For an educationist and one of the very many that have revolutionized the ambience of learning, Joel Ibilade Adesokan popularly called “Joel” ticks all boxes. His determination and resolute commitment in ensuring that every dream can be achieved no matter how big, has carved an illustrious path for him and shed light in the way of many.
Born on 19th September, 1986, in West Africa’s largest city, Ibadan, Oyo State. He was raised in the city where he completed his primary and secondary education. His career kicked off as soon as he secured an admission to study Educational Management in 2007 with a score of 12 points in the Interim Joint Matriculation Board 2 years earlier. Joel bagged a Bachelor’s degree in 2009, leading the line alongside a few others that graduated with Second Class Upper Division. He also won the Best Manager of the Year 2009 award category by Educational Management Student Association (EMSA) University of Ilorin Chapter. Speaking to young people about his days in the University, he referred to that moment as one that spurred the greatness in him.
Joel’s unmatched hunger to acquire knowledge continued and 2 years after his graduation from the University, he became a Certified Laptop Basic Networking Engineer in 2011. His one-success at a time approach continued and 3 years later, he graduated with a distinction – a Ph.D. worthy Masters in Educational Management and with his Doctorate Degree in view, he holds records of achievement form University of Leeds UK and World Health Organisation in Geneva. The man does not seem to stop does he?
2014 wasn’t all about Joel’s latest achievement as the young man was eager to place the trophy in the shelf and look for other challenges. The year was the birth of INTO UNIVERSITY CONSULT, an idea he had conceived and practiced in subtle forms all through the years. Joel highlighted top problems exit-year student faced – how to pass O’ level Examinations, meeting the cut-off mark set by the Joint Admission Matriculation Board as well as the Internal requisite examinations set by institutions (Post-UTME) and also securing the desired admission eventually. The idea of INTO UNIVERSITY was to provide an avenue for students to overcome these hurdles. Most importantly, to provide a smooth transition from secondary education to any degree awarding institution.
With a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude, INTO GROUP was built stone after stone to become a group that comprises 3 companies; Into University, Into Migration and Into Tutors. Joel’s membership in the Nigerian Association for Educational Administration & Planning (NAEAP) and also International Consultant for Educations and Fairs (ICEF) distinguishes INTO UNIVERSITY from the muddle of fake educational consults in the country.
With the same tenacity, he established INTO MIGRATION which thrives in the international market of sourcing students for universities in USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand and European countries as well as supporting families that want to migrate to any of these countries. The success of Joel’s establishment is largely traceable to his ample work experience in the educational sector. He started as a non-academic staff in Unilorin 2010, working in both the Academic and Information Technology offices in several administrative capacities. In 2011, he was appointed a lecturer at the Institute of Education, University of Ilorin. In 2013, his escalating quest for new adventures landed Joel in a State Owned Institution – Kwasu, where he rose to become the Head of Programme in the Centre for Diploma in Information Technology. He managed both Academic and Administrative affairs of the Centre.
INTO UNIVERSITY is undeniably a recourse to the superfluous experience Joel has under his belt. The establishment is headquartered in Ilorin and a broader scope as well as increased number of students led to an expansion that birthed other branches in Lagos and FCT, Abuja.
Joel has also has wide travel experience including several trainings and workshop both home and abroad. US, Canada, UK, Germany, Hungary, Turkey, Dubai, Ukraine, South Africa are a few of the countries he has been trained.
In 2020, the dividends of his relentless regularization of the educational sector began to pour in when he was contacted to resume office as the Registrar of Atiba University, a Private owned institution in Oyo, Nigeria. Being his State of origin it was a case community development via an indigenous repatriation of a globally recognized repository of knowledge.
Reveling in his much success and accolades down the years, Joel has blazed a trail of humility void of all conceitedness. His novel establishment hasn’t only served as a “theatre of dreams” as described by one of his students but also provides employment opportunities cum greater exposure for young people across the globe. He has also participated in several community development projects with the latest being his magnanimous monetary contribution to the Kwara State Government in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
On the sidebar, Joel is a music lover and currently the choral coordinator in his church. He is a multi-instrumentalist including the drum kit and the keyboard. He is married to a beautiful wife, Omolara Adesokan and they are blessed with three great children.