Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and the Acting Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Prof. Adebola Babatunde Ekanola
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi on Thursday announced the creation of the Royal African Young Innovators (RAYI) as part of his contributions towards solving the critical challenges confronting the nation.
According to the royal father, RAYI “will accommodate the development of 21st century technological solutions that will offer better solutions to our nations critical problems.” Besides, it” will drive scientific and industry partnership with genuine provision of support for emerging technologies.”
He spoke at his Enuwa palace in Ile Ife during the visit by the principal officers of the University of Ibadan to the Royal Court of the Kingdom of Ife, who were led by the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adebola Babatunde Ekanola.
In the monarch’s words: “Since November 2017 after my visit to the Silicon Valley where I met many outstanding young Africans who were building streams of inventions, it is clear and unambiguous that we must harness and support the innovative tendencies and optimized technological solutions that are being designed for the benefits of our continent by our own very young people. To do otherwise would be a footprint of nations in peril.
“I’m committed to enabling the realizations of the dreams and ambitions of our young disruptive innovators. In the fulfilment of my promise to you in 2017, I have therefore created the Royal African Young Innovators (RAYI) which will accommodate the development of 21st century technological solutions that will offer better solutions to our nations critical problems. RAYI will drive scientific and industry partnership with genuine provision of support for emerging technologies.
“I’m thrilled that the University of Ibadan’s leadership team is dedicated to working with me in preserving the resilience and innovative culture of our young populations through our mutual agreement which was signed today. We must never forget that Africa has become the most competitive and attractive innovation investment destination that the world is scrambling for.”
