…as COMAS, Fountain University, Osogbo holds 3rd Int’l Conference
The need to treat digital access as a fundamental right and not a privilege has again been emphasised.
This forms the fulcrum of a paper delivered by Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing CouncilCouncil, Obafemi Awolowo University, prof. Siyan Oyeweso at the 3rd International Conference of College of Management and Social Sciences, Fountain University, Osogbo.
The Conference, with the theme “Identity, Migration, and Development in the Digital World” brought together scholars across different ivory tower to discuss the role of digital marketplaces in achieving sustainable development.
Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, described as fundamental the need to treat digital access as a right in this age.
He said, “there’s need to democratize the digital marketplace—access must cut across all classes, and we must as well build compassionate policies, ethical technologies, and inclusive communities while teaching youth that identity is culture, not conflict.
Prof. Oyeweso also advocated investing in local-language digital literacy, subsidized devices, and gender-responsive technology training.
Vice Chancellor of Abdul-Rasak Abubakar Toyin University, Prof. Abdul-Rauf Ambali, highlighted the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Nigeria’s quest for sustainable development.
He noted that “ICT and the digital economy are central to Nigeria’s quest for sustainable development.
“They offer transformative potential for inclusive growth, improved governance, and environmental resilience,” he noted.
The scholars called for policy coherence, strategic investment, and inclusive governance to unlock the full potential of ICT for sustainable development.
Prof. Olayinka Ramota Karim, Vice Chancellor of Fountain University, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to pursuing solutions to societal problems for global academic excellence. “We’re making waves in global academic excellence,” she asserted.
Earlier, in her welcome address, the Dean of the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences, Fountain University, Dr. Raheemat Adeniran, emphasised the significance of the conference in interrogating issues from local, national, and international perspectives.
The conference provided a platform for scholars to engage with the theme and sub-themes, including digital finance, media and migration, identity politics, and artificial intelligence and sustainable development.
