Kanyinsola Arigi, PhD - Founder & Executive Director USA

Kanyinsola Arigi, PhD, is the founder and executive director of Orisun Collective. She is also the Faculty Lead of the Africa General Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Lauder Institute, where she teaches courses on contemporary Africa.

Kanyinsola earned her B.A. in International Relations and Global Studies, along with a degree in African and African Diaspora Studies with Honors, from The University of Texas at Austin. She completed both her Ph.D. and M.A. in Africana Studies at Cornell University and was a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Digital Humanities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

She is currently working on her first book project that investigates how Nigerian technological actors and innovators fashion new subjectivities and redesign the cityscape to reimagine the nation’s future and demonstrate African worldliness and inventiveness.

Passionate about the creative arts, Kanyinsola firmly believes in their power to create transformative societal change. In her personal time, she engages in the arts as a worship leader at her local ministry. She is happily married.

CJ Obilom, Co-Founder & Director of Communications USA

Jessica "CJ" Obilom is an actor residing in Los Angeles, California. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, she began acting at the tender age of 11. In that same year, her parents sent her to Imo State, Nigeria to attend secondary school. While she spent the next 3 years soaking up her Nigerian culture, her passion for acting never wavered. She held tight to her dream, and upon return to the United States, landed her very first role in a high school musical. She later went on to garner a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater and Dance from the University of Texas at Austin. After that, she finally got on a plane to Hollywood and soon became the professional actor she always wanted to be. 

CJ's goal as an artist is to leave a positive imprint on the lives of those who encounter her work. She hopes to inspire others to pursue a career in doing what they’re passionate about, even if it feels impossible. Because the truth is, that with God, all things are possible.

Anjola Ayodele - Director of Finance USA

Anjola Ayodele is a mural painting & digital artist, based in Arizona, dedicated to storytelling through bold and inclusive designs. Founder of Jola Studios, Anjola transforms interior and exterior spaces with vibrant murals and digital art that celebrate diverse communities. Her digital media backgrounds complements her collaborative community approach, creating meaningful art featured across the U.S. that connects and are informed by stories.

Anjola has a heart for and supports college and career readiness initiatives that promote access for underserved students and populations, with an aim to promote educationl and career opportunities for students of various backgrounds. Anjola holds a Bachelors degree and Master’s degree in Accountancy, and is also a Financial Analyst, specializing in forecasting and planning. Her project management experience paired with her creative background supports her mission to be a bridge of resource to organizations large and small.

Oluwarantimi Olaniyan - Director of Development Nigeria

Oluwarantimi, also known as ‘Ranti, specialises in  stakeholder and public affairs engagement, advising corporate leaders and organisations on communications strategy, social impact, sustainability, crisis management, as well as corporate and consumer campaigns in FMCG, finance and aviation sectors, among others.

She is co-founder of The Influence Agency, a strategic communications and influence firm, through which she champions Influence for Good, connecting brands and causes with voices on purpose.

She has an MSc. in Corporate Communications & Reputation Management from the Manchester Business School.‘Ranti is also a member of the Sustainability Professionals Institute of NIgeria (SPIN) and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

Seun Olaniyan - Director of Programs Nigeria

Seun has worked with kids, teenagers and young adults since 2006 as an educator, mentor, counsellor and an elementary school proprietor (2012- 2016). He holds a degree in Animal production and health and another in Pastoral and biblical studies. As a speaker, Seun draws his inspiration from the arts (performing and non-performing). He’s intensely passionate about creative arts, social enterprise and creative brand communication and is constantly working with individuals and local businesses in brand management and strategy.

In 2016, he co-founded and currently leads ‘Tribes’, a faith based organization in Lagos, Nigeria whose mission is to put Christian principles into practice for peaceful and purposeful living through experiences, programs and causes that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for individuals, families and communities.