Ade A. Olufeko

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In this Ijebu name, the Yoruba surname is Olufeko.
Ade Olufeko
Olufeko in New York City, 2008
Born1980 (1980)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Nationality (legal)
Other namesAdéolu
Occupations
  • Technologist
  • entrepreneur
  • designer
Known forHumanities and innovation, Founding of Visual Collaborative
Notable workNorth Star (2019)
Remember To Rise (2018)
The Legacy (2017)
Awards2003 IBM Gerstner Award

Ade Abayomi Olufeko[a] (born 1980), is an American-born designer, technologist, and entrepreneur primarily active in Lagos.[1] His international work in humanities has been leveraged by Consortiums, NGOs, and high-impact leaders. He is the founder of Visual Collaborative, an American festival, and publishing platform that partners with artists, scientists, lawyers, and innovators on socio-economics.[2] In 2003, he became a recipient of the IBM Gerstner Award for exceptional service during a malware epidemic.[b]

Olufeko's long-standing involvement in technology, exhibitions, keynotes and lectures at institutions such as the University Of Oxford, Yale University, Harvard Business School and Columbia University, has been covered by various media, such as Leadership news and Voice of America.[3][4][5]

Early life and education

Ade Olufeko was born in the Upper Midwest city of Minneapolis.[2] He is of Ijebu heritage.[6] His late father, Abayomi Sr. was an accountant, His mother, Olubola, a businesswoman and educator in fashion and textiles.[7][8]  He returned to Lagos with his parents in childhood, growing up in the mainland city of Surulere, during Nigeria's Second Republic receiving his primary education at Unilag staff school and later St. Gregory's College in Obalende for his secondary education.[9][10] In the mid-1990s, he returned to Minneapolis for further studies at Henry High where on occasion he was invited to share experiences with his IB peers on subjects of culture shock, and for a period was a resident of the historic Stevens Square.[2][11] He is an alumnus of Metropolitan State University, where he studied computer science and multimedia.[12][13][14]

Career

Work as technologist, IBM and Visual Collaborative

Olufeko began his technology career in youth during the dot-com era, working in motion graphics, the internet and hardware for companies such as Ameritech and 3M spinoff Imation.[c] His focus developed into digital strategy and information architecture, consulting for companies in media, technology, health and finance industries such as Atlantic Records, PayPal, Adobe Systems, Bank of America and Shavlik Technologies; to American celebrities such as Amel Larrieux and other high-profile personalities.[d] [2] He assumed the role of web manager at SICO America, an international furniture and hospitality company. He collaborated with architects and assembly personnel in North America, Europe, Asia, Japan, and South Pacific regions for a year before parting ways to realign his career with emerging Web 2.0 technologies.[2] During the convergence of his work, whilst developing professional connections on the east coast, he relocated to New York City, working for media conglomerate Warner Music Group.[5] In 2007, Olufeko founded Visual Collaborative, a seasonal traveling exhibition.[2][8] The U.S initiated platform draws on the tenets of socioeconomics and intersects Olufeko's vocational interests in diverse media, creativity and technology.[2] Since the launch of the platform, he has collaborated in numerous cities with over 150 artists.[15][5] In 2015, he returned to serve as the curator of the platform, further showcasing the work of diverse artists and multidisciplinary creatives.[12][16] In the year 2016 he suspended activities with Visual Collaborative for a few years, to work as a management consultant for IBM's Interactive Experience service line.[17]

In the British spring season of 2018, London Business School held its annual business summit, centered around scaling enterprises on the African continent. The institution collaborated with Olufeko, taking place at the Landmark. He moderated the socio-cultural panel, which featured fashion designer Ozwald Boateng OBE, media personality Banky W., the manager of the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti; Rikki Stein, also joined by an executive of Sony Music West Africa, Michael Ugwu.[18][19][20][21][22]

Interdisciplinary impact, Keynote lectures and panels

Olufeko imparting to scientists on Visual design at American Chemical Society in DC. circa 2015

Olufeko's lectures engage technology with contemporary issues such as governance, ethics, innovation and culture.[16] In 2019, Olufeko delivered the opening keynote at the Africana conference for African Peace and Development at Yale University, where he also served as a panelist imparting on topics of Innovation and Development in Africa.[23][24] In April of the same year, he moderated a panel at Columbia University on the business of art and literature.[3]  In 2018, he accepted an invitation from Georgetown University and gave a series of talks and a fireside chat on the relationship of the African value chain and cognitive design.[25]

From 2011–2017, Olufeko gave lectures speaking at; Oxford University, Harvard Business School, Carnegie Mellon and Lagos Business School.[17][26][27][28] In 2017, Olufeko spoke at TEDxIkeja on Visual Metaphors and its collaborations.[29][30] He has also appeared on TVC news and Voice Of America, the latter described Olufeko as an expert who advances the cause of humanities in the creative economy.[31][32] According to Business Day, his presentations have been on innovation, multidisciplinary design and collaborations.[8] In 2016, he was invited to join other thought leaders at Covenant University discussing technology and governance in Nigeria.[33]

Advisory work in Nigeria

Olufeko hosted as a keynote by World Economic Forum Global Shapers at the Civic Innovation Lab in Abuja, 2017

During the Great Recession, Olufeko started on many visits to and around Nigeria reacquainting with the region. Embracing economics of the sub-Sahara's emerging market, he engaged as an independent consultant advising with the branding effort of various indigenous businesses, getting them on the Web.[34][2] In November 2018, Olufeko was invited to speak at the Nigerian Diaspora Investment Summit.[35]

In 2017, his observations of the Nigerian technology ecosystem were described by Incubate Africa as an "eye-opener".[36] The same year, Olufeko's interview on prominent Victoria Island radio station Smooth 98.1 FM, "demystified unaddressed African complexes in social interactions".[37] For his fieldwork in humanities, he was invited as a keynote to speak at World Economic Forum initiative; Global Shapers, discussing disruptive Innovation.[38]In the same year, Vanguard News highlighted Olufeko's business advisory activities in the creative ecosystem, citing his advocacy of African women entrepreneurs, in connection with IWD.[1] In 2017, his research in design, led to a journey inside Sungbo's Eredo, bringing its story back into social dialogue.[39][40] His keynote lecture at the March 2018 WordPress conference in Lagos, covered digital cohesion, societal value of interoperable systems and Big data in West Africa.[8][41][42] On August 18, 2018, Olufeko delivered a talk on Design thinking and the intersection of art and design, to a sold-out audience during a TEDxLagos event at the Muson Centre.[43][44][45] In 2020, he assumed the role of chairperson for the Creative Sector group at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.[46] Supporting the advancement of education, Olufeko served on the global advisory council for the Steering for Greatness Foundation from 2019-2021 [47][48]

Art

Cognitive style

Self-taught as a digital painter and in mixed-media artistry, Olufeko's creative process as an avocation evolved over a decade. Inspired by the convergence of design and technology, 3D geometry, fractals and embedded data are consistent elements in his exhibited work. It explores Africanfuturism, experimental Chaos theory and Counterculture.[10] He is a former member of the Society for Neuroscience.[49][40]

The Adeolu Epiphany showcased, is a 100% African made Mancala AYO board collection designed by Ade Olufeko

In 2021, Olufeko created and introduced the wax print version of the indigenous AYO mancala in Ankara to enter the consumer market with 200 units. The response and reviews were well-covered in local media. In the third quarter of the year, he released the Kente and Adire product lines which drew considerable interest outside Nigeria across west Africa and its diaspora.[48][50] According to audited data, the sales of the locally made units reached over 2000 in sales. During the capital flight in the nation and following a fire outbreak in one of the largest wood communities, part of the sales helped feed numerous artisans and their families.[51][52]

Influences and public resonance

In various interviews, Olufeko credited the social cohesion of Surulere, and places like the National Arts Theatre as leaving lasting impressions during his childhood. According to The Punch his influences have ranged diversely from Luis Barragan for architecture, Hillman Curtis for new media design, and Yugo Nakamura for pioneering interactive and motion graphic work.[53]

Olufeko credits his mother an educator and illustrator in fashion and textiles, for her collaborative and business influence, she ran a fashion institute in Surulere during the 1980s and 1990s.[1] Feminine or yin related subjects have appeared in his abstract art pieces, aligning to his advocacy of women and his respect to many matriarchy figures.[54] This subsequently led to several internationally recognized NGOs on Female genital mutilation (FGM) and human trafficking to leverage his artwork.[53]

Selected exhibitions

Literary works

Olufeko served as the guest editor-in-chief for the Polaris open-access e-journal. In 2019, he designed the publication's style guide to conduct over 100 interviews. The catalog explores creative disciplines, social perspectives, and intrinsic value of the featured practitioners and how they interact with society.  This collective is said to have been designed to iterate over time as a value-add service model for content providers, academic institutions, and incubators.[46][59]  In the latter part of the collective, Olufeko released interview content with American author of The Laws of Human Nature, Robert Greene, and others of influence.[60][61]

  • Polaris (Collective's first issue, April 2019) [62]
  • Voyager, Volume 2 (June 2019) [63]
  • Vivencias, Volume 3 (September 2019) [64]
  • Supernova, Volume 4 (December 2019) [65]
  • TwentyEightyFour, Volume 5 (May 2020) [66]
  • Grand Masters, Volume 7 (August 2020)[61]
  • Eta Carinae, Volume 10 (December 2020)

Awards and recognition

  • In 2003, Olufeko received the IBM Gerstner award in Global Business Services.[1][8]
  • NABF (Nigerian American Business Forum) Young entrepreneur achievement Award 2018.[25]
  • In 2019, Olufeko received an award of special recognition serving a judge for the Prof. Ayodele Awojobi design and engineering competition.[40]

Notes

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ade Olufeko.
  1. ^ Simply known as Adé, Pronounced /ɑːˈdeɪ/; ah-DAY Yoruba: Adé Olúfẹ́kọ́ pronounced [Adé Olúfẹ́kọ́].
  2. ^ For customer excellence and countermeasure teamwork during the Blaster Worm epidemic.
  3. ^ In the early aughts, his interactive design work was showcased by adjuncts in selected courses by British training organization Learndirect.[12]
  4. ^ Following the Bravebird album and its subsequent release Morning, Olufeko contributed digital design and advisory work to Larrieux's record label.
  5. ^ On January 17, 2013, several digital paintings by Olufeko were showcased and leveraged at a fundraiser which Somaly Mam was guest of honor, this took place at the Hudson Terrace in New York City. The evening brought together influencers and celebrities featuring composers such as Chloe Flower supporting the Somaly Mam Foundation.[58]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Ibiwoye Dotun (March 28, 2017). "The future is considerably female— Ade Olufeko". Vanguard Nigeria. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Taiwo, Yetunde (March 2012). "Behind the Technology: Super Cool Nerd!". Made Magazine. Vol. 20. Lagos.
  3. ^ a b "Columbia University African Business Forum - Panels". Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  4. ^ Abulude, Samuel (17 June 2020). "Ade Olufeko Bridges Talents To Achieve Creative Economy". Leadership. Archived from the original on 14 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "Ade Abayomi Olufeko: A Mid-career Retrospective of a Multidisciplinary Technologist with Africa's 2020s in view". May 28, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-05-28. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  6. ^ "The American Library Installation". November 11, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-11-14. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  7. ^ "AML 113: (Exclusive) Technologist Ade Olufeko on the Future of Music Technology in Nigeria & Africa's Music Industry". Podcast by Africa Music Law. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Techpreneur One on One with Ade Olufeko". Business Day. August 22, 2016. Retrieved Nov 18, 2017. (Subscription required.)
  9. ^ "Ade Olufeko/Visual Colabo Q&A". November 11, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-06-02. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Abayomi Olufeko" (PDF). No. 37. Newwebpick ‘Design for Designers’. Retrieved January 3, 2018. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  11. ^ "Ade Olufeko's Cultureshock story as an innovator and his likes is what Lagos continues to leverage". The Guardian. No. Guardian Arts. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  12. ^ a b c "Ade Olufeko 2013 Speaker Profile". Social Media Week. Retrieved 14 Oct 2017.
  13. ^ Banjo, Ayo (1 Aug 2018). "Guest Speaker's Corner, Profile of Ade Olufeko". The Lagos Rotarian. No. 5. Lagos.
  14. ^ "Ade Olufeko Speaks On Irabor's Show". Samurahh. April 30, 2018. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  15. ^ Kristy Samone (September 28, 2012). "Pop Up Art Exhibition". Archived from the original on Feb 2018. Retrieved Feb 15, 2018. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archive-date= (help)
  16. ^ a b "Accomplished visual artist Ade Olufeko weighs in on his work and The Africas - Soundcloud.com". The Africas. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  17. ^ a b "LBS Africa Business Conference ABC Rolls Out Africa We See Campaign". YNaija. January 27, 2016. Retrieved Oct 15, 2017.
  18. ^ "Ade Olufeko moderates socio-cultural panel at London Business School African Summit". The Punch. May 17, 2018. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
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  20. ^ Adesoji Solanke (April 18, 2018). "Big, Bold & Impact". London Business School. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
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  22. ^ BellaNaija.com (July 13, 2018). "Banky W, Tara & Fela Durotoye attend the LBS Africa Business Summit". BellaNaija. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  23. ^ "Ade Olufeko speaks at Yale University, collaborates with Bahia Shehab, others in new collective". New Telegraph. April 2, 2019. Archived from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  24. ^ "2019 Yale Conference for African Peace and Development - Panels". Feb 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-03-13. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  25. ^ a b AsuquoE (Feb 5, 2018). "Polymath Ade Olufeko receives Young entrepreneur achievement Award at NABF in Florida, and speaks at Georgetown University in D.C." Talk Media Africa. Retrieved Feb 15, 2018.
  26. ^ "Ade Olufeko – Oxford Africa Conference 2017". oxfordafricaconference.com. May 19, 2017. Archived from the original on July 8, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  27. ^ "Digital Media and Entertainment". HBS African Business Conference. March 1, 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-04-12. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  28. ^ "Ade Olufeko to impart on the digital ecosystem at Oxford University". YNaija. May 19, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  29. ^ Onwuaso, Ugo (13 October 2017). "TEDxIkeja: Adeti, Inlaks CEO Shows How to Achieve Financial Inclusion in Nigeria". Communication Week. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  30. ^ "TEDx Ikeja : Where do we go from here?". TED.com.
  31. ^ tvcnews (March 22, 2017). "Victims of Ransomware attack should pay required ransom - Olufeko". TVC news. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  32. ^ Makori, Vincent (host) (18 December 2015). "Information Technology Entrepreneur, Ade Abayomi Olufeko". Africa 54. 11:40 minutes in. Voice Of America (VOA).
  33. ^ "Experts to Discuss E-government at Covenant University's Conference". Covenant University. June 2, 2017. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2017. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; July 26, 2020 suggested (help)
  34. ^ Onyekwelu, Stephen (13 June 2020). "From media design, The Avenue Creative goes beyond technology". Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  35. ^ "Ade Abayomi Olufeko Nigerian Diaspora Investment Summit". Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
  36. ^ "The Buzzwords Startups and the Brain-Drain Game by the Millenial Techies". Incubate Africa. Sep 17, 2017. Retrieved Oct 15, 2017.
  37. ^ "Technologist Ade Abayomi Olufeko: "There is no (tech) ecosystem in Nigeria, there are just societies and clubs"". Africa Music Law. Sep 12, 2017. Retrieved Oct 15, 2017.
  38. ^ "Meet The Leader Series". September 2017. Archived from the original on Sep 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2018. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archive-date= (help)
  39. ^ "Sungbo Eredo Back Into Awareness Anda A Path Forward With This Xennial". June 19, 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-06-19. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  40. ^ a b c "Sungbo's Eredo Monument Back to Awareness". thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  41. ^ "Ade Olufeko to give Keynote Address at Wordcamp Lagos 2018". P.M Express. March 5, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  42. ^ Ezeanya-Esiobu, Chika. "Ade Olufeko and the resurrection of Cheik Anta Diop". Pambazuka News. Retrieved 15 Oct 2017.
  43. ^ "Olasupo Sasore, Bankole Wellington, Simi Adeagbo, others deliver inspiring talks at event co-sponsored by Union Bank". Pulse. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  44. ^ Ukiwe, Urenna. "TEDXLagos Exciting "Spotlight" Set To Hold". The Guardian (Nigeria). Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  45. ^ "TEDx Lagos : Spotlight". TED.com. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  46. ^ a b Guardian Editor (20 November 2020). "Ade Olufeko breaks echo-chambers into new levels of awareness". Retrieved 12 January 2021. {{cite news}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  47. ^ "Steering for Greatness Global Advisory Council". Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  48. ^ a b Okeke, ifeoma (7 January 2022). "Skewed facts, lack of measurable data bane of SMEs in Nigeria – Olufeko". Business Day (Nigeria). Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  49. ^ "SfN Member Detail". Archived from the original on Jan 2019. Retrieved Feb 10, 2019. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archive-date= (help)
  50. ^ Guardian Nigeria (4 January 2022). "Recalcitrant conformist succeeds with AYO Mancala to remove analytical biases in strategy". The Guardian (Nigeria). Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  51. ^ "The Velocity of business innovation through design". Vanguard (Nigeria). Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  52. ^ Our Correspondent (3 January 2022). "Seasoned Technologist Tweaked Physical Ayo Mancala That Fed Artisan Families". Leadership News Nigeria. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  53. ^ a b "Soni Irabor, technologist Ade Olufeko discuss 'Between Generations'". The Punch. April 25, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  54. ^ Ebonylife TV (April 27, 2018). "The Superwoman Burden". Facebook. Archived from the original on May 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2018. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archive-date= (help)
  55. ^ "Visual Collaborative Art Exhibition, Miami 2008!". Ladybrille. April 15, 2008. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
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  59. ^ "Tosin Oshinowo, Remi Vaughan-Richards, and other Nigerians featured in online catalogue". This Day. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  60. ^ "Robert Greene Discusses 'Power and Human Nature' with Ade Olufeko". No. 30 December 2020. This Day. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  61. ^ a b "Robert Greene author of the 48 laws of power speaks with futurist Ade Olufeko". The Guardian (Nigeria). 28 December 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  62. ^ "Bahia Shehab, Bobby Yan, others feature on Visual Collaborative". The Punch. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  63. ^ Bankole, Idowu (17 June 2019). "Seun Kuti, Chris Uwaje, others to feature on American platform, 'Visual Collaborative". Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  64. ^ "Dakore Akande, Swaady Martin, Kelli Ali, Adelaide Damoah and Husani Oakley Feature on Visual Collaborative". Odyssey2. Odyssey (publication). Archived from the original on 12 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  65. ^ Onyekwelu, Stephen (4 December 2019). "LIFE & ARTS Nse Ikpe-Etim, William Coupon, others drive creative sector SDG". Business Day. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  66. ^ Onyekwelu, Stephen (6 May 2020). "Les Nubians, Rika, Chigul, Dakore feature in TwentyEightyFour". Business Day (Nigeria). Retrieved 15 May 2020.
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