The Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu and other eminent Nigerians on Tuesday graced the 20th anniversary Lecture and prize-giving ceremony of Bridge House College (BHC), Ikoyi, Lagos.
The colourful event held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, was also attended by the First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun; wife of the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat and the wife of former Governor of Cross Rivers State, Mrs Onari Duke.
There were also the founder/Executive Director, Swisstrade Limited, Companies, Dr. Mike Ezeaju; Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Sule; Executive Director, Bridge House College, Ikoyi, Dr Foluke AbdulRazaq; GMD/CEO, Shoreline Energy International, Kola Karim, among others.
The 20th anniversary of the college also culminated in the graduation of 116 A Level students from the college founded in 2004.
The theme of the lecture is “Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Education: Opportunities and Challenges.”
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the occasion, Elumelu charged the graduating students to work hard to achieve their goals in life, lamenting that “we live in a world where people don’t believe in hard work again.
“Those of us who succeeded were because of hard work. Be very intentional about being hard-working. Work hard, when you approach whatever you are doing with seriousness and hard work, you will achieve your aim,” he said.
Elumelu also charged the students to be disciplined, saying the “world we live in today, there is no discipline, discipline is very important. Look to your parents as role models.”
He further challenged the students and all present at the event to embrace sacrifice, adding, “Let’s try not to consume all, make sacrifices for a better tomorrow. Tenacity is key, learn to be tenacious. Don’t give up easily. These days, little difficulty people are depressed, be tenacious and the world is at your feet.”
First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs Abiodun expressed worry that more than 10 million children out of school showed the level of challenges in the education sector in the country, adding that for those in school, less than half received quality education.
She decried that cultism and drug abuse posed another major challenge in the sector, charging youths to shun such vices.
The First Lady charged the school to uphold moral instruction to reposition the students, saying she was impressed with how far the College had come with the very high standard it maintained over the years.
Abiodun also said Artificial Intelligence when deployed in schools could bridge the gap between urban and rural education, saying she looked forward to a day when students in Shagamu could be taught in China through AI.
Given words of advice to the graduating students, Kola Karim, said that the college had engaged in 20 years of building future leaders of the country.
Karim, who is the GMD/CEO of Shoreline Energy International, Lagos said the topic was very apt as AI technology dictates “a better future for all of us”
He charged the students to be of good character and have the ability to stand tall wherever they found themselves, adding that they needed to work harder to compete favourably among their peers.
The Executive Director, of Bridge House College, Ikoyi, Dr Foluke AbdulRazaq, in her welcome address, said from the commencement class of only 12 students in 2004, the school had grown to graduating an average of 200 students every year.
“Also, in our 20 years, over four thousand BHC students have become graduates of some of the best universities in the world and most of whom are solidly found currently pursuing brilliant careers. In the same period, we have moved from our temporary annex premises to a purpose-built bespoke college campus with full boarding facilities.
“At Bridge House College, our ethos revolves around providing young minds with a solid foundation to achieve life’s goals in two main respects; first, we ensure that our students are fully equipped academically to enable them to embark on serious academic pursuits at university. Secondly, having scaled the high moral and academic bar set for them here, they are prepared to face and conquer the vicissitudes of life and successfully ride on the wave of the new world Al order with its anticipated exciting and exceptional disruptions,” she stated.
AbdulRazaq said the college is today celebrating the dedication, perseverance, and commitment of these young adults, saying it is a solid testimony of hard work, grit, gut and determination to conquer and succeed at all costs.
She urged the graduating Class of 2024 to remain conscious of their surroundings, embrace and scale the challenges of life, charging them to see every problem as an opportunity to enrich their experience or enlarge their coast.
“In other words, approach every problem not as a hindrance but as a beckoning to find solutions and forge a pathway to success, fulfilment, health and wealth.
“In our current world dominated by Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change, consider innovative solutions such as Green Technologies, Carbon Capture, improved payment systems, environmentally healthy clean-up methods and advanced electricity storage concepts.
“For those inclined to the Arts, be it food, fashion, film, design or music, remember that creativity is timeless. You can never ‘go out of style.’ The creative industry is the new oil boom and it will endure. Ride on the wave of the world’s craving for Afrocentric fashion, food and music. While STEM-based careers will always be in vogue, it’s crucial to re-invent and be flexible regardless of your core path; explore and enhance your natural talents,” she charged them.
Wife of Lagos Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat emphasized that the use of AI in today’s world is key, saying it could be used in academics and different fields.
“AI has the potential to transform the education sector, I urged all to embrace AI. The education curriculum in schools should be reviewed to inculcate AI. We must ensure we provide opportunities for our children to acquire knowledge using AI so that they can compete in the global space,” she said.
