AUSTIN OKERE
A 1986 graduate of computer science from the University of Lagos, Okere is a young man with eagle eyes for business. He saw beyond the fog of Nigeria's economic and political impasse when he resigned his sales and marketing job with Inlaks Computers Ltd. in Lagos to found Computer Warehouse Ltd., which is into the supply and maintenance of computer hardware and ancillary equipment.

He is a big player in the information technology sector of the Nigerian economy. His humility will enthral you. He remains unaffected by the lofty heights he has attained in his chosen career, and he is Austin Okere, Group Managing Director of Computer Warehouse Group, Lagos.

It was particularly helpful that Okere left Inlaks on a friendly note, as he soon became their dealer. Okere's business philosophy is to keep the customer happy. Let them speak well of you. That way he got many references, from one corporate customer to another.

In 1997, Dell Corporation, UK, invited him to accept the Dell Distribution Award for the fastest growing business in Africa territories. His Computer Warehouse is today Dell's sole service centre in Nigeria. Through Okere's effective salesmanship, Dell computers outsold many of the older, more entrenched computer names in Nigeria. Giant strides of the Imo State-born business mogul have not gone unnoticed. In 1997, Corporate Press Services honoured him with Men of Achievement Award. The Guardian newspapers honoured him among Outstanding Personality of the year and Diet Communications Limited named him among 10 Dynamic Leaders in Corporate Nigeria.

In 1999, Thisday newspaper and The Week magazine took turns to honour him. Thisday newspaper named Okere among 50 Most Dynamic CEOs while The Week honoured him with 10 Distinguished Men of Excellence in Nigeria. Okere's successes are not accidental. They derive from clear-headed, far-sighted business strategies. Okere simply knows where his bread is buttered at the top. Okere said that they set out from the beginning to focus on a niche. Over the years we decided that we are to continue to focus on that niche of the top of the triangle.

The growth in the Computer Warehouse Group saw the birth of Digital Computer Communications Limited that specialises in wide area network, local area network and systems integration. Expert Edge Software and Systems Limited is another company that was incorporated as a result of the tremendous growth of the parent company, Computer Warehouse Group Ltd. Expert Edge is involved in software development, systems analysis, design and implementation, SmartCard application and packaged training on software.

Okere had his primary and secondary education in Ghana. He attended University of Ghana, Legon for one year before he transferred to University of Lagos where he read computer science. Okere also has MBA which he read at the prestigious Lagos Business School. Okere is married and has children. Okere is a member of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group where he serves in the infrastructure development committee.

ADEOLU AKINYEMI
Adeolu Akinyemi is multifaceted and multidimensional; he's regularly referred to by people who know him as a genius. He regularly combines the roles of Business Leader, Social entrepreneur, Trainer, Writer, Career Coach, Direct and Network Marketer, Human Resources Expert, Business Development Consultant, Financial Empowerment Consultant, Innovator, Visionary and Patriot.

Today Adeolu Akinyemi is one of Nigeria's foremost brands in People and Organizational Development, Financial Empowerment, Network Marketing and Blogging. Adeolu Akinyemi is a light and one of the most influential young people in Nigeria on account of his personal development blog, www.deoluakinyemi.com. Adeolu Akinyemi is the Managing Partner of Generis Solutions, Founder of the New Nigeria Club, Director in Xpal Africa, WGS, ShapeCD Africa and a number of other growing companies. He's the administrator of Deoluakinyemi.com and CEO of Avenues to Wealth Ltd. Adeolu Akinyemi's most outstanding virtue is Integrity.

Adeolu Akinyemi is the husband of Temitope Akinyemi and proud father of Ireoluwa and Araoluwa Akinyemi. Adeolu Akinyemi is passionate about the possibility of a New Nigeria.

TOPE ADEBAYO
Tope started his legal career with the leading commercial law firm of Olaniwun Ajayi where he developed proficiency in litigation, receivership, arbitration as well as project and corporate finance. He later joined Afe Babalola & Co where he deepened his experience in litigation and arbitration practices. Tope has participated in some of the most challenging cases in banking, finance, corporate law and commercial law and has also personally handled many cases in the superior courts of records in Nigeria including the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

At both Afe Babalola & Co and Olaniwun Ajayi, Tope has acted for and against multinational corporations including Shell BP, Chevron, Mobil and Pan Ocean Nigeria Ltd. He has also participated in disputes arising from company management and administration especially in the telecommunications industry. At Afe Babalola, he was one of the lawyers who represented the respondent in the case of UBA v. BTL, a case which recorded the payments of the highest amount in damages against a bank for negligent handling of Client's transactions in our recent history.

In the new democratic space, Tope has been active in election petition cases. He represented some of the petitioners in the Last rounds of election petition cases in Nigeria. Tope's experience in energy transactions has also been useful in the ongoing legal and regulatory advisory services of the firm to West African Methanol Limited, a company currently undertaking a multi billion naira alternative energy project.

Tope graduated as the best student at Faculty of Law, University of Ado-Ekiti (where he was also President of the Students' Union) and later proceeded to the University of Lagos where he obtained his LLM and also graduated as the best student. He, in fact, won the Hoponu Wusu price for the best graduating student in LLM in year 2008 at the University of Lagos. He also obtained his BL Degree at the Nigeria Law School, Lagos.

SEGUN ADAJU
Segun Adaju graduated from the University of Lagos with B.Sc. in Economics and MBA (with emphasis on Finance). He is currently the Managing Director of GS Microfinance Bank Limited. Segun started his banking career with then Crystal Bank of Africa (transformed to Standard Trust Bank Plc, now UBA Plc) as an executive Trainee in Financial Control. He joined First Atlantic Bank Plc in October 2002 as Branch Manager, Victoria Island. He resigned his appointment in August 2004 to take up further challenges in Standard Trust Bank Plc (now UBA Plc).

He joined First Monument Bank Plc in 2005 to be part of the team to drive the retail banking focus of the bank due to his vast experience.

Segun was inspired to set up a Microfinance bank by the success of Prof. Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh and Grameen Bank in helping to reduce poverty. The Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations and the declaration of year 2005 as the year of Micro Finance have reinforced this. He strongly believes that with the right environment, Micro Finance Banking will be a huge success in Nigeria. He is a fellow of the Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies Nigeria.

TUNJI BROWN
Tunji Brown holds a BA in Accounting and Finance and has enjoyed a long career in the Oil and Maritime Services. He is a member of the Nigerian Chambers of Shipping, and a founding member of the Indigenous Ship Owners Association of Nigeria; an organization that fosters business promotion and regulation of ship ownership and management in Nigeria.

He is the Chief Executive Officer of Panafric Ocean & Energy Limited responsible for directing Panafric's strategies for growth by expanding clientele and government relationships and the development of diverse ancillary businesses.

BOYE OGUNDIYA
Boye Ogundiya has a great passion for e-Business and the strategic processes of entrepreneurship and is considered an expert in these areas. The focus for him has always been business process automation and personal development and he is a firm believer in that success is something everyone can achieve from within themselves.

From an excellent background in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University –Ile-Ife, He followed his passion right from his undergraduate days by starting his own business enterprise before graduation. He has since then started several other businesses and currently the CEO of ITACOMM Technologies Ltd, a company he incorporated the following month after graduation. He co-founded two startup companies and on the board of 5 different organizations.

He is the President of Young Entrepreneurs Network Nigeria (YEN) - a high profile network of young business owners and owners of young businesses in Nigeria. He also is the Publisher of e-BusinessAfrica, a magazine that is geared towards promoting e-business and internet entrepreneurship in Africa. His consulting experience includes assignments completed for numerous institutions, including Airline, Insurance Company, Telecommunication Company Internet Service Providers, University and State Government. He has also visited several countries like UK, France, Sweden and Ghana for business related consultations and trainings. He has a passion for e-Business and its strategic processes.

MRS. DETOUN OGWO
Detoun Ogwo started her career in Sales and Client services in the United Kingdom; she has a varied, broad, and rich experience in HR management, Customer Care/Client Services, and Call centre operations within the Airline, Banking, Telecommunications, FCMG and Manufacturing industries.

A Human Resources professional with several years experience with blue chip companies in the Human Capital development and Customer Relationship Management functions both in the U.K and in Nigeria (including Halifax Plc, U.K, British Airways UK, British American Tobacco, Celtel and Guinness Nigeria Plc.) An honours graduate of the University of Lagos, she holds a Distinction Certificate in Organizations and Strategic Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science U.K. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development U.K and holds a certificate in Strategic Management Development from the same professional body. She recently concluded a course in Career Counselling for graduates at the British Psychological Society UK .Detoun is a working shadow committee member of the renowned NGO Women in Business and Management (Wimbiz) Nigeria.

Detoun who firmly believes a New Nigeria is possible, is currently the Managing Director of Afterschool Graduate Development Centre (AGDC) a Social Enterprise set up in August 2007 to run innovative youth development programs which enhance Nigeria's youth ability to manage their careers and to reduce the effects of unemployment & redundancy on the society at large.

Detoun sits on the Board of Trustees and serves as the Executive Secretary of the Graduate Development Network, a not for profit organization committed to raising the employable quality of the Nigerian student. She is a recipient of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 women business leadership initiative and holds a Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management from the Enterprise Development Service of the Lagos Business School.

Detoun's vision is to help train a new generation of high potential leaders in Nigeria and beyond. Her long term ambition is to be recognized in years to come as an expert in the areas of Strategic Development of Talent and Human Potential, Organizational psychology, Recruitment and Career Management . Detoun is married to Amechi, an Architect and resides in Lagos Nigeria.

AYO AROWOLO
Ayo Arowolo is unarguably Nigeria's No 1 personal finance coach and one of the country's leading experts on personal development and self mastery. The author of three key national bestsellers including the hugely successful Millionaires' Capsules and Fire Your Share Analyst, Ayo's works (books and seminars) are helping thousands of entrepreneurs and career men and women around the country to create extra ordinary results and grow qualitatively from the inside out. Top entrepreneurs, general overseers of churches, investors and CEOs have all embraced his work. Apart from being a much sought after national speaker, Ayo is also a widely respected advisor to young CEOs and a few top government functionaries.

A Reuters' award winner, Ayo has been involved in financial education for over two decades as a reputable financial and investigative journalist. He has worked in leading newspaper groups in the country, including the Concord Group, The Guardian Group, The News Group and Thisday Group. He was the founding Managing Editor/CEO of Financial Standard Newspaper, and founding CEO of The Investment Club Network (TICN), and co-founder of moneywise.

He is now the CEO of Enlightened Media which specialises in producing and disemination value added personal finance and business information. Ayo's training modules are all anchored on the fact an enduring personal growth can only proceed from the inside out and that wealth created in a hurry would soon be gone.

His speaking engagements have thus revolved around how individuals can take care of their money and lives and awaken the giants within them.

WALE ADELEKE
Wale Adeleke is an alumnus of Lagos Business School and a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Wale has been the Managing Partner of Wale Adeleke & CO. since inception. He spent much of his early career in practice with the firm Robert Ade-Odiachi & Co. (now merged to form SIAO partners) before he veered into Corporate business that exposed him to practical business environment.

Wale was Assistant General Manager (Audit) with John Holt Plc., before joining Akwiwu Motors Limited as the General Manager. He has 17-years diversified business experience covering Auditing, Consulting, Trading, Manufacturing, Banking and Energy sectors of the Nigerian economy. He is a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. He holds MBA from University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.

Wale has attended various Seminars and conferences both at local and international fora. He is a member of Ikoyi Club 1938 and Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce.

TARA DUROTOYE
Over the past 12 years, Mrs Tara Fela-Durotoye has been dedicated to realising her vision of building a globally respected beauty company of African origin. Tara is the Managing Director and Creative Director of HOUSE OF TARA INTERNATIONAL, a leading player in the make-up sector of Nigeria's beauty industry. The organization has grown into a franchise enterprise with three main lines of business namely The Make-up Studio, The Makeup School and the TARA product line comprising beauty products and professional make-up kits.

Tara is widely considered as a veteran in the beauty industry, who has pioneered the bridal make up profession in Nigeria, starting her make-up business whilst an undergraduate in the Faculty of Law, Lagos State University. Tara is a trained and certified make-up artist of Charles Fox, Convent Garden, London. In a series of first, she launched her bridal make-up business in 1998. Thereafter, she launched the first Bridal directory in Nigeria in 1999. In 2000, Tara facilitated the first-ever series of Bridal seminars, drawing for the first time-ever in Nigeria celebrated professionals in the bridal industry to speak to brides.

She has franchise spread across Nigeria (branches in Lagos, Ibadan, Port-Harcourt and Abuja) and with emerging footprint on the West African coastal countries of Cotonou, Ghana and Senegal. She established the country's first make up school in 2004, and also launched the TARA product line comprising a range of professional tool kits (such as make-up boxes, brushes and purses) for make-up artists and a wide range of make-up products including eye shadows, eye liner, lip gloss, foundation and powders on a brand platform promoting ethics and ethnicity, by empowering young women for economic independence without moral compromise, just as it flies the proudly Nigerian flag.

In 2008, at a record-setting celebration of her tenth anniversary in Lagos, she surprised the nation with the launch of her first perfume fragrance aptly called "Be Inspired". She is a highly sought after speaker at entrepreneurial platforms including conferences, TV programmes, newspaper and magazine publications and electronic media platforms. She is a favourite speaker at women business conferences, youth empowerment seminars and faith-based gatherings where she speaks on topics ranging from finding your purpose, identifying your talent, building and managing businesses, maintaining a successful career and marriage.

She is also a mentor for make-up artists and small business owners. Through her make-up school, Tara has developed and trained about 300 make-up artists who are now active players in Nigerian beauty industry. She has also succeeded in empowering over 600young ladies (most of who are in the tertiary institutions) with the Tara Orekelewa beauty representatives' initiative that makes them financially independent, improving their self esteem while building their marketing and entrepreneurial skills.

In 2007, She was awarded the Africa SMME Award and the Entrepreneur award in South Africa.

AKADIRI JIMOH
Akadiri Jimoh is the senior partner of an auditing firm. He was the former Managing Consultant of CREST MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL CONSULTING LIMITED. He has over 20 years of business, consulting and audit experiences locally and overseas. His previous responsibilities include: Financial Controller – Guinness Nigeria Plc, Financial Controller – Virgin Nigeria Airways, Commercial Manager, Benin Breweries (Guinness Nigeria Plc), West African Audit Manager – Guinness Brewing World Wide and Group Audit Manager, Unilever Group, Nigeria and senior Auditor, Unilever South Africa Pty and has been providing consulting services in Microfinance Banking.

Currently, he is the lead consultant to Prosperity Microfinance Bank Ltd, Benin City; Afemai Microfinance Bank Ltd, Jattu via Auchi in Edo State and Masterpiece Resource Development Center Oregun, Ikeja (a microfinance institution).

Jimoh holds a degree in management, is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria and a member of the Project Management Institute USA. He has attended many high-profile training courses in the UK, India, South Africa, Ghana and a host of Microfinance related courses organized by the Central Bank of Nigeria

HENRY AKWUEBU
Henry Akwuebu graduated from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka with a BSc in Microbiology. A certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from the prestigious and globally recognised Project Management Institute PMI USA.

His work experience spans business consulting, sales and marketing, pharmaceuticals, business development and strategy. He has a Post graduate diploma in management and also an active member of Project Management Institute (PMI) Consulting, Project Risk Management, Energy, Oil, Gas and Petrochemical specific interest groups.

He has worked with notable consulting firms, some of which are DexNova Consulting and Intuivar Limited and Outstanding Resources. He joined Dexnova Consulting as a programme coordinator and was later moved to head Lagos operations. While at Dexnova Consulting, he oversaw the growth of the firm in Lagos and was part of many projects, particularly the Open Local Government Portal (OLGP) and the Local Government Identity Card Projects of the Rivers State Government.

At Intuivar (project management training and consulting firm). In addition to coordinating trainings, Henry has worked on a business process and management restructuring project of major oil marketers in Nigeria. He also develops and deploys Project Management Office's (PMO).

Henry is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) and many other prestigious institutes both local and international notable among them are the Project Management Institute PMI and the international institute for Business Analysis (IIBA).

AKINOLA SOLANKE NIGERIA'S PROFILE
A social entrepreneur and a passionate Nigerian with an extraordinary passion for the Nigerian flag and anything green and white. Akinola Solanke, a.k.a Akin Nigeria, is a graduate of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. He is a social entrepreneur and the founder of the 5years old "Initiative For Promotion of our National Flag" a.k.a (BONI FLAG PROJECT), a Non Governmental social enterprise whose core vision is to promote and inspire the spirit of Patriotism and at the same time protect and preserve the dignity and nobility of the Nigerian Flag, through a well coordinated national Value re-orientation campaign.

Akin Nigeria is also the MD/C.E.O of Freedom Flags Ventures, whose services includes: designing of flags, flag production and installation, flag maintenance training and sales for banks, hotels, churches, groups, schools etc.

Akin Nigeria has also worked in the media as a Producer and Presenter with the Plateau State Radio and television Corporation (PRTV) where he was the producer and presenter of the popular "Nigeria Youth Forum" on the State TV and Radio with over a million listeners and viewers across 10 States in Northern Nigeria. This project has given him a voice and a platform to impact and contribute his quota to his generation and the development of his country and he is fast becoming a leading voice and authority on the subject of Patriotism and Flag education.

A passionate social development advocate whose passion for grass root development has given him the opportunity to work on different developmental projects as well as working with various local and international NGOs such the Millennium Development Goals project of the federal Government, the Earth Charter International where he served as the Plateau State coordinator of the project in the state (March 2009-February 2010).

Akinola is interested in developmental challenges, community and national development service, exploring new tasks, meeting people, organizing events and general field work and activities. He is single and currently working in Lagos, Nigeria.

TOLU ABARI
Tolulope Abari is a strong and determined achiever with a rare sense of vision, initiative, ownership, depth, thoroughness and excellence. She has developed expertise in Organizational Strategy & Human Resources Consulting; and has had valuable multi-disciplinary experience spanning the Maritime, Telecomms, Finance, Training and Legal industries, public and private sectors inclusive.

She is passionate about Strategic Human Resources Management, the sort that enables organizations leverage their human capital base for strategic advantage; and genuinely believes that this holds the key to competing and winning in the marketplace in a consistent and sustainable manner.

a keen reader, writer and avid lover of young people, with Tolu, there is certainly no dull moment.