Queen Folashade, wife of the Ooni of Ife, has challenged professionals and young innovators to redefine influence in the age of artificial intelligence, emphasising that true impact is measured by measurable change rather than social media followers or visibility.
Speaking at the launch of a book “The Woman I Have Become” in Lagos on Saturday written by a tech expert, Dr. Adeshola Cole-Alegbe, the Queen described the current period as “one of the most extraordinary periods of human history” while cautioning against the fear surrounding artificial intelligence.
“Influence today is no longer measured only by visibility. It’s not measured by title or how many followers you have on social media,” Queen Folashade said. “It is actually measured by what changes because you turned up.”
The royal mother, who is also an entrepreneur and professional, urged the audience to view AI as a tool rather than a threat, noting that technology can amplify influence but only purpose can transform that influence into impact.
“AI isn’t something that people should fear, but as a tool, it is that thing that changes how we work. A lot of people are very scared of AI now, taking their jobs and everything, but we can actually use AI to make our job a lot easier,” she stated.
Queen Folashade outlined three critical questions she believes individuals must ask themselves: “What do I know? Who can my knowledge help? And how can technology help me multiply that impact?”
She stressed that the future belongs not simply to those who understand technology, but to those who can combine technological knowledge with character, creativity, emotional intelligence, and purpose.
“The future does not belong simply to those who understand technology. The future belongs to the people who understand how to combine technology with the knowledge, with the character, the creativity, the emotional intelligence, and the purpose as well,” she said.
The Queen also addressed concerns about the proliferation of content that lacks substance, responding to a question from an attendee about influencers who prioritise virality over value.
“The world already have enough people who wants to be seen. Everybody wants to be known,” she said. “But what the world actually needs now are people who are prepared to be useful — the people who would use their platform, the profession, the position, and the technology to make something different better than they found it.”
Drawing from her own background, Queen Folashade emphasised that embracing technology does not require abandoning cultural identity.
“I come from a world of deeply rooted culture. I’m also a professional. I’m an entrepreneur, but I strongly believe that embracing technology does not require us to abandon who we truly are,” she said. “We can carry our identity into the digital economy, rather than allowing the digital economy to erase our identity.”
She urged leaders to create pathways for others, noting that “it is how many people rise because you used your influence and your position well.”
“I don’t want to be known as just a queen,” she said. “I want to be known for people actually rising, because I’ve actually used my influence to create pathways for people and be impactful for them.”
