5yrs of Google Developer Student Club in ABU Zaria
As an introduction, I would like to introduce my campus to you, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) is a federal government research university located in Zaria, Kaduna State. ABU was founded on October 4, 1962, as the University of Northern Nigeria.
My University has two campuses, Kongo and Samaru, it is the first generation university in the northern part of Nigeria with the motto of Naturally Ahead and 99 departments with 16 faculties.
Three years ago, The tech developer ecosystem in my campus became more interesting as the active tech students on the campus form a club community with the support of the school management named Ahamdu Bello Developers (ABUDevs).
Before proceeding, my name is Adewumi Saheed Adewale I am the Chief programmer for Ahmadu Bello University Developers 2020/2021, computer science department 300 level. I am an entrepreneur, tech Community lead, Software engineer, and cloud engineer.
My role in ABUDevs is to maintain the community developers clubs by organizing code classes, tech events, mentor developers for the Internal & External hackathon programs on the campus such as blockchain events, ReactJS community, hackathon, and working in collaboration with GDG Zaria events even National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), as ABU is the main outlet to connect with the community people as availability of events centres & labs. We also influence other institutions like affiliated schools to my campus, colleges, and polytechnics.
In the process of adding value to my campus developer ecosystem. Exactly a year today, 18th August 2021. I got selected as the lead for the Google Developer Student Club on my campus in 2020.
It was a great achievement for us, as Google Developer Student Club (GDSC) has the same agenda as our existing developer ecosystem clubs (Google Developer Student Clubs are university-based community groups for students interested in growing their knowledge in a peer-to-peer learning environment and build solutions for local businesses and their community). It has been a ride for me — faced challenge and growth. I’m writing this to reflect on how the past year has been for me.
The Equilibrium Process
It was a great and hard task to start the leading process, though, with the existing skills of leading, I was able to take some steps as not to confuse students on the agenda of GDSC and ABU Devs with other tech clubs which I am the lead for both community. Quick reminder I am the chief programmer for ABUdevs meaning we have a president and other executives for the club, and now I am the GDSC Lead.
To maintain both agendas of the two great clubs. I consult my Program Manager (Auwal MS). We make a conclusion to share an introduction letter and collaboration letter to all Tech clubs on the campus. Which I did in my first week of leading. With this, I was able to perform all my agendas easily and save the stress of awareness to the students.
Onto selection of GDSC Core lead team, It was not really easy for me because we are in pandemics and I can’t move around to contact people about their interesting mindset. But I try to choose core teams with areas of their tech skill set and from different faculty at least to serve as ambassadors and influence their faculty with what will pass, as we have 99 departments on our campuses. Also, selection of smart Adviser, Mr. Tanko.
Lessons learned
The lesson learned is now part of my daily lifestyle.
- Believe that everything is possible with the necessary process
- Passive expression when frustrated
- As a lead be an absorber and demonstrate your agenda
- Always add alternatives to your plan
- Try to consult people who are really and ready to help.
Our Achievement
After launch events, we hold series of tech events like mobile, web, Cloud code classes both virtual and physical. Don’t let us discuss pandemic & batch resumption due to COVID-19. Honestly, my school really proves to the world that we are Naturally ahead.
After our solution challenges 2020, Our Grand patron (Prof. Sahalu Balarabe Junaidu) approved the launching of the solution built for the campus as it seems to solve some student’s challenges on the campus.
Also, We add more value to other tech clubs by share Google resources like flutter, cloud & TensorFlow with connecting speakers for their events.
We demonstrate that GDSC is not only for Computer or tech-related courses. We organized Google Digital marketing skill events for Marketing students and their related departments.
We have agendas that structure the campus and community developers that are still in process, with the belief to run continuity with the next lead.
Challenges
Our Challenges are many but few are
- Instability of Virtual meeting
- Bad connectivity during meet
- Batches Resumption for students
- Tight academic schedules
- The low number of participants in our early events
- Low tech startup/hub in the community.
Appreciation
Firstly, My appreciation goes to Almighty Allah, A.B.U., and Google for giving me the opportunity to serve the community.
My family, My Core team, CourseMate, My Adviser, Grand patrol, and my HOD and ABUDEVS, Stem Coders, Pinnacle, Co-Lab Hub Google Developers Expert, GDG Zaria, Futminna, GDG Kano,GDG Kaduna & DSC Kaduna (Poly & State University), Women Techmaker. I don’t want to mention names.
Lastly, thanks to my Project manager (Ms Awaul) & My adviser Mal. Tanko for the guide.
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