Blessing Oyeleye – Founder and CEO
boyeleye[at]arsta.org

Blessing Oyeleye is currently a student at the University of Florida with a major in Chemical Engineering and Mathematics.

Her interest in Science and technology has spurred her involvement in various organizations including the Society of Women Engineers where she served as Public Relations Chair and Social Chair, increasing awareness and developing social networking systems to support women engineers.

Blessing is also a member of the National Convention Planning Committee of the National Society of Black Engineers and served as the International Conference Chairperson that hosted 10,000+ black engineers, fortune companies and academicians across the world in March 2008 in Orlando, Florida. Blessing was able to diversify and incorporate cultural and global contents that appealed to everyone from different walks of life. Some of her works included hosting an International Exhibition. From China, Japan, Nigeria to Haiti and many more, Blessing was able to transform the technology trend of these countries into an art that spoke to young minds and corporate bodies on global engineering achievements and the challenges that surround them.

Blessing has been very active in the global community and has always worked in the best interest of Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Blessing has worked with the brightest minds in the world such as PepsiCo, Chevron, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and at the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Florida. These experiences afforded her the opportunity to understand international dynamics and its application to the challenges we face in Africa.

Despite taking on an active role in her community, college, corporate America and in Africa, Blessing has surpassed expectations academically. She is on the presidential honor roll as well as the dean list in her school where she continually strives for excellence. Blessing plans on pursuing International and Comparative Law and a joint MBA in International Business and Financial Engineering.

Blessing continues to mentor young people going into science, mathematics and engineering, as well as advising her peers on career path and social development. Her love for the community and for Africa has boosted her energy towards devoting her time to this organization.

Her ultimate goal as the President of Advocate for the Revolution of Science and Technology in Africa is to change the inappropriate representation of Africa in the global front and increase participation in science and technological programs in Africa.

Adaora Mbelu – Vice President External/Co-Founder
ambelu[at]arsta.org

Adaora is a final year student at Northern Kentucky University, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree and will soon be pursuing a Juris Doctorate and Masters In Business Administration. Alongside, her Economics background, she is currently enrolled in the Entrepreneurship program at NKU and is a member of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization where she works closely with a team of highly experienced entrepreneurs to inform, support, and inspire college students to be entrepreneurial and seek opportunity through enterprise creation.

In 2003, she represented her country Nigeria at the Global Young Leaders Conference in Washington DC and New York respectively. During this time, she was exposed to a diverse learning environment, where she exchanged ideas with some of the world’s top business leaders in challenging and dynamic environments. Exactly a year after, she was chosen by a National panel to represent Nigeria at the Congressional Youth Leaders Summit in Beijing, China alongside scholars from various countries. Adaora has worked as an Intern with Citigroup, and Sea Petroleum and Gas Corporation, and has gained extensive experience in interpersonal communication, leading team-oriented projects, management, and crisis control.

Adaora is also a member of the prestigious National Scholars Honors Society, and has been an active officer with the International Students Association and the African Students Association at NKU, thus helping promote diversity on campus.  She currently serves as the Editor-In-Chief of AfriZone Magazine- a catalyst to the creation of a new community of African youth, and is dedicated to using informative and creative journalistic approaches to captivate and inspire the African Youth. In 2007, Adaora’s ability to utilize critical thinking, and her activeness in the entrepreneurial community, earned her “The Spirit of Entrepreneurship” Scholarship award by the Robert .H. Castellini Foundation. Aside from her academic and entrepreneurial accomplishments, Adaora is a certified member of Volunteers of America (VOA) Cincinnati Chapter and continues to volunteer as a Supported Living Specialist for people with Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. As a scholar, she continues to hone leadership skills of communication, networking and persuasion while preparing for success in a world influenced by rapidly changing cultural, political and economic forces. Her long term plan for ARSTA is not just to pass through this world, but touch it significantly.

Adjowa Walker – Executive Secretary
secretary[at]arsta.org

Babasoji Maurice Diya – Director, Corporate Relations
corporaterelations[at]arsta.org

Babasoji Maurice-Diya is currently a Senior Cosnsultant within the Capital Program Advisory Services practice of Ernst & Young LLP.  His responsibilities within the group include management of and consulting on complex construction and facilities programs, including funding, acquisition, design, construction, operations and maintenance, and disposal decisions.

Prior to his time at Ernst & Young, ’Soji wrapped up his Bachelor’s (Applied Mathematics) and Master’s Degrees (Architecture) from the Saint Louis University and University of Florida respectively, distinguishing himself academically by graduating magna cum laude and winning the prestigious Anheuser-Busch Presidential Scholars designation.

While at Saint Louis University, he served as the President of the African Students’ Union with the primary aim of creating awareness of African issues on campus, and providing mentorship for incoming students of African descent.  Additionally, he co-produced an award-winning weekly show on the school radio network called “A Return to the Motherland” where cultural instruments of Africa, including poetry, music, dance and news, were directly presented to a broader audience.

For his thesis as a Master’s student, ’Soji chose to research the indices of memory as it relates to the evolution of the Ife people in southwestern Nigeria.  His publication titled “The Evocation of Memory through a Spatial Anamnesis: Case Study: The Anthropology and Architecture of the Ife Tribe,” seeks to make a connection between the spatial and hierarchical arrangements of the Ife Kingdom and various antebellum African-American settlements in Georgia and Alabama.

Always a patriot, ’Soji proudly represented Nigeria at the Global Young Leaders Conference in New York and Washington D.C. in 2001 where he got the opportunity to meet with then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as well as various current and future world leaders.

’Soji considers his passion for ARSTA to be borne out of his recognition of a simple fact: Africa can only be developed by Africans.  His responsibilities at ARSTA revolve primarily around fundraising and liaising with corporate institutions and his long-term goal for ARSTA is to be a sustainable entity that continually inspires young African minds to make a difference in their community.

Andrew Esiri-Okoto

Andrew Okoto sits on the Finance and Project Advisory Board of ARSTA. He also plays an active ad hoc Executive role for ARSTA. Mr. Okoto is involved in the Strategic Planning, Project Appraisal and Fund Sourcing for ARSTA.

Mr. Okoto’s passion for ARSTA was born from the fact that sustainable development for Africa would only be fully achieved through equality in the education of the African Child. His goal for ARSTA is to redirect capitalism towards harnessing the full potential of the Youth in Africa by impacting the right education geared towards contemporary development of Africa. His vision is to see Africa serve as a Science, Technology, Management and Financial hub for the rest of the world.

Mr. Okoto presently works as a Senior Financial Analyst with Ryder System, Inc. Prior to joining Ryder System, Mr. Okoto had several years of Corporate and Investment Banking experience with Citizens International Bank, Nigeria where he oversaw M&As, IPOs, and Corporate Financing deals. His expertise saw him sourced, appraised and financed many capital projects through conception, execution to management phases. He has also served in various leadership capacities for many Not-for Profit Organizations in Africa.

Mr. Okoto holds an MSBA in Finance from the University of Florida and an MBA from ESUT Business School, Nigeria.