Mariam Akinloye & Taiwo Faleti (SIWES Student)
The Ikorodu Division Students’ Fair & Summit, a transformative gathering lived up to its billing to empower, and inspire as scholars and critical stakeholders mentored students across the Ikorodu Division for future relevance.
The session was organised by the National Association of Ikorodu Division Students (NAIDS National) held at the 500 -Seater Hall, Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), on Thursday, December 27, 2027.
The fair themed, “Harnessing Knowledge for a Sustainable Future: Exploring Education, Technology & Culture” brought together young leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and change makers from various institutions to engage in impactful interaction with resource persons. While Dr. Olumide Olushola Metiletu, and Mayor Muyideen Sanwoola, were the guest speakers, Otunba Niyi Banjoko, and Mrs. Monsurat Odumbo, shared their experiences with participants in a panel session.
Comr. Shofowora Olumide, and Comr. Hassan Basiru, anchored the business pitch introduced by NAIDS to empower creative and innovative students.
There were also exhibitions, cultural performances and business pitches among others, which also were of immense benefits to the participants.
The summit featured a rich lineup of activities, including a panel session, a keynote address, cultural displays, a business pitch competition, and an award presentation segment that recognised outstanding student achievers and contributors to educational development.
The NAIDS National President, Comrade Olatayo Bodunrin Ogunbowale, welcoming guests and participants said that the aim of the summit is to unleash the potentials of students in Ikorodu and open their eyes to the numerous opportunities which abound to make them future leaders.
“This event is born out of a simple but powerful conviction: that the students of Ikorodu Division carry within them the knowledge, the creativity, and the courage to shape a better, brighter, and more sustainable future and to open the minds of everyone to the knowledge embedded in the beauty of Education, Technology and Cultural Heritage Promotion.
“Our theme: Harnessing Knowledge for a Sustainable Future: Exploring Education, Technology, and Culture, is more than a topic; it is a call to action. It challenges us to embrace learning not just as a path to personal success, but as a tool for community transformation. It pushes us to see technology as a bridge to global relevance, and to treat our culture not as history to be archived, but as heritage to be preserved, celebrated, and passed on,” he said.
Bodunrin Ogunbowale further urged his fellow students: “To my fellow students across the five LCDA and LG represented here today, students from various Institutions and organisations: This is your moment. A moment to learn, to collaborate, to network, and to expand your possibilities. A moment to discover that you are not too young to influence your environment, not too inexperienced to lead, and not too small to make an impact.”
The NAIDS leader expressed his appreciation, “To our distinguished keynote Speakers, Panelists and Panel Judges of our Business Pitch Session, we deeply appreciate your presence. Your insights, experience, and leadership are invaluable to us, and your commitment to our developmental journey fuels our confidence.”
Mayor Muyideen Sanwoola, in his lead paper presentation, on the sub theme, “21st Century Emerging Trends in Technology for Undergraduates,” emphasised the correlation between Education, Technology, and Economics and while students must relate with the three concepts to be future leaders and evolve sustainable development.
He charged that students must be conversant with technological development and maximise it for self and community development by exploring opportunities therein.
While emphasising the importance of technology, Sanwoola stated it can assist participants to achieve their dreams and give them the platform to compete with their peers across the globe.
He encouraged students to adopt the use of AI to solve their academic and other challenges and also urged them to learn how to prompt technological innovation to work well and effectively for them.
“I remember about 9 or 10 years ago, I was supposed to deliver a lecture at LASU. I think it was NULASS that organised the event. They asked me to give a speech on technology. I had a slide presentation, and the first slide said: “If Google provides answers, who needs a professor or lecturer?”
Mayor Deen Sanwoola observed, “That question was in a university environment. I could see everyone whispering, shaking their heads, thinking, “What rubbish is this? He wants to take our jobs?” They were uncomfortable. But guess what? That was ten years ago. Ten years ago, you could prompt Google to give you answers to things you learn in school. My next slide gave the real clarification: Google provides answers — but we still need doctors and professors to refine those answers because they may not be correct.
“The same thing is happening today. AI provides answers, but humans still need to refine them and confirm if they are correct,” he clarified.
Conclusively, he charged participants to start engaging in critical thinking and use technology to proffer solutions to mirage of problems facing their society.
An associate professor with the Lags State University of Science and Technology (LASSTECH), Dr. Olumide Metiletu, who also spoke on the sub -theme, said that students must be well – equipped and prepared to navigate the world that is continuously evolving at an unprecedented speed and within which education and technology are merging.
He charged participants to expand their knowledge, prepare for the future and position themselves strategically to navigate the ever – changing world.
Dr Metilelu advocated for the need for students to continually engage themselves and develop to be relevant, emphasising the need to acquire digital learning, skill-based programs, and experiential learning, which he said offer students the opportunities to grow and develop.
While speaking on the accelerating status of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Dr Metilelu urged participants to equip themselves with knowledge in emerging technologies: AI, Robotics, IoT, AR/VR, Blockchain and prepare to learn, unlearn and relearn fast enough.
He listed essential 21st Century skills digital literacy, data literacy, artificial intelligence fluency, coding & computational thinking, communication & collaboration and creativity, adaptability & innovation as key learnings.
While he was analysing several opportunities that are available and still involving in Africa like growing tech ecosystem, young population advantage, Nigeria’s global footprint in FinTech, AI, EdTech among others, which are ushering the continent into a phase of transformation, Dr Metilelu called on students to learn continuously, build digital portfolios and embrace technology.
He also asked them to develop problem-solving skills, network strategically and act with integrity.
In the panel session, with another sub – theme, “Preserving Our Roots: The Legacy & Heritage of Ikorodu Division”, Otunba Olaniyi Banjoko, the Bobakeye of Ikorodu and culture promoter and Mrs Monsurat Odumbo, a teacher and community developer, provided the speakers the opportunity to advance correlation between culture and educational development of young people.
The session reinforced the importance of culture as a driving force for community and national development.
Mrs Odumbo, explained that the tendencies to teach in English and not in native language and Africans’ perception of civilization as western culture are causes of educational problems.
She called for reorientation and change of perception by adopting teaching methods in Yoruba and other native languages to experience good understanding among students.
“If we do not stand firmly with our culture and traditions, this nation will continue to face serious problems. Many people believe that unless they speak English, they cannot succeed. But as our fathers has shown through his travels, even with all the countries that he had visited, his accent has not changed who he is. Some people believe that they cannot speak Yoruba — and that mindset is part of the problem.
“This problem starts from the primary school level. The language we use to teach our children is often not the one they understand. As a teacher, I know that no child is dull; they simply learn better in the language they understand. But we keep pushing them forward even when they only hear the English but do not understand it, all the way to secondary school and even higher institutions.
“Recently, I saw a lady on Facebook teaching Chemistry in Yoruba, and it was very understandable. That shows that our own language is capable — our children can learn effectively through Yoruba.
“So please, we need to go back to our roots; to our background, and return to our language.”
Otunba Banjoko in his own submission, also emphasised the importance of language in development.
“To save and preserve our cultural heritage, the first step is confidence. We must believe in ourselves, in our culture, and in our traditions. We must understand them and value them. Other civilizations have done this — China, India, and even European countries like Germany. They hold strongly to their languages, which serve as the backbone of their culture and traditions.
“You cannot have a culture or tradition without your language. If you do not understand your language, you cannot fully understand who you are.
“To rebuild, we must start by recognising the value of our language. In the Yoruba language, everything you need to understand about the culture is already embedded. The traditions are naturally expressed in the language,” Otunba Banjoko said.
The Award Presentation Ceremony, where key dignitaries were honoured for their contributions to youth development, education, culture, and community advancement within the division.
At the well – attended event, awards were presented to Hon. (Dr.) Aro Moshood Abiodun, representative, Ikorodu Constituency II, Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr. Nurudeen Yekinni Agbaje, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Rural Development, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo-Alogba, Chairman, Ijede LCDA, Dr. Oladega Caleb Adebogun, founder, CALEB University, Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited (IDPIL), Mr, Waheed Kasali, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tertiary Education, Lagos State, ESV. (Dr.) Kunle Awolaja, President, Imota Ayayo Development Association, Hon. Gbolahan Ogunleye, representative, Ikorodu Constituency I, Engr. Tokunbo Oyenuga, Mr. Obafemi Ogunlana, Otunba Niyi Banjoko, and Mrs. Monsurat Odumbo, for their contributions to educational development and support for NAIDS.
