CYBERTECH GAMERS: ONE YEAR (IN EKITI) OF BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, BRIDGING GAPS. By ADEMIJU ADEWUNMI
Lying in the heart of Ekiti State Capital (Ado-Ekiti) is a hub where like minds gather to unwind through video gaming. Cybertech Gamers have lived a lifetime dream of changing lives.
Background
In Africa, leisure and luxury are essential parts of our social life. People of class and origins often gather to relax, network and mingle in recreation centres provided by government and private bodies alike.
However, gaming is a trend largely appreciated by the common, middle and high class of the society. It is a recreational exercise that helps improve the social and technical skills of an individual.
The Gamers Story
It is in this vein that Tolulope Oluwadare Ogunyemi, the Chief Executive Officer of Cybertech Multimedia, parent company of Cybertech Gamers, created an avenue for the people of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State to unwind, build their social and neural skills.
The vision, birthed a year ago, has grown into a hub that improves the social being of the people.
In his words, Tolulope who is a seasoned Information Technology expert said that the centre has successfully become a place that contributes her quota of social decorum to the state.
“We are committed to building an enabling environment for the people of Ekiti State. We have the vision to create an atmosphere where people of different class meet and build lasting relationships.
“We at Cybertech Gamers understand the need to support the government in curbing crime and social menace by engaging the youth in productive gaming activities. We are open to men and women of all standards. We realized many working class residents of Ado-Ekiti seek other ways to relax rather than visiting bars and local joints so we created this avenue where people meet after a hard day’s work to relax, play games and network for a possible working relationships.
“We have also been able to bridge the gap between the young and old. Some secondary school students often challenge older folks in games thereby creating bonds.
Speaking further, the CEO mentioned various gaming services available to the people of the state adding that the centre has recorded huge success within a year of operation.
“The centre is just a year old but we have achieved tremendous growth since inception. Our gaming services are affordable and up to date; we ensure our customers enjoy the latest genres of games. For instance, a new version of Play Station (soccer games) is released every September of the year and we preorder them in due time to the excitement of our customers.
“One of the things we also consider in this business is price. We understand the huge competition out there in the gaming business but we want our customers to enjoy the service with premium experience as we consider the economic situation of the country.
“Our prices are the cheapest you can find anywhere within the state, yet we provide a comfortable environment for our customers, using some of the most expensive electronic items for our business. We use smart television sets as well as the latest gaming gadgets. We can boldly say we are the first gaming centre in the country where you find a 60inches Smart Television used for gaming activities. We are able to consider this because we want to create an all-round tech effects for our customers,” he said.
The Games Variety
The ICT Entrepreneur explained the various games available at the hub.
“FIFA & PES: These are Play Station soccer games designed by SONY. We ensure we bring our customers up to speed with the latest trend.
Online Gaming: Our centre is equipped with internet service that enable our customers challenge their friends anywhere around the world on video games.
“Adventures: This is a kind of game that engages only a single player, taking him/her through a journey of experience and tasks. An example is the popular ‘God of War’ Series.
“Virtual Reality: Also known as VR, this is a kind of game that brings you up close and personal with the characters of the game. You stand a chance to have a feel of what goes on in the game. The player wears a screen gadget that makes one feel present in the game. Its maximum fun!
“Arcade Games: This is a coin-operated game available at the centre. We are doing this to bring back the old feeling of video games, adding to the variety of our gaming services.
Maximising Social Media Mileage
“We have ensured our business have a fair share of social media opportunities. This has helped us reach out to potential customers beyond our immediate community who have serious interest in gaming.
“Our platforms include; Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/cybertechgamers/?referrer=whatsapp), Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and a WhatsApp group(https://chat.whatsapp.com/LHcOE12N0nlCbZbCfCCLae) that helps us keep close monitoring on how our customers are faring. This group has revealed enormous opportunities we can tap in to when you talk about human capital in business.
“It is also a platform where customers from various parts of the state challenge themselves to gaming. They also share ideas on how to develop individual skills in the cause of the game,” he said.
The Anniversary Gaming Competition
“We are staging a competition between our customers to mark our one year anniversary. This event will hold between 14th-27th of July this year. This competition comprises of 32 participants who will compete for the best video gamer in FIFA and PES soccer games and is tagged ‘Cybertech King of Soccer 2019’.
Already, there is a current tussle among our customers on their preference of FIFA to PES so we are staging a battle between the lovers of FIFA and that of PES. The friendly games segment that precedes the competition is already on.
Challenges Therein
Tolulope ascertained that every business comes with its own peculiar challenge and Cybertech Gamers has her fair share of challenges either.
“One of the major challenges we face in this business is electricity. We often power our business using generator for over 14 hours daily. This is one area we are looking to surpass in due time but we believe that the government is working hard to ensure stable power supply to the people.
“Another major challenge we face is management and space. We are working on expanding our centre, possibly getting a bigger outlet to accommodate our ever-increasing customer base. We also have to hold frequent trainings for our staffs in the area of client management and quality control so as to give our customers good services.
The Gamers’ Testament
In a chat with some of the video gamers at Cybertech, they attest to the self-developmental skills the centre has brought to them.
Olatunji Richard, a Civil Engineer and Aluminuim Roofing expert said that the centre has largely improved his gaming skills.
“Less than a year now when I relocated to Ado-Ekiti for business reasons, I sought a place I could spend quality time after work and I discovered Cybertech Gamers. I love playing soccer games and this centre has really lived up to my expectation as a gamer coming from Lagos where there are several game centres with modern facilities.
“This centre, I can assure you, can give you the optimum experience you can find anywhere else,” he said.
Taiwo Daniel, a Pension Manager in Ado-Ekiti also said that, “It has been a thrilling experience. Since I visited the centre for the first time and now I am a regular video gamer. I come here at least three times weekly to relax, meet new friends and enjoy the fun of video gaming. Playing video games, for me, is like visiting the gym to keep fit. It helps me maintain my mental balance as well as my reflex skills. My game has largely improved compared to my days in Akure, Ondo State,” he said.
Toyin Adeyemo, a staff of St. Gregory’s Hospital in Ado-Ekiti mentioned that the number of customers trooping to the centre on a daily basis prompted him to join the league of gamers. “I come here every day after work and play games with friends. Mr. Tolulope himself has been an amazing entrepreneur by showing us care and giving us maximum treats whenever we come around,” he said.
The Future
“We have a master plan that will take this business to greater heights. Cybertech Gamers or Cybertech MultiMedia as a company will have her own permanent state-of-the-art complex that will feature various gaming sections and studios.
“With the support of our clients/customers and relevant government ministry, we believe this dream is achievable.