GTCO Autism Conference is the cynosure of all eyes as you are reading this piece.
The programme started Monday 27th July 2026. Town is already painted in orange colour as you know GTCO official brand identity.
However, (GTCO) boss, Segun Agbaje, has urged participants at the 16th GTCO Autism Conference to learn from experts at this year’s edition themed ‘Acceptance in Action’,
Speaking during his remarks, Agbaje said:“We’re not here to change the world. We’re here to understand. For the next two days, let’s automate knowledge understanding what the system is.”The GTCO CEO noted that creating the right environments can lead to better outcomes for people in classrooms and in society.“I hope that over the next few days we are able to learn from the experts, to get up to date on what autism is, and get a real understanding of it. Then, in our own spaces, we can create the right environment for people with autism. Not trying to change them.”_Agbaje cited a recent discussion on autism where someone noted that people on the spectrum are often described as having poor mobility or anxiety.“According to him, if you have autism, then you’ll be anxious.But sometimes it’s the environment that creates the anxiety, not that autism is close to anxiety,”he said.“That’s the kind of understanding we need to have, so that as individuals we can make a difference by creating the right environment for people living with autism.”Reflecting on 16 years of the conference, he recalled that it began to create awareness because many people were in denial about having children or adults who were autistic.“I think in 16 years we might have achieved that,”he said.Mr. Agbaje emphasized that more families are now willing to accept that they have loved ones on the spectrum, even if they don’t fully understand it.“We’re even beginning to come across cases of people in their 50s, whose parents always felt they were just slow academically, and at the time nobody tested them.Now in their 50s, they’re discovering they’re actually on the spectrum. That’s why they struggled so much with school and couldn’t focus the way others did.”He added that while the theme ‘Acceptance in Action’ is idealistic, true acceptance, especially in workplaces and schools, remains a challenge for many on the spectrum.“I am not the expert.There are people here who are. After awareness, I think the next thing we have to deal with is learning how to cope and learning how to live with people on the spectrum.”He acknowledged that while GTCO is committed to inclusion, the reality is that some roles may be too difficult for people on the spectrum and for the organization.“Ours is a journey we’re committed to. We’ve done this for 16 years, and I’m confident that after me, this journey will continue,” he emphasized.
