Meet the Judges' Panel for Alumni Awards 2024-25

Isah ‘The Prince’ Matankari is a Nigerian rapper, cultural organizer, and community builder using music and activism to reframe African identity. Founder of Creative Council Africa and co-founder of Creative Culture, he’s supported 1,000+ creatives and led 70+ events. A 2023 British Council Culture Impact Awardee and OneBeat alumnus, he’s released seven albums and champions grassroots empowerment through edutainment, history, and collective storytelling.

The British Council has had quite a huge impact on me. Sometime in 2003, the British Council sponsored me on a trip to Manchester to attend a seminar on Violence Against Women. It was on this trip that I paid a visit to St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre, a place where survivors could receive professional and timely support to overcome the trauma of rape and sexual assault. I was impressed and immediately made up my mind to open the centre. 

Jadesola Adedeji, a trained Pharmacist and passionate Educator, is Co-founder/CEO of STEM METS Resources, advancing STEM education for African youth. Her company has reached 30,000+ learners, trained 580 teachers, and partnered with Airbus Foundation, Stanbic IBTC, and ARM. STEM METS co-convenes STEM Africa Fest across seven countries. Jadesola holds degrees from King’s College London, University of Calgary, and INSEAD, and champions Africa’s first STEM Maker Space initiative.

Jennifer Uchendu is a climate activist and founder of SustyVibes, leading youth-driven sustainability in Nigeria. She launched The Eco-Anxiety Africa Project in 2022 to address climate-related mental health challenges. A Chevening Scholar with a Master’s from IDS UK, she’s also a Cambridge and LBS alumna. Named one of BBC 100 Women (2023) and a 2024 Study UK Alumni Award winner, her work integrates climate, mental health, and power dynamics in African contexts.

Kehinde Ayeni is Executive Director at LEAP Africa, a youth-focused organization driving leadership, human capital, and socio-economic development. With 15+ years’ experience in leadership, business development, and communications, she was named among the "50 African Women Making a Difference in Development" by Donors for Africa (2020) and is a 2021 Praxis Fellow. Kehinde is passionate about empowering young Africans and fostering inclusive transformation across the continent.

Ladi Folorunsho is a finance and data science professional with extensive expertise in financial management, data analytics, audit, and tax consulting. He is a Fellow of the Institute of

Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and holds an MBA in Finance. While studying for his B.Sc., Ladi was appointed Project Accountant at the Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria, managing multilateral donor funds for three years. He later founded Raywhite Folorunsho & Co, a network frm in SGA World UK,

Lanre Phillips is a Sales/Marketing professional whose experience has spanned over 20 years in the FMCG, Banking and Telecommunications industry. He has thrived in intellectually stimulating and dynamic work environments that have ensured growth and development. He has an unusual passion for the growth of small businesses through the development of human capacity and implementation of sound business strategies which translate into operational excellence.

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Lovelyn Chris Ita is the creative director of Luvita Creations. She holds a B.A degree in History and International Relations and a PGDE from the University of Calabar. In 2009 she was trained as a fashion stylist at the prestigious instituto maragoni,Italy.In 2015,she was selected as a fashion focus fialist for the Lagos fashion and design week.

She founded the Calabar Burst of Creatives(CBC) in 2016,aimed at promoting the creative industry in Cross River State.

Lucy has made television programmes around the world for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Nickelodeon and Disney. She has TV credits on BAFTA and RTS award-winning children’s and factual programmes and the acclaimed flagship architecture series Grand Designs. She gained a masters degree from the British Film Institute/University of London and began her career at Sight and Sound and the BFI Archive before moving into production and then academiaat the University of Greenwich, London