Meet Williams Bill: WeDiasporan’s New CTO Championing Innovation, Heritage, and Digital Empowerment
Have you ever wondered how technology can bridge the gap between generations, cultures, and continents? In a world where digital transformation is reshaping every aspect of our lives, what does it mean for communities striving to preserve their rich histories and identities? For WeDiasporan, the answer lies in the fusion of innovation and heritage.
Learn How to Leverage Your Story through our Story To Asset Framework.
That’s where Williams Bill, the newly appointed Chief Technology Officer (CTO), whose journey from self-taught software engineer to global tech leader embodies the spirit of resilience and purpose-driven innovation.
A Visionary at the Intersection of Technology and Culture
Williams Bill’s appointment as CTO marks a significant milestone in WeDiasporan’s mission to empower the African diaspora through technology. With a background in full-stack development and a passion for cultural preservation, Williams is poised to lead the organization into a new era of digital engagement.
His role encompasses developing and implementing WeDiasporan’s Digital Infrastructure & Innovation Strategy, ensuring that technology serves as a tool for storytelling, community building, and heritage preservation.
Obehi Ewanfoh, the visionary behind WeDiasporan, is committed to reclaiming diasporan narratives through the transformative fusion of technology and culture. As the host of the Obehi Podcast, Obehi has conducted over 1,000 interviews with professionals, creatives, and thought leaders across the African diaspora, each conversation serving as a bridge between past and present, identity and innovation.
His platform has become a living archive of diasporan stories, offering insights into the shared struggles, triumphs, and aspirations that connect African-descended communities around the world.
But Obehi’s approach goes beyond storytelling for its own sake; he is deeply invested in how science and technology can enhance how we tell, preserve, and receive stories. In one initiative last year, he organized an important webinar featuring five neuroscientists from the U.S. and U.K., exploring the powerful connection between neuroscience and storytelling.
The event revealed how memory, emotion, and cognitive engagement can be harnessed to create more impactful narratives, an insight that now informs WeDiasporan’s digital strategy and audience engagement efforts.
For Obehi, storytelling is not just a method; it’s a mission. When paired with technology, it becomes a powerful vehicle for reconnection, education, and empowerment. His leadership is a driving force behind WeDiasporan’s growing influence as a cultural and technological hub for the global African diaspora.
From Pharmacy to Tech: A Journey of Self-Discovery
Williams’ path to technology was anything but conventional. Initially admitted to study Pharmacy at the university, he soon realized that his true calling lay elsewhere. The disruptions caused by the Nigerian famous academic strikes during his studies provided an unexpected opportunity for self-reflection.
Embracing his interests, Williams delved into music during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering online services that honed his digital skills.
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By 2021, he redirected his focus towards computer science, and despite another year-long strike, he chose to teach himself IT systems, leading to the founding of GALI IT Services in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Over the next three years, Williams expanded GALI IT Services into a global enterprise, serving clients worldwide and earning certification as a full-stack software engineer. His journey reflects a commitment to experiential learning and a belief in the transformative power of technology to solve real-world problems.
Empowering Communities Through Technology
For Williams, technology is more than just code; it’s a means to reconnect with heritage and empower communities. His motivation for joining WeDiasporan stems from a deep-seated belief that technology can bridge the gap between data and decision, between people and their heritage.
He views WeDiasporan as a platform to reconnect fragmented stories, weave shared histories into future innovations, and ensure that every line of code carries the spirit of ancestors.
Through his work with organizations like the Destiny Connect Foundation and Topearl Catering Institute, Williams has witnessed firsthand how accessible software can transform lives, reducing administrative burdens, safeguarding sensitive data, and opening doors to new opportunities.
At WeDiasporan, he aims to amplify African stories through inclusive, secure, and accessible technology, fostering a global community that remains rooted in its local heritage.
The Power of Technology in Diasporan Mission-Driven Work
In a rapidly evolving digital world, technology is no longer just a convenience but a catalyst for change, especially in communities driven by purpose and rooted in history.
For diasporan organizations like WeDiasporan, technology serves as both a bridge and amplifier: it connects scattered communities, preserves rich cultural legacies, and empowers the next generation to lead with clarity and confidence.
Whether building digital archives, launching virtual exchanges, or creating access to economic tools, technology is at the heart of how the African diaspora is shaping its future. Below are three key reasons why technology is essential in any mission-driven diasporan movement.
1. Technology as a Tool for Cultural Preservation and Storytelling
Why it matters: Diasporan communities often struggle to maintain a direct link to their ancestral culture and history. Digital tools can preserve that legacy and make it accessible to future generations.
How it helps:
- Digitized oral histories and traditional knowledge archives
- Multimedia platforms (videos, podcasts, digital books) for cultural storytelling
- Language preservation apps and community-driven translation tools
This approach ensures that the diaspora’s heritage is not forgotten but celebrated, accessible to both current and future generations in engaging, modern formats.
2. Enabling Global Connection and Community Building
Why it matters: Diasporan communities are geographically dispersed. Yet, collective power lies in connection and collaboration.
How it helps:
- Virtual events, forums, and webinars allow real-time dialogue
- Diaspora platforms support identity building and cultural reconnection
- Digital advocacy campaigns raise awareness for issues affecting the diaspora
By creating consistent touchpoints for interaction, technology fosters a sense of unity, solidarity, and mutual support across continents.
3. Driving Inclusive Innovation and Economic Empowerment
Why it matters: Access to technology enables diasporans to solve local and global problems while creating inclusive opportunities for growth.
How it helps:
- E-learning and virtual mentorship programs close skill gaps
- Tech-enabled entrepreneurship gives diasporans tools to build scalable, impact-driven businesses
- Fintech and digital marketplaces empower diaspora-owned ventures to thrive globally
From Nairobi to Atlanta, tech-based initiatives are creating economic pathways that are inclusive, resilient, and culturally informed.
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A Commitment to Storytelling and Cultural Preservation
Storytelling is at the heart of WeDiasporan’s mission. Initiatives like the African Diaspora Storytelling Series underscore the importance of preserving cultural heritage, fostering connections, and empowering individuals within the African diaspora community.
By sharing personal and collective experiences, members can reclaim narratives, promote healing, and inspire future generations, ultimately strengthening community bonds and personal identity.
Williams’ leadership in this domain emphasizes the therapeutic potential of storytelling. As Ancestral Healing Coach Gloria Tinu Ogunbadejo notes, “Storytelling can be a therapeutic tool for members of the African diaspora community.”
By creating spaces for dialogue and reflection, WeDiasporan aims to honor the resilience of ancestors and harness the transformative power of narrative to nurture individual and collective healing.
Building a Digital Ecosystem for the Future
Looking ahead, Williams envisions a world-class digital ecosystem for the African diaspora, one that scales WeDiasporan’s global digital presence through transformative platforms.
His goals include expanding access to digital storytelling, learning, and cultural reconnection, and building an inclusive tech community that uplifts voices across generations.
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By integrating innovative technologies, ensuring robust cybersecurity practices, and optimizing digital tools for storytelling and community engagement, Williams aims to create seamless digital experiences that amplify WeDiasporan’s global reach.
His leadership will be instrumental in positioning WeDiasporan as a leading organization in leveraging technology to face the challenges of the African diaspora in today’s digital landscape.
Conclusion: Leading with Purpose and Passion
Williams Bill’s appointment as CTO is more than a strategic decision; it’s proof of WeDiasporan’s commitment to innovation, heritage, and empowerment. His journey from self-taught engineer to global tech leader embodies the organization’s values of resilience, purpose-driven innovation, and cultural preservation.
As WeDiasporan embarks on this new chapter, Williams’ leadership promises to bridge the gap between technology and tradition, ensuring that the stories of the African diaspora continue to inspire and empower for generations to come.
For more insights into the intersection of technology and cultural preservation, explore initiatives like the African Diaspora Storytelling Series and the work of organizations such as Africa No Filter, which aims to shift stereotypical narratives about and within Africa through storytelling and media.
Learn How to Leverage Your Story through our Story To Asset Framework.
