Ade A. Olufeko

Ade Abayomi Olufeko (born 1980) is a Nigerian-American technologist and multidisciplinary designer. He is the founder of Visual Collaborative, an American platform collaborating with diverse experts on socio-economic issues, innovation, and the humanities.
In 2017, Olufeko contributed to the rediscovery and documentation of Sungbo's Eredo, an extensive system of historical earthworks in West Africa. In 2024, he established the Wing Chun Foundation Lagos, an initiative based in Lagos, Nigeria, that applies martial arts principles to leadership and cognitive development.
Ade Olufeko was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and spent his formative years in Lagos, Nigeria, living in Surulere during the country’s Second Republic. He attended Unilag Staff School for primary education and St. Gregory's College in Obalende for secondary school.
In the mid-1990s, he returned to Minneapolis, where he studied at Camden and delivered guest lectures to his International Baccalaureate peers on cultural perspectives in English literature. He later lived in Stevens Square, a National Historic District, before enrolling at Metropolitan State University in Saint Paul. There, he studied computer science with a focus on multimedia technologies, as part of a broader journey that laid the foundation for his interdisciplinary work in technology and culture.
Olufeko's technology career began during the dot-com period, and he worked for Ameritech, a 3M spinoff Imation, and IBM. His focus developed into digital strategy and information architecture.
In 2007, Olufeko established Visual Collaborative. Since its inception, he has teamed up with more than 150 artists from different cities showcasing their talents. In 2015, he returned to oversee and curate the platform.
Olufeko’s engagement in the humanities spans multiple disciplines, including art, philosophy, and literature, with a focus on cultural preservation and interdisciplinary dialogue.
Self-taught as a digital painter and in mixed-media artistry, Olufeko's creative process as an avocation evolved over a decade. His exhibited work explores Africanfuturism, experimental Chaos theory and Counterculture.
In 2021, he introduced a wax print version of the indigenous Ayo mancala in Ankara fabric, initially producing 200 units for the consumer market. Following positive reception in local media, he expanded the product line with Kente and Adire versions, gaining traction across West Africa and its diaspora. According to audited data, sales of locally made units exceeded 5,000. During a period of capital flight in Nigeria and a fire outbreak in one of the largest woodcraft communities, part of these proceeds supported artisans and their families.
His artwork Remember To Rise, a collaboration with London Business School, and Iyasile Naa, a project with Oxford University, reflect his integration of technology and cultural narratives into visual storytelling.
Olufeko established the Wing Chun Foundation Lagos, contributing to the study and practice of traditional martial arts in West Africa. His approach emphasizes the philosophical principles of movement, discipline, and mindfulness, aligning with broader cultural and historical frameworks.
As part of the North Star Electronic Catalogue for Visual Collaborative, Olufeko authored Voyager (Vol. 2), Vivencias (Vol. 3), and Supernova (Vol. 4) in 2019, followed by TwentyEightyFour (Vol. 5) in 2020. During the same period, he wrote The Enterprising Young African: Avoiding Pitfalls in Technology and Business (2019), which examines challenges in Africa’s evolving digital and business landscape.
In 2020, Olufeko engaged in a dialogue with Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, discussing themes of power, human nature, and strategic thinking in the digital age. Excerpts from their conversation, published in ThisDayLive, explored how historical insights shape modern leadership and adaptability. His contributions reflected a multidisciplinary perspective, drawing from technology, design, and culture to examine influence and decision-making in an interconnected world.