Meet Our Team

Anifatu Iyabode Ilawole

President & Co-founder/Trustee

Ms. Iyabo Ilawole is a transformative figure in both technology and philanthropy sectors, committed to harnessing the power of education and technology. As President & Co-founder of Bridge Talent, Ms. Ilawole’s passion and purpose are influenced by her parents’ journey from humble beginnings to global successes that have touched thousands worldwide.

With over 17 years in the technology industry, Ms. Ilawole has built a distinguished career as a Headhunter for prestigious companies such as Google, SAP, and Disney. Her hands-on experience in the field has provided her with a keen understanding of the crucial relationship between technology and human capital. Equally remarkable is Ms. Ilawole’s contribution to philanthropy. Before leading Bridge Talent, she served as a Board member at Zerathpath, a non-profit organization devoted to helping children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic in Zimbabwe.

This experience emphasized the significant impact of targeted support and the critical role education plays in uplifting communities. Drawing from her professional experiences and deeply personal connection to education, she leads Bridge Talent with conviction and compassion. Her mission is to democratize learning through technology, ensuring quality education is accessible to all, regardless of their socio-economic status, creating boundless opportunities for learning and earning a livable wage globally. Ms. Ilawole’s journey, from her parents’ triumphant journey from humble beginnings fueled by excellent education to her distinguished career in tech recruitment, her work at Zerathpath, and her visionary leadership at Bridge Talent, embodies her belief that education, amplified by technology, can unlock limitless potential and provide a brighter, more equitable future. Ms. Ilawole holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Southern California and an MA in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University.'

Hakeem Oseni II

Vice President & Co-founder/Trustee

Hakeem Oseni works at Salesforce as a Senior Product Manager, Detection and Response in the Cyber Security team. Prior to that, he spent 5 years at Wells Fargo as a Vice President of Encryption Services for the Cyber Security division at Wells Fargo. Hakeem is on the Bay Area leadership team of Cyversity, a non-profit that helps and supports women and BIPOC (Black and Indigenous People of Color) in Cybersecurity.

Hakeem has an MBA from Tepper School of Business (2001) with concentrations in finance, technology, and strategy. He is passionate about D&I and education efforts in cybersecurity and recently completed his Masters of Information and Cybersecurity at UC Berkeley (2021).

Oluwatobiloba Afolabi

CEO/Co-founder & Trustee

He is a forward-thinking and passion-driven education expert on a mission to provide quality educational tools through technology to students across Sub-Saharan Africa. With a BSc (Ed) in Mechanical Technology, an MBA degree from the University of Lagos and certifications from the Venture Capital for Africa (VC4A) Academy.

Tobiloba is a forward-thinking and passion-driven education expert with over 15 years of experience in the educational sector. As a teacher himself, he is on a mission to provide quality educational tools through technology to students across Africa. There's no surprise that he's very interested in getting life-changing educational solutions into the hands of millions of African children and youth which is what gives him joy and knowing that real impact can be created through learning.

He is also very passionate about economic empowerment and food security, especially for middle to low-scale farmers and volunteers on the board of Agro Allied Continental Africa Nigeria Limited (AACANL). AACANL is a value chain Agritech company with offices in Lagos and Harare. The company helps small and mid-scale farmers earn more from their produce by providing them with inputs such as seedlings, organic fertilisers, and pesticides to help them use modern farm equipment to harvest and help them get ready buyers/off-takers for their produce. AACANL trains rural women, widows, men, vulnerable and out-of-school youth in best practices agricultural skills to empower them to build businesses to become farmers themselves or Agric Service Providers (ASP) to sustain their families.

Tolulope Afolabi

COO/Co-founder & Trustee

Tolulope is the COO and Co-founder of GATE Edu-ideate Technology LLC subsidiary, a cohort member of the 2022 VC4A Venture Showcase Africa Accelerator - Women's Founder Edition. She is a business development and operations specialist. She helps small businesses and startups define their brand from ideation to market.

This includes increasing revenue, defining other streams of revenue while maintaining output, growth in terms of business expansion, developing new products, increasing profitability by building partnerships and making strategic business decisions. Tolu is passionate about bringing about change to business operations in Africa. Her love and drive for change and improvement has birthed ideas and solutions that have made a ground-breaking impact. Her expertise cuts across the educational sector, real estate, e-commerce and much more. Her wide knowledge in various sectors sets her apart. With an MBA in Business Management Analytics, she earned a B.Sc in Urban and Regional Planning from The University of Lagos and also has a certification in Entrepreneurial Technology from Harvard University.

Fatima Abimbola Oseni

Legal Advisor & Trustee

A legal professional and passionate entrepreneur with a diverse background. She graduated from Queen's College, Lagos and holds a law degree from the University of Lagos, as well as a Master's degree in law from University College, London. With extensive experience across the oil & gas sector, real estate sector, and legal field, she has excelled in customer management and services.

As an entrepreneur, she co-founded and manages Cottons and Wool and Fatabim, international textile businesses operating in Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean. She is also a co-founder of MG Ineso Trading Company. Fatima is an accomplished contracts and commercial legal practitioner, specializing in the oil & gas and real estate sectors. Currently, she serves as a senior managing partner at MG Ineso Trading. Outside of her professional pursuits, she has a love for music and travel. She is an esteemed member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

Saheed Wahab-Oseni

Trustee & Member, Board of Advisors

Saheed Oseni-Wahab is a Principal Quantity Surveyor with 15 years of experience working within the Public Sector. He currently works at the Lagos State Electricity Board (LSEB) where he is responsible for the oversight functions of operations and maintenance of public and street lights infrastructure across the Lagos Island Metropolis. Prior to this, he had worked with Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) as a Compliance Officer where he started his career in the Public Service.

During his career, he has attained a certification in Public Private Partnership (PPP) transactions and he is also Green Energy Finance Adviser. He is a Certified Project Manager with broad industry knowledge in Energy and Power Development, Renewable Energy Solutions and Systems. He served as part of the team in the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of the various independent power plants (IPPs) for the Lagos State Government. He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Green Building Council Nigeria (GBCN). Saheed earned his Postgraduate Diploma Project Management from the University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom, and a Bachelor of Science Quantity Surveyor from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. He lives in Lagos State with his wife.

Professor Khalid Adekoya

Trustee & Member, Board of Advisors

Professor Khalid Olajide Adekoya is a distinguished geneticist and academic leader in Nigeria. He currently holds the position of Professor of Genetics in the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics at the University of Lagos. With a PhD in Cell Biology and Genetics from the same institution, Prof. Adekoya has a strong foundation in his field. His expertise extends to various areas, including Genetics, Cytogenetics, Genotoxicology, Molecular Genetics, Conservation, and Forensics.

Prof. Adekoya has made significant contributions to these fields through his extensive research, which has resulted in over 76 publications and co-authorship in two books. He has also presented his findings at more than 120 conferences and workshops globally. Recognizing the value of collaboration, Prof. Adekoya has actively participated in multidisciplinary projects and secured grants totaling over 140 million Naira. He has supervised the successful completion of nine doctoral theses and numerous master's and undergraduate projects. Beyond academia, Prof. Adekoya engages in consultancy work for examination bodies, educational development forums, and governmental organizations. He has contributed his expertise to institutions such as WAEC, NECO, JUPEB, and the Lagos State Government.

Additionally, he has served on various committees and boards, demonstrating his commitment to enhancing education and research. Prof. Adekoya is a respected member of professional academic societies both locally and internationally. He has also held leadership roles in alumni associations and Muslim organizations. His dedication to community service is evident through his involvement in welfare initiatives and his contributions to the advancement of science education and Islamic organizations. In his personal life, Prof. Adekoya enjoys reading, football, and travelling. He is happily married to Alhaja Bilquees Adekoya, and they have been blessed with children.

Hafsat Atinuke Abiola

Trustee & Member, Board of Advisors

Hafsat Atinuke Abiola [nee Wahab] is an accomplished project management professional with a wealth of experience in managing complex projects in the educational sector and the tech/business change environment. With over ten years of experience in project management, Hafsat has honed her skills in leading and delivering successful projects, managing teams, and communicating with stakeholders effectively.

Hafsat was born and raised in Nigeria under the tutelage of her father, Late Dr H.O Oseni, a renowned scholar and academician who founded Anifa Preparatory Centre and was the Pioneer Rector of Lagos State Polytechnic. Hafsat attended Queen's College, Yaba and the University of Lagos, Akoka, where she obtained her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Economics. After completing her compulsory NYSC in Jos Plateau, she worked in the banking industry for the then Oceanic bank Plc [now Ecobank Plc]. Despite her success in the banking industry, Hafsat's passion for education led her to leave the sector and co-manage Anifa Preparatory Centre as a business/school administrator. In this role, Hafsat introduced modern technology into the classroom environment, leading to significant improvements in teaching and learning outcomes. She held this role for over ten years before relocating to the United Kingdom, where she presently works as a project management consultant. Hafsat is a certified Prince2 Professional, a globally recognized project management certification that demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of project management methodologies, processes, and techniques. In her current role with a prestigious aerospace construction company in the UK, Hafsat leads and manages complex projects, ensuring that they are delivered on time, within budget, governance and to the satisfaction of stakeholders.

Overall, Hafsat Atinuke Abiola is an accomplished project management professional with vast experience in managing projects in the educational sector and the tech/business change environment. Her expertise, skills, and experience make her an invaluable asset to any organization seeking to improve and deliver business changes.

Monique Head

Member, Board of Advisors

Monique Head is an active participant in the cybersecurity community working in the capacity of Awareness and Education for well-known companies such as Netflix, Palo Alto Networks, PayPal, HP Enterprise Security and Visa. By supporting the success and effectiveness of Information Security programs she is well versed in the organizational needs and strategies to promote cybersecurity knowledge to employees and the general public.

Monique's responsibilities include supporting teams who perform the daily tasks and operations to protect company and employee information, including teams responsible for SOC, Pen-Testing, Threat Intelligence, Security Architecture, Security Analyst, Incident Response, Business Operations and Government, Risk & Compliance. This has given her an appreciation for what it takes to maintain and run an Information Security team to satisfy strategic goals and organizational needs.

Monique's career in information security communications and awareness evolved from her role as a technical trainer and instructional designer, adapting courses for online consumption. From there, she has focused on enhancing the knowledge of security practitioners from coding securely to supporting infrastructure security with Just-In-Time training. This has fed her desire to amplify good cybersecurity acumen by helping others protect themselves and their personal information. It is important for Monique to give back to the community. Most notably she founded a non-profit, CyberTorial.org, to help educate young girls of colour on how to protect themselves online and inspire them to pursue a career in cybersecurity.

Yewande Ilawole

Member, Board of Advisors

Yewande Ilawole is currently a private equity investor at Veritas Capital. In her time at Veritas, she is focused on investing in highly regulated or government-influenced markets such as energy and education technology. Yewande has executed transactions totaling over $3Bn+ in total enterprise value. Her past positions include being an Investment Banker at Morgan Stanley on the Industrials Leveraged Finance team.

While at Morgan Stanley, Yewande executed high yield bond and leveraged loan transactions for non-investment grade companies completing acquisitions, leveraged buyouts and recapitalizations. Yewande serves as a mentor to Black, Hispanic and Native American university students in the US pursuing careers and internships in investment banking and private equity investing. She completed her BA in Economics and minor in Computer Science at Georgetown University.