At the conclusion of the process, Great Richard Olajide Ayoola emerged as the newly elected Branch Chairperson, entrusted with leading the Illinois Branch at a critical and exciting phase of its growth and global engagement. He will be supported by a diverse, capable, and forward-looking executive team comprising:
- Great Aderonke Kilaso – Vice Chairperson
- Great Sunday Ogundele – Secretary
- Great Taiwo Adeyemo – Public Relations Officer
- Great Abiola Amusan – Financial Secretary
- Great Rainat Abiona – Assistant General Secretary
- Great Iyiola Lawal-Solarin – Social Director
A Benchmark Electoral Process
The election was administered by a highly respected and experienced Electoral Committee, comprising Great (Dr.) Kayode Elusoji, Great (Arch.) Simbo Akinola-Odusola, Great Ayo Adelugba, and Great Iretunde Samuels. The committee deployed a robust electronic voting system that enabled eligible members to vote remotely while tracking live results in real time—reinforcing trust, transparency, accountability, and confidence in the integrity of the process.
Commending the conduct of the election, the outgoing Branch Chairperson, Great Ismail Longe, praised the Electoral Committee for their professionalism, innovation, and unwavering commitment to fairness. He further applauded all contestants and members for maintaining decorum and unity throughout the process, noting that the peaceful and issue-driven nature of the election reflects the maturity, shared values, and progressive culture of the Great Ife Illinois community.
Acceptance Speech: A Call to Unity, Service, and Inclusion
In his acceptance address, Great Richard Ayoola expressed profound gratitude to the Electoral Committee, the outgoing executive team, and the Branch Advisory Board—ably led by Great (Dr.) Oyewole Ajifolokun, for their steadfast guidance and sustained contributions to building a strong, cohesive, and exemplary branch.
He also paid special tribute to his fellow contestant, Great Tejumade Olorode, commending her courage, sportsmanship, and genuine willingness to serve the association, qualities he described as a true reflection of the enduring Great Ife spirit of leadership, service, and collective responsibility.
Reaffirming his leadership philosophy, the new Chairperson pledged to operate an open-door, inclusive, and participatory administration, welcoming ideas, innovation, and constructive engagement from all members. He emphasized collaboration, transparency, accountability, and collective ownership as the guiding principles of his tenure, while calling on members to rally together as the branch enters a defining phase of global visibility and impact.
Countdown to the Great Ife Global Reunion 2026
A major highlight of the new administration’s agenda is the forthcoming Great Ife Global Reunion 2026, scheduled to hold September 4–6, 2026, in the State of Illinois, USA. The event is projected to attract Great Ife alumni from across the world and promises a rich blend of intellectual discourse, cultural celebration, professional networking, and social engagement.
Registration for the reunion is already underway, with Early Bird registration set at $275, closing on December 31, 2025. Members are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity and be part of what is widely anticipated to be one of the most impactful, memorable, and globally attended Great Ife gatherings in recent history.
A New Digital Era for Great Ife Worldwide
In a significant and forward-looking development for the global alumni community, a multi-layered Great Ife Global Digital Platform, sponsored by GN (Dr.) Kayode Elusoji, is currently at an advanced stage of development. Designed as a comprehensive alumni membership and engagement management system, the platform aims to:
- Integrate Great Ife alumni worldwide into a unified and secure digital ecosystem
- Empower branches to manage memberships seamlessly and efficiently
- Facilitate structured mentorship for undergraduates and recent graduates of the University
- Enable collaboration, communication, analytics, and data-driven alumni engagement
Great Ife has produced generations of accomplished, influential, and globally respected leaders across academia, industry, governance, technology, and entrepreneurship. Widely regarded as the most beautiful campus in Africa, the University has also earned a reputation for academic excellence and its strong capacity to prepare students for leadership in an emerging and rapidly changing world.
Synergy with National Development Initiatives
Dr. Kayode Elusoji is also the Executive Director of the Great Nigerian Assembly, a global coalition of professional Nigerians committed to leveraging expertise and capacity to develop youth for global relevance, empower grassroots citizens, and promote accountability, rule of law, and social justice. A significant number of Great Ife alumni are active members of the Great Nigerian Assembly, strengthening the bridge between alumni engagement and national development.
Recently, the organization launched the Person of the Year Award Survey, which has already attracted massive participation and voting from Nigerians worldwide. Among the leading contenders for the highly distinguished recognition is Aliko Dangote, alongside over twenty-five other notable Nigerians. The platform also enables Nigerians globally to select the Governor, Senator, Minister, House of Representatives Member, and Local Government Chairperson of the Year—a citizen-driven initiative designed to encourage performance, accountability, transparency, and respect for the rule of law among public office holders.
In addition, the organization is set to launch a weekly magazine that will provide Nigerians with a credible platform to tell their own stories—authentically and globally. Complementing this media initiative are several empowerment programs focused on equipping Nigerians, particularly the youth, with specialized, future-ready skills in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Data Analytics, Digital Journalism, and Digital Marketing, among other critical domains.
Great Ife! Great Alumni! Great Future!
Great (GN) Olusina Ojewola
Director, Public Relations Office
Great Nigerian Assembly
