Where TruthMeetsGovernance
We help organisations build investigation systems that people actually trust. Not just compliant. Not just defensible. Trusted.
Aletheia
/əˈliːθiə/
In ancient Greek philosophy, Aletheia means "unconcealment": the active work of bringing what is hidden into the light. Not a static fact, but a process. Something you do. Something that requires effort and courage.
Corporate investigations are how an organisation confronts reality. When conducted with genuine integrity, they become the mechanism through which companies protect their people, satisfy regulators, and earn the right to be trusted.
"Truth is not something that is simply there. It must be wrested from concealment."Martin Heidegger
The Aletheia Investigative Integrity Framework™
Five pillars. One methodology. Built from 14 years of leading investigations at a Fortune Global 500 company across three continents.
Governance Architecture
Clear roles, escalation protocols, and board-level accountability.
Procedural Integrity
Consistent, defensible processes that hold up under regulatory scrutiny.
Stakeholder Trust
Trust is not a byproduct of good investigations. It is the point.
Remediation Excellence
Findings that lead to systemic change, not just closed files.
Continuous Assurance
Ongoing monitoring and feedback loops. Not a project. A discipline.
The Aletheia Integrity Score™
A single, quantifiable measure of how mature your investigation function really is. It evaluates governance, procedural consistency, stakeholder confidence, remediation, and assurance. One number. Benchmarkable. Actionable.
How We Serve
Investigative Integrity Audits
A thorough assessment of your investigation ecosystem: governance, case management, procedural consistency. You receive an Aletheia Integrity Score and prioritised recommendations for the board.
System Redesign & Implementation
We rebuild your investigation function using the AIF methodology: governance frameworks, escalation protocols, case management, and the procedural safeguards that produce outcomes people trust.
Governance Advisory
Ongoing strategic counsel for boards, audit committees, and senior executives on investigation oversight, regulatory engagement, and building institutional trust that lasts.
Training & Capability Building
Tailored training for investigation teams, compliance professionals, and senior leaders. From investigator methodology to board-level oversight. 95% completion rates. 5,000+ employees trained.
Direct operational experience across the United States, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and the broader West African region.
A Lawyer Who Chose
Integrity Over Convenience
Adesola Makoko
Founder & Principal
LL.B (Hons) . BL . LPEC . UNITAR Certified
LPEC
Leadership Professional in Ethics & Compliance. Programme design, culture measurement, governance leadership.
LL.B (Hons), BL
Called to the Nigerian Bar. Military justice, corporate & commercial law.
Baker McKenzie Investigations Academy
Cross-border investigation techniques, regulatory coordination.
UNITAR Risk Management Certificate
United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
"You are only as strong as your weakest investigation."
I started in a military courtroom in northern Nigeria, handling court martial proceedings for 1 Brigade. That experience taught me something foundational: the process matters as much as the outcome. If people do not trust how you arrived at a decision, the decision itself is worthless.
From there, I joined Detail Commercial Solicitors in Lagos, Nigeria's first commercial solicitor firm specialising exclusively in non-courtroom practice: corporate and commercial advisory across energy, finance, and capital markets. That transactional rigour shaped how I later approached investigations. At Unilever, I spent 14 years moving from Lead Counsel to Business Integrity Officer across West Africa and North America, building Speak Up frameworks that reached 25,000+ employees, recovering over $1 million in misappropriated funds, and directing 260+ investigations annually.
"I have never been interested in catching people. I am interested in building systems where people choose to do the right thing, and where those who speak up are protected, not punished."
Aletheia exists because I have seen what happens when investigations are done right and people trust the outcome. Careers are saved. Cultures shift. Speaking up becomes normal, not courageous.
Speak Up Without Retaliation Is Not a Policy. It Is a Promise.
If employees fear retaliation more than misconduct, your programme has already failed. I have designed frameworks where reported cases doubled because psychological safety did.
"Desola is seen as a reliable, trustworthy and dependable BIO by the MCO leadership teams and her guidance and recommendations are heavily relied on."
Line Manager Performance Review, Unilever
"Desola is incredibly creative and innovative in how to impactfully share and land BI messages. Her style of training hits the mark with our employees whether they are blue collars or white collars."
Line Manager Performance Review, Unilever
Principal Legal Adviser, 1 Brigade Nigerian Army
Court martial proceedings, military justice
Solicitor, Detail Commercial Solicitors
Nigeria's first commercial solicitor firm. Corporate & commercial advisory, energy, finance, capital markets
Lead Counsel, Unilever Nigeria Plc
Corporate governance, regulatory compliance
Business Integrity Officer, Unilever West Africa
Multi-country investigations, Speak Up culture
Business Integrity Officer, Unilever North America
260+ investigations annually, board reporting
Founder, Aletheia Investigative Integrity
Advisory, training, governance transformation
Grooming the Next Generation
of E&C Leaders
When I started in this profession, there was no playbook. No one explained how to navigate a cross-border investigation or build a Speak Up culture people actually trust. The Des Mentorship Program exists so the next generation does not have to figure it out alone.
Investigation Craft
Plan, scope, and execute investigations that withstand regulatory scrutiny. Evidence handling, witness interviews, and the technical foundation that separates good investigators from great ones.
Governance & Board Fluency
Translate compliance risks into boardroom language. Prepare Audit Committee reports, present to General Counsel, and position yourself as a strategic adviser.
Speak Up Culture Design
Build reporting frameworks where employees feel genuinely safe. Beyond hotline mechanics: the psychology of trust, anti-retaliation architecture, and how to measure real impact.
Career Navigation
The path from analyst to Chief Ethics Officer is rarely linear. Honest guidance on building your profile, choosing certifications, and positioning for leadership.
Aspiring E&C Professionals
In law, audit, HR, or risk and want to transition into ethics and compliance.
Early-Career Investigators
1 to 5 years in. Ready to sharpen your craft and build credibility.
Mid-Career Professionals
Moving from execution to strategy. Ready to lead programmes, not just run cases.
Applications Opening Soon
The first cohort is being designed. Reach out to express interest.
Express InterestTools, Templates &
Thought Leadership
Practical resources from 17 years across three continents. No gated content. No email walls.
Investigation Planning Template
Scoping, planning, and documenting workplace investigations from intake to closure.
Witness Interview Guide
Fair, thorough, and legally defensible witness interview methodology.
Investigation Report Framework
Plug-and-play report structure that satisfies regulators, boards, and legal counsel.
Speak Up Programme Health Check
Self-assessment: is your reporting framework building trust or checking boxes?
The Cross-Border Investigation Playbook
Multi-jurisdictional investigations across different legal systems, privacy regimes, and cultural contexts.
The Anti-Retaliation Playbook
Designing, implementing, and measuring anti-retaliation protections that go beyond policy.
Board Reporting for E&C Professionals
Translating investigation data into board-level insights that drive action.
Why One Bad Investigation Can Destroy 99 Good Ones
With Evie Wentink on the Ethical Edge podcast. Why investigation quality matters more than quantity.
Ethical Edge
Policy Enforcement & Compliance Programs
EthicsVerse masterclass with Stephanie Davis, CECO at Volkswagen Group of America.
EthicsVerse
Fix It with Des / Tuesday IntegriTEA
15-part series on integrity transformation. Real stories, no corporate jargon.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Diaries of an E&C Professional. Raw, honest reflections from the inside.
#SeriouslySpeaking
The gap between what organisations say about integrity and what they do.
Original Thinking
Fix It with Des / Tuesday IntegriTEA
LinkedIn . 15-Part Series
Practitioner-led series on integrity transformation. 25,100+ impressions. Read by CCOs, Directors of Compliance, and CXOs at Amazon, Diageo, Coca-Cola, Novo Nordisk.
Why One Bad Investigation Can Destroy 99 Good Ones
Ethical Edge with Evie Wentink . April 2026
Investigative integrity, stakeholder trust, and why employees measure your programme by what happens when something goes wrong.
EthicsVerse Global Masterclass
Hosted by Ethico . 2025
Alongside Stephanie Davis (CECO, Volkswagen Group of America) on policy enforcement and culture transformation.
Risk Management and the Banks
The Guardian (Nigeria) . 2009
Published analysis on risk management in the Nigerian banking sector during the global financial crisis.
Available for Keynotes & Panels
Investigative integrity, corporate governance, ethics programme design, and the future of compliance. Three continents of experience.
Let's Talk
Exploring an integrity audit, governance advisory, or a speaking engagement? We would welcome the conversation.