By Haru Mutasa

In a few short months FOSS, the Free and Open Source Software operating system “Linux”, has made Yinka Adeyemo’s life a lot less stressful.
“I have no more angry clients breathing down his neck every time when things don’t work and there are no more late night calls to fix faulty computers,” said the calm computer engineer.
His business, Microleb in Ibadan Nigeria, sells and repairs computers as well as installs and maintains networking systems. The bulk of his clients run internet cafes which use the conventional Windows software packages he installs for them.
Running and maintaining Windows-run PCs meant dealing with viruses and a host of other computer-related headaches. Ademeyo needed to find solutions fast, and did, when he discovered the benefits of Linux at an Open Source (OS) training workshop organised by the Free and Open Source Software Resource Centre (FOSSREC) an organisation dedicated to introducing OS to African communities.
Their Train-the-Trainers programme empowers computer savvy Africans with knowledge on how to use OS and web technologies. The idea is to gradually integrate Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) across the continent.
FOSS is technology local people can understand, maintain and adapt to other needs. Its source code is made free and public. Users are allowed to change the source code and adapt it to their own needs on condition they freely distribute it to other users.
“I had been playing with Linux on my own whenever I was not working,” said Adeyemo, “But the course made me see what else the programme could do and how I could use it in my business.”
He has not been disappointed with the results and feels completely at home navigating his way through the source code of a Linux-run programme he is working on.
"I have already switched most of my clients on to Linux. Now there are fewer technical problems and headaches. I have more time to myself,” he explained.
Using Linux has meant Ademeyo can save the money he would have otherwise used to buy conventional Windows 98 and XP programmes. He has six people working for him and the company stands to benefit from the money he is saving.
The roll out of FOSS in Africa is seen as one way to bridge the digital divide. The process is slow and Ademeyo, who has seen many of his classmates emigrate to the United Kingdom, firmly believes that bridging the divide should start with Africans themselves.
“Africa is still so far behind when it comes to ICT development and unfortunately most qualified people are living overseas improving the infrastructure of other people and not our own,” he said, “For things to move forward Africans need to come together, stay and develop our own nations with the skills we have.”