Adediran Abdulmujeeb Adewale

I served as the president of the Nigerian Association of Special Education Students in the 2023/2024 academic session, and hold a degree in Special Education from the Faculty of Education at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. My journey in the field of Special Education has been deeply influenced by my passion for individuals with special needs, particularly those with developmental disabilities. This passion led me to major in the Intellectual Disability Unit during my undergraduate studies, as I sought ways to support and empower children with special needs. I had consistently been one of the top students, earning a first-class grade from my first year until I graduated as the best-graduating student with a CGPA of 3.80 out of 4.0. Born as the last and the only male child in my family, I grew up with a strong sense of responsibility. The experience of being raised alongside my older sisters instilled in me the values of care, empathy, and leadership from an early age. As a secondary school student, I repeated a class when I was in SS2 owing to the educational policy of the Former Governor of Oyo State, Late Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi’s government in 2016, but I rose with determination and graduated as the overall best student in 2018 with lots of prizes to my name. In 2024, roughly 8 years after the setback, I was selected out of over 2000 applicants for a scholarship program by the Sen. Abiola Ajimobi Foundation (SAAF) as one of the 25 outstanding Oyo State students across all Nigeria tertiary institutions. I did not only shine as a recipient, but I also stood tall as the voice of the other 24 awardees, delivering a speech at the 75th Posthumous Birthday and the 7th Annual Roundtable Conference of the Former Governor of Oyo State, Sen. Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi of blessed memory. I titled my speech "Stepping on Toes of Senator Abiola Ajimobi for Good". Shortly after, my efforts in academia, leadership, and community service earned me another scholarship from Egbe Oodua, South Florida arm, alongside 20 other University of Ibadan final-year students. Apart from these, I was a recipient of numerous other awards, including the Federal Ministry of Education Scholarship Award, the Faculty of Education Dean's Prize and Award-Giving Ceremony (Maiden and 2nd Edition), Late Alhaji Ismail Abdulsalam Award of Academic Excellence, Oyo State Government Bursary Award and the MSSN, UI Awards, among others. While serving, I had the opportunity to organize and lead an awareness walk for individuals with Down syndrome, alongside my cabinet members in collaboration with the Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria to promote inclusion and advocate for the rights of individuals with special needs. We provided free transportation to and from the venue, as well as refreshments for over 100 students who joined us on this journey. Being the President also allowed me to advocate for Special Education students and organize life-changing programs such as the maiden edition of the Mr. Damilola Amuda Academic and Leadership Summit, the maiden edition of the Mr. Damilola Amuda inter-level debate competition, the maiden edition of the Alhaji Ismail Abdulsalam Award of Academic Excellence, among others. My tenure saw the implementation of policies that improved the academic and social welfare of students in the department, reinforcing my belief that leadership is about service and impact. At the end of my tenure, my department produced 11 First Class graduates for the first time since its inception in 1975. I have also had the privilege to work with various special needs schools and organizations, gaining a lot of experience in handling children with unique abilities. I have worked with children with Autism, Down syndrome, behavioral disorders, cerebral palsy, and learning disabilities, among others. Outside my departmental engagements, I was made the essay lead for the Phronesis Global Leadership Group. I led a team of three in evaluating 117 essay submissions from students across various higher institutions in Nigeria. I oversaw the grading process, ensuring fairness, accuracy, and adherence to competition guidelines and I reviewed top entries before final selection. On the 16th of November, 2024, I announced the top four essays at the Visible Influence Leadership Summit 2024, held at UI Hotel Main Hall, University of Ibadan. Three from the University of Ibadan and one from the University of Lagos. My other engagements include serving as an academic mentor at Twelveleven, volunteering at the Able Voice, as a Public relations officer at the Peaceway Youth Initiative, and as an advocate at the Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria, among others.