UNILAG VC seeks more support for youth in technology space

The Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Folashade Ogunsola, says challenges facing the country are surmountable, if the youth are given more support in the technology space.

Ogunsola made the assertion at the 2023 STAC Reform conference organised by the KB Club of the institution’s College of Medicine on Thursday, in Lagos, with the theme: Transforming Healthcare through Financial Technology.

The club is a medical socio philanthropic organisation of medical students of the university founded in 1969 by a group headed by Prof. Oladapo Ashiru, one of the club’s grand patrons.

The club operates on a tripod of philanthropy, academic excellence and social empowerment.

According to the vice chancellor, today’s youth are more technology savvy and own the future, and there can be no future without the youth.

She said that such spirit was needed in the search for solutions to the numerous challenges facing the various sectors of the country’s economy.

Ogunsola noted that the healthcare and the education sectors were two key sectors that could open the door to development, adding that finding solutions to their accessibility, using technology, was critical and involved bright and active youths.

The don stated that members of the KB club had always come up with topical issues that would impact the society each time they organised their event.

She commended them on ways they went about it, in ensuring that they yielded the much desired results.

“Today’s event is all about entrepreneurship and impacting the society. It is also a STACK reform, that started about five years ago.

“This particular one is about using financial technology to transform healthcare. It has to do with series of events such as speech competition by secondary schools, elevated pitching by university students and essay competition about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and transforming healthcare.

“Let me say I am proud to be here because the KB club and the students are always pushing boundaries. They are always topical, seeking solutions to societal challenges.

“One thing they are always after, is about development and improvement. I think they are the kind of students we look forward to having and who are role models.

“This is because they see these challenges and rather than complain, they go about in search of solutions. So, essentially, they are the kind of students, who, when given lemon, they make lemonade,” Ogunsola said.

According to her, she has been their matron for about four years and knows what they are capable of doing.

Describing members of the club as always neat, polite and cautious, she stated that the students, who are also intelligent, usually go through the grooming of the club’s discipline skills while in medical school.

“They usually look impeccable, polite and must also be doing well academically. This is the first time they are bringing this event here on campus. It is usually held at the College of Medicine.

“We are looking forward to a robust communiqué at the end of this programme. One of the things for me is all about technology. They are more technology savvy than we are.

“Where we stand is a bit far. They are closer to that future. So, I am hoping that by the time they are through, we will get done understanding of their perspective, and hopefully, we can incorporate it into what we do,” she said.

Mr Olusola Okunsanya, Vice President of the club at the college of medicine, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the event that the STACK campaign was all about enlightenment.

Okunsanya who is also a final year student of the college, said that the essence of the conference was to see how advancement in financial technology could revolutionise healthcare delivery and practice in the country and the world at large.

He said that healthcare professionals, students and stakeholders in the fintech space were among those participating at the conference.

“It is a conference for students, entrepreneurs, growth professionals and policy makers to examine the latest trends and tactics in driving healthcare growth in Nigeria.

“The whole essence is to come together and discuss, exchange ideas on how advancement in fintech could revolutionise the healthcare sector,” he said.