Cyber games enters qualifying series

The World Cyber Games (WCG) Nigeria has entered the qualifying series, according to its President, Mr. Ogunlola Olusegun, last weekend in Lagos, reports UGO NKWOCHA.

Speaking at a press briefing which held at the Chams City Center in Ikeja GRA, he said WCG is one of the biggest international computing games globally.

He also said that the world cyber games is to empower youth to use their self skills to work and is held annually.

Mr. Ogunlola added that the last year’s edition had South Africa as the only African country, but Nigeria would be the second at this year’s version, stressing that the event is to promote such ideas in Nigeria to sensitize the people.

Equally, he said the preliminaries would be held in cybercafes, gaming centers and recreational clubs around the country.

“The gamers would have to beat the computers at their chosen games in order to qualify for the next round, where they would face the best gamers in their region before moving to the national finals in Lagos to compete for a total price of $5 million (about N588.6m),” Ogunlola said.

He noted that the WCG is working to identify and recruit the best gamers in the country and sponsor them as national representatives to the World Cyber Games grand finale in Cologne, Germany this November.

The qualifying series, he said, kicked off on Monday, August 25, 2008 at various locations nationwide and is expected to end by September 16, 2008.

Mr. Ogunlola expressed appreciation to all the sponsors from private, local and international community.

A representative of the government and Director, Software Research, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Emeka Ezekwesili, said that his agency is interested in any avenue that would draw early interest of Nigerian youths to the use of technology positively.

“We prefer to catch them young instead of youth getting involved in what is now known as Yahoo, Yahoo also called online 419ers,” he said.

The Account Manager, Intel Corporation Nigeria, Mr. Robinson Babatunde and Head, Corporate Affairs, Chams Plc, Mr. Idowu Logile, were also at the briefing.


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