2024 ACBF Editorial Board
Blessing Okwuofu
Blessing Okwuofu, also known as The Reading Mom, is a Christian, wife, mother of 2 girls and internal audit professional, who absolutely loves to read - she read 215 books in 2019, 291 in 2020 & 2021 and 272 books in 2022 & 2023.
After being featured on two television shows in 2019 because of the number of books she read in 2018, Blessing decided to start the Instagram book blog @thereadingmom.ng in 2019 to promote the reading culture in adults and children. In 2020, she also started a book club – The Reading Café (free book club) and the Reading Accountability group – a paid accountability group to help people build and sustain the reading habit.
Blessing Okwuofu MBA FCA CIA CISA CFE is a seasoned professional who currently heads the Group Internal Audit department of an E&P company in Nigeria. She also serves as the Coordinator of the Sisters’ Fellowship of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries International Headquarters Youth Church, as well as being a member of the choir. She is passionate about continuous learning and improvement.
Deborah Lucky-Deekor
Deborah Lucky-Deekor is an intuitive and analytical lawyer with over 13 years post call experience. She is the Lead Counsel at Gadell Law Practice, a dispute resolution law firm that provides comprehensive legal services in Lagos, Nigeria. Deborah’s work experience cuts across both the private and public sectors including the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender.
Deborah is a law graduate from Rivers State University and holds a master’s degree in law from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. She is also trained and certified in Positive Psychology Art Coaching, Professional Life Coaching and Kids Life Coaching.
She is passionate about promoting children’s overall well-being and established Dedavella Life Coaching Services, an edtech firm that offers social, mental & emotional wellbeing, and life skills coaching for children aged 9-16 years. Deborah makes children happy and inspired to reach their full potential through various educational products including toys and costumes at Dedavella Kids retail store.
She is the author of the book Motherhood A Double-Edged Sword- A Practical Guide for Every Mother on Raising Godly Children, With Lessons from Timeless Mothers. Her vision is to see a world where every child is deliberately equipped and guided to acquire essential life skills for a successful and fulfilling life.
Dr. Taiwo Conde
Dr. Taiwo Adegboyega-Conde has been teaching the English Language for over 15 years to Primary, Secondary and Post-secondary students in Nigeria, including teaching assigned courses to undergraduate students during her MA and PhD studies in the UK.
She currently teaches Business and Academic English, Research
and critical thinking skills, as well as prepares candidates for SAT, IELTS & TOEFL. She also provides placements and visa guidance to students who wish to study in Canada, Europe & USA for undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
She volunteers as program Lead for PEA Foundation where she overseas the
design, implementation and evaluation of the organization's project aimed at improving the education and economic opportunities for underserved communities and at-risk youth in Nigeria.
Inetina Ebitonmor
Inetina Ebitonmor is a seasoned Global Markets Sales professional with nearly two decades of expertise in Strategic Partnerships, Risk Management, Client Solutions, and Relations within Corporate and Investment Banking. During her tenure at Standard Chartered Bank and Standard Bank Group, she has excelled in fostering impactful collaborations with clients, C-suite executives, and stakeholders, driving revenue growth, enhancing client experiences, and mitigating potential risks. Her exceptional communication, analytical, and interpersonal skills have enabled her to lead cross-functional teams across regions, successfully implementing strategic initiatives.
With dual master's degrees, including a recent MBA, Inetina is dedicated to continuous learning and professional development. Beyond financial markets, she is a passionate advocate for the empowerment of girls and women, focusing on their well-being and leadership development. Recognized for her commitment to empowering girls and women/ promoting sustainable development goals, she has been interviewed by BBC Radio Kent and participates as a mentor in the WIMBIZ Mentoring Programme.
Inetina is the visionary founder of the "Yellow Table Talk Empowerment of Girls and Women" community, where she organizes recurring "Moms and Daughters Date" events. She also manages Kidsbooksreviewng, an Instagram platform that showcases children reading and reviewing books, fostering a reading culture, raising leaders, and instilling a passion for reading in children globally. Additionally, she has participated in mentoring sessions for aspiring youth leaders, girls, and young women, including her banks' annual CSR forums, demonstrating her commitment to social responsibility and youth empowerment.
Obioma Maduekeh
Master Obioma Maduekeh, popularly known as #ProfObioma, is a God-fearing 9-year-old prolific reader, presenter, and storyteller. He is a kidpreneur and chief presenter at SmartKidObi Media. Through his Instagram page @smartkidobi, he regularly reviews diverse children's books and produces content that encourages children to read and model good behaviors and values.
Prof Obioma is an embodiment of the belief that "readers are leaders and readers are the future." He has read over 100 diverse children's books. His mission is to empower kids to be great. When Prof Obioma is not reading, he enjoys running, playing football, playing the piano, and watching his favorite TV program.
Olohimai Okaisabor
Mrs. Olohimai (Olo) Okaisabor, owner of Chapters Books, Nigeria, is a fervent advocate for children's literacy and education. With over two decades of experience in the book industry, Olohimai has dedicated her career to fostering a love of reading and writing in young minds. Her stores, located in both Lagos and Port Harcourt, offers a carefully curated selection of books, educational materials, and unique stationery items that inspire creativity and learning.
Olohimai is committed to supporting initiatives that empower children through literature, nurturing the next generation of readers, writers, and thinkers.
Segun Adediran
I retired in January 2022 as the Editorial Board Chairman of PUNCH newspaper, Nigeria's most widely read and respected newspaper. As Chairman, I led the newspaper’s Editorial Board for 11 years in research-led, evidence-based and courage-driven editorial writing, winning awards almost yearly along the line, including the prestigious Nigerian Media Merit Award and DAME Award. I have written widely on Nigerian politics, international politics, public policy, and political economy.
Widely respected for integrity, professionalism, and commitment to excellence in journalism, my journalism career spanned a few decades, beginning in 1990 when I joined The Nigerian Economist Magazine as a Staff Writer and rising to become an Associate Editor. I was also one of the three journalists employed by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry(LCCI) to package a business magazine, POLICY in 1995. I later joined PUNCH newspaper in 1999 as a senior member, rising to the position of chairman in 2010.
I have written extensively on Nigerian politics, economy, education, business etc, especially in my column, Lesson Notes, in PUNCH for many years. My write-ups still appear in newspapers and online publications occasionally.
Among other academic and professional studies, I attended a programme, Leading Economic Growth, at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Havard University, Boston, USA. Before journalism, I worked as a Graduate Teacher in secondary schools in Oyo and Ogun State. I hold a B.Sc. in Political Science from the University of Ife, in 1982 and an M.Sc. in political science (comparative politics) from the University of Lagos, in 1985.
My research specialises in comparative politics, and political economy, with a focus on Nigerian politics, Canadian politics, US politics, public policy, and the Middle East affairs. My M.Sc. research work is titled Separatist Politics in Nigerian and Canadian Political Systems: A Coumpayativrw Analysis. My expertise covers Nigerian politics and government; elections; public opinion; democracy; Nigerian foreign policy; and economic policy
Tony Olaniji
Tony Olaniji is an accomplished author, a book coach, writing instructor, an award-winning screenwriter and a filmmaker. He organises writing workshops and competitions for children and has served as a guest speaker and reader at children's book festivals and numerous elementary schools. Additionally, he has lectured at film festivals and in academia. Tony is a member of PEN International, the Nigerian Centre, and the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Lagos chapter.
