‘Women must recognise unique demands of each career phase’-Dr. Onyekachi Onwudike-Jumbo

Dr. Onyekachi Onwudike-Jumbo is a Principal Artificial Intelligence Consultant. She holds a B.Tech degree in Computer Science from Bells University of Technology, Ogun State. She also obtained a Master’s degree in Advanced Computer Science (specialising in Artificial Intelligence) from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom and a PhD in Computer Science, specialising in Semantic Artificial Intelligence, from Loughborough University also in the UK.
Before working in the private sector, she held several teaching and research roles in three universities in the UK. Passionate about telling her life stories and improving lives one at a time through the Jumbo African Support Hub (JASH) Connect, an empathetic and perspective community builder for Africans thriving and excelling abroad, she currently leads a community of Africans in the Diaspora and devotes her time to advocating for Africans.
Onwudike-Jumbo is also the founder of Jumbo Professional Academica Writing and Research Services (JPAWS) UK, a professional and academic writing, research and digital content creation business that helps people create transformational outcomes in academia and life. Through her Train the Trainer (TTT) programme, she aims at providing professional development training to over 1,000 teachers in Africa, especially Nigeria, by the end of 2024, helping them gain skills to deliver transformative 21st Century education.
In this interview with IJEOMA THOMAS-ODIA, she shares her passion for driving innovation and advocating for Africans in the Diaspora.

Take us through your career journey to becoming an Artificial Intelligence (AI) consultant. How has the experience been?
My career journey has been interesting, characterised by diverse experiences, a passion for research, innovation and a commitment to making a real-world impact. My education gave me the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to pursue a career in AI. This exposure to different academic environments and research communities has enriched my perspective and network within the field.

During my M.Sc, I worked with plants and seedstocks, reinforcing technology’s versatility. From someone who wasn’t drawn to Biology or Agricultural Science in secondary school, here I was, dealing with a model plant known as Arabidopsis Thaliana and using ontologies to model them. I also worked on cancer data using machine learning to track people susceptible to cancer in different regions of the world. I moved from rigorous research with plants at the Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre during my M.Sc to a PhD where I worked with governments, using the UK government as the model, looking into the risk landscape of government systems and using ontologies to manage evolution risks in e-government.
Despite being a lecturer during my PhD and a first-time mum, I started volunteering as an IT consultant, travelling seven hours to volunteer my time, knowledge and expertise. I worked with a major organisation championing women’s rights across various industries to help them understand the potential of technology and developed strategies for implementing solutions within their organisation. This voluntary role allowed me to apply my expertise to solve real-world problems. It didn’t make much sense to some people because I wasn’t being paid. But sometimes, you step back to move forward; at other times, you may need to lose something to gain something.
Throughout my eight years of teaching at three prestigious universities in the UK, I continued to make significant contributions to the field through my consulting work, offering expert advice and working on impactful projects with various organisations.

How are you impacting lives and driving change through your work?
This is a very thought-provoking question with layers to it. Many people think about impact as something significantly big. We can continue to drive change even in the seemingly little things and everyday mundane tasks. When I think of impact, I think about it in varying dimensions, and I think about it a lot in relation to my life’s assignments. Impact is about legacy living. Every area I am privileged to work in or serve is an opportunity to make an impact.
For instance, I am a member of the World Economic Forum. For two significant years, I worked actively on the future of work. This role allowed me to contribute to shaping the global discourse on the future of work, influencing policies and strategies that will impact the lives of millions. But more importantly, putting together a technology-driven school to prepare people for the future of work; starting from the basics like acquiring basic digital literacy skills. With everyone I mentor, work or chat with, I get into conversations that make them think about what the future of work will look like a few years from now. To be serious, it’s beyond chatGPT.
My current role involves working with major global agrotech, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food and beverage industries. I witness first-hand how my contributions influence their approaches to drug product manufacturing, vaccine development and testing, and cancer treatment, among other areas. My day-to-day work inspires these science-driven organisations to innovate for a better future. I continue to advocate for individuals, especially Africans in the Diaspora. I am dedicated to setting up Africans in the Diaspora for excellence and ensuring that Africans rise even from the Diaspora. This is one of the reasons I founded JASHConnect, a tech-enabled platform in 2020, to foster deep connections between Africans, advocate and champion the rights of Africans in the Diaspora and create global opportunity ecosystems and mentorships while setting them up for excellence.

From my lecturing experience, I progressed to establishing JPAWS, which has continued to support and train students, researchers and even organisations. JPAWS was founded to help individuals and organisations with transformational outcomes in writing, research and digital literacy. My time in education also shaped my research and curriculum development skills and practices. It led me to start a Train the Trainer programme to help teachers gain the skills to deliver transformative 21st Century education. My commitment to making a difference extends beyond my professional work and into my personal life. It permeates all aspects of my life, and my influence and responsibilities are not confined to my professional roles, but are integral to my relationships and upbringing.
I am an indication of what is possible for others, including the generations coming after me. At my core, I also think of impact and change in how I raise and nurture my young children and family, and this is the reason I say that even in the mundane, in my day-to-day being a mummy, cooking meals, changing diapers, feeding babies, I am making an impact.

You applied to 23 notable universities in the UK and got all 23 admissions 13 years ago. How did it make you feel?
I’m always asked this question and I chuckle. Simply put, the power of choice is liberating; lack of choice is confining and limiting. This is the simplest way I can explain this. There’s something a ‘Yes’ does to you; it emphasises your capability; but it can also make you plateau, which may not lead you to the optimal decision.
While applying, I will wait for some days; if I saw no response, I will move on to another application. Before I knew it, I had made 23 applications, and when the admissions came, all 23 poured in. You can do anything if you put your mind to it. So, someone else can even apply to 60 schools and get 60 admissions. I remember calling my dad as the admissions came in. We scrutinised everything you could think of – the university’s ranking, the course ranking, the curriculum, the employment opportunities, the student experience, feedback from previous students, the pastoral support in place, etc – before we finally arrived at the University of Manchester. I sincerely don’t know if the statement my mum always said to us while growing up, ‘Do not be content with little’, made me put in so many applications. This experience boosted my confidence and validated my hard work. But I will say this again – the power of choice is liberating.

How are you helping teachers gain skills to deliver transformative 21st Century education through your TTT Programme?
We have already begun providing curated resources, workshops and mentorship to a group of teachers since August 2023. The goal is to equip teachers with the tools and expertise to prepare students for the 21st Century. We are investing in teacher professional development and curriculum reform to make a lasting impact on education quality and relevance in Africa and beyond. By 2024, we will provide professional development to over 1,000 teachers, focusing on key areas – integrating technology; fostering critical thinking and problem-solving; promoting creativity and innovation; developing global competencies; emphasising social-emotional learning. We will also be holding a teachers’ day programme to mark Teachers’ Day on October 5 and extend goodwill to Nigerian teachers.

What should women do differently to rise to the top of their career just as you have done?
Speak to your parents, suitors or spouse about your career ambitions. This must never take the back burner. Understand your seasons; recognise the unique demands of each career phase. Sometimes, just stepping back to learn and absorb is what’s needed. Take stock of your skill set. Don’t trivialise your transferable skills. Managing a family of five? That’s multitasking. Deciding on a family meal in five minutes? That’s critical reasoning. These are essential corporate world skills.
Identify the gaps. Know where you are and where you aim to be and be relentless in your pursuit to bridge the gap. Be knowledge-hungry. It’s a lifelong journey. Don’t over-emotionalise everything; maintain a rational mindset to navigate complex situations effectively.
Don’t over-compensate. Every woman has a place at the table. Being the only female in a male-dominated room? That’s a privilege, not a put-down.
Ask questions and belong. No question is silly. Join professional bodies. Much of my growth comes from these professional circles. Join an accountability circle. Women often relinquish goals because we juggle a lot. If you struggle, find an accountability group to keep you grounded. Don’t be afraid of tech; the future is increasingly digital and being proficient with technology is powerful. Simply put, develop digital skills.

What life principles do you live by?
I am nothing without God; all that I am and would ever be are for His service. My skills, knowledge and influence are gifts intended to serve His purposes and make a tangible impact in the world. I strive for excellence in all I do, refusing to settle for mediocrity. I do not conform; I remain congruent with my values, who I am and whose I am.