Awesome Nigerian of the month...
July 2017
Meet Adeola Olabamji, who in a proverbial grass-to-grace story, overcame an early childhood of modest means in Nigeria to become the first black person to obtain a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
In her own words " I hawked pepper on the streets of Ibadan as early as age 10 to help my mum... Because I had a 2.1, it opened the door for me to proceed to Finland for a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering.... Out of determination, I applied to over 100 schools for my PhD and finally got a full three-year scholarship at the University of Saskatchewan....
Let no man, upbringing, money, circumstance, colourism, past mistakes, institution, company, partner, background, let nothing tell you ‘you can’t do it'.
Go smart! Go hard!! Go for Gold!!! Go with God!!! Just Get Going!!!!! "
August 2016
Valedictorian of INSEAD's 2016 MBA class is Nigerian-born and educated Olukemi Onabanjo. This honor was bestowed on 'Kemi by her graduating class in recognition of her academic achievements and her passion for social change.
To put the scale of her achievement in context, INSEAD is consistently ranked among the leading business schools in the world. Its MBA program is ranked first globally by the Financial Times in 2017 and 2016.
Other achievements include being selected as part of the 500 Washington Fellows of the Young African Leaders Initiative by US President, Barack Obama. Prior to her studies at INSEAD, 'Kemi worked in the Lagos office of LM Ericsson as a Project Manager and then as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company’s Lagos office.
Watch her speech during the graduation ceremony on July 7 2016 at the Château de Fontainebleau, Fontainebleau, France
April 2016
Nigerian-born Jelani Aliyu is General Motors' Lead Exterior Designer and the designer of the Chevy Volt Electric car, a vehicle that is crucial not just to General Motors, but to the whole industry and world in general. The car has been described as an American Revolution and one of the hottest concepts in the design line.
For the Volt, GM's designers were given about 10 months to create one of the most technologically advanced vehicles for the January 2007 North American International Auto Show. Aliyu's design was chosen over proposals from about 20 competing teams.
Aliyu attended Birnin Kebbi Polytechnic in Nigeria from 1986 to 1988 and earned an associate's degree in architecture. While he was there he began seeking admission into design schools in Europe and the U.S. that would lead him to a career in automotive design. In 1990 Aliyu entered the College for Creative Studies in Detroit and joined GM after he graduated. He worked on the Buick Rendezvous and was the lead exterior designer of the Pontiac G6. He also worked on the Astra with General Motors’ Opel Division.
Watch his story, and read more about him below......
March 2016
Bayo Ogunlesi is chairman and managing partner of Global Infrastructure Partners, a private equity firm that acquired Gatwick Airport in 2010. Mr. Ogunlesi is also a member of the Board of Directors of Goldman Sachs.
Prior to his current role, he was Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Client Officer of Credit Suisse. He previously served as a member of Credit Suisse’s Executive Board and Management Council and chaired the Chairman’s Board. Previously, he was the Global Head of Investment Banking at Credit Suisse.
Mr. Ogunlesi is the son of the first Nigerian professor of medicine. He studied at Oxford University where he graduated at the top of his class, and later earned law and business degrees from Harvard. At Harvard, he was one of the first two editors of African descent to serve on the influential Harvard Law Review.
February 2016
Ladi Kwali (1925 - 1984) was born in the Gwari region of northern Nigeria, where pottery was a common occupation among women.
She was so skilled that she became a celebrity in the pottery world. Her work exhibited at Berkley Gallery in London (1958 and 1962), and Galerie La Borne, Paris, and she demonstrated Gwari pottery techniques during tours to Europe and America.
She was awarded an MBE in 1963 by the Queen of England, an honorary degree by Ahmadu Bello University in 1977, and the Nigerian National Merit Award for academic achievement, all without any formal education.
Her work is held in collections at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, USA, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and Aberystwyth University Ceramics Gallery, UK.