Innovation is most effective when it is done with a heart geared towards helping humanity. This was the thrust of the keynote address delivered by a tech executive, Mr. Musibau Lasisi, at the 2023 Covenant Innovation Week, with the theme ‘Innovate 360O: Navigating the Future.’
According to him, innovation is the essence of God's creations, and as such, man is imbued with the inherent ability to create and innovate. Mr. Lasisi said all ground-breaking inventions or discoveries throughout history, both from the biblical and contemporary eras, started as divinely inspired creative ideas that pushed the boundaries of existing knowledge and practices. According to him, innovators and creators constantly challenge the status quo, finding new ways to solve problems for humanity.
He said there was a need for mankind to appreciate chaos and crisis situations, as most times they serve as purveyors of innovation and ingenuity in men. According to him, the underdevelopment of Nigeria is a pointer to a chaotic opportunity to explore and innovate, be it in the power, agro-allied, or social infrastructural sectors of the body polity.
“Innovation serves as the driving force propelling humanity into the future. It's the catalyst for progress and advancement across various domains, and its role in shaping the future of humanity is profound for several reasons, such as problem-solving, technological advancement, economic growth, and global connectivity,” he posited.
Mr. Lasisi said the journey into the future will be vital in pushing man towards improving the quality of life, environmental sustainability, adaptation, and resilience in an ever-changing world. “Let us make the world a better place, chart the course of a greater future, innovate, and do that together for the betterment of humanity and our world,” he enthused.
Declaring the 3-day symposium open, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abiodun H. Adebayo, said the idea for the week is very significant and timely as it aligns with Covenant’s restorative vision and mission of creating knowledge and restoring the dignity of the black race.
He noted that the event was also in consonance with the University’s new developmental agenda, which seeks, amongst others, to upscale Covenant’s research excellence, innovation, and entrepreneurial development programmes to nurture innovators, job creators, and business leaders.
Professor Adebayo said it is important to note that the global educational and economic landscapes have become highly dynamic, competitive, and customer-centric. As such, deliberate and conscious efforts must be made to embrace innovation and creativity in research, teaching, learning approaches, enterprise, and community engagement, even as we strive to strengthen our other internal processes.
“We must cultivate strong and enduring connections with the industry, employers of labour, and other partners and embrace interdisciplinary research. Likewise, as researchers in an ICT-driven 21st century, we must build ICT skills and competencies to complement our soft skills, such as leadership, communication, marketing, and teamwork skills necessary for innovative engagements in ICT-enabled collaborative work and entrepreneurship,” he added.
In her welcome address, the Chair, Organising Committee of the symposium, Professor Olubanke Ogunlana, said the 3-day event is fashioned to stimulate innovative mind-sets of academia, innovators, tech enthusiasts, and creative minds from the public and private sectors.
Professor Ogunlana stated that the event will provide participants with an environment to think beyond the traditional boundaries of innovation. “It beckons on us to consider innovation, not merely as a linear progression but as a multidimensional exploration,” she counseled.
She noted that the journey into the future requires a comprehensive approach—one that integrates cutting-edge technologies and fosters collaboration towards addressing the evolving needs of a dynamic global landscape. According to her, there was a need to look at local issues through the lens of global context with the view of attaining globally relevant solutions.
Professor Ogunlana said Covenant Innovation Week’s ultimate desire is to create in the symposium participants an opportunity to chart new territories, venture into the unknown, and embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in an ever-evolving world.
The Centre Leader, Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication Africa Centre of Excellence (CApIC-ACE), Professor Emeka Iweala, said the Covenant Innovation Week could not have come at a better time than now with the declaration of Covenant University Vision 7:2030. According to him, the position of CApIC-ACE, especially on the subject of innovation, fits very well into the vision, which revolves around entrepreneurship, innovation, research, leadership, and internationalization.
Professor Iweala said the Centre has occupied an enviable position in the national and international research space, generating high quality and quantity of publications and intellectual property.
“One of the challenges we face is the big paradox: putting money into research but not making money out of research. Now we need to innovate 360 degrees through the effective exploitation of knowledge, innovation systems, and thriving entrepreneurship to harness our robust research pedigree and experience into valuable products and services,” he asserted.
The 3-day symposium will witness 3 keynote presentations and 4 panel sessions, among other innovation-stimulating sessions. In addition, participants will be treated to exhibitions from partners and sponsors, while cash awards will be given to the top 3 innovators.