Personal Statement (under this section, provide your motivation for applying to the Programme)

When I was a child, I watched people dump refuses in drainage channels. I watched as these
channels throwback dirt on the streets. This became an unending cycle. Then, I volunteered
with my friends to stop people from this act but we could not do much as we were only 'zealous'
kids. We ended up earning nicknames for ourselves "ndi okpoo gota" which translates "the ones
who clear the gutter." Nothing hurts me more than to see a drainage channel that is blocked,
water logged, or discontinued, a road littered with dirt, or an open dumpy. This natural impulse
has guided me into becoming an environmentalist by taking a degree in urban and regional
planning with core interest in sanitation and waste management. It is disheartening to know that
people still dump refuses indiscriminately. Today in Nigeria, the top causes of death have
malaria and diarrhoea occupying the second and third positions. To this effect, I am motivated
to keep putting in my quota to curtail deaths caused by unclean environment and in achieving
total eradication of malaria and mosquitoes from the country.

Fortunately, the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme has presented to me the platform to
leverage my skills and professional trainings while learning from the programme to make
contributions that are more valuable that should effect change on a broader scale in the
sanitation and waste management sector. The programme will help me equip myself with the
relevant excellent skills as the global trend of waste management is shifting to smart city
technology. It will help me to advance and expand my research on more effective practices that
are environmentally friendly, sustainable and globally acceptable in handling the subject matter.

Furthermore, the programme will also help me to network and connect with stakeholders in the
industry at both local, national and international levels. My interaction with them should rub off
directly on my local community as a strong voice in environmental campaigns and advocacy.
These potential benefits have motivated me to apply to the programme.

Moreover, my motivation has made me to take a certificate course on Health, Safety

Environment (HSE 1, 2 & 3) in other to broaden my knowledge and become more relevant
towards tackling this concern. As a local environmental manager, I take Nigeria Jubilee Fellows
Programme as a rare privilege to accomplish my heartfelt burden and as an opportunity to act
on a broader scale.

One of the things I love about effective sanitation and waste management practices is that it
saves lives and guarantees safety of the environment. It reduces risk of sicknesses and
airborne diseases. In addition, it makes the world a better place for the next generation. I would
want my children and grandchildren to read about malaria, typhoid, and diarrhoea only in history
books (just as my generation read about smallpox in history books.) When we get it right in
Nigeria, without endangering the next generation, other African nations will follow suit because,
"we are the giants Africa is looking up to."

Professional Experience Summary

I am a B.Tech urban planner who is fascinated with smart city concept and the use of
Information Technology (I.T) in urban planning—with special interest in tackling waste in the
21st century. I have practical experience using; Google Earth, ArcGIS, AutoCAD, ArchiCAD,
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, SPSS, Microsoft office tools and some
programming/coding languages including JavaScript and C++ through 2 internships. In addition,
I have strong base of urban and regional planning knowledge demonstrated through a 4.34
GPA and proficiency in urban design, mapping, landscaping, 3D CAD drawing and geospatial
analysis of environmental data.

I participated in two national and one regional convention of URP Students Association of
Nigeria (URPSAN), and one Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Programme
(MCPDP) for registered and student town planners. With focus on research on effective
sanitation and waste management practices, I have taken a professional course on Health,
Safety Environment (HSE 1, 2 & 3).

Currently, I enrolled in some online courses on machine learning and artificial intelligence to aid
my work on smart city technology as a method in waste management.

I am a passionate researcher. I conducted an independent research on 'physical planning

administration in Nigeria' and published it on www.academia.edu (2015). In addition, I
conducted a supervised project on 'water needs in FUTO hostels' and published it on
www.academia.edu (2018). Furthermore, I conducted various site analysis and investigations
including Owerri core urban renewal project (2017), thus, prepared technical reports and made
planning submissions based on my findings. I have also made various inputs on urban planning
project initiations including the landscaping of School of Environmental Sciences in Federal
University of Technology Owerri (2016).

Moreover, I have strong communication skills and interest in leadership. I have demonstrated it
in heading two students' project groups.
Future Plans Statement (here outline briefly what your future professional or career aspirations
are)

My goal is to become a community-engaged "urban planner-smart city technologist" within a 5-

year plan—that is, gain expertise in the use of modern technologies relevant to the concept of
smart waste management and become a thought-lead in the field. I intend to have a diverse
portfolio of I.T skills and research works that should enable me have a strong voice advocating
for the concept at the national level as a safe and a better method of managing wastes.

I am very passionate about contributing to a more refined understanding of how Information

Technology (I.T) and the internet of all things (IoT) can be tools to advance methods in
sanitation and waste management. In addition, they are useful in achieving total eradication of
malaria/mosquitoes and every other disease that is associated with poor sanitation.

Together with my mentors, I have identified four gaps in my knowledge and skills. As I move
toward my career goal, my short-term objectives are to close these gaps within this period of 5
years by—enhancing my digital/I.T skills via learning machine language and Artificial
Intelligence in other to meet the global requirements for smart city technology. Developing
knowledge of theoretical and practical applications of the concept through the acquisition of a
higher degree in the field. Gaining proficiency in qualitative research methods and analysis.
Developing competency in the planning, design, and execution of high-quality technological
equipment for use in smart waste management in Nigeria.

I believe that soon, Nigeria will join the world's key players of the smart city technology. At that
time, nobody will have to dump refuses into gullies or by the roadside. Rather, the smart waste
containers will transmit signals when they are full.

Please explain why you are interested in your chosen career field

My interest in urban planning with particular attention on sanitation/waste management using

smart city technology was born by a natural impulse to help people, the dedication to save lives
and my I.T enthusiasm. In this case, it is about saving the lives of my local community from
extremely poor environmental condition.

When I was a child, I hated the arrangements, conditions of buildings and the environment in
my locality. People had to walk upon sanitary used waters to access their houses. I saw children
play on collapsing, water-licking sewages. People set ablaze used toilet papers within my
neighbourhood. Sanitation was almost impossible—nobody knows where to start.
Somehow, I knew all these were wrong but I had no voice to speak up, to challenge the people
involved nor make any amendment. Hence, when it was time for me to fill in a course to study in
the university, I did not give choosing urban and regional planning a second thought because I
knew it should give me the knowledge, the voice, and the platform I have always needed. I
desire to educate people about their environment and need for sanitation.

Waste management and environmental sanitation have become growing concern not only to
urban planners and environmentalists but also to everybody irrespective of profession, gender,
social class, age, location, and occupation. However, it is unfortunate that in Nigeria today, this
concern has not gone beyond citizens criticizing the government or the waste/sanitation
agencies for a blocked drainage channels, or a road littered with dirt. Truth is; many people are
not interested in taking care of wastes nor at least ensure that they are properly disposed—if not
the negligible fraction of workers employed to do so. It is disappointing that some people are still
involved in open dumping of refuses, or in the practice of burning/dumping them into drainage
channels or by the roadsides. Some people comfortably litter the environment with wastes from
items they consumed. The impact of this nonchalance and lack of involvement in sanitation
reflects directly upon the environment and upon the health of the inhabitants resulting to
sicknesses and diseases such as malaria, typhoid, and diarrhoea.

Today, my career is helping me to express my passion of enlightening people about the

dangers of unclean environment. In addition, I have the skills to develop urban designs and
landscapes that highlight the advantages of well-planned, clean environment. Furthermore, this
career path is helping me to contribute my own quota in curtailing deaths caused by improper
waste management practices and poor sanitation. I am already playing my path in the total
eradication of malaria and mosquitoes from Nigeria.

Since the current global trends in terms of waste management in the 21st century is tending
towards smart city technology, there should be an awareness among urban planners of the
potential benefits of multi-application approaches to the deployment of smart city infrastructure
in tackling wastes in Nigeria.
How do you hope the support that you get from the NJFP will help you achieve your career
goals?

My goal is to become a community-engaged 'urban planner-smart city technologist', playing out

the real-life application of smart city concept in my local community. The aim is to ensure proper
sanitation and total eradication of malaria/mosquitoes from Nigeria. This is worth my career-
lifetime. However, it is bigger than my current capacity—therefore, I am hoping that NJFP will
assist me achieve this dream for our country, for our children and their children.

Presently, I am working on some researches relating to this concept, but there exist certain
limitations in terms of acquiring the essential gadgets needed and involving both local and
foreign experts already in the field. Thus, NJFP will help me expand my research works,
connect me with professionals and companies sharing similar goal, help me gain expertise while
I become a thought-lead in the industry. This will enable me to make valuable contributions as a
key player in the nation's transition to smart technology way of life!

Apparently, smart city technology requires the understanding of computer science, information
technology, and urban planning. The NJFP furthermore, will facilitate me while I take advanced
courses on machine learning and artificial intelligence. Through this, I can enhance my I.T skills,
broaden my portfolio and keep working towards achieving my career goal.

In August 2021, I initiated a smart city campaign for sustainable urban planning and waste
management in Nnewi, Anambra state. I sponsored a team member to participate in a training
on smart home automation in the FCT. This kind of training cost quite a fortune. Nevertheless, I
am also engaging student planners to participate in hands-on training in technological
application to urban planning by conducting bimonthly seminars on Google meet and zoom
meeting. Hence, NJFP will assist me to broaden the scope of this seminar, facilitate the
involvement of key players, acquire more gadgets and get more young people trained. This
alone can create a workforce for the industry.

In addition, my participation in the NJFP 2021 will make possible for me to network with other
participants, get involved in real-life projects, jointly work with teams, organisations or
companies, get more exposures, learn what others are doing towards nation building and
become more relevant in achieving not only my career goal but also the millennium
development goals.
The benefit I will get from NJFP should give me the privilege to infuse smart city concept into
the Nigerian urban planning system. I will leverage the help to demonstrate practically this idea
in community services, proposing a better, safer way to manage waste using technology.

After my 12 months programme with NJFP, the empowerment I get should support me in setting
up awareness campaigns on TV with primary focus on enlightening the people, calling for big
game changers and investors into the smart city technology.

I believe my education and experience fit nicely with the mission of the NJFP and meet its
requirements. I am certain that this will make a significant contribution to my career journey.