By Shakirudeen Bankole
The Abuja District of The Companion – an organisation of Muslim professionals committed to intellectual, spiritual, and communal upliftment – has ushered in a new era of leadership with the election of Dr. Imran Saheed Adekunle as its Amir.
His emergence is not only strategic but deeply symbolic, especially as the Muslim Ummah and broader Nigerian society increasingly turn to faith-based institutions for leadership, clarity, and compassion in navigating today’s complex moral and developmental challenges.
DrAdekunle takes over from Dr. Taofeek Adejare, an accomplished scholar in Entrepreneurship and one of Nigeria’s leading grassroots development advocates.
Under Dr. Adejare’s stewardship, The Companion in Abuja witnessed a reinvigorated push for youth empowerment, startup innovation, and public policy engagement. His insightful contributions, especially in promoting enterprise development at the lower tiers of society, earned him widespread admiration.
Adejare is also a certified leadership and management coach, training top tier management executives, government officials and all cadre of entrepreneurs on building a thriving brand from the scratch, scaling strategies and sustainable growth plans.
But where one visionary stops, another begins and with Dr. Imran Saheed Adekunle, the organisation is not just continuing a legacy of excellence but expanding it into new frontiers.
A soft-spoken but deeply cerebral technocrat,
Adekunle is renowned in professional circles for his penetrating insights on finance, public sector accountability, and education.
A product of rigorous academic grooming, he holds degrees from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ahmadu Bello University, and London Metropolitan University, culminating in a PhD in Accounting and Finance.
His credentials are further adorned with fellowships from ICAN, CITN, CPIN, IMC, NIM, and PMI.
Currently serving as the Head of Internal Audit at the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Adekunle has been instrumental in cleaning up the pension space, once riddled with opacity and inefficiency.
His recently published and publicly lunched book, Understanding Pension Administration and Management in the Contemporary World, was adopted for civil service use, making him one of the very few public scholars whose intellectual works have found practical policy relevance.
But hia influence stretches far beyond the bureaucratic corridors of Abuja.
Through the Forum for Oke-Ogun Progress (FFOP), which he founded and runs across Abuja and his native Iseyin in Oyo State, he has quietly rewritten the story of rural children who once had no hope of quality education.
The FFOP/Kareem Alao Scholarship Scheme has funded dozens of brilliant indigent students, many of whom now pursue postgraduate studies abroad, including full PhD scholarships in China and Saudi Arabia.
“I believe education is a tool of liberation. Through FFOP, we target brilliant children from rural communities and support them, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM),” he said.
About 1000 students have benefited from his annual scholarship so far.
That education-first ideology fits perfectly into his new leadership philosophy at The Companion.
Having served in several key roles within the organisation, including as the Treasurer, Financial Secretary, and Naibul-Amir (Vice President), Adekunle is not new to its workings.
But his election as Amir signals a shift toward a more strategic, intellectually grounded, and socially responsive administration.
Asked about his response to this honour and leadership of the elite-filled organisation entrusted unto him, he said with supports and partnerships, he would try his best.
“The position, as the Amir/Leader, appears to be quite challenging, but with Allah’s help, we will triumph,” he started.
For him, “Leadership is a trust and a call to sincere service,” hence, he ” believes with collaboration, prayers, and strategic visioning, we can drive impactful programmes that uplift both members and the larger society.”
On his priorities, he said the task his enormous but with the help.of his team and the past leaders of the socio-religious organisation, he would definitely hit the ground running.
“We already have implementable projects that align with our constitution,” he said, stressing that, “But for us, education and welfare stand out,” he emphasized his focus on education as the bedrock of human development.
“We seek the support of all well-meaning Muslims and friends of the Ummah to make these a reality, in shaa Allah,” he plsaid, pleading for support.
Adekunle believes strongly that faith leadership should go beyond sermons, advocating for strong mentorship, youth capacity building, and institutional strengthening.
In the academic circles, his voice resonates through reputable journals such as the University of Calabar’s Journal of Management and the internationally rated Emerald Scholarly Journals.
His research touches on public finance, risk management, and policy advocacy, bridging the often neglected link between thought and action.
Observers within and outside the Muslim community see his leadership as a refreshing reminder that service to Allah can go hand in hand with service to humanity.
A man of few words but vast impact, Dr. Imran Saheed Adekunle is stepping into a role that demands wisdom, sincerity, and vision, and he appears ready.
In a time when moral authority is scarce and community leaders are often viewed with suspicion, his election offers hope, not just for The Companion, but for a society hungry for ethical leadership grounded in both faith and intellect.
