By Bose Adelaja & Adetomiwa Adewoyin
CITIZENS COMPASS— Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc, under its Orange Ribbon Initiative, on Wednesday, in Lagos, unveiled the facilitators for its 16th Annual Autism Conference with theme, “Acceptance in Action: From Family to Classroom to Workplace to Public Spaces.”
GTCO unveiled this at a press briefing which was held at its Head Office in the Victoria Island area of the State.
This year’s event is billed for July 27 and 28, 2026 at Muson centre, Onikan, Lagos with18 facilitators doing justice to the theme of the event.
Oyinade Ogunade, Chief Communication Officer, GTCo plc, announced the facilitators in her welcome address.
She said some of the facilitators would include Camille Proctor, an Autism Advocate, Public Speaker and Founder of The Color of Autism Foundation; Lanre Duyile, President and Chief Executive Officer of Behaviorprise Consulting Inc., Ontario, Canada; Dr. Bernadette Kilo, an Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Consultant; Ade Otubanjo, a Speech Pathologist; and Tomi Agboola-Odeleye, a Speech Therapist.
According to Oyinade, the Orange Ribbon Initiative had, over the past sixteen years, walked alongside families navigating autism, witnessing resilience of individuals on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the transformation of many homes into spaces of genuine belonging.
She said the conference will feature discussions, several paper presentations and experience sharing, among others.
The Chief Communication Officer said: For sixteen years, GTCO’s Orange Ribbon Initiative has walked alongside families navigating Autism. We have witnessed firsthand the resilience of individuals on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We have seen parents learn, adapt and transform their homes into spaces of genuine belonging.
This year’s theme, Acceptance in Action: From Family to Classroom to Workplace to Public Spaces, reminds us that inclusion is not confined to a single environment or stage of life. It begins at home, where understanding takes root; continues in the classroom, where potential is nurtured; extends into the workplace, where talents can be recognised and developed; and reflected in public spaces, where individuals living with Autism should be able to participate fully and confidently in society.
Over the years, one thing has become increasingly clear: acceptance changes outcomes. When people feel understood, and are given opportunities, they are able to learn, contribute, and thrive. Yet for many individuals on the Autism spectrum, barriers still exist in schools, workplaces, and everyday public life.
This is why the conversation must continue. Beyond raising awareness, we must work towards creating environments that recognise different abilities,
remove barriers, and make inclusion a lived reality.
The responsibility belongs to all of us, and meaningful progress depends on the choices we make every day.
Ultimately, acceptance is shaped by consistent action; the everyday moments we create, the part we play in acknowledging difference while recognising our shared humanity.
As we gather for this year’s conference, I encourage each of us to consider how we can ensure acceptance within our own spheres of influence. Whether at home, in our schools, within our organisations, or across our communities, every step towards inclusion creates new possibilities for individuals on the Autism spectrum.
Together, we can help build a future where acceptance is not the exception, but the norm.
I would also like to thank our speakers, partner organizations, caregivers, educators, and all members of the Autism community for your continued commitment to this important work.
Also speaking, a renowned international Behavior Analyst, Doctor Osezusi Bolodeoku, said the theme is an invitation to humanity, creating new attitudes and new ways of responding to somebody. She said, “Giving a bit of our composure and time goes a long way. It is just being conscious of a person with autism and responding with empathy and humanity towards making the children with autism seen and heard.
She urged people to be compassionate towards autistic children.
Also speaking, Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, a board certified behavior analyst and also mother to an autistic child stressed the fact that some work places, if not all, needs to be sensitised on autism saying that this should be a civic responsibility to all.
Other facilitators include Solape Azazi, an International Behaviour Analyst and Founder of Cradle Lounge Special Needs Initiative; Osezusi Bolodeoku, also an International Behaviour Analyst; Afeez Abdulrasak, an Early Childhood Educator; Whitney Hammel Anny, a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst; Remi Olutimayin, a Voice Actor, Thespian and Autism Advocate; and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst.
Photo caption :
From Left: Solape Azazi, International Behavior Analyst and Founder of Cradle Lounge Special, Needs initiative, Oyinade Ogunade, Chief Communication Officer, GTCO plc, and Osezusi Bolodeoku, International Behavior Analyst, addressing the press briefing on Wednesday.
