Ahead of the Great Ife International Health Conference 2026, anticipation builds for the lineup of activities planned for the event. Organised by the Office of the Welfare of the Students’ Union, the event will be held at the Oduduwa Hall on May 6 and 7, and will focus on health, mental wellbeing, and student welfare.
University often places a silent burden on students. Between lectures, assignments, financial worries and the constant need to perform well, many students neglect their health under pressure. It is common to see students surviving on little sleep, irregular meals and unspoken stress, especially during exams and test periods. In response to this, an initiative that places students’ health at the centre of discussion deserves attention.
According to a release by the Union, the conference will bring together medical professionals, technology innovators and thousands of students to discuss health issues in the academic environment. There will be an online Innovation Challenge where participants will have the chance to showcase their innovative abilities. Also, the programme will provide health technology workshops, keynote sessions, free medical screenings and a competition aimed at bringing new ideas into health solutions.
Beyond the two-day activities, the conference reflects an important realisation that students do not only need academic support, but they also need spaces where well-being and health are prioritised. For many students in Great Ife, this conference may serve as a reminder that success in school should not come at the cost of their health. Thriving academically and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is possible.
Interview with the Students’ Union Welfare Officer
What motivated you to organise the Health Conference, and what impact do you hope it will have on students of Obafemi Awolowo University?
The Welfare Officer, Shuaib-Osunleke Musab, explained that the programme is a part of the plans in his manifesto and that he wanted to establish something continuous that would keep addressing students’ health issues over time.
He explained that the idea was influenced by the number of health challenges affecting students. He mentioned that seeing different situations at the university health centre made him realise that many students need to pay more attention to their health, lifestyle and personal hygiene.
Additionally, he mentioned the initiative would bring together professionals from different parts of the world. ‘People from Nigeria as well as countries like the United States and the United Kingdom are expected to participate, since the conference is designed as an international one. These professionals will share advice about health systems and healthy living.’
‘Many young people experience health conditions such as tuberculosis at an early stage of their lives. The conference will help students understand how their lifestyle choices can affect their health both during their time in school and after graduation.’
Can you explain how the Innovation Challenge will work and what students stand to gain from participating?
‘It will be organised as a three-minute video challenge where young people will create short videos discussing lifestyle choices and challenges that affect students’ health,’ he replied.
He further explained that many students engage in certain habits without fully understanding the consequences those actions may have on their well-being.
He added that the challenge would allow participants to show how some decisions that appear harmless could actually be harmful to students’ health.
‘The initiative is not only meant for students of the university but also for people outside the campus community, because we intend to promote the conference beyond the university so that more people can become aware of health issues affecting young people.’
In summary, the conference aims to focus on bridging the gap between students’ lifestyle choices and long-term health through conversations that connect health, technology and welfare.