Mission

When quizzed during a speech in his most recent national tour, Obasanjo, Nigerian past president, made an intriguing statement that offers great insight about his journey on how he rose to become the president of Nigeria from a lowly, impoverished farm boy in Ogun state, Nigeria.

“I joined the military” he said. “Shortly after, Nigeria gained independence. Then, suddenly, there was an even ground to play on”.

“...suddenly, there was an even ground to play on”

This is an incredibly insightful statement to which a discerning mind ought to pay very close attention.

To Obasanjo and his contemporaries in their time, the army was the even ground providence provided. It was the even ground that erased and removed all societal and aristocratic blockades set in place to frustrate and keep the ordinary man ordinary. The army was what provided an even ground for their generation to play on. An even ground where what mattered was abilities and capabilities; not statuses and connections.

Today, in our own generation, that even ground is technology.

Technology has removed all obstacles and barricades that was hitherto set by the ruling class to hamper the ordinary man’s effort or ascension.

Today, anyone, anywhere, can pick up a computer, put himself under strict training, and emerge after a few years, with skills that will put him on par with any other “privileged” person of our society.

What joining the army gave Obasanjo and his ilk in their days, technology has given to us now.

The question is: what will we do with it?

Aorta’s goal is simple: To build the Africa we desire, by Africans, owned by Africans, and independent of the inefficiencies and inconsistencies of the government. Harnessing the limitless capabilities afforded us by recent advancement in technologies, and the colossal resources of the crowd.

We are not hoping for a better future, we are building it.