Dr. Bolanle. C. Simeon-Fayomi, Nigeria
1.Please describe your (scientific) work/research in a short way
I am an associate professor of Adult education and Lifelong Learning. This is a body of knowledge that encompasses many other bodies of knowledge. By my research and by advocacy, I have explored entrepreneurship education, employability and soft skill development through inclusion, practice and curriculum design. This is in view of providing solutions to the perennial problems of unemployment and making use of entrepreneurship as a viable option to curb graduate unemployment problem. Furthermore, in my research of indigenous education, I have used the tools of storytelling to create knowledge and interaction in a lifelong education with focus on global citizenship education and especially on the transformative education angle of target 4.7 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
2.Which aspect of a sustainable life, work and research is especially relevant for you and why?
Transformative Education is key to changing and achieving a sustainable world through a vision of life-long and life-wide education. It is a viable means of enhancing the economic growth of the adult for productivity and creation of knowledge for development and sustenance. This is because it brings positive changes to individual and societies. It is also focuses on giving unique opportunities to learn from one another and to share experiences as we create our own learning stories.
3.What would be your wish for the future (and why) with this regard?
Our collective future and existence depends very much on individual sacrifices whic will ultimately evolve into the transformation of our lives and communities. I therefore wish that in the near future, the individual desires will be subsumed into the aspiration of a common goal of the transforming of our lives, o communities and nations for a better life. In this, a wholesome future of our world can be realize
4.How is the Corona Crisis affecting you in your daily life and work?
The pandemic has much effect on both the structure of corporate and individual lives. My classes were just starting when the lockdown begun. I was going to teach a level one class entrepreneurship among other classes. I do it every year; giving hope and creating a new path of thoughts as I tell them stories of start-ups, successes and failures. I have seen the strong impact this have on those young adults’ lives. But this year I could not continue; maybe later. The reality of the worldwide spread of pain, loss and separation is huge. A world with no more hugs & kisses, with no handshakes or holding of hands. It has created world of distance between friends and even families. Where the joy of grandparenthood is taken away and visits forbidden. The urges of travels are not beyond your windows as you watch the birds soar. Where a cough or sneeze no longer attracts a blessing. The crisis apart from the emotional depth has very strong implication on my community economic where we have little and the minimum. I am better since I belong to the elites, but the poor in my society are hard-bitten. But in it all, as it sought to kill the human spirit, we have continued to fight, to love, to give. Perhaps, the silence of the streets has made the echoes of our hearts louder and our self is now submerging in our families and community and in hope of tomorrow.
