Why did you choose your MSc and Edinburgh Futures Institute?
Before my masters, I worked as a software developer, designing solutions to address inaccessibility and social injustice across education, health, transportation, and the not-for-profit sector. I wanted to dig deeper into the root causes of complex social problems, understand how intersecting factors sustain them, and how evidence can inform more inclusive, data-driven solutions.
Discovering the MSc Data, Inequality and Society, felt perfect for my mission of “creating a world that is accessible to all, regardless of ability or background.” EFI’s interdisciplinary approach, world-class facilities, and culture of innovation made it an ideal environment to explore these questions. This would have been impossible without the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship – I remain forever indebted to them.
How did you get to where you are?
I work as a Quality Assurance Analyst, using data analytics, quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation, and performance dashboards to improve health service outcomes for customers, including vulnerable customers. My daily work draws directly on skills I built at EFI – data analytics, data visualisation, data validation, policy evaluation, inclusive service design, user-centred design, report writing, and presentation.
Alongside this, I’m building a social enterprise, Uwezo, using AI technology to enhance accessibility and inclusion for young people with disabilities as they transition into new environments. Concepts like intersectionality, inclusion, accessibility, responsible AI, data ethics, co-design, participatory approaches, and the “New Jim Code” have shaped our culture, values, business model, and product/service design.
I’ve received immense support from the University’s Edinburgh Innovations and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme Enterprise Team, securing two pre-seed grants worth a combined $20,000 to build and scale the venture. It has been deeply fulfilling to translate my skills, knowledge, and experience into tangible change for individuals and at an organisational level.
What did you gain from your time at Edinburgh Futures Institute / the University of Edinburgh?
If one word could capture my time at EFI, studying Data, Inequality and Society, it would be ‘wholesome’. It’s amazing how one year could feel so short yet leave such a lasting impact.
Academically, EFI’s interdisciplinary approach gave me the knowledge and perspectives I needed to tackle the issues of inequity and injustice I care deeply about. I loved being able to explore courses from different disciplines that interested me. Honestly, I’ve never experienced so much fun, curiosity, research, learning, and discovery in such a short period.
EFI also helped turn me from a dreamer into an executor, giving me the support to build my UK-based social enterprise, which uses AI technology to help students with disabilities transition into new environments seamlessly.
But my greatest gift from EFI is the people – the students and staff. The IBK who graduated in 2025 wasn’t the same person who arrived in 2024, even my self-confidence got a rebrand.
Tell us about your Futures Project
My Futures Project examined how teachers’ awareness and attitudes influence school placement decisions for children with disabilities in Nigeria. The research established that while some Nigerian teachers generally expressed support for inclusive education in principle, they reported significant reservations about its feasibility in mainstream classrooms. It also exposed gaps in how the experiences of marginalised groups are represented in data.
These insights deepened my interest in how responsible, co-designed, and context-aware NLP systems can be used to bridge this gap; and directly informed my current interest in exploring human-AI collaboration as a mechanism to support agency and independence among learners with disabilities.
My advice to future students is to design your Futures Project with purpose and impact in mind. Consider what it could contribute to the body of knowledge, policy and practice, and how it connects to your career goals.
Do you have any highlights or a favourite memory of your time at the University?
Uugh, this is a hard one because I have lots of memorable times at the University. The greatest gift that I got from the University is the people. I had lots of fun moments traveling, laughing, working, studying, playing games, building, singing and dancing, cooking and eating with, and getting guidance, recommendations and counsel from amazing people that I met at the University and Edinburgh. These are moments that I will carry on with me and cherish forever. One of such many moments was when I gave the graduation speech as the orator at my graduation ceremony at McEwan Hall. That humbling moment served as another evidence that dreams do come through, and that education is indeed a catalyst of change.
What advice would you give to someone considering studying at Edinburgh Futures Institute?
One year runs by so quickly, yet a lot can be achieved within that time. Some of the things that will make a difference are SMART goal-setting, intentionality, hard work, time management, grit, open-mindedness, strong belief/faith, a good self-care and wellness routine, and actions.
Do not let the degree certificate be your only tangible achievement from your time at EFI – make genuine connections, touch lives, create fun memories, explore places and good food, practice your skills, volunteer, and build a legacy.
If you are reading this at a time when you are still contemplating whether you have what it takes to study Data, Inequality and Society or any other programme at EFI, I want you to know that “it always seems impossible until it is done”. EFI is a place for changemakers – people willing to create, change, and challenge the status quo. If that’s you, go for it!
