By Louvier Kindo Tombe
This new concept was discloded by Prof. Victor Mbarika, while participating at the 4th session of the Committee for the Follow Up of Implementation of Recommendations of the Major National Dialogue. The meeting took place recently at the Prime Minister’s Office in Yaounde.
According to him, technology has a major role to play in enhancing the promotion and show of patriotism, peace building and reconciliation in Cameroon.
Prof Mbarika who is passionate about peace returning to the North West and South West regions and Cameroon in general said, in the face of new changes in technology, there is need to give technology a central role.
Being an ICT expert himself, Prof Mbarika underscored that Information and Communication Technology is one of those sectors in which if huge investments are made, it will go a long way to enhance peace.
This, he believes, will accelerate the trend of electronic patriotism through the responsible use of social media space. “ We are running an ICT University in Cameroon. We train young Cameroonians on the various technological transformation the world is undergoing. Besides that we insist on the good use of the internet in the promotion of peace in our troubled country,” Prof Mbarika said.
There is a need for the responsible use of the internet, he said before mentioning that: “We have seen over the years especially at the outbreak of the crisis where the internet was used as an instrument to propagate fake news and this went a long way to stir up the crisis”.
“For example before I came here for this meeting, many people sent me messages that I will be arrested. But you can see that there is nothing, I think we all have to use ICT in the promotion of peace”. Promoting peace is incomplete without love for country, he opined.
He went on to say that, the biggest moments when all Cameroonians are glued to their television sets and internet is during football such as champion leagues among others.
But, on the contrary, instead of taking advantage to promote messages capable of forming conscious mindsets on the use of ICT to preach patriotism, many, he regretted that is not the case. He recommended the minimal display of too many advertisements and an increase in messages of peace and unity.
Prof Mbarika cautioned the valorisation of customized digital and multimedia centres, adding that, the gesture by the President of the Republic to offer laptops to students was strategic in forming E-Patriotism inclined citizens. Prof Mbarika insisted that, the largesse was justification for Biya’s love of technology
He has recommended that, citizens should Maximise social media platforms and digital space with government propaganda; setting up of Multimedia centres with free internet but must be customized to disseminate propaganda on peace and unity based on the new decentralized system for each region, the inscription of Digitized messages on peace in all national monuments across the country including state Bill boards and Digital learning management system for State University MUST carry messages on national unity.
About ICT University
The ICT University operates a purely US-based curriculum to provide quality ICT and Managerial Human Capacity Development specially targeted for Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia, the ICT University is a vibrant institution which aims at imposing itself as the premier destination for research, innovation and training of scholars relevant in the context of developing economies.
The ICT University imparts knowledge of ICTs in all academic disciplines it offers. For
Example, a business administration (marketing) student at ICT University will graduate with adequate expertise on how to build state-of-the-art e-commerce and other online Business websites.
The ICT University prides itself on offering an intimate, cutting edge campus environment disposing of all resources essential for producing tomorrow’s leading ICT experts, technopreneurs, renewable energy engineers, and business managers. The university has also created collaborations, partnerships and exchange agreements with leading US, African and other international institutions that further enrich the academic, social and cultural diversity of our campus.
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To apply, click the link below: https://ictuniversity.edu.cm/application-form
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