By Yusuf Ramon

The Technology and Engineering Students’ Association (TESA), University of Ibadan, held its annual conference tagged “Innovation in Nigeria 101: Bridging Gaps and Shaping Solutions” at the Tech Lecture Theatre (TLT) on Tuesday, 12th of March, 2024.
The program, one of the numerous events during the TESA week, is projected to encourage undergraduates of the Faculty of Technology to be more innovative and create technological-driven solutions to real-life problems.
This year, TESA’s conference saw influential alumni of the Faculty of Technology return to enlighten aspiring engineers on the subject matter. The keynote speaker was Engr. Debo Onifade, who joined the event virtually, and Dr. Olusola Sayeed Ayoola. There was a panellists session with panelists included the likes of Courage Afemije, Idris Taiwo, and Precious Ishola. Setting off, the current TESA president, Eyoufe Odafeoghene, gave the opening address to kickstart the event.
The first keynote speaker, Engr. Debo Onifade spoke on the power of networking, nurturing gifts, and becoming innovative in the tech world. He stressed the importance of networking while noting the need to grow one’s skills to unlock the full benefits of networking. He shared stories about his entry into the power industry and software development as an undergraduate until he established his company, DelonApps. He concluded that “Money is good, but money can kill dreams. Therefore, success is better linked with networking, skills development, and being innovative”.
Next, Dr. Olusola discussed job creation and security in the Nigerian technology industry. His speech was groundbreaking and captured the attention of all in attendance, as he declared, “You can’t continue to complain that there is no job and apply for every vacancy. Innovators need to think and create jobs instead of consuming them. You cannot think in Nigeria; you need to leave the country to think, which is why it is called thinking outside the box”.
The panelists comprising Courage Afemije, an alumnus of Food Technology, Idris Taiwo, and Precious Ishola, took to the stage next. They discussed the topic further as they were asked several questions about their journey in the tech world.
Occasionally, fun activities, including the fastest finger, Kahoot, and tongue twister were done to keep the audience lively. There were also product exhibitions from the representatives of the UI Design Studio and other student enterprises. To round off, an executive of TESA gave a vote of thanks while the attendees gathered to get refreshments.