Covenant University recently hosted the globally renowned interactive talk platform, TEDx, with notable speakers and social enthusiasts presenting great and well-informed ideas with the aim of provoking social and developmental change amongst youths.
TEDx Covenant University, with the theme "Evolve," featured professionals across business, industries, tech, and academia, which had come to engage in conversations and spark ideas that would birth innovation in accordance with the university’s vision. The Conference held in the university’s CUCRID Auditorium, spanned four hours of mind-boggling conversation as the speakers shared their ideas, their experiences, and their insights into life’s principles with a cross section of participants.
Media personality and brand influencer, Tomike Adeoye, delivered a talk captioned "My Personality, My Superpower." In her talk, she spoke about how it is never too late or too early to find one’s area of strength. She, however, noted that one’s areas of strength and competence do not automatically create the pathway to success.
According to her, everyone should value their superpower and continue to develop it, even going so far as to monetize it. She also mentioned that every superpower has a time, and it is the inherent opportunity that comes with it that makes it successful.
Salem King, Digital Content Creator and Marketing Manager at Our Pass, spoke on ‘How Online Communities Save Lives’, noting there is the need to create value for each other, even when it looks like things are not the way they ought to be.
He advised participants to find validation in the community of like-minded people. "Find validations in people of like minds, and if you value institutions rather than community, you might decide to go alone," he added.
King encouraged the audience to maximize their strengths rather than improve on their weaknesses by finding people who believe in what they believe in.
A Director with ARM Trustees, Michael Thomas, honed in on the substance of, "How to Blend in and Stand Out", submitting that it is absolutely fine if they don’t know where they will be in the next five or ten years, but they should strive to cause a change in their generation, and thrive in their chosen field of endeavour.
Thomas encouraged the audience to be curious, unlearn stereotypes they have been confined to, relearn new skills as well as develop the capacity to remain true to who they are, noting that one key feature they should cultivate is the availability to adapt to the world that is changing, which was perfectly in line with the theme of the event.
Speaking on the issue of "Investing in humanity—the greatest investment of any developing country—, the founder of Chess in Slums, Tunde Onakoya, advised participants on the need to ask questions like "What is your identity?" Are you neglecting your potential? Where does my privilege intercept with someone’s repression?’ "How am I going to become a storyteller for untold stories that matter?"
According to him, finding an answer to these plethoras of interrogations is fundamental to living and leading a life of purpose. "The opportunity to invest in humanity is the best that we as humans can ever experience, because the only future we dream of is the one that includes us all," he enthused.
The TEDx event offered participants the privilege to network and interacts with speakers; enjoy music; oratory performances; refreshments; and also participate in prize-winning games.