onesimusGGA's Diary
Whoof! It’s my first Diary entry.
HOW IT STARTED – Joining the open-source community was one of the most significant decisions I made during my undergraduate studies. I have always been captivated by maps and the way they visually represent the natural world. My passion for geography, combined with my interest in subjects like mathematics and physics, naturally led me to explore the open-source community and its diverse range of tools. Moreover, the humanitarian aspect of the open-source movement resonated deeply with me, as I have always been inclined towards volunteering and contributing to community development. I became a member of the YouthMappersFUTA chapter in 2021, shortly after enrolling in college. From that point forward, I actively participated in various community initiatives, including mapathons and other collaborative projects. Over the years, I have held several leadership positions within the chapter, serving as General Secretary, Project Manager, and currently, as the Immediate President.
SOTM NIGERIA 2024 – SOTM Nigeria 2024 marked my inaugural participation in an open-source conference. The event, held at the African Regional Institute for Geospatial Information Science and Technology (AFRIGIST), in OAU Nigeria, focused on the theme of “AI-Assisted Mapping, Drone, and Open Geospatial for SDGs.” Prior to the conference, we diligently planned how to mobilize 25 registered participants from our chapter, following the notification of invitation received from the host, Unique Mappers Network, Nigeria. The journey from Akure, Ondo State, to Ife, Osun State, was a memorable one, filled with anticipation. Upon arrival at the venue, we were warmly welcomed and escorted to our assigned accommodations. The conference commenced with a vibrant mapathon party on the day of our arrival, during which we contributed to a project on the OpenStreetMap US tasking manager. This engaging session was expertly facilitated by Calvin Mentor, who joined us from OSM Ghana.
DAY 1 – The following day, the conference program kicked off with an insightful presentation by Prof. Lazarus Ojigi. In his thought-provoking address, Professor Ojigi emphasized the limitations of traditional data acquisition, analysis, and visualization methods. He highlighted how AI has revolutionized the field, saving time and increasing productivity. Furthermore, he provided a clear explanation of the hierarchical structure of AI technology, starting with data science as its foundation, branching into machine learning, and culminating in deep learning. Deep learning, a subset of AI, empowers machines to perform remarkable tasks such as object identification and predictive modeling. Following Professor Ojigi’s presentation, we were treated to six academic presentations delivered by various conference participants. I was also honored to lead a semi-workshop session, where I shared my expertise on leveraging open geospatial data and tools to extract valuable insights. The title of my presentation was “UNLOCKING GEOSPATIAL INSIGHTS: A QGIS AND OSM TUTORIAL.” During the session, I demonstrated how to install the QuickOSM extension in the QGIS environment, write effective query commands to retrieve data from the OSM database, and visualize the data for easy understanding and interpretation. This interactive experience was truly refreshing.
DAY 2 – On the second day of the conference, the focus shifted to the essential elements of high-quality maps, both manually and using AI-assisted created maps. These includes: title, grids, north arrow, legends, scale, dating and reference map. Next up, Miss Adeola, the Chief Executive of SheFlies, delivered an inspiring address, encouraging women to confidently showcase their capabilities in the GIS and drone industries. She also urged men to actively support gender equality by providing opportunities for women to contribute to the field.
NETWORKING – The conference brought together members from other open-source communities, including YouthMappersOAU, Unique Mappers Network from Port Harcourt, and Calvin Mentor from OSM Ghana.
CONCLUSION – The conference was a memorable experience filled with moments of unlearning, relearning, and acquiring new knowledge and skills related to geospatial technology. The emphasis on AI-assisted concepts, which streamline tasks and enhance productivity, was particularly valuable. I look forward to applying the knowledge acquired and future editions of SOTM Nigeria.
I want to seize this opportunity to express my appreciation to my co-executives who were able to avail themselves in the planning and mobilization of participants for this conference: Adesewa and Kadiri Blessing. The management of funds and dialogue with the bus driver was successful and itch free. Also, my sincere appreciation to Olufemi Damilola, Akintola Mercy, Ademoyero Victor, Babalola Bukola and Adeyemo Oluwafemi for their sponsorship support.
Media Library: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iI0z-g2X5xlSgRL5pAUY7BAKR9ybTaUL?usp=sharing
Thank you, SotMNigeria. Cheers! #SotM #SotMNigeria2024 #UniqueMappersNetwork #TomTom #SpatialMatrix #SciStarters #OSMNigeria #OSM
