Olatunji Awelenje is University Canada West’s valedictorian for Fall 2025 after graduating from the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program with 4.15 CGPA.
“This graduating class is a shining example of how a clear vision, combined with hard work, curiosity and courage can overcome any obstacle,” he said during his valedictory address at the second ceremony of UCW’s Fall 2025 Convocation at the historic Queen Elizabeth theatre in downtown Vancouver.
He was born in the United Kingdom and was raised in Lagos, Nigeria.
Olatunji graduated University of Lagos in 2007 with a degree in pharmacy.
He was one of 70 students selected for the program from more than 6,000 applicants.
He worked in the industry until 2023 and spent 14 years in pharmaceutical sales. Olatunji spent 10 of those years in brand management roles for prominent international companies, including Pfizer, Roche and AstraZeneca.
He later landed the role as the Head of Strategy and Business Planning for the South African Sanofi Business.
While working, he continued to upgrade his professional credentials. He took courses and programs at Harvard's Joslin School of Diabetes, Innovara's Key Account Management expert program and Google's Square Academy for Digital marketers, among others.
He moved to the Ivory Coast and later South Africa before relocating to Vancouver to pursue his MBA at University Canada West.
Tragically, Olatunji’s mother passed away three days before his move to Canada, which created an extremely challenging atmosphere to start his studies, but he persevered and overcame adversity to excel.
His siblings and father, who turned 80 the week of convocation, are still living in Nigeria. Olatunji thanked them for their continued support.
Since arriving in Vancouver, he has worked as a marketing consultant for Telus, has been a Peer Finance Tutor at UCW, been a marketing and communications intern and currently has a role with TD Bank.
“I look forward to roles in product or brand marketing in the future, where I can help brands recognize and capitalize on opportunities based on their strategic advantages,” he said.
Olatunji speaks English, French, Yoruba and West African Pidgin.
In his spare time, Olatunji enjoys listening to music, watching movies, playing video games, reading books and exploring the outdoors.
“Thank you to everyone who joined us for our special day, and to all those who helped make it happen. We could not have done this without you,” he said in closing during his address.
