshop.
