BY LEVI JOHNSON
Caleb University, Imota, Lagos is set to hold its first international conference to entrench core values of innovation, service and creativity.
The institution’s public relations director, Dr Elvis Otobo who disclosed this said, the theme of the confab is ‘Future Forward! Disruptive Innovations. What Next?’
The hybrid event will hold at the University’s main campus, at Imota and online simultaneously.
An array of prestigious speakers, leaders in their respective fields, drawn from home and abroad will speak at the 2021 Caleb University International Conference which holds on the 26th and 27th of October. Prof Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka of the Africa Development Bank will lead with a keynote paper on the conference theme. This will be complemented by other lead papers.
International Jurist, Policy & Political Analyst, Mr Desire Y. Assogbavi will introduce Innovations in International Development Agenda 2030 (UN) and 2063 (AU). In his paper, Brian Winston, Professor of Communications at Lincoln University, (UK) will examine the critical balance to be made between the technological and social factors that drive innovation. The paper is titled Role of Innovation in Sustainable Development.
The conference will also cover issues on sustainable environment, living and lifestyle. The Managing Director, Lagos State Property Development Corporation (LSDPC) Arc Dhikrullah. A.K Har –Yusuph will discuss Innovations for Sustainable Environment and Smart Cities. From Johannesburg, South Africa –Wits University Centre for Health Economics & Decision Sciences, Prof. Sue Goldstein, speaks on Health, Well-being and COVID 19.
Regarding Digital Financial Services in the Global Economy, the focus on Taxation is covered by the pair of Valente Piergiorgio, Professor of EU Tax Law at the Link Campus University Rome, Italy, President of the CFE Executive Board, and Assistant Professor at the Institute of Austrian and International Tax law, (Sorbonne trained) Dr Nevia Čičin-Šain. They will both offer insight into best global practices on taxation. CFE is the leading organisation of tax advisers profession in Europe.
Innovations to enhance quality education, employability and social cohesion will also be in the spotlight. The President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry Mrs Toki Mabogunje will speak on Innovating to Dislodge Poverty, Hunger, Gender and Social Inequalities. Mrs Funke Amobi, the Regional Head, People & Culture West Africa Standard Bank Group, and Country Head Human Capital, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Nigeria will speak on Deciphering Waves of Innovation: The Future of Work and Work of the Future.
Professor of Business and Entrepreneurship, Crown Hill University, Eiyenkorin, Kwara State, Nigeria Professor Muritala Awodun, will speak on Impacts of Productive, Unproductive and Destructive Entrepreneurship on Economic Growth and Development.
Nigeria’s Sorbonne trained Prof Bola Akinterinwa, currently President-Director General BolyTag Centre for International Diplomacy and Strategic Studies and Director-General, Nigeria Institute of International Affairs Lagos Nigeria (2010-2015) is billed to speak on Innovations in Politics, and Development.
Dr Winston Mano, University of Westminster’s Reader and Director of the Africa Media Centre, in its Communication and Media Research Institute, (CAMRI) will speak on Innovative Communication, Media and Human Development.
These papers spread across both days and will be open to all participants. Several others will be presented in parallel sessions. This included sessions for Emerging Scholars on each day of the conference.
This conference reflects the view that human development is continuous, evolving and characterized by waves of innovation based on advances in technological changes. Experts agree that the world is currently in the 4th Industrial Revolution and this is expected to alter the way we live, work and interact at personal, corporate and global levels.
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), this Revolution involves a blurring of the physical, digital biological spheres and is expected to usher in a new era that builds and extends the impact of digitization in new and unanticipated ways. Essentially, it brings a significant disruptive change to the world, but there is more.
It has been noted that the 5th Industrial Revolution, which is expected to lead to the merger of humans and machines and promote sustainability of human development, already exists in the shadows of the 4th Industrial Revolution. More waves of innovation are still in the offing – the 6th, 7th and many more. Such continuous waves of innovation are to be expected for human advancement and development.
Critical lessons for developing countries like Nigeria is to avoid being stagnant or stampeded by diverse anticipations of innovation. Universities are critical in the systematic and rational processes to harness the power of innovation for human development and sustainable transformation, hence this 2-day conference, an initiative of Caleb University Lagos. In bringing such experts from industry and academia to stir thoughts on bringing the Future Forward, Caleb University demonstrates its alertness to the call for universities to be laboratories for generating and disseminating innovative ideas to connect dots of change; to prepare the society for development and future realities.
