BIMUN 2023: Babcock VC charges African youths on global leadership
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
The Vice-Chancellor of Babcock University, Professor Ademola Stephen Tayo has called on young Africans to be ready to be change agents that will bring about the much expected impactful leadership that would make the continent and the whole world a better place to live for all.
Prof Ademola Tayo said that though, it was quite obvious that the past generations of leaders had failed while nothing much is being done by the present crop of leaders to combat myriad of challenges confronting Africa but the youth should take up this challenge and be more purposeful and determined to change this narrative
The Vice-Chancellor represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof David Alao made this call while speaking at the 7th edition of Babcock International Model United Nations Conference (BIMUN) held at the Business School Auditorium on Monday. The conference which is fashioned after United Nations General Assembly attracted students from over 25 African countries.
Prof Tayo explained Africa today remains hotbed of multidimensional challenges such as avoidable conflicts and war, hunger, poor health, unemployment, poverty with over 430m living below poverty line among others impeding the growth and prosperity of the region
The VC, while saying that the topic of this year’s conference “A Watershed Moment: Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges” could not have been timely disclosed that there is no need for soothsayer to prophesize that this is the watershed moment to strategize on how to confront these hydra headed challenges mutating at a terrific speed.
He said “What the global society requires today is transformative solution to perennial challenges. We need to be reminded that we cannot continue to do same thing the same way and expect a different result. This is why your gathering here should not be seen as a business and a challenging moment to think out of the box on how you can be a change agent to a decaying system.
“It might not be sufficient to note that the past generations had failed while not much change is in vogue now but we can make the difference.I am glad to note that BIMUN has an international network of over 45 African Countries and in collaboration with the United Nations Information Centre’. May I further express my delight that you have as part of your goal to empowers a new generation of young Africans to be leaders who will build a better world for all”
Welcoming the participants to the conference, the Secretary-General of Babcock International Model United Nations Conference (BIMUN) Naa Fofo Djanie urged the youth to use their power of creativity, courage and commitment to help fight the ills of conflicts, hunger, poverty, climate disruption, pollution among others threatening a just world.
Djanie underscored the power of global cooperation to tackle global problems urging the youth to join forces with the United Nations to march against all the catastroph mitigating against having a more just, sustainable, inclusive and peaceful world.
Contributing during one of the sessions, Dr Oluwole Oyedejj, Coordinator, West Central African Division of Geoscience of Seventh Day Adventist said that the issues of management of the earth resources has always been of utmost concern to the United Nations.
Dr Oyedeji said that this is the reason why emphasis now is on recycling and re-using saying that all hands must be on deck to halt mismanagement of the earth fast disappearing resources.
Speaking on the essence of the conference, the Coordinator, Dr Jonathan Dangana said that the conference is a global practice that Babcock decided to replicate in Nigeria seven years ago and it is to help build the leadership capacity of the participating students and boost their confidence in getting involved in providing solutions to societal challenges.
