The spotlight is on Usman Yunusa, Business Intelligence Officer and MSc computer science (information systems) student, Baze University, Nigeria

Usman Yunusa graduated with a computer science degree from Baze University in April 2019. After his graduate internship and a one-year National Youth Services Corp (NYSC) scheme, Usman was invited back to Baze University to act as Business Intelligence Officer and conduct research for his Master’s degree.

Yunusa benefited from Oracle Academy curriculum under Senior Lecturer, Dr. Rislan Kanya and now interacts with him in data analytics.

Oracle Academy: We understand you followed Dr. Rislan Kanya’s Oracle Academy-based courses at Baze University. Were they useful?

Usman Yunusa: Absolutely. I’ll never forget the start of my Oracle experience. Dr. Kanya immersed us straight away in Database Foundations and then all the other parts of the Oracle Academy database curriculum and Java Programming. He is more than a lecturer, he is a true teacher, the man to go to, someone who passes on learning of all kinds—a mentor.

Read how Dr. Rislan Kanya has incorporated database and Java curricula into courses to help students gain the skills workplaces demand.

Oracle Academy: What technologies will help you with your Master’s degree?

Usman Yunusa: The Oracle Academy courses gave me the solid grounding for moving on to information management, data analysis and cyber security. All of these I will use in my thesis. As a curious student, I also got to know MySQL Workbench. For me, it’s the most well organized tool, simply fantastic, as well as MySQL, Oracle Linux, NetBeans as a user interface, and JDBC driver to connect my programs to the database.

Oracle Academy: What will you be doing back at Baze?

Usman Yunusa: I have participated in a graduate internship and completed my one-year National Youth Services Corp (NYSC) scheme at Baze. Dr. Kanya applied to have me develop data analytics skills. I also have completed the Big Data and Business Intelligence module, which he taught as part of my Master’s program. These modules are excellent building blocks for the focus of my Master’s project: The use of Big Data and Learning Analytics to improve teaching and learning in higher education institutions (HEIs): A case study of Baze University Abuja.

Oracle Academy: Will you be doing any teaching yourself?

Usman Yunusa: Yes, indeed. I’m currently working with Dr. Kanya in his teachings, workshops, and other projects. Everything I learned in Oracle Academy courses I pass on to the current cohort of students. Later on, I would love to do lecturing. I want to gain the title of professor. There are many gaps to plug in Nigerian education, and I’m up for it, especially with the Oracle Academy resources available.

I am 19. I have a job and a Master’s degree ongoing. I see myself going somewhere in life, and for that I’m grateful to Dr. Kanya, Baze University, and Oracle Academy.

Thank you, Usman Yunusa, for your passion for Oracle Academy.