The inaugural edition of the FutureMinds AI & Robotics bootcamp was held from 4th to 8th of August, 2025 at the OAU ICT-Driven Knowledge Park (OAK-Park). The programme, which brought together 59 bright students from various secondary schools in Ile-Ife for an immersive journey into Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI), was a “town-and-gown” initiative of the Office of the Vice Chancellor. It was organized by the TETFUND Centre of Excellence in Digital Literacy and Emerging Technologies (TCOEX-DILET) and hosted by the OAU ICT-Driven Knowledge Park.

Over five days, students engaged in hands-on practical sessions, soft-skill development, and interactive sessions that were designed to spark their curiosity and inspire creative problem-solving. From low-code robotics projects to drone piloting and no-code AI model development, the program blended technical exploration with teamwork. Students built Arduino-powered car robots, explored feedback in decision-making, compared controller algorithms, and trained lightweight AI models using Google Teachable Machine. They simulated drone flights before navigating real-world obstacle courses, applying computational thinking to solve challenges. Each activity (i.e., from hardware assembly to idea refinement) pushed them not just to use technology but also to recreate aspects of it.

Students left the bootcamp with:

• A foundational grasp of robotics and AI concepts;
• Improved creative thinking and solution-oriented mindsets;
• The ability to translate real-world problems into computer sequences and algorithms; and
• A stronger presentation and communication skills through group work.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. A.S. Bamire, noted that the program highlights OAU’s commitment to making its impact felt in Ile-Ife as a whole.  FutureMinds is about giving young minds in Ile-Ife the same exposure and opportunities as their peers in global innovation hubs like Shenzhen, China, and awakening them to the vast possibilities in AI and robotics. By doing this, the University is not just teaching technology, but also seeding ambition and competitiveness for the future.

OAK-Park, where the bootcamp was held, is an African Centre of Excellence initiative. Initially focused on software engineering, the centre’s mandate now extends to cognate disciplines to facilitate the exploitation of technology for national development with ICT-driven knowledge as a linchpin. According to the Centre leader, Prof. G.A. Aderounmu, future editions of FutureMinds will be even larger, with more than 100 participants envisaged for a two-week-long programme.

For many students, the experience was transformative. One participant shared, “Before this bootcamp, I thought AI was something only big companies abroad could do. Now I can build my own AI model,” Another said, “I’ve never flown a drone before or built an Arduino car, and now I can explain how they work. I feel like I can create more things now”. Their excitement, confidence, and feedback were proof that the program achieved more than just knowledge transfer — it lit a spark that will keep burning.

The event was coordinated by Mr. Emmanuel Olateju and executed by a team of current and recent OAU undergraduates that included Abdul-Azeez Jelili-Ibrahim, Feranmi Aiyegbusi, Doyin Arewa, Emmanuel Peter, Ahmad Usman, Michael Ajiboye, Mary Oluropo, Opabode Jide, Shafiu Akinola, Temiloluwa Akinbile, and Olamide Lawal. They worked under the overall supervision of Prof. Kayode P. Ayodele and staff LOC members, including Dr. O.O. Ilori and Dr. A.A. Ogunseye.

The organisers of the event would like to extend warm appreciation to the OAU Information and Communication Technology Unit (INTECU), which supported the event with 60 computers, as well as engineers and staff of both INTECU and the OAK-Park.