Nigerian retail automation startup Bumpa has announced the passing of its co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Adetunji ‘TeeJay’ Opayele.
TeeJay, as he was known, was in an automobile accident. This news was made public on Wednesday, marking a sombre day for the tech community in Africa.
Career highlights of Adetunji Opayele
Adetunji Opayele was a pivotal figure in Bumpa, which he co-founded with Kelvin Umechukwu in 2021 where both met as students at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Before joining Bumpa, Opayele held various roles in the tech industry.
“This is honestly one of the most distressing things I’ve ever been through, and I imagine it’s the same for all of us who were close to Teejay. He wasn’t just a cofounder to me; he was my friend, my brother, my fight partner, and a brilliant engineer. Teejay was family to me, and this is honestly one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to deal with in life,” Umechukwu reacted.
He served as a lead developer at HostCabal from December 2016 to June 2020, where he designed and provided high-performance cloud infrastructure for businesses and oversaw the development of fintech and mobile money solutions.
Additionally, he worked as a Software Engineer at E-Settlement Limited, contributing to fintech and mobile money solutions deployed across financial services and banking networks.
Opayele’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Laws degree from Obafemi Awolowo University. He also pursued certifications in MongoDB and IBM technologies. His achievements include winning the Oracle Enterprise Technology Challenge in 2015.
Read also: Bumpa raises $4M led by Base10 Partners
Bumpa boosts social commerce in Africa
Bumpa has been making strides in the African ecommerce sector since its launch. The company integrated with Meta to enhance social commerce for business owners, allowing them to sell more efficiently on platforms like Instagram.
This integration was part of Bumpa’s efforts to provide comprehensive business solutions, including creating websites, managing sales and expenses, and engaging customers.
The passing of Adetunji Opayele is a loss not only for Bumpa but also for the broader tech community in Africa. His contributions to retail automation and fintech have been instrumental in shaping the digital landscape of African businesses.
Opayele’s legacy will continue to influence the direction of Bumpa and similar startups in Africa as they innovate and expand their reach in the retail automation sector. His work has paved the way for more efficient and accessible business solutions globally.
As the tech community mourns the loss of this visionary, it is clear that his dedication to innovation will remain a guiding force for those who follow in his footsteps. The memory of Adetunji Opayele will be honored through the continued growth and success of Bumpa and the broader African tech ecosystem.