Seeds Shaped, A Leader Transformed
A Bopa DiPeo Fellowship Reflection
By Ajoke Adeola
There are seasons in a leader's life that quietly invite you to pause, reassess, and reconnect with yourself. For me, 2025 was one of those seasons, a deliberate sabbatical that created the space to reflect on purpose, identity, and the kind of leader I want to continue becoming. It was in that season that the Bopa DiPeo Fellowship found me, and the timing could not have been more fitting.
Having experienced group coaching with Carri Munn of Circle Generation in a previous role, I knew this would be a period of learning, unlearning, and growing intentionally. I came in with excitement and a quiet curiosity about what the experience would bring.
The In-Person Convening: Healing, Rejuvenation, and Validation
The Bopa DiPeo Fellowship kicked off in September 2025 with a convening in Nairobi, and it was unlike anything I expected. If I had to describe the experience in just three words, they would be: healing, rejuvenation, and validation. The sessions were thoughtfully and ingeniously designed – not only to create an immersive learning experience for Fellows, but also to sharpen our ability to design and facilitate meaningful learning experiences within our own networks.
“Being in a room full of accomplished professionals didn’t make me feel small , it made me feel seen and affirmed.”
Several moments stood out: the small paired discussions that wove together work and personal life, the powerful session on network systems and the challenge of visualising the work we each do, and the session where each Fellow had the opportunity to share something they appreciated about another Fellow. By the end of those three days, I was deeply grateful that the Fellowship was designed over ten months rather than condensed into a single event. The extended journey meant I had sustained thought partners: Fellow participants, advisors, and guides from Circle Generation , walking alongside me throughout.
Lessons That Have Stayed With Me
The Fellowship gave me permission to do a deeper reflection of self. One of the most profound takeaways was this: I am more than enough. Being in a room full of accomplished professionals didn't make me feel small , it made me feel seen and affirmed. That shift was quietly powerful.
The meaning of the Fellowship's name says it all. Bopa DiPeo — "shaping the seeds" in Sesotho. The coaching calls have lived up to that name in every sense, gently but intentionally shaping the seeds of potential, clarity, and purpose within me.
Applying the Learning: From Fellowship to Community
The real test of any learning experience is what you do with it. I lead a faith-based women's network, and in December 2025, we held a one-day retreat. I introduced an activity directly inspired by the Fellowship, breaking members into small groups of three to four for more intimate, honest conversation. The results were beyond anything I could have measured.
“One activity, borrowed from a Fellowship session, created a ripple effect I am still witnessing.”
One member shared that she had been quietly battling depression and that the opportunity to open up in that small, safe space had lifted something heavy from her. Since the retreat, I have noticed deeper connections and greater engagement across the network. One activity, borrowed from a Fellowship session, created a ripple effect I am still witnessing.
There was also a personal gift I did not anticipate, fellow participant Nicole Watson generously offered eight weeks of pro-bono group coaching to my team and volunteers at the a through her organisation, Reimagine Coaching. That kind of generosity is the spirit of the Fellowship made tangible.
Where I Am Now
As my sabbatical draws to a close, I find myself in a better and clearer place, grounded in purpose and energised for what is next. I am applying the lessons from the Fellowship across the women's network I lead, within the REEL Foundation, and in my work providing guidance to entrepreneurship support organisations in a consulting capacity. The Fellowship did not just add to my toolkit, it reinforced my sense of direction and reminded me of the kind of leader and community builder I am committed to being.
I am reminded of one of my favourite quotes by Martin Luther King Jr.: "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward." The Fellowship, for me, was a season of intentional forward movement.
A Vital Contribution to the Entrepreneur Ecosystem
“The health of a network is directly proportional to the health of the person leading it.”
There is something that often goes unspoken in the world of networks and community building: network coordinators and leaders pour enormous energy into keeping their communities engaged, growing, and thriving; yet there are very few dedicated spaces for those leaders to pause, reflect, and invest in their own growth. The health of a network is directly proportional to the health of the person leading it.
This is precisely why the Bopa DiPeo Fellowship is such a meaningful and necessary addition to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. It does not just invest in the work, it invests in the person doing the work. In a landscape where founders and network leaders are often celebrated for output but rarely supported in their inner development, the Fellowship offers something rare: a structured, sustained, and deeply human space for growth.
Ajoke Adeola is a strategic leader passionate about fostering economic development and innovation through policy & program design, delivery, and ecosystem building. Based in Lagos, Nigeria, she is the Founder and Board Member of the REEL Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to quality education for underserved children — reaching over 7,000 children to date. She has also led business support programs for SMEs and startups across West Africa. As a network leader, her purpose is to connect, mobilise, and empower communities by building collaborative platforms where individuals and organisations can thrive.