In a bid to standardise its structure and enhance its global outlook, the Federal Polytechnic Ede Alumni Association has appointed some distinguished members of the body into its Board of Trustees (BoT) seat.

The 10-man BoT member is to be chaired by renowned businessman and politician, Alhaji Sikiru Babson Oladosu, while Mrs. Fadekemi O. Abiodun-Afolabi (PhD), will serve as the board’s secretary.

The appointment of the BoT members was recently ratified by the National Convention/Annual General Meeting of the Alumni body held last month.

Explaining the need for the appointment and constitution of the BoT for the Federal Poly, Ede, Alumni Association, the National President of the ex-students’ body, Mr. Bashir Shittu Olaleye, said the new board will be responsible for the smooth governance and initiation of policies for the purpose of progressive development of the Alumni body.

Among other roles to be performed by the board is to support the strategic campaign plan on major projects that have been earmarked and to influence and facilitate the receipt of gifts and donations towards the Association’s identified projects, since the properties of the Association is vested in the Board of Trustees.

Other members of the BoT include renowned techpreneur, political commentator and founder of the popular Rate Your Leader App, Joel Popoola; House of Representatives member, Hon. (Mrs) Taiwo Olukemi Oluga; Mr Festus Olaifa, and  Mr. Kola Bakare.

Others include Barrister Daud Biodun Akinloye, the current Alumni President, Mr. Bashir Shittu Olaleye ; Mr Adejare Sunday Odeleke and Mr Olugbenga Bamidele Oyawa.

According to the Alumni body’s National Executive Council (NEC), the tenure of the BoT members will be for four years, and they can be re-elected by the general meeting.

The BoT chairman, Alhaji Oladosu, Sikiru Babson is an indigene of Ede in Osun State. He had his Higher National Diploma (HND) in Banking and Finance department at the prestigious Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State. Also, he has possessed Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Prior to his journey to Higher National Diploma (HND), Alhaji Oladosu had ventured into several businesses; he is a seasoned farmer, entrepreneur, fashion designer and politician of note. As a businessman, he floated the following companies – Blazer Connection Fashion, Blazer Connection Farms, and Blazer Connection Properties.

He has varied working experiences, notable was Sales Representative at Tama Gas and Petroleum, Lagos, Sales Manager at Ecstasy Wears Nigeria Enterprises at Jos in Plateau State.  He was also involved in part-time Lecturing in the department of Banking and Finance of Federal Polytechnic, Ede and later concentrated in the Nigerian politics which he was involved prior to completion of his Higher National Diploma.

He is currently the Managing Director of SUNSALAK Engineering Limited and CEO of Blazer Connection Multi-Investment Company. He is happily married and blessed with children.

Mrs. Fadekemi O. ABIODUN-AFOLABI (PhD) was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State but grew up in Ibadan, Oyo State, , where she had her secondary school education at the distinguished St. Anne’s School, Molete and later moved to the School of Science, at Ile-Ife in Osun State. She then proceeded to the Federal Polytechnic, Ede where she graduated in Financial Studies (O.N.D 1995) and Accountancy (H.N.D 1998). She also holds the B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Geography from the University of Ibadan, and another set of B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Accountancy from Saint Monica American University, Cameroon. She holds a master’s in business administration with specialty in Business Law from the National Institute of Business Management in India, and a PhD in Forensic Accounting & Auditing from Charisma University, in the Turks and Caicos Islands, UK. In Canada, she obtained a Diploma in Immigration Consulting,

In 2018, her family relocated to Canada where she joined one of the Global Big 5 Management Consultancy services, Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) as the Independence Manager. She presently manages her own firm Bixbite Consults Inc., which provides services such as Business & Financial Management Consulting, Audit & Investigation Services, Canadian Student Recruitment, and Immigration Services.

Joel Popoola is a British citizen of Nigerian descent, the founder of a digital democracy project – Rate Your Leader grew up in Gbongan, Osun State where he had his primary and post-primary education at St Paul’s Anglican Primary School and Community High School Gbongan respectively.

Aside his ND and HND in Financial Studies and Accounting respectively from Federal Polytechnic Ede, Joel holds a master’s degree in Managerial Psychology from the University of Ibadan. He’s a software testing consultant.

Joel, described by a local newspaper in England, Sunderland Echo, as ‘the City Man” in 2019, is an Advance Member of the Institute of Directors, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, currently leading IoD – Special Interest Group Africa for the Institute. He hosted governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to IoD event in the UK earlier this year, as the first elected leader in Africa to address the Institute since inception in 1903.

And, in 2018, Joel, through one of his companies, Aacle Ltd, initiated the first employability and entrepreneurship training for the student of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, in conjunction with FPE Alumni Association. This event was at no cost to the alumni or any of the participating students.

Popoola is a full member of the prestigious Chatham House – The International Institute of International Affairs. He is a full member of International Institute of Strategic Studies, an associate member of Rain Cloud, Westminster, a full member, London Tech Advocates and he was welcomed late last year to UK Tech Founders as a full fledge member.