"Do Not See the Digital Workplace as a Threat to your Relevance, See it as a Tool to Elevate Your Dignity," UI VC tells Secretarial Staff

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS, fspsp, has charged secretarial staff of the institution not to see the digital workplace as a threat to their relevance but to see it as a tool to elevate their dignity.

He gave the charge at the opening of the annual training programme of the Chartered Institute of Professional Secretarial Staff of Nigeria (CIPSSON) UI Branch in an address read on his behalf by the Director of Special Duties in the office of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olumuyiwa Omobowale.

Professor Adebowale noted that when secretaries master virtual coordination, they become indispensable; when they excel in information management, they become powerful and when they build strategic relationships, they become leaders.

He, therefore, urged the participants to go into the training with open minds, upskill, reskill, and emerge as the digital-first, excellence-driven secretarial professionals that the University deserves.

The Registrar, Mr Ganiyu O. Saliu, JP, fspsp, FNIM, FCIML, MANUPA, MAUA, told the participants that their membership of a professional body is of immense benefit that should not be taken lightly. 

The theme of the one day programme was : "Enhancing Professional Excellence in the Digital Workplace: Virtual Coordination, Information Management, and Strategic Workplace Relationships." 

The keynote address was delivered by Prince Isaiah O.B. Lawal, a former Head of the Department of Business Education, Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo.

He told the participants that to thrive in an academic environment, they must be diligently competent, remain professionally disciplined, and 

stay relationally intelligent.

He noted that as organizations continue to embrace digital tools and remote work structures, the demand for professionals who are not only technically competent but also adaptable, collaborative, and emotionally intelligent will continue to grow. 

He said therefore, achieving professional excellence in the digital workplace is not a one time effort but a continuous process of learning, adaptation,and improvement.

He urged secretarial staff to invest in digital skills and development, and train in strengthened virtual coordination practices while organizations should implement structured systems for data collection, storage, security, and usage to ensure accuracy, accessibility, and confidentiality of information; encourage strategic relationship building; and adopt flexible work policies.

He left participants with the charge - “The digital workplace is not just about working smarter with technology, it is about working better with people, processes, and information.”

The President of the UI Branch of CIPSSON, Dr Virginia O. Onche said the training programme was organised to benefit anyone within a workspace.  

She stated that CIPSSON is not all about secretarial staff but that it focuses on building individuals of like minds in order to make workspaces better. 

Participants included secretarial staff, administrators, executive officers, and business educators to show that CIPSSON understands the importance of teamwork and encourages all cadres to work together to maximise productivity and efficiency in organizations.

At the post workshop dinner, UI Branch of CIPSSON decorated Professor Peter O. Olapegba, FNPA, fspsp, FSSAN, C.Psych the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration as the Patron (represented by Professor B.O. Olugasa, Dean of Veterinary Medicine) and Professor Aderonke M. Baiyeroju, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic as the Patroness.

Other individuals were honoured for their constant mentorship and unwavering support and philanthropic endeavours to CIPSSON and the society at large.

These individuals included the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS, fspsp; the Registrar, Mr Ganiyu O. Saliu, JP, fspsp, FNIM, FCIML, MANUPA, MAUA; Provost of the College of Medicine, Professor T.O. Ogundiran; Deputy Registrar/Secretary to the College of Medicine, Mr A.E. Odedele, PRO of UI, Mrs Adejoke O. Akinpelu; and a community leader, Chief Jamiu A. Ekungba.