Mohammed Shosanya
Agusto & Co. has upgraded the Rating assigned to Odu’a Investment company Limited (OICL) from “A” to “A+”.
The assigned Rating was based on the assessment of the financial condition of OICL as a standalone entity.
The Rating report reflects the Company’s good operating cash flow, diversified revenue sources and a funding structure currently built on internal funding sources and joint venture partnerships.
OICL has operations across various sectors of the Nigeria economy and the potential for increase in earnings through its portfolio rebalancing efforts and growth initiatives.
Speaking on the rating, the elated Group Chairman, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru said that “OICL will not rest on its oars but continue to walk the talk to be a world class conglomerate for the benefits of the owner States and other stakeholders. We are committed to improving the productivity of the businesses we operate while delivering significant social economic impact and sustainable return”
The Group Managing Director, Mr Abdulrahman Yinusa, appreciated the commitment and support of the Board, Management and staff for the incremental growth and consistent development in the right direction towards OICL’s world class conglomerate aspirations.
The Agusto & Co Rating upgrade does not only underscore the company’s financial strength and operational excellence, it further sets a new performance benchmark in the industry.
Meanwhile,the charity arm of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Odua Investment Foundation (OIF), has trained no fewer than One hundred and Six (106) Government College Ibadan (GCI) students in Coding and Programming languages.
The project,which was named Digital Education for Innovation and Economic Development, (DEFINED), was inaugurated on October 27, 2023, at the Lagos Airport Hotel and was aimed at training students across the six states in the South West zone.
The epoch event was well attended by representative from all the south western states of Nigeria in attendance, the project, ably directed by Professor Seun Kolade of Sheffield Business School, Sheffield Hallam University aims at empowering Yoruba youths for the digital age.
The first endeavour under the (DEFINED) Project,according to one of the OIF Project officers, Adeyinka Babalola, is the Byte Busters after school coding club which has been launched in 3 different schools in the six Southwest states.
In Oyo State, the Byte Busters Coding Club was launched at Government College Ibadan, enrolling 106 students who had undergone a two weeks intensive hands-on summer training in writing coding and programming languages.
Speaking in her address, the Acting Executive Secretary, Odua Investment Foundation, Mrs Abiola Ajayi note d that the (DEFINED) Project was designed to contribute to the development of digital skills among yoruba youths through thr creation of after school coding clubs, among other intervention.
Mrs Abiola saluted the students encouraged them to keep learning because their resilience, creativity and curiosity will shape the next generation of technological advancements.
In his address, Oyo State Honourable Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu said the DEFINED Project is a laudable one and which the Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde fully endorsed.
He emphasized that the goal of the DEFINED Project is to ensure that students have ample opportunities to play around computers in order to bring up technological innovation that can equate to economical development. He advised the students to put their minds at what they are being taught and to keep doing it in order to get better by the day.
Speaking to newsmen on the essence of the project, the Project officer for the DEFINED Project, Mr Temilorun Okediji posited that the project is aimed at promoting digital literacy across the six Southwestern State and that the Byte Busters Coding Club which is an initiative of the DEFINED Project, at demystifying the myth that coding is difficult. This has led to public schools students being taught how to build computer programmes and how to write codes.
He said that apart from Government College, Ibadan, the DEFINED Project has been launched in St. Bernadine’s Girls Grammar School, Oyo and Kishi Community Grammar School, Kishi.
He further explained that the Byte Busters Coding Club is a permanent club in any school the DEFINED Project is launched and the club will ensure that a four years curriculum is drawn which will allow the students to continue learning even as they move up in their academic classes.
He also expressed the readiness of the project to also train and promote digital literacy among the teachers too while giving the assurance that the Byte Busters Coding Club would be established in all the 137 local governments in the southwest.