RAIN Is The Most Expensive Learning Institution In The Country Competing  Globally – Dr Olusola Ayoola

Olusola Sayeed Ayoola, PhD, MIET is the founder of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria (RAIN). He lectures at the prestigious University of Ibadan, Nigeria where he specialises in robotics and advanced control. Olu has been a recipient of local and international scholarship awards. He holds a first class bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Ibadan. He also holds with distinction a masters’ degree in Advanced Control and Systems Engineering as well as a doctorate degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Manchester, UK.

Olu served as a member of the robotics research group at the University of Manchester, UK between 2014 and 2019. During this period, and in partnership with Forth Engineering, UK, Olu focused on developing ground and underwater robots to support the UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning programme. He also developed acoustics systems for underwater robot positioning and non-tethered communication. Olu is a member of the prestigious Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). He has a proven passion for knowledge transfer and an extensive record of delivering robotics and STEM outreach programmes in the UK.

Here again, Engineers’ Forum had a session with a man who is turning passion to reality to catapult the nation to a technology hub.

You have an amazing facility carrying out training and researches in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. The centre is unarguably the best in the country. What inspired this vision and what is the mission all about?

Thank you very much for the opportunity to discuss my views and I really appreciate your generous introduction. Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria started as a dream in my head while in the UK. A dream of a country in Africa that could challenge China, after all we have the population, the resilience and the hunger for everything. Unfortunately, what we lack is the technical education. Today people only learn theory because our higher institutions are not adequately equipped. Away from relying on government to bring about the much needed change; I decided that we the people can do it. Especially because in the UK when they need technical solutions they send their request to China, so I asked myself “why not Nigeria ?” We speak the same language as the west, we are in almost the same time zone as Europe, if it’s the knowledge we need RAIN will bring it. So the mission of RAIN is to develop the workforce and the product we need to produce a 5th generation Africa. The vision is for us to be the foremost AI robotics enablers from Africa, leading global transformation.

Research and research funding have been a challenge in this part of the world. Are you getting support in this direction?

{laughs} We have not received any support from any quarters with regards to research funding, but we do not let that deter us because from the onset RAIN was designed to expect less but give more to the community. It is an interesting expectation because typically research relies on funding but at RAIN our research is geared towards being self-sustainable by helping with much needed solutions which in return produce earnings for our research. So we are both a research facility and a high-end product development workshop.

For any sector to develop, there should be enabling laws in place to guide and regulate its development and operations. Do you think NITDA is doing enough or there are some areas they could improve upon?

I think the area of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence is quite new to government agencies, and this is why there must be several interface meeting that would help enhance awareness on the part of government and enable technical expert to share opinion. NITDA is trying in its effort at encouraging Nigerians to engage in ICT and this is evident in the high interest of Nigerian youths in software engineering skills. Nonetheless, robotics and AI is not the typical ICT endeavor, but a far more advanced technical adventure. The government thought in its wisdom to create a special agency to support robotics and AI research, but this agency is yet to see the light of day.

Some time ago, there was a discourse on the roles of computer scientists and computer engineers in ICT (or IT)  and here you have structured courses for both the scientists and engineers. What are their roles and what differentiate them and where is the synergy or interface in robotics and AI?

Now let me say that engineers create the solutions, while scientists tell us the solutions to create. Without such knowledge; what solutions can engineers create? The biggest limitation exists when/if the two do not speak the same language. This is why at RAIN, the grand plan was to design a curriculum which is geared towards ensuring that both fields understand adequately their roles and inter-relationships. This way, we can achieve improved collaboration and promote commercialization of ideas.

After a tour of your facility, one impression I left with is that it’s easier to copy technology than to transfer. What is your relationship with NOTAP in this regards?

It is true that it is easier to copy technology than to transfer, because there must be a body of course instructors who not only understand and teach the theory but also the practical and global standards that guides production and application. Unfortunately, what are prevalent in this part of the world are bodies of course instructors who either know the theory and cannot replicate the practical or know the practical but cannot explain the theory. Bridging this gap is critical for technological advancement and self-sustainability. So I think we complement NOTAP’s initiative by providing a platform that promotes the acquisition and domiciling of technology. Although we still do not get any funding from them yet.

The conventional education does not seem to address the knowledge gap or skill-set required in today’s developmental needs. Will you agree with those advocating for an overhaul of our educational system?

 Typically I should be at the forefront advocating for an overhaul because I have seen first-hand what a proper education system can do for a nation. So far in our country, funding has been the greatest concern for our nation’s education system and I must scream that we must reform our method of funding academic programmes. How do I advocate for improved remuneration of staff or for adequate equipping of workshops or for adequate training of trainers if there is no funding. The University of Manchester alone had a budget of six Billion pounds over 4 years ago for just renovation of the university. That is about one quarter of Nigeria’s annual budget. So where do we start from? Until we start gradually we cannot get anywhere and that is the model of RAIN: to grow without direct funding while still keeping  hopes alive.

You are in the academia and also in the industry. Overtime there are complaints about the disconnect between the two and many people have called for a bridge. What in your experience and opinion in bridging the two?

I have always advocated for this as well, but the constraint in the system may not allow unless we take advantage of our industrial trainee programs for student and sabbatical programmes for staff. This way, both students and staff can come back to the academia with their experience to discuss. But if we are expecting that technically sound expert from the industries would accept to teach in universities, we may only be chasing shadows. It is either the technical expert will reject the job, or the higher institution will reject the applicant. Reason being that the take home pay in the university cannot compete with that of the industries, and the experts may also not have the necessary academic requirement to start from the top. Unless the system is relaxed a bit, my earlier advice stands.

Let’s talk about technology business incubator (or TBI) which is focused on supporting startups which use modern technologies as the primary means of innovation. We have many incubation centers across the nation. Does RAIN have any partnership with these centers to support innovative minds produced here?

 Yes, we do. We have research membership at RAIN which allows for collaborative research and support, particular in the area of data research, home and industrial automation, smart engineering, drone technology, advanced control, parts fabrication and artificial intelligence.

Knowledge is not cheap neither is ignorance. How affordable is it to train at RAIN and what are the courses and living arrangements if any?

 Unfortunately, RAIN is perhaps the most expensive learning institution in the country and this is because of the standard we are competing with globally. We believe that we cannot continue to do things the same way in this country and expect a different result. Rather than our people going abroad we bring the standard education home to them, still without compromising the standard. The courses we offer are in theory and practical, as well as projects for 9 months in total. The courses are business intelligence, data science, deep learning, machine learning, web development for model deployment, design thinking, product development, advance control, drone technology and embedded system.

We have hostel accommodations of air-conditioned private rooms with private bathrooms, wireless internet, water heaters and security.

Take a gaze into the future, where do you see Nigeria in the tech world in the next 10 years?

Now, in the next 10 years, Nigeria could be the new China supporting all other African countries in their technological needs, incubating all new ideas across Africa and solving the needs of the people or we could be far more dependent that we were before Covid-19. This all depends on the amount of effort we make today and it all starts with us agreeing that we have a problem and working in collaboration to fix it. It is on that note that RAIN welcomes partnerships, sponsorships and endorsements from every player in the field. Thank you very much once again for this opportunity.