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Information Technology As Catalyst For African Development
-I.T Guru Jacques Bonjawo Urges Governments to Invest More
By Ajong Mbapndah L
Modesty may not make his the most the most renowned name around the continent but Jacques Bonjawo is one of those sons Africa should be most proud of. From very humble beginnings, Mr. Bonjawo is today one of the leading world experts on information technology. Information Technology Mr. Bonjawo says could be a catalyst for faster development in Africa and governments need to invest more in the sector. Without information technology, it will be hard for Africa to match the phenomenal rags to riches example of the Asian tigers. Although countries like Rwanda are singled out for the right approach, Mr. Bonjawo whose expertise has been sought by African leaders like Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal and Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast uses the example of South Korea to point out what is achievable within ten years. Mr. Bonjawo is chairman and chief strategist of Genesis Futuristic Technologies, an information technology company based in Seattle with operations in India. Before assuming his new role at Genesis, Mr. Bonjawo was a senior manager at the Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington, in the Internet MSN.com division. Prior to joining Microsoft, he worked as a senior associate/team lead with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Fairfax, Virginia and also with Coopers & Lybrand in Arlington, Virginia. He had previously been a software engineer with a few private companies.
As a true African son willing to take charity back home, is also the founder and chairman of Genesis Telecare, a telemedicine company in Cameroon. Mr. Bonjawo has been involved in major ICT and educational projects in Africa. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Virtual University (www.avu.org). Launched from the World Bank in 1997, the AVU is a Nairobi-based distance learning institution that seeks to educate Africans by using modern technologies such as the Internet and satellites. AVU has provided courses to over 50,000 students throughout Africa.
Mr. Bonjawo is the author of several articles on ICTs and has published a successful book entitled « L'Internet, une Chance pour l'Afrique » with Karthala, a Paris-based publisher. He's also a renowned technology columnist for African Geopolitics (www.african-geopolitics.org). A frequent invited speaker to international gatherings, Mr. Bonjawo has been a panelist or featured speaker in many forums in Africa, America, Asia and Europe. As an expert on ICT for development issues, Mr. Bonjawo has provided advice to African leaders and decision makers. He frequently makes appearances on television and radio stations, including People TV, BBC, RFI, BFM and Africa No 1. He's also been interviewed by the Associated Press (AP), the Agence France Presse (AFP) and Le Figaro daily newspaper, just to name a few. Mr. Bonjawo also seats on the board of directors of MusicWorks Northwest, a Seattle-based music conservatory, and has been a member of the National Press Club (Washington DC) since 1994.
A product of the George Washington University where he holds an MBA and the ESIP in Paris where he picked up an Engineering Degree in Computer Science, Mr. Bonjawo took time off his busy schedule to answer questions from PAV Managing Editor Ajong Mbapndah L
PAV: Serving in previous capacities like Senior Manager in a Corporation like Microsoft, is no easy feat, how did Jacques Bonjawo accomplish this?
Jacques Bonjawo: I have been told on several occasions that my story is, in many ways, the Tale of an African Immigrant who came to America and worked his way to be a Senior Manager at one of the most fascinating company in history, namely Microsoft. I accept that analogy. Like most things in life, luck always plays a part. And it certainly did in my move, but I have to say that it was mostly about hard work. I have always worked very hard, since my young age.
PAV: To those young Africans who see in you a role model, how hard was it working your way to prestigious positions you have served at and presently occupy?
Jacques Bonjawo: It was very hard. Most people, even when they possess talent, would give up when faced with big challenges and hurdles. But in a way, like Benjamin Franklin once said, I am a strong believer in luck and I found that the harder I work the more of it I have.
PAV: You are now the Chairman of Genesis Futuristic Technologies, may we know about the operations of this company and business opportunities that it could have for Africa if any?
Jacques Bonjawo: Genesis Futuristic Technologies is an IT start up dealing in providing highly customized Software Solutions for Industries and Management organizations. While our headquarters is in Seattle, most of our operations are in India. Genesis India also has a unit that specializes in Telemedicine. The company has built bridges with Africa, which led to creating Genesis Telecare in Cameroon.
PAV: We also discovered that you are also the founder and chairman of Genesis Telecare, a company in Cameroon, what services does it offer and how do you blend your leadership of this company with your demanding roles at Genesis Futuristic Technology?
Jacques Bonjawo: Genesis Telecare uses ICT to offer Telemedicine and other health services mostly to populations leaving in the rural areas of Cameroon. Our main goal is to cover most of these areas in a couple of years, and we are also about to set up operations in a few other Central Africa countries.
In my position, I have to handle multiple responsibilities in devising strategies, developing new projects, traveling to form partnerships, and being the spoke person of the Genesis group. I allocate a certain amount of time for each area daily. That way our stakeholders can see very clearly our vision, and I have more satisfaction in accomplishing multiple tasks under pressure.
PAV: What role do you see information and communications technology playing in the development of Africa and how will you assess the state of information technology in the continent today?
Jacques Bonjawo: Very few African countries have really embraced technology as a powerful tool for development. And yet, investment in technology has been one of the most critical sources of economic transformation in the newly industrial countries. The one common element of the East Asian success stories is the high level of commitment to technology and economic integration within the countries. For instance, the commitment of the Republic of Korea to ICTs suggests that spectacular results can be achieved in a few decades. I think African countries can follow the same example. And Rwanda is doing exactly that. Indeed, reconstruction efforts following the genocide have been associated with an emphasis on the role of science, technology, and engineering in economic transformation. This is illustrated by the decision by the Rwandan government to convert military barracks into a home for a new university, the Kigali Institute of Science, Technology and Management (KIST), the first public technological institute of higher learning in Rwanda. It happened to be run by Prof. Silas Lwakabamba, a fine man and a friend of mine who sat with me on the board of the AVU during my tenure.
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PAV: From the vast experience that you have acquired at Microsoft and Futuristic technologies what recommendations do you have for African Governments?
Jacques Bonjawo: Microsoft became without a doubt one of the best experiences of my life despite a beginning that seemed quite overwhelming. I have learned a lot while there, from my colleagues, from Bill Gates, from the people I met around the World, including at the Davos economic summit. I met a lot of young Africans, Indians, and Americans in institutions such as IIT, Harvard and Stanford where I gave several speeches. I also learned from my role as chairman the AVU, from my many trips around the World and yes, from mistakes. Even with this background, I am not sure I have a set of recommendations for African Governments. I really like to serve or give advice only when I am asked.Having said that, I believe National governments can play a fundamental role in creating an environment that will foster technology use and encourage national and international investment in ICT infrastructure, development, and a skilled workforce. Government action is also important in spreading the benefits of technology throughout society, and governments have the power and mandate to balance the needs of their citizens for long-term economic growth and social prosperity. Real access to ICT is affected by nearly all aspects of policy. Other than that, I wrote several books in which I share my vision of the future of Africa. They may still be relevant today.
PAV: May we also know if any of these governments or leaders in the continent have in the past sort to benefit from your expertise?
Jacques Bonjawo: Yes, a few have. President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal sought my advice in the area of ICT on several occasions. In fact, I once traveled with him to the economic summit in Davos where I acted as an advisor to him. President Gbagbo has invited me to his Palace in Abidjan several times to discuss ICT and development issues. So did President Dos Santos of Angola, former Presidents Mkappa on Tanzania, Alpha Oumar Konare of Mali and Ould Taya of Mauritania.
PAV: What assessment do you make of fifty years of independence for Africa and looking at the situation in the continent today how does Jacques Bonjawo see the future?
Jacques Bonjawo: I am not sure I can answer this question with much accuracy. Overall, the great majority of African countries are still in a very difficult situation, politically, economically and socially, particularly those who are former French colonies. And that’s no accident. Our continent is the only part of the World that by and large has made virtually no progress over the past fifty years. Unless there is a sea change in the political landscape, the prospects are not very encouraging.
PAV: Looking at the continent today who may you cite as examples of leaders that are capable of leading their countries and the continent towards meeting 21st century challenges?
Jacques Bonjawo: I see some significant progress in some countries such as Botswana, Rwanda. If their respective leaders stay the course, then there are reasons to be optimistic.
PAV: Apart from Europe, other leading powers in the world like the USA, China, Japan, India etc are all showing more interest in doing business with Africa, is this a good thing and what does Africa need to do to ensure that it reaps maximum dividends from this second scramble?
Jacques Bonjawo: Doing business with a country is not in itself a good or a bad thing. It all depends on what you seek to accomplish. There is no doubt that Africa needs to diversify and have more partners over the World. The real issue is whether we are making sure that our interests are served or preserved. I would single out India as a great potential partner as we have a lot in common. On top of that, the Indians are coming up with smart ways of using ICTs to solve poverty problems, whether be in Education Agriculture, Health Care or the Energy sector.
PAV: As Former Chairman of the African Virtual University how will you rate its success in providing long distance education? Have Africans been able to make the best out of the opportunities offered by the AVU?
Jacques Bonjawo: The African Virtual University (AVU) represents an important approach in using ICTs for educational purposes. In its first phase, the AVU established 31 learning centers in 17 African countries. More than 50,000 people were trained in journalism, business studies, computer science, languages, and accounting. Enrollment of women was more than 40 percent, a result of the flexibility offered by distance learning.
Since 2002 the AVU has expanded its activities to all African regions, offering degree and diploma programs. The program is focusing simultaneously on research and development of its technology delivery model. The AVU has created a network of 33 partner institutions in over 25 African countries. However successful, the AVU did not get all the support it needed from African governments. I hope this will happen sometime in the future to take the institution to another level. It is possible though that the AVU model could be adopted at the national level, linking national universities and possibly helping universities offer training to neighboring pre-university schools.
PAV: If you had any message for Africans especially its dynamic youth betrayed by selfish leaderships lacking in vision, what will that be?
Jacques Bonjawo: Well I guess the thought that I have is that one can never be too predictive about what the future holds, or what their career is going to look like. As I look back over my time from graduating in college till now, I’ve had jobs and assignments and experiences that I could never ever have predicted. I allowed myself to be flexible; I tried hard not to say, "No, I won’t do that." And yes, I worked very hard.
I think a person can learn from virtually any circumstance. I’ve personally learned more during my time at Microsoft than perhaps any of the other places I’ve ever been in my life. The things I’ve learned there I’ll be able to take with me for the next 30 years and will help in my relationships in other organizational assignments in working with people, in understanding people. That’s one of the great surprises of the last ten plus years of all that I’ve learned there. So I would say to the youth that a career is a long time. You just want to go and give the most you can and strive to be extremely positive about it and associate with good people and at the end when we’re in our 80s, look back and say, "Wow that was a pretty good darn life I’ve had."