Name Debo Onifade | ||
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Adebowale Olaiwola Onifade was one of the two Africans among the nine winners at the 2004 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers USA (IEEE) Worldwide History Paper Contest, organised by the History Committee. His paper – History of the Computer, was presented at the Conference of History of Electronics (2004) held at Bletchley Park, UK in June 2004. Bletchley park was the home of UK World War II Decryption establishment. Debo won the award while he was an Electrical Electronic Engineering student at Nigeria's premier university – University of Ibadan.
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Debo also won National first prize awards in the 2007 All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) National Essay competition – organised for secondary school students across Nigeria. He won a plaque of honour by the National Orientation Agency (Ogun State) and a certificate of merit by ANCOPSS for this feat. He has won several other essay awards, some of which have been published.
Debo took part as the University of Ibadan Student Team Lead in the 2004 UNESCO/DaimlerChrysler Mondialogo program contest, in collaboration with other students from University of Ibadan and Pennsylvania State University, USA. Their paper was titled 'Solar Energy for Rural Nigeria'.
Debo has a master's degree in Engineering Management from the Tufts University in Massachusetts. He has worked in Boston and Lagos, and co-founded technology companies. He is an ardent follower of political economy and sports, and has been guest speaker at many programs.
Early life and education
He was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, West Africa. His parents were Dr and Mrs Adewale Onifade. He attended the Ogun State Polytechnic Staff Primary School, Abeokuta from 1987 to 1993, Ijemo Titun High School, Abeokuta from 1993 to 1998, University of Ibadan, Nigeria from 1999 to 2005, and Tufts University, USA from 2007 to 2009. He has certifications from Scrum.org, compTIA, Microsoft, Cisco, Diebold, Harvard University, Stanford University, United States Soccer Federation, etc.
At Ijemo Titun High School, Debo was Editor-in-chief of the Career Press Club, and the Social Prefect. He regularly featured at the Ogun State Television on sport programs from the age of sixteen. He also published a small book, The Computer as a Word Processor, at sixteen. Eight years after leaving the school, the school's computer centre was named after him.
At the University of Ibadan, Debo was IEEE Student Branch Chair for two years, and later functioned as the branch mentor for about three years. He was an Editor in the Departmental Press Group. He was a co-winner at the IEEE 2004 Worldwide History Paper Contest. He was Soccer Coach for the Electrical Electronic Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Departmental Teams.
Career
Debo Onifade has worked with DCC Satellite Services, Production Point, ATM Consortium, Tufts University, e-Peak Systems, Delon LLC, and Greatland Healthcare. He had also co-founded companies in the US and Nigeria .
Debo's core career interests and focus are Agile Coaching, Energy and Strategy.
Activities
Debo has been guest speaker in several programs at his alma maters and on television. He has mentored several people and strongly believes in a society where every child is given the chance to pursue his or her vision. He inspires people (especially younger ones) to do their best to identify their vision as early as possible, work vigorously towards achieving them, and constantly watch out for vision-helpers. He believes everyone will experience significant challenges with their vision but God has provided unique way-out opportunities through vision helpers. He also enjoys analysing global economies, politics, sports, and energy.
Debo is a part-time soccer coach, and has coached teams in Nigeria and the USA
Publications
Debo has several publications (books, academic papers, and articles).
- Onifade, Debo (2011). “Power Supply: We need the facts”
- Onifade, Adebowale (2006). "The Challenges of the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Industry in Developing Africa" Paper submitted to IEEE Region 8 and some Nigerian newspapers, for publication in 2006.
- Onifade, Adebowale (2004). "History of the Computer"
- Onifade, Adebowale (2004). "The Future of Electrotechnology in Nigeria". Abeokuta ITHS 2004 Journal. Paper also presented during an IEEE – University of Ibadan Student Branch program
- Onifade, Adebowale and Onochie, Olufayowa (2004). "Solar Energy for Rural Nigeria" Paper submitted for the IEEE Region 8 2004 Annual Paper Contest. (2004)
- Onifade, Adebowale (2002). "The Computer for Word Processing and Internet" Book published by KAPPCO, Abeokuta, Nigeria, and recommended by Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (Nigeria) for its Commerce Exam in 2004
- Onifade, Adebowale (1998). "The Responsibility of the individual citizen in a democratic Nigeria" Winning essay in the 1998 Prof Femi Osofisan essay competition
- Onifade, Adebowale (1998). "The Computer as a Word Processor" Book published by KAPPCO, Abeokuta, Nigeria
Family
Debo is married to Tobiloba, his long-term friend and a Pharmacist. His father (Dr Adewale Onifade) is a lecturer and the mother (Mrs Bolaji Onifade) is a retired banker and businesswoman. He has two sisters, Adebola Popoola and Adesola Okanlawon.