Class III: Muje Ghangeria Class
Esi Ansah
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Juliet Asante
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Samuel Attah-Mensah
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Ibukun Awosika
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David Awuah-Darko
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Muhtar Bakare
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Habiba Balogun
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Romeo Bugyei
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Benjamin Dabrah
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Kofi Dadzie
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Olanike De Souza
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Orode Doherty
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Eghes Eyieyen
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Audrey Gadzekpo
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Olatoyisi Kolawole
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Bice Kuffour
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Musa Ishiyaku Mohammed
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Obiara Nwogugu
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Ifeoma Obianwu-Fafunwa
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Comfort Ocran
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Adebayo Oyewole
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Hazel Quayson
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Chigozie Udemezue
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Esi Ansah is a founding partner and the current CEO of Axis Human Capital Ltd. She also serves as the head of the business administration department at Ashesi University. She was voted by students as the Outstanding Faculty Member in 2008, and also as the Most Inspiring Faculty Member in 2010. Esi is actively engaged in various roles in her church, and also serves on the boards of the Longevity Project and Women's Trust. She was recently honored by the New York-based The Network Journal (TNJ) as one of the journal's "Forty under Forty" African Achievers. Esi has bachelor’s degrees in psychology, international affairs, and French from Florida State University. She received master’s degrees in social sciences and public service management from the University of Chicago and DePaul University respectively. She holds a PhD in public administration from Rutgers University. She is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Juliet Asante is the founder and CEO of Eagle Productions ltd, an events and communications company. She is also the publisher and editor at large of Entertainment Today Magazine and the creator and president of the Voice Off Africa Forum. She is the founder and president of Save our Women International and the Eagle Women Empowerment Club. She is a member of of the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum. As a producer, director and writer, Juliet has worked on movies like Deadly Voyage (an HBO movie), Tinsel, and Ripples. She has won the Hollywood Reporter’s Next Generation Award (2009) and the Best Actress Ghana Award (2001). She was named one of the “World of a Difference 100” by the International Alliance for Women and a notable leader by the Ghana Association of Women Entrepreneurs, both in 2009. Juliet is presently pursuing her MPA at Harvard. She is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Samuel Attah Mensah is managing director of Citi FM, part of Omni Media Limited. He is also a part-time lecturer at the Institute of Professional Studies in Accra. He previously worked with Coca-Cola West Africa (now Equatorial Coca-Cola) in market development in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Before that, he managed programming and events for the Multimedia Group, a pioneering Ghanaian media organization. Samuel is a board member of Steppap Foundation, a community development charity set up by the captain of Ghana's senior football team, Stephen Appiah. He holds a BS in computer science from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana and an MBA from the Leicester Business School in the UK. He is a Fellow of the third class of the African Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Ibukun Awosika is the founder and CEO of the Chair Centre, Sokoa Chair Centre Limited, and TCC Security Systems. She sits on the boards of Cadbury Nigeria PLC, First Bank Nigeria PLC, and FBN Life Assurance, and is a member of the Lagos University Governing Council. Ibukun has founded and supports many nonprofit institutions, including Women in Management and Business (WIMBIZ) and the Convention on Business Integrity. She is a pastor at the Fountain of Life Church and hosts a TV programme, Business His Way. She is the chairperson of the After School Graduate Development Centre (AGDC), which promotes employability and development among young Nigerians. Ibukun holds a BS in chemistry from University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University); an MBA from IESE Business School, Barcelona; and is an alumna of the Lagos Business School Chief Executive Programme. She is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
David Awuah-Darko is CEO of the IC Securities group, with many years' experience in investment banking, trading and asset management across several geographic markets including Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa. Before founding IC Securities, David worked for several years as a European equities trader for Lehman Brothers International (Europe) in London, UK, where he held both the Securities and Futures Association (SFA) Registered Representative and National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) Series 7 licenses. David holds both a BA honors degree in mathematics and computation and an honorary MA degree from the University of Oxford. He is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Muhtar Bakare is managing director of Kachifo Limited, which trades under the name Farafina. Kachifo Limited is the publisher of some of the best writers in the world, such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ben Okri, Segun Afolabi, Uzodinmma Iweala and Biyi Bandele. He was executive director at Trust Bank for two years before he left in June 2002 to effectively launch Kachifo Limited. Muhtar obtained his secondary school certificate from King's College Lagos after which he proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University, where he studied architecture and also received his masters degree. Muhtar participated in the Wits Business School/Havard Business School Senior Executive Program for Africa. He is a Fellow of the third class of the African Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Habiba Balogun runs her own consulting firm, Habiba Balogun Consulting, in Nigeria, where she consults on organizational effectiveness. Before establishing her firm in 2007, she progressed through various roles and industries including banking, manufacturing, import-export, education, and oil and gas. She was the pioneer corporate affairs manager in Credit Lyonnais Nigeria. Habiba holds a bachelor's degree in French and Italian from the University of London and a masters degree in organizational management, including leadership caching and team facilitation, from George Washington University, Washington DC, and she is a certified NLP Practitioner. She is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Romeo Bugyei is chief information officer for SIC Insurance. He was previously head of the information systems department there. Prior to joining SIC, Romeo was a consultant with Touch Software Solution, a division of Deloitte and Touch West Africa consulting, where he was the senior manager in charge of both software implementation, and network deployment. Romeo has extensive experience in both software development and project implementation. He has a bachelors degree in computer science from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and masters in computer science and applications with emphasis in decision management systems from Shanghai University of Science and Technology, PRC. He is a certified project manager of the Project Management Institute of the USA. He is a Fellow of the third class of the African Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Benjamin Dabrah is managing director of Barclays Bank Ghana. He rejoined Barclays from Standard Bank of South Africa, where he was regional credit director for West Africa, based in Nigeria. In that role, he successfully integrated two credit risk functions within nine months following the acquisition of IBTC Chartered. Prior to Standard Bank, Benjamin worked for Barclays for seven years, ending as country credit director for Barclays Kenya. Benjamin holds an MS in economics and public policy from the University of Hull in the UK, a BS in land economy from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, and a BS in financial services from The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UK). He is an associate of the Institute of Financial Services (UK). He is a Fellow of the third class of the African Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Kofi Dadzie is managing director of Rancard Solutions of Accra, Ghana. He oversees the delivery of mobile value added services with a client base including Google, BBC, the VOA, MTV, ESPN and mobile networks Vodafone, MTN, Tigo, Zain, Airtel, Orange, Globacom and more in Africa and the Middle East. Prior to co-founding Rancard, Kofi worked with a number of companies in the US: Dell Computer Corporation as a senior analyst in the BIOS technology team where he filed a patent; Radiant Systems Inc.; and Whirlpool Corporation, serving in various capacities related to systems technology, software automation and online commercial platforms. Kofi serves on Ashesi University's Corporate Advisory Council. He has a computer engineering degree from Vanderbilt University, Tennessee, and co-founded Rancard with Ehizogie Binitie in 2001. He is a Fellow of the third class of the African Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Nike De Souza is managing director of People Prime, a consultancy which focuses on the following key areas: permanent recruitment, executive search and selection, career development and counseling, and objective assessments. She has ten years work experience with Arthur Anderson, now KPMG, where she held several positions including senior manager and group head, risk consulting and outsourcing services. She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, State of Maryland, USA. Nike attended the American University- Kogod School of Business Administration, Washington D.C. where she acquired a BS in business administration, concentrating in accounting and management information systems. She is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Dr. Orode Omolara Doherty is a pediatrician, public health physician, and founding partner of Heritage Health Partners. Prior to this, she worked with both Columbia University's International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP) and Africare® in successive positions, establishing over 100 centers for comprehensive HIV and AIDS care and treatment, the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and community based care for orphans and vulnerable children in seven states in Nigeria. She recently initiated the St Nicholas Well Child Clinics, aimed at the provision of integrated preventive health care and early intervention for children. Orode obtained her medical degree from the University of Benin Medical School in Nigeria and a masters of public health degree in maternal and child health from Harvard University. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She and her husband 'Funso have three children. She is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Eghes Eyieyien is CEO of Pharez Limited. He was most recently an executive director on the interim board of Allstates Trust Bank Plc as an appointee of the Central Bank of Nigeria, for which he took leave from Pharez. Prior to Pharez, he worked at the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation as pioneer staff for eight years. Eghes holds a bachelor of science degree in accounting from the University of Benin. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and an associate member of the Nigeria Institute of Management. He is a Fellow of the third class of the African Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Audrey Gadzekpo is acting director of the School of Communication Studies at the University of Ghana, a post she has held since 2006. She is co-editor of the journal African Media Review and serves on the editorial board of Feminist Media Studies and Equid Novi-African Journalism Studies. In 2005, she was a visiting scholar at Northwestern University in Chicago, USA. She has more than 16 years experience in university teaching and more than 25 years experience as a journalist. Since 2005 she has chaired the board of the Ghana Integrity Initiative and was nominated to serve on the National Media Commission. She also serves on the boards of the Public Agenda newspaper and the Ghana Center for Democratic Development and is a member of the Ghacem Cement Foundation and the Vodaphone Foundation. She has served as a domestic election observer in Ghana since 1996, and has been an international election observer in Mozambique and Benin. She holds a BA in English from the University of Ghana, an MA in communication studies from Brigham Young University in the US and a PhD from the University of Birmingham in the UK. Her life is brightened by her wonderful daughter Nubuke. She is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Toyosi Kolawole is managing director of Avdeo Energy Ltd. She was previously a principal consultant and co-founder of Integrated Business Strategies. Prior to IBS, she was a management consultant in the financial institutions group at A.T. Kearney. Toyosi also worked for Guarantee Trust Bank as an independent strategy consultant and in the UK, serving small to medium companies in the retail and food industries. Her industry expertise also includes banking, oil and gas, and education. Toyosi holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management in Cambridge Massachusetts, US, a postgraduate diploma in business administration from the University of Manchester, UK, and a bachelors degree in food science and technology from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. She is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
HBice Kuffour is CEO of Family Tree Entertainment, his music production and event management company. As a musician, Bice has performed at international festivals around the world. He has won over ten Ghana Music Awards, including the World Bank Award for Best Music for Development. He is the youngest musician ever to have been honored with a Grand Medal by the President of Ghana, in 2008. Bice is the executive icon of Youth Icons, a nongovernmental organization that focuses on economic and academic empowerment for youth. He focuses on using his music to undertake social projects that have a positive impact on society. Bice graduated from the University of Ghana with degrees in sociology and music. He is a Fellow of the third class of the African Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Dr. Ishiyaku Mohammed is head of the Conditional Grants Scheme (CGS) for the Federal Government of Nigeria. He coordinates a broad range of stakeholders to promote, evaluate, and monitor grants from the federal government to states for investment in primary healthcare and water and sanitation. Formerly, he assisted in the introduction of a virtual poverty fund dedicating some $750 million annually to pro-poor investments, and assisted in the design of a groundbreaking monitoring and evaluation framework. A veterinarian by profession, he has helped guide agricultural research and planning in Nigeria for over a decade. He was previously the director of the Doma Educational Development Foundation, a nongovernmental organization he helped found to provide refresher courses for primary school teachers in Gombe. He is a Fellow of the third class of the African Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Obi Nwogugu is a principal of African Capital Alliance, a leading private equity manager focused on Africa. He was previously the fund manager of Capital Alliance Property Investment Company, one of six funds managed by ACA. Prior to joining African Capital Alliance, he worked for ING Clarion Partners; mergers and acquisitions at Bank of America; Global Crossing, Inc.; and McKinsey and Company, all in New York. Obi holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Nigeria, an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and an MS in computer science from New York University. He is a Fellow of the third class of the African Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Ifeoma Fafunwa is creative director at HG & Associates. She has worked with clients such as the City of Atlanta, Disney Development Corporation, Atlanta Olympic Village, Magic Johnson Enterprises, The Rouse Company, Coors Brewing Company, and the African Finance Corporation. She has over 20 years of professional experience in various creative fields including brand marketing, theater, fashion, and interior design. She is currently working on a theater project involving collaborations with some of the region’s best-known female writers and performance artists. Ifeoma graduated from Holy Child College, Lagos in the class of 1980. She has a BA in interior aArchitecture from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, 1987. She also studied theatre arts at the Dorsey Studios for the Performing Arts in Atlanta. She is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Comfort Ocran is CEO of Legacy & Legacy. She also co-presents the educational radio show “Springboard” every Sunday on Joy 99.7FM. She is an international motivational speaker, training consultant, conference facilitator, and event organizer. Comfort is an advisor to various business organizations. She focuses on enabling people achieve their maximum potential in life. She has co-authored 11 motivational and business books, including the bestsellers Defying All Odds, and 101 Keys to Achievement & Fulfillment. Comfort holds a master's degree in linguistics from the University of Ghana, Legon. She is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Bayo Oyewole is managing director of ThinkSmart Global Consulting, a strategy and operations management outfit based in Lagos, Nigeria. He was the COO and executive director for Timbuktu Media Limited, publishers of NEXT, NEXT on Sunday, and 234NEXT.com. Prior to his relocation to Nigeria, Bayo served as the regional chief compliance officer and chief of staff for the Americas and EMEA region of Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics in New York. He has over 15 years of global work experience and has served in several leadership roles with Sabre Technologies, Ernst & Young, and PepsiCo. Bayo holds a BS in accounting from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; an MBA in finance and marketing from Clark University; and an MS in interactive marketing at New York University. He is a certified Project Management Professional and a certified Compliance and Ethics Professional and is an active member of the Project Management Institute’s Lagos chapter. He is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Hazel Quayson is head of training and development for Central and West Africa at Nestle. She is also the project manager for several corporate initiatives on gender and diversity management. Outside of Nestle, she manages two consultancy firms: Barrad Consult, which focuses on supporting businesses in strategic planning, business planning, organizational assessments and dynamic teambuilding projects. Her other consultancy, People Factory, aims as human capacity development with special focus on the youth. Hazel is a board member of the Medlink Institute of Organisational Development and Professional Studies, a Ghanaian accredited tertiary education institution. She has MAs in organizational development and bilingual translations (French-English), a BA in Secretaryship and Management, a postgraduate diplomacy in organizational development, a graduate diploma in management studies, and diplomas in business administration and French. She is a chartered management and business consultant and administrator in Canada and a chartered management and business administrator in Ghana. Her professional memberships include the Chartered Management Institute, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Developers, the International Professional Managers Association, and the Association of Business Executives, all of the UK. Her hobbies are being with family and friends, poetry writing, listening to music, and traveling. She is married with two children. She is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Gozie Udemezue is the executive director, legal consultancy services at Konz Consulting Ltd with offices in Abuja and Enugu. She practices law with the law firm of N. O. Izuakor & Associates based in Enugu. Gozie also works as a consultant with the Center on Housing Rights & Evictions, (COHRE), Geneva; the Huairou Commission, New York; and very recently on the UNDP-funded Compensations for Contributions Initiative for Home Based Care Givers. Gozie has a bachelors of law degree from the Nigerian Law School. She studied law at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology and holds a certificate on international human rights from the International Institute for Human Rights, Strasbourg, France. She is an alumna of the US State Department International Visitors Leadership Program on Grassroots Activism. She is a Fellow of the third class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
