Tolani Alli
@tolanialli • 41,545 subscribers
Visual strategist & legacy storyteller | Netflix SBL alum | Trusted lens: @abiolaajimobi @profosinbajo @afdb_group @akin_adesina @worldbank #Gracealone
Videos
When I told Davido my sister was getting married and asked if he would surprise her and husband, he said consider it done and asked for the date.. he said he’d be in Dubai but will fly in and come straight from the airport and that he did!!! He followed up steady to make sure of the date & kept assuring me he will be there without me prompting him!! He said #TheHat don’t worry I got you. The smile on my sister and brother’s face say it all: TIMELESS!! Davido may nations, kings, and queens come to the brightness of your rising, and may Mighty Kings continue to see your radiance.
Tolani Alli675,430 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren
Ten years ago, I sat in my apartment in the US and drafted a storytelling proposal about why Governor Abiola Ajimobi needed to tell his story – he was the first Governor to get a second term in Oyo State’s 46-year history. A decade later, I’m in the stunning city of Kigali, giving a 60-minute presentation at an Executive Retreat for leaders in Africa and the world. On the menu was storytelling, the power of photography, effective leadership communication, and legacy. It’s not every day you stand before World Leaders, 24 Executive Governors from Nigeria, CEOs, Members of the Rwandan Presidency and Government, and thought leaders from all over the world. I’ve notched up a few wins in my career, but this one was extra special because of just how much of a full circle moment it was. The resounding round of applause and quite a few standing ovations I received had me in a wow, I can’t lie.
Tolani Alli313,750 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren
The latest chapter of The Hat beckons but first of all, allow me to share a a story of the journey so far. #TheHat. #TisStillGlobal Le dernier chapitre de The Hat m’invite, mais tout d’abord, permettez-moi de partager l’histoire du voyage jusqu’à présent. #Le chapeau. #TisStillGlobal
Tolani Alli101,080 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren
My name is Tolani Alli, and I am a visual storyteller, a photographer, and a creative director. I work in rooms where decisions shape destinies, from the White House to the World Bank, from presidential villas to marketplaces, farms, and villages across the world. Wherever my camera takes me, I show up the same way, with discipline, with integrity, and with excellence. Because storytelling is not about where you stand, it is about how you stand when you get there. Now it is time to level up. It is time to learn from experience, grow through excellence, and master the craft that opens doors and keeps you in the room. Register for The Hatricks Masterclass. #HatricksMasterclass #StorytellingMasterclass #HatricksbyTolani
Tolani Alli19,301 Aufrufe • vor 4 Monaten
2024 was not a job—it was a calling. 105 countries. 130 flights. 5 continents. One mission: to document the pulse of Africa’s advance and adventure through the corridors of global and continental advocacy. It was nothing short of a movie. Every flight, every border crossed, every story told, and every landscape captured carried the weight of a mission far greater than us all: to ensure Africa’s story is told boldly, truthfully, and in the right rooms. All this while driving forward the African Development Bank’s relentless mission to inspire nations to dream beyond limits. But this journey wasn’t without turbulence—both literal and figurative. There were frantic dashes to catch flights, unpredictable terrains, and moments when exhaustion loomed heavy. Yet, even in those moments, purpose burned brighter than fatigue. Carrying out this work under the magnetic leadership of Dr. Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, CON, CGH added a profound sense of direction to every step. His vision is unstoppable, his energy contagious, and his passion for Africa unparalleled. Dr. Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, CON, CGH doesn’t just lead; he ignites. To witness and document his unwavering commitment to Africa’s rise was not just a privilege—it was a masterclass in leadership and purpose. Capturing his essence was both an honor and a challenge. How do you photograph someone who doesn’t just represent Africa but embodies it—its resilience, its possibilities, its soul? And yet, through this calling, we told the story that got the world to pay attention to the continent in ways it never had before. 2024 was not just a year. It was a mission, a movement, and a mandate to amplify Africa’s voice. I am profoundly grateful to be the storyteller of a narrative that refuses to be silenced. As we step into 2025, one thing is clear: Africa’s story is far from over. In fact, it’s only just beginning.
Tolani Alli37,451 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
I changed my TED Talk in less than 12 hours because God would not let me stay silent. There was a part of my life I was meant to share. Not my beginning, but the season where survival and purpose met. The moment I was given 21 days to live and learned that I was still here not by accident, that God had kept me in this world, and the purpose he had for me will not let me leave. That season did not just save my life. It taught me how to see. How to live. How to always begin with the end in mind. If you would like to watch the full talk when it drops, comment YES and I will share it with you. #TolaniAlli #Storyteller #TheHat #TedexAbuja
Tolani Alli14,368 Aufrufe • vor 5 Monaten
Here’s to 2025—a year where our collective lens captures the light of hope so vividly, it breaks through the shadows of despair, ignorance, and gloom. Grateful to Lens For Good and Nosasemota for inviting me to their phenomenal maiden Storyteller’s Conference. May we continue to wield the power of stories to illuminate paths, ignite change, and inspire futures filled with purpose. #TolaniAlli #TheHat #Storyteller #Lens4Good
Tolani Alli18,029 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
From Darden on Friday to Harvard on Monday. Still surreal: “Foto” spoke at Harvard. The term “Foto” is often used casually, sometimes carelessly, to describe photographers. It rarely captures the depth of the craft or the weight of the responsibility behind the lens. But this moment, sitting alongside @azzacohen and Polly Irungu at the Institute of Politics for Split Screen: Feminist Global Perspectives, felt like a quiet reclaiming. A reminder that it is not what they call us, it is what we answer to. As someone who works behind the lens, this conversation was deeply personal. The stories we choose to tell, and how we frame them, are not just reflections of the world. They are tools that shape it. Even more humbling is knowing that in that same room, just days apart, world leaders like former President Joe Biden, the Prime Minister of Ireland, and my boss also shared their voices. I take it as a quiet but powerful affirmation. This lens, this work, can take you places they never imagined you would go. For women, especially in Africa and across the West, representation is not just about visibility. It is often the frontline of power. So yes, “Foto” spoke at Harvard. And she will keep speaking, through frames, through platforms, and through every story that demands to be told. Grateful for the invitation, the insight, and the responsibility to keep reimagining storytelling as a force for equity and transformation. 🎥: @mikegbos_ #TolaniAlli #TheHat #Storyteller #HarvardUniversity #Harvardiop #SplitScreen
Tolani Alli13,299 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
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