Seeth thou a woman diligent in her work? Let’s introduce you to one. She is a dutiful amazon, the inventors’ inventor as well as the innovators’ innovator. She is the Founder & CEO of the Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network (GWIIN), better known today as GlobalWIIN – a successful global network that has since grown to become the most dynamic gathering of women with great intellectual property and unparalleled capacity. She is also the Founder and CEO of the British Female Inventor of the Year Award which continues to put the spotlight on women inventors across Britain and bring worldwide recognition and acknowledgement. She is Dr. Bola Olabisi. A woman reputed to wear several hats with hands in different productive and innovative pies.
Dr Olabisi is not just the run-off-the-mill social entrepreneur; she is grounded and an authority, coupled with the fact that she is a seasoned author, innovator, coach, and above all, a champion for an inclusive society that allows for creativity, invention and innovation, with special bias to women.
Programmed, created and designed to lead, empower, unite and inspire to greatness, Dr Bola Olabisi, who was born in Coventry, England with both English and Nigerian base education, has an innovative platform, which supports women to take their life changing contribution to job creation and a better quality of life to the next level of achievements. In addition to offering great opportunities to share enriching stories of transformation of success, words of encouragement and life lessons.
A proud product of the Queens School, Ibadan, where she completed her secondary education on her return to Nigeria, Bola, as she is fondly called, was born to the family of Mr and Mrs Bolanle Odepidan of Ibadan, Oyo State. Her mother is from Ile Ife, Osun State, and she is a proud claimant of Ibadan and Ile Ife ancestry. On completion of her education in Nigeria, she returned to the United Kingdom, where she attended the University of East London, graduating with an Hon LLB and Doctorate in Business Administration. Obviously, she is well read.
Consequently, for over 24 years since its conception, Bola has bestride, like a colossus, the invention and innovation hub, and the social platform has expanded to regional networks covering Africa, Europe, Asia, Latin & North America, Middle East and most recently the Caribbean.
GlobalWIIN has remained a catalyst organisation that acts as a first stop shop for all necessary services for inventive minded women, including assistance with Intellectual Property rights, Product Development, Networking, Product launches and various Knowledge Exchange opportunities
Prior to the establishment of GlobalWIIN in 1998, Bola was privileged to be involved in community development and regeneration, having worked with for the development of social housing and capacity building and empowerment of residents for the London Borough of Ealing, gathering in her wake an extensive experience spanning 18 years.
She is endowed with all the qualities of the very women she seeks to celebrate, which she describes as incredible and fascinating trailblazers that may be very different but have in common: tenacity, the determination to succeed, commitment, extraordinary potential, positive influence capable of spreading, transcending borders, or have something that can contribute to the future and quality of life on earth.
Committed, dogged and determined in her quest to create regenerating environment for the women folk, Bola’s focus over the years has centred on building a most effective platform in recognition and celebration of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of the women who have created, invented or brought about the innovation of novel products & unique services. And this, she has done with relative ease, and the admiration of all and sundry. Little wonder so many has described her as a thoroughbred go-getter.
In furtherance of her efforts, she has outlined as her main goal, to increase the amount of knowledge transfer in the area of enterprise, innovation, technology and intellectual property rights in order to alleviate poverty, create jobs and wealth for many of the disadvantaged. Presently, testimonies abound of lives touched and regenerated.
Bola’s deeds and influence actually precedes her. In 2006, she partnered with London Metropolitan University to build opportunities for creative, inventive and innovative women and young people under the age of 30 with the main focus of the workplace, home and learning environments. Her work has raised aspirations, improved self-confidence and self-esteem, increased motivation and broadened horizons and experience.
Relating with the superlative performances of Dr Olabisi, most professionals and high profile personalities, have contributed glowing tributes at one time or another in her honour.
For HRH Princess Moradeun Adedoyin-Solarin “Dr Bola Olabisi is the delightful visionary & Founder/CEO of the Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network (GWIIN). A Recipient of numerous national & Global Recognitions & Awards, Bola has for over 14 years been quietly doing what she does best – Mentoring, Training, Encouraging & Putting the Spotlight on Inventive, Innovative & Exceptionally Creative Women Entrepreneurs across the globe!…She is indeed an awesome woman whom I have had an amazing experience working alongside her for over seven years & so proud to be associated with. I highly recommend Dr Bola Olabisi to any organisation or individuals who wish to engage with her on a professional and/or collaborative platform. She is very much a professional woman to look out for in 21st century!”
On her own part, Gaynor Morgan has this to say: “Bola is certainly an inspiration to any woman. She doesn’t stop striving to help get women from all walks of life a better quality of life through helping and guiding them to independence into the business work. I am proud to have learnt so much from Bola.”
Bola is not particularly a feminist as most practise. She is a woman on a mission. A woman with convince passion to raise the bar in favour of the female folks. A woman with a conviction that all countries should invest more in their women. That necessitates the establishment of the platform which serves as a catalyst for necessary services for the introduction of novel ideas. She truly believes in that old saying that ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’.
She says: “Ingenious minds need to flourish in a more enabling environment than what is currently available in many countries. It is by creating a platform and vehicle to bring these fascinating change makers and trailblazers forward that can help society really appreciate how invaluable they truly are to solving a lot of the world’s problems”.
She is a trainer, an International Motivational Speaker and Writer who continues to share her ideas, experiences and insights nationally and internationally. Her work with GWIIN has extended into several countries including Britain, Wales, Northern Island, Scotland, Canada, South Africa, USA, Spain, Hong Kong, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, India, Iceland, France, Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, Italy, Singapore and most recently Antigua. She is the proverbial much talked product.
Bola has gained wide recognition for her work and received The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh’s invitation to Buckingham Palace to mark her contribution as a Pioneer to the Life of the Nation. She has been presented with the International Federation of Inventors Association Award for her dedicated work and support for inventive women, the New Impact Award and the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs’ Joyce Award in 2001.
Bola’s approach has not gone unnoticed as she has worked in collaboration with the European Commission, IBM, IFC – financial arm of the World Bank, Yaba College of Technology, Nigeria, Ministry of Trade & Industry, South Africa, KVENN-Iceland, SMEDAN, Doregos Private Academy, Nigeria, Bahrain Petroleum Company (BABCO), Institute of Intellectual Property Awareness, to name a few.
She has also served on a number of boards such as being a Governor on East London University and that of the Business School of Regents University London. Her personality looms large.
In her capacity as invention and innovation ambassador, she takes upon herself to facilitate the reward of distinguished women, who had exceled in the act of innovation and sundry duties. Consequently, she is overseeing the celebration of some of the hidden gems of selfless social innovators that contribute to the advancement of Nigeria on a yearly basis.
This year, the award recipients include the First Lady of Osun State, H.E. Kafayat Olaitan Oyetola, who was highly commended for her Ileri Oluwa Development Initiative (IOD) initiative with her incredible and innovative approach to health, agriculture as well as her bid to eliminate harmful traditional practices. Also under the spotlight is Tamkara Adun recognised for her exceptional creativity after realising that a majority of African languages are at risk of extinction and a great danger of losing its values therefore creating Ọdúnìfẹ́ with the aim of educating and advocating for the preservation of African, indigenous languages. Also on the global platform is Aboyowa Ayida-Otobo, Founder of Incubator Africa and School of Politics, Policy and Governance – an innovative concept of creating wealth in Africa through the development of human potential, life transforming programmes with measurable and demonstrable impact. Without forgetting the role of supportive men, Dr Olabisi included putting the spotlight on male champions – this year the recipient of the Honorary Male Champion Trail blazer award which went to a Nigerian in the government department – Eng. David Abu Ozigi of SMEDAN.
