ABOUT ALABIFor my family. For yours. For Calgary-South East.
Alabi Adenekan was not a kid anyone expected much from. At just seventeen, he found himself leading a group of young people at his church, kids that a lot of people had already written off as outcasts. He built a plan for that day by day, the same way he has built everything since. What he's proudest of isn't any credential; it's this: every single one of those young people went on to graduate from university, build careers, and raise families of their own. Watching that happen is what set his north star early: creating possibilities and opportunities for everyone, no matter where you start.
That belief followed him into a bigger decision, too. In 2013, he and his wife chose Canada as the place to build their future, and in 2016, they made Calgary-South East their home. Along the way, Alabi built a 25-year career in technology. He earned his Chartered status with BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, U.K., and in 2011 was awarded Fellowship with the Institute for his contributions to the BCS Nigerian Chapter and his mentorship of young IT professionals there, becoming one of the youngest African professionals to reach that milestone. He also holds a Master of Science in IT from the University of Derby and a dual MBA from Cornell and Queen's University. At Cornell University, he was recognized with an EMC² Fellows Award from the University’s Emerging Market Institute for his academic and societal contributions to the institute. He's a current member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, having completed its Director Education Program. He volunteers as a board director with Enviros Wilderness Association, which supports at-risk youth; CRIEC, which helps newcomers settle and integrate into Alberta life; and Foundations for the Future Charter Academy, one of Calgary's public charter schools. He also serves in his local church. That mix of experience is part of what he believes sets him apart in this race: he sees real promise in emerging technologies like AI. He believes that preparing Alberta's youth for the future of work is one of our most urgent responsibilities.
None of that would mean much without the life he's built with his wife. Alabi is a husband, a father of four, and a person of faith whose beliefs ground his approach to service. He and his wife are both entrepreneurs, and together they've spent years putting down roots in this community, raising their family and serving their local church shortly after arriving in Canada. That includes five years Alabi spent volunteering with the Mahogany Homeowners Association as Events Chair and Social Chair, helping bring his own neighbours together long before he ever thought about running for office.
That same instinct to serve carried him into politics. He's been volunteering on local campaigns since 2019, and today he serves as Vice-President of the federal Conservative Association in Calgary Shepard, working alongside MP Tom Kmiec to support conservative values at every level of government. He also served as a board member on the Calgary-South East constituency association alongside MLA Matt Jones, before stepping aside to pursue this nomination. Now he's asking Calgary-South East for the chance to bring that same drive to government, continuing the work Alberta's UCP is already doing on affordability, entrepreneurship, technology, and energy. Alabi has spent his whole life proving that where you start doesn't have to decide where you end up, and he wants that to be just as true for every family in Calgary-South East as it's been for his own.
Alabi Adenekan — Your Voice for Calgary-South East
