Theme: Where do we go from here?

The world is changing. Just as there are innovations, there are evolving challenges. The fang of terrorism has sunk deep into the social-political structure of the world system. Immigration is becoming a global burden. Technology is disrupting everything. The new world has not spared our belief systems, culture, and philosophy, as dividing lines between the truth and facts blur.

Now, we are fighting for the rights of everything, and everybody: from climate change. It feels like the history of humanity is being swallowed up by liberalism.

TEDxIkeja 2017 engages Thought Leaders to offer innovation, enterprise, and optimism as a path to the future, amidst technological, philosophical, and political revolutions that are unfolding before us.
Hence, the theme of TEDxIkeja 2017: Where Do We Go from Here?
Join us.

David's Court
25, Mojidi Street, off Toyin Street. Ikeja
Lagos, Lagos, 23401
Nigeria

Ade Olufeko

Ade Abayomi Olufeko is a pre-eminent thinker, whose fieldwork in humanities influences decision-makers in the creative-commerce economy. Ade is an American trained technologist (IT), business man and international curator of Ijebu descent. The intersection of his expertise in different domains led to the 2007 formation of Visual Collaborative, a 360 festivals platform for humanities and innovation. He serves as a management consultant in cognitive design for IBM’s Interactive experience and IoT practices. Ade has lectured around the world on digital new media and the developing technology ecosystem at various institutions such as; Oxford University, Harvard Business School, Carnegie Mellon and Lagos Business School, he has addressed audiences at conferences and festivals such as Social Media Week Lagos and ThinkAfrica. Ade has rendered enterprise and ICT services to various Industries, working with brands such as Adobe Systems, PayPal Inc, WebMD, Bank Of America and Warner Music Group. He is a recipient of the IBM Gerstner Award for client excellence following a computer worm virus in 2003. In community outreach initiatives, Ade Olufeko’s postdigital and exhibited technology themed artwork has been leveraged by internationally recognized health and social empowerment NGOs in both American and African countries. During his residencies in New York City and Minneapolis Minnesota, he received commissions to champion digital design work for various noteworthy American celebrities in the music-recording industry and has co-managed projects and enterprise teams worth a million U.S dollars and upward. Ade studied computer science concentrating on multimedia (Non-Traditional) at Metropolitan State University in Saint Paul and is alum of the prestigious Saint Gregory’s College in Obalende Lagos. Ade Olufeko spoke at TEDxIkeja 2017 on “Visual Metaphors and Its Collaborations”

BADE ADESEMOWO

A graduate of Electrical Engineering, Adesemowo Oyebade has over 15 years’ experience in Software Design and Application Development. He is an ICT Consultant and has been involved in Software, Mobile and Web Application Development in various capacities including Lead Developer, Quality Control, Solution Architect, Project Management and so on. Bade is actively involved in IT world of Open Source. He was the head of Joomla! User Group, Nigeria and is very active in the Drupal , Wordpress , PHP & Open Source Communities. Bade Adesemowo won the Future Awards 2010 in the category, Best Use of Technology. He also won NTA Award for excellence in Capacity Building and Youth Empowerment. Bade is a partner at Bincom ICT Solutions and co-founder at Social Lender. He holds an MBA from the Lagos Business School and is now focused on product development and management across multiple stacks. Bade Adesemowo spoke at TEDxIkeja 2017 on “Social Reputation Collateral”

Bolaji Okusaga

Bolaji Okusaga is a strategy and brand enthusiast with wide experience in the Mass-Media, Marketing, Public Relations and Banking. He currently runs one of Nigeria's large Public Relations Consultancy (The Quadrant Company) with multi-national clients such as Philip Morris, British Airways, Microsoft Mobile, Coca-Cola, Etisalat Nigeria, Standard Chartered Nigeria, GSK Nigeria, Google, SAP, Intel, CNN and a host of local corporations in Nigeria. As the Managing Director of the Company, his job is to deliver the right perception for these clients using a combination of brand communication, reputation management, media relations, corporate lobby and government relations. Working with his team at The Quadrant Company, they won the Award of the African PR Consultancy of the year, the most prestigious international award in Public Relations by the Holmes Report / Sabre Awards. Since differentiation is key to the market success of any business, Bolaji stresses the need for the alignment of the workplace with the challenges of the marketplace. As Head of Communications, Marina International Bank Limited in Lagos, Nigeria, he pioneered the change of the Brand’s visual manifestation. At the advent of the banking industry consolidation, he was on the Integration committee of the Access Bank Merger Group. In this regard, he worked with Consultants on Culture and Business Process re-engineering. Following the conclusion of the merger, he emerged as Head, Investor Relations of the successor institution. When he is not working, Bolaji has a passion for writing; he blogs on Strategy, Public Affairs, and Corporate Governance. Bolaji Okusaga spoke at TEDxIkeja 2017 on “Are we yet a Nation”.

Busayo Oluwadamilare Morakinyo

Humanitarian and Refugee Expert

A core humanitarian and development enthusiast, Busayo is a graduate of History and International Relations from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko with a Masters’ degree in Humanitarian and Refugee Studies from the Premier University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State. Busayo believes in the abilities of the Nigerian youths to chart a course for the future, and a Peace Scholar, Peace Ambassador and Thought Engineer, he is aware that a functional system is the panacea to a good governance on which democratic system rests. As a researcher, Busayo connects with the practicality of knowledge, not in the acquisition of certificates; that is why he conducted a research in the North East in October 2016 to find the challenges faced by displaced persons in relations to their needs and aspirations. This drive attracted the ECOWAS Youth Council, and ECOWAS appointed him as the Youth Peace Ambassador in April 2017.

Cherry Ozoalor

Cherry Amarachi Ozoalor is a spoken word artiste and a dentist. She is an unpublished poet. She founded the Entafield in 2012, back in the University of Ibadan where she hosted an Evening of Short Stories and poetry. She relocated to Lagos in 2017, leaving a paid employment with a private clinic to pursue her dream. She is a hosts on Studio24TV. Cherry Enterfield will be performing at TEDxIkeja 2017.

Chisom Ohuaka

Chisom Ohuaka is the Associate Imagination Officer/Registra Orange Academy. Orange Academy is a pioneering practical school in Africa with a focus on shaping local minds that will build global brands. The 1st Brand School in Africa to put emphasis on creating memorable brand experiences through unique storytelling that reaches humankind. Howbeit, Orange is the 1st Brand School in West Africa and has grown from a 12-student school to a 150-student school in just 5 years. Orange has an alumni base of over 500 professionals working in the Brand Communications industry, in Nigeria and beyond. Orange has become a major reference point for new hires in brand agencies and companies in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, our people now enjoy priority hires because of our brand equity. CHisom spoke on “The Art of Positive thinking”.

Chris Oputa

Chris Oputa is CEO, Colvi limited, owners of Studio 24. Passionate about enterprise and surmounting all odds that stifle business growth!FIERCELY COMPETITIVE and does not take no for an answer. Doesn't suffer fools gladly but has a soft spot for anyone who shows the faintest spark of creativity!(Raw canvass!!)Doing all that I possibly can to help Nigerian investors see the VALUE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY over and above simple Naira and kobo. This would set off a chain reaction that EMPOWERS our creative folks and unleashes the kind of potential that has given birth to the Googles, Apples and Facebooks of this world! Chris Oputa will be speaking at TEDxIkeja 2017 on “Something for the girls”

Dayo Isreal

Dayo Israel is a globally recognized personality with over 15years of professional experience in international development having worked with organisations such as The United Nations, British Council, Save the Children UK, UNICEF, in various capacities. His Specialties include Training and Development, PR and Marketing, Leadership Development, Capacity Building, Peace and Conflict Mediation, Preaching the Gospel, Public Speaking and Keynote Speeches. Through his work at GLEEHD Foundation, Dayo helps drive trade and investment between Africa and the West (Europe and North America) through various activities including Trade Delegations, Business Roundtables, Investment Forums and Bilateral Meetings. Dayo is an Alumnus of the US State Department International Visitors Leadership Program that has produced over 400 Heads of Government globally. He was also invited by the Obama Administration to the White House President’s Forum for Young African Leaders in Washington DC. Dayo is the Author of Audacity to Run; a collection of recent political experiences and lessons for young people interested in running for public office. Dayo Isreal spoke at TEDxIkeja 2017 on the “The Audacity to run”.

Dele Adeyinka

Dele is the Chief Digital Officer, ALAT By Wema, Nigeria's First Fully Digital Bank. He is also the immediate past Chairman, Committee of e-Business Industry Heads (CeBIH) in Nigeria. The Committee is constituted of the upper echelon of electronic business industry practitioners in all banks in Nigeria with its major and most important objective being the promotion of electronic banking services in line with "Global Best Practices", whilst driving its adoption through right policies, standards, technologies and public awareness programs in Nigeria. He is a Chartered Accountant, and has also attended Senior Management Program at the prestigious Lagos Business School (LBS). Dele is a Certified e-Business Consultant (CEC) as issued by the Internal Council of Electronic Commerce Consultant in the United Kingdom. He is also a Microsoft Certified System Engineer. He is a PRINCE2 Certified Professional with strengths in Project Management methodology. He is also an Oracle Certified Associate(OCA) and Oracle Certified Professional (OCP) with strengths in Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). Dele has 25-year post-graduation work experience both in IT and Banking Industries; a well-grounded professional.

Femi Adeoti

Femi Adeoti is the Managing Director/CEO Africa Operations for INLAKS. He has a record of deep industry experience spanning a period of about 25 years. An alumnus of the Harvard Business School, Femi also has an MBA in International Finance from the University of Liverpool and another MBA in marketing from the ESUT Business School. In addition, he has a First Degree in Electronics Engineering Awolowo University and some certifications from the Lagos Business School in Project Management and Marketing Management, among other trainings both local and offshore. Femi is a technology visionary with a proven track record of business growth through deep customer engagement, built on vast understanding of business verticals and possesses the ability to build on a foundation of existing assets/resources to reignite innovation to drive growth. He is a strong communicator with deep leadership capabilities. Prior to Inlaks, he served as Head of Regional Sales (West Africa) for Cisco Systems and had the responsibility for establishing that company as the leading global ICT organization in Africa. Before Cisco, Femi started his career with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and was also at a time with the Computer Warehouse Group where he delivered key IT Solutions to leading clients in the Financial, Oil & Gas and Telecoms segments. Femi also worked with Comtec Systems in New Jersey, USA where he implemented a new strategic technology platform to drive global infrastructure. Femi Adeoti spoke at TEDxIkeja 2017 0n “Understanding Financial Inclusion”.

Jide Martin

Jide Martin, CEO Comic Republic disrupted the African Comic Book Scene in 2013 with the unique business model of his Comic Book Company: Comic Republic. Comic Republic has grown to become the only African Comic Book Brand to seal two major investment deals in Q1 of 2017 and a first of it's kind licensing partnership with Aviva Notebooks providing over 2 million school notebooks with the Comic Republic Characters nationwide . Students can now own notebooks with inspiring stories on the cover. The African Comic Book company has been featured on 5 continents on major global sites such as CNN, Forbes, BBC, Quartz, Aljazeera, Comics Alliance, The Atlantic, DW, France 24, CCTV, Channels TV and many more for the quality and depth of their Comic Books and its ability to shape the African narrative. Jide is very big on morals and how the decisions of one individual can set a chain of reactions: negative or positive. He believes in everyone’s ability to effect a positive change. A conversation with Jide is never complete without a line about how we can all be heroes and what we can do to change the narrative of our country using great quality Comic Books. He is a Law graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife and the Creative Enterprise Programme for Entrepreneurs facilitated by the British Council and University of Edinburg. He loves to ride out on adventures on his power bike, teach on the art of quality comic books andcode sites. He has coded sites for a number of companies including Comic Republic, nurtured a number of talented artists and spoken at numerous events on the power of superheroes to change the African Narrative. Jide Martins will be speaking at TEDxIkeja 2017 0n “The Power of SuperHeroes”.

Sola Ayayi

Olubusola Ajayi studied photography at the University of Central Florida and went on to pursue a MFA in Film Production at Boston University. While working at Parsons School of Design as a Scholars Pre-College Coordinator and part-time faculty member she went on to collect a Masters in Media Studies at The New School focusing her attention on education, new media platforms, and digital exchanges. Shola's primary focus has been to create films and new media projects that explore social issues amongst people of color while also developing stories and images that present Africa and Africans, specifically Nigerians, in new and innovative ways. Hair: A Conversation, The American Dream: An African Tale, The Sankofa Project and Champion are some projects that Shola has developed in collaboration with various individuals to present fresh narratives about African people and people from the diaspora. Shola splits her time between New York and Lagos and continues her work as a media educator co-running creative spaces in Lagos called UR4Africa and Public Art Africa. UR4Africa is a media company that focuses on teaching, producing and distributing positive African content that is unique and Public Art Africa is a youth led organization that seeks to bring creative educational programmes to youths in Nigeria and other parts of Africa; giving African youths hands on experience in the areas of media, design and technology so that the next generation of African people are equip with the skills necessary to play a more active role in solving some of the most pressing issues in their communities. Sola Ayayi spoke at TEDxIkeja on “The Power of People”