Solomon Ayodele, the Head of Innovation at WEMA Bank, is on a mission to catalyze Africa's future through the power of technology. With a background in innovation and strategy, Ayodele has been instrumental in establishing IDEAX Labs, the bank's first innovation lab since 1945. Beyond his role at WEMA Bank, Ayodele advises several African startups and is the founder of Boys Quarters Africa, a transformational movement for boys.

Ayodele's journey into the tech world was not a traditional one. He never applied for a tech role, but instead, joined a core banking project as a contract staff in 2014. His curiosity and eagerness to learn led him to shadow technical teams and learn to code, eventually earning him a sandbox to grow across different roles. This "accidental" foray into tech has been instrumental in shaping his career.

When asked about the most important ingredient in his rise through the ranks, Ayodele humbly attributes it to God and the support of great bosses and leaders. He also credits his hard work and stubbornness, saying, "I am not always the best in the room, but you'll always find me burning the extra candle when the room is empty."

As the Head of Innovation, Ayodele's day-to-day is a balancing act between fighting fires and explaining breakthrough ideas to stakeholders. He oversees the bank's innovation ventures, including the incubation and acceleration lab, and manages idea pipelines using frameworks like design thinking. Ayodele also evaluates emerging technologies and leads prototyping for scalable, impactful solutions.

One of his notable achievements is the development of CoopHub, a digitized cooperative solution. While he acknowledges the challenges of developing the product, Ayodele's most euphoric moment was seeing it come to life through collaboration between different teams across the bank. He also takes pride in mentoring young professionals, saying, "Seeing a fresh Product Manager grow under my wings to deliver such a solid product was the biggest deal."

Beyond his role at WEMA Bank, Ayodele is passionate about inspiring the next generation. He founded Boys Quarters Africa, a movement that has engaged over 500,000 boys and men across five African countries to promote healthy masculinity. Ayodele has also partnered with the Netherlands' Ministry of Foreign Affairs to mobilize over 10,000 men as allies in ending gender-based violence.

Outside of his job, Ayodele enjoys riding his bicycle, analyzing market trends, and spending time with his suya vendor. He is also the Ministry Director for Media and Information Systems at KINGS, a global community of Kingdom Influencers. Ayodele's overarching objective is to catalyze the future of Africa through his voice and the enabling power of technology.

In conclusion, Solomon Ayodele's story is a testament to the power of innovation, hard work, and social impact. As the Head of Innovation at WEMA Bank, he is driving Africa's future through technology, and his passion for inspiring the next generation is a beacon of hope for a brighter tomorrow.