Life at SAIT
Festus teaches in the BA and BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) Accounting and Financial Services streams and joined the School of Business in October 2013.
He thoroughly enjoys supporting student learning and growth and sharing knowledge about successful future careers. Festus demonstrates a technical, analytical, innovative, and growth mindset in the classroom and encourages his students to do the same.
Festus is a faculty representative and member of several clubs at SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology), including ENACTUS, Nest Egg Culture and Black Empowerment and Excellence at SAIT (BEES). He developed the fraud prevention and detection awareness program with Nest Egg. He was also one of the pioneers to encourage a partnership between the Institute of Internal Auditors and the School of Business on professional certifications in Internal Auditing and other certifications (including CGAP, CFSA, CRMA and QIAL).
Education
Festus has a diploma in accounting and a master's in business administration (MBA) and is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) at Herriot Watt University, Scotland. He is also professionally designated as a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA) and Certified General Accountant (CGA). He is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE, USA) and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.
Professional accomplishments
Festus has expertise in several academic and industry-specific areas of knowledge, including internal controls, cost controls, and fraud prevention and detection. He published a book titled The Banker’s Fortress, which was used as training materials on fraud awareness, prevention, investigation and detection in several banks in Nigeria. He has published two articles on whistleblowing as an accountability and curbing measure for fraud corruption, one in 2019 and another in 2021.
CPA Alberta recognized Festus as a Reputable Accounting Instructor during Black History Month in 2023. He won the CPA Alberta Education Foundation Award in 2021. He has also been honoured to serve as an Educational Facilitator for the 2019 to 2021 Association of Local Government Internal Auditors workshop in Lagos, Nigeria.
Research interests
- Fraud schemes analysis
- Prevention and detection strategies
- Financial literacy (providing knowledge about debt management and investment strategies)
Publications and presentations
- 2010, The Bankers Fortress – published by Megasynergy Publishers
- 2019, Whistleblowing and fight against corruption and fraud in Nigeria: perceptions of anti-corruption agents (ACAs), Crime, Law, and Social Change
- 2018, Deployment of Whistleblowing Policy to curb corruption in a developing democracy, Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal
- 2018, Deployment of Whistleblowing Policy to curb corruption in a developing democracy, Accounting for the Circular Economy
- 2018, Whistleblowing and fight against corruption and fraud in Nigeria: perceptions of anti-corruption agents (ACAs), Diversity Driving Innovation
- 2024, Navigating Canadian Investment Environment, Black Empowerment and Excellence at SAIT
- 2023, The Impact of Debt on Financial Freedom, Black Empowerment and Excellence at SAIT
- 2022, Imperatives of Data Analytics in current day Accounting & Finance Practices, Lagos State Public Accountants
- 2020, Impact of Disruptive Technologies on Audit Practices and Process, Lagos State Internal Auditors
Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit'ada, Tawnshi, Hello.
SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3.