Stakeholders including policymakers, business leaders, academics, and traditional authorities have issued a clarion call for urgent and strategic investment in digital education and technological infrastructure as a means to combat youth unemployment, deepen economic inclusion, and drive sustainable national development.
This call resonated at the University of Ibadan on Thursday, July 3, 2025, as the prestigious Sigma Club hosted the 11th edition of its highly anticipated Public Lecture, themed “Leveraging Technology and Digital Education for Mass Employment, Wealth Creation, and Poverty Alleviation.”
The event, which also marked the Club’s 75th anniversary, drew a distinguished assembly of dignitaries and thought leaders, highlighting Sigma Club’s enduring relevance as the oldest surviving student organization in sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 1950, the Club has long been a beacon of discipline, character, and community service.
The lecture was held in honour of Old Chief Dr. Adesola Kazeem Adeduntan, FCIB, FCA, D.Sc., former Group CEO of First Bank of Nigeria and current Pro-Chancellor of Abiola Ajimobi Technical University, Ibadan.
In his address, Dr. Adeduntan stressed that while technology is crucial, it must be matched with vision, resilience, and leadership.
“Technology alone is not enough. The world belongs to those who dream, people with grit, the right mindset, and conviction. That is what drives real transformation,” he said.
“We must also build people, individuals who will take technology and translate it into value. That is where true development lies. We need a generation of doers, not just dreamers,” he added.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Karl Toriola, Managing Director and CEO of MTN Nigeria, decried the chronic underutilisation of Nigeria’s youthful population and the widening gap between education and employability.
“Our education-to-workforce bridge is broken. Millions of graduates are entering a globally competitive, tech-driven workforce without the necessary foundational skills,” Toriola noted.
He identified infrastructure deficits, low digital literacy, gender and regional disparities, and weak public-private coordination as barriers to digital inclusion and job creation. He called for deliberate and systemic reform.
“Digital education must become a national movement, where access meets inclusion and innovation meets opportunity.”
Toriola urged the government to expand broadband infrastructure, revise school curricula to include practical digital and entrepreneurial skills, and initiate gender-focused tech programs that would empower rural women and disadvantaged youths.
Representing the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Hon. Folajimi Oyekunle, who served as Chairman of the Day, commended Sigma Club for creating a platform for nation-building through dialogue.
“Technology offers limitless possibilities. This lecture reminds us that those who will lead tomorrow are those who adapt and learn today,” Oyekunle stated.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof. Peter Olapegba, praised Sigma Club for consistently pushing the boundaries of student leadership and engagement.
“Sigma Club continues to prove that student organizations can drive meaningful national conversations. Their work in education, digital skills, and character building is a model worth emulating,” Prof. Olapegba said.
The Royal Father of the Day, His Imperial Majesty Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade, the Alaafin of Oyo, in his goodwill message, praised the Club’s cultural and intellectual legacy.
“Any society that ignores the potential of its youth and the power of technology is not only delaying its growth but endangering its future,” the monarch warned.
Earlier in his welcome address, Sigma Chief Ayodeji Toyinbo reflected on the Club’s legacy of educational advancement and societal impact, citing programs such as the Sigma Undergraduate Scholarship Scheme, Tertiary Essay Competition, Roseline Etuokwu Secondary School Contest, and the Annual Digital Skills Training.
“The Sigma Public Lecture has evolved into a national platform for dissecting burning issues and offering strategic solutions. Today, we celebrate 75 years of that tradition, and we are just getting started,” Toyinbo said.
The event also featured the presence of several distinguished guests including Prof. Gabriel Ogunmola, Pro-Chancellor of Lead City University; Dr. Gani Adeniran, Father of the Day; Chief Bayo Oyero, among other guests
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