–          Best Use of Advocacy

Orode Uduaghan

21 years old Orode Uduaghan runs the Pink Pearl Cancer Foundation. In the past year, Pink Pearl has run over 15 cancer awarenesscampaigns and seminars in various locations spread across Nigeria.  She has organised three cancer awareness walks in various locations around Lagos this year. As a youth corper, she has also been involved in peer education for other NYSC members, with the corpers sent to various Local Governments to carry out awareness and campaign. During the year, Pink Pearl also launched a Breast Self Examination DVD, gloves and kit. Pink Pearl is also heavily involved in the treatment of cancer cases

Orode is patron of the Hearts of Gold Children Hospice and motivational speaker for the Charly Boy Team road show.

Tola Sunmonu

Born in 1988, Tola Sunmonu runs Harambe Nigeria. Harambe involves Nigerian students in America working with Nigerian students in Nigeria seeking entrepreneurial solutions through Agriculture. Harambe strives to encourage agriculture amongst youths and students in Nigeria. Through the Harambe Endeavour Alliance, young students across Africa run agricultural-based exchange programs with students in the Diaspora.

During the year, a competition was also organized to for the Best Agri-business plan with winners taking home prizes worth 7.5million naira in money. To ensure that the funds are properly utilized, there are trainings with EDS and The Fate Foundation to teach the winners the business side of running a farm.

Emmanuel Odiase

Emmanuel Odiase is 28. He runs the SmokeFree Nigeria campaign which is targeted at combating the culture of smoking in Nigeria. In the past year, SmokeFree Nigeria has organized various workshops and seminars in schools to educate children and adolescents about the dangers of smoking tobacco. The organization also offers support to smokers who intend to quit, conducts advocacy campaigns, establishes smoke free zones, and creatively harnesses the power of electronic and print media to educate audiences. The Big tobacco project targets young people in Africa, which has over 2,000 teenagers becoming addicted to smoking each day.

Emmanuel authored Who’s the Target?: The Unfiltered Truth, a book now being used to educate children in schools against the use of tobacco.

Muyideen Salau

28 years old Muyideen is a graduate of Electrical Electronic Engineering from the Obafemi Awolowo University. As an undergraduate in 2007, Muideen and a group of students initiated the Grain Revolution project under the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Chapter in Obafemi Awolowo University. The project aimed to utilize Nigeria’s abundant land and human resources to address the global rice crisis, and ensure rice sufficiency in the country.  Through his initiative, Muideen partnered with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to empower 73 local farmers in Iwoye Osun State to commence rice production through workshops and seminars. In addition, Grain Revolution links the rice farmers with Veetee Ofada Rice Limited which buys the variety of rice (WITA 4) produced by the farmers, thus encouraging increase in production.

As a result of the intervention, the success story of these rice farmers from an obscure village has encouraged five Neighbouring villages to partner with the initiative to grow rice farms. The Grain Revolution project is currently providing sustainable economic opportunities for 200 rice farmers in Osun State. The Grain Revolution project has won several international awards. Muideen also received the Youth Ambassador for Entrepreneurship Development Award (2008) from the Withworth Entrepreneurship Consultancy of London.

Actor of the Year

Gideon Okeke

Gideon Okeke launched his on-screen career in 2006 on hit reality TV show Big Brother Nigeria. Since then, the entertainment world has seen Gideon evolve from being a model and TV presenter into a talented actor, with his current role on Mnet Africa’s soap opera, Tinsel, making him a household name in Nigeria and, indeed, the rest of West Africa. He acted in the hit stage play – Fractures.  Gideon is holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Biochemistry from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

Matilda Obaseki

Matilda Obaseki was born in 1986. She plays the role of Angela, a Personal Assistant in the hit TV Drama, Tinsel. Having put in about 180 episodes into Tinsel, Matilda continues to add a fresh wave of professionalism to each new episode of Tinsel.

Ufuoma Ejenobor

29 years old Ufuoma Ejenobor is best known for the hit TV drama series – My mum and I. In the course of the year, she has been exceptional in the four movies she featured. Ufuoma’s act has been showcased in the Monte Carlo TV Festival. She has been nominated in the Best Actress Category of the Golden Nymph Awards 2010. Monte Carlo, Monaco and in the Terracotta Awards Nigeria 2010.

Mercy Johnson

Mercy Ozioma Johnson was born in 1983. In the past year, she has been involved in about 30 movies. She recently acted in a one character movie against rape. She was the only act in the movie from the start to the end.

Mercy has won various awards including the City People Awards, Afro Hollywood Award, BON award and an AMAA Nomination

Ini Edo

Ini Edo began her acting career with the movie, Thick Madam in 2003 but hit prominence for her role in Worlds Apart. She has gone on to act in over 100 movies which include the ‘Games Women Play’, ‘Games Men Play’ and ‘Reloaded’ triology.

Ini has grown to produce her own movie, Memories from my Heart’. She is an ambassador of Telecommunication giant, Globacom and is the Face of Chivita.

Uche Jombo

Uche began acting in 1998 with a role in Fidelis Duker’s Visa to Hell. The graduate of Maths and Statistics from the University of Calabar has a career that boasts of overa hundred movies. She is an ambassador of telecommunciations giant, Globacom.
Best Use of Science

Otejiri Oghoghorie

Born in 1987, he is primarily into the repair and maintenance of Electrical /Electronics Equipment and GSM phones, but in the past  two years has been invoved in the design and construction of a personal pest protector which emits high frequency waves that repels pests, the Austeer Nicad Trasnsformer Less Cell Charger, which can charge upto two AA or C sized cells to one time at the standard rate of 40mA and the Automatic Emergency Touch, which turns itself on automatically when the mains power fails, thus coming in handy during emergencies.

However, the eletronics/electronics diploma holder from The Polytechnic, Ife is nominated for the design and construction of a 0.1secs Automatic Changeover/switch off device, which he designed due to switch off device due to its economic viability in the Nigerian environment where national power supply (PHCN) is very unstable.

The significance of this invention is to ease, simplify and quickening the process of changing over the source of power supply from medium generators to national power supply (PHCN) within 0.1secs, while the user continues with whatever he/she is doing, at the same time switching off the generator automatically, thereby conserving fuel. The device also comes with a remote for manual control and a surge protector to guide against unreliable power supply.

Folasade Kuforiji

Folasade Kuforiji is 23. She is involved with researching the impact of protein on cell in the body because protein helps to restore and replace worn out tissues, which quickens wound and fracture healing. Her project is to find the effect of protein on cell. Understanding the effect of protein on cells will give us significant impact of how they function since we can recall from biology that Cell form tissues, tissues form organs and organs form system.

The thrust if this work is to analyse Protein and cell interaction vis-a-vis various chemical combination which can lead to a breakthrough for drug discovery or drug treatment for curing infections.

Oluwatoyosi Owoeye

Born in 1980. Toyosi Owoeye is a scientist primarily specialised in the field of Orthopaedics and Sports Physiotherapy Research. In the past year, he has been involved in the Epidemiological surveys on the incidence and pattern of sports/recreational injuries in Nigeria with the The Nigerian SafeSport Injury Prevention Programme.

His work is targeted identifying risk factors for injuries while participation in sports, recreation and exercise in Nigeria. This will not only provide data for both outside and inside communities, it will help establish injury prevention protocols.

Debo Olaosebikan

Gbadebo Olaosebikan is 25. Debo graduated Summa Cum Laude in May 2006 from Illinois Wesleyan University, with concentrations in Physics and Mathematics. As an undergraduate he worked at the IBM Almaden Research center on spintronics theory and memory applications. He also did work on magneto-optics and optical trapping.

In the past year, Debo who is also a rapper under the stage name Levelz! is currently completing a PhD in Physics at Cornell University where he is working on harnessing the novelties afforded by silicon photonic structures with respect to light matter interactions, electro-optics and non-linear optics. This work which is done with Dr. Michal Lipson, one of the world’s leading Nanophotonics pioneers, is groundbreaking research that will introduce the world to an era of much faster computer processes.

Bayo Omoyiola

Bayo was born in 1979. He is currently involved in developing and alternative method of cooking. His work is concentrated on providing wax as an alternative to kerosene in cooking. Bayo has been honoured by Professor Gabriel Oyibo, three times Nobel Prize nominee, for the formers work on the one element theory.

Best Use of Technology

Tolulope Iroye

27 years old Tolulope Iroye is involved in design and construction of electronics gadgets, hardware designs, alternative energy solutions, security systems and control system. He also writes programs for microcontrollers which can be used for any purpose (mini computer), Design and construction of solar systems, inverters, automatic change over, voltage stabilizers, intelligent traffic controller, intelligent car park system, intelligent phase selector/ change over, power surge protector.

In the past year, he has developed the Magic Box which allows one to control electricity or mobilize/immobilize cars from anywhere in the world with a mobile phone. His intelligent automatic changeover controls generators and programs electrical load based on the generator capacity.

Saheed Adepoju

Saheed Adepoju was born in 1983. He is nominated for the introduction of the Encipher Inye into the African market. The Encipher Inye is a tablet which runs on the Google Android operating system and provides a competition to the Apple iPad. The Inye also features local content like the HIV awareness campaign provided in the Yourba language.

Google Inc has indicated interest to partner in line with the Google tradition of preserving and expressing local content in the African region.

Mayowa Owolabi

Mayowa Owolabi at 27 is extensively known for his dudumobile sms portal. In the past year, he has expanded to include: buynownow, which is involved in providing connect and logistics for global change and phenomenally shipped garri to the UK; betnownow is an online betting platform that allows people predict the scores of football matches in England,Spain,Italy and Nigeria as well as horse races from Mauritius and Nigeria and win according to the jackpot kitty; insurancenownow is an online insurance remittance portal that allows for you to renew insurance premiums as well as buy new policies. He also developed the ‘school kabinet’ online student management platform and duduPAY which allows direct bill payments from Bank Accounts.

Olalekan Ayorinde

Lekan Ayorinde was born in 1979. He is focused on web design and management. In the past year, he has been involved with a number of web projects for various organisation. He is nominated in this category for his work with TV Plus which is the first online network in Nigeria to bring together a wide range of television programmes from different content providers for anyone and everyone to access and watch online and across four screens – PCs, TVs, mobile phones and tablets.

TVplus has offered qualitative services for high profiled Nigerian shows like Gulder Ultimate Search 7, Star Independent Game Show, Celebrity Take 2, Desert Warriors, Clinik Matters, Soul Sisters, Stand up Nigeria, Golden Moments and a host of other shows. These shows are made available for users to watch free on demand.

Muhammed Mubarak Abdullahi

Muhammad Abdullahi, a 24-year-old physics undergraduate in northern Nigeria, takes old cars and motorbikes to pieces in the back yard at home and builds his own helicopters from the parts. The chopper, which has flown briefly on six occasions, is made from scrap aluminium that Abdullahi bought with the money he makes from computer and mobile phone repairs.  It is powered by a second-hand 133 horsepower Honda Civic car engine and kitted out with seats from an old Toyota saloon car. Its other parts come from the carcass of a Boeing 747 which crashed near Kano some years ago. For a four-seater it is a big aircraft, measuring twelve metres (39 feet) long, seven metres high by five wide.

Business Owner of the Year

Oyeleke Ajiboye

At 28, Oyeleke Ajiboye runs Eficacy Homes, a property construction and management company currently valued at about 600million naira. This year Efficacy Homes has been able to commence the development of two new estates by leveraging on the success of Peak park estate Lekki. Planet Ville  Estate, Lekki was introduced to the market in February 2010 through the Punch Newspaper and Sterling Park Estate, Abuja was also introduced in September 2010. The company has also handled construction works for Unity Bank Plc, Akin Adesola and Adetokunbo Ademola branches, Victoria Island and various Private buildings for individuals.

Karo Agono

Karo Agono is 30 years old. He has owned Tremor Perfect for over 6 years now. Tremor Perfect is a Live Sound Reinforcement Company that provides equipment rental and audio management for mostly corporate organizations. They also do consulting and acquisition for other organisations including churches and event management firms.Tremor

In the past year, the company has worked for: . US Consulate, Lafarge Wapco, FCMB, Ecobank, Dutch Consulate, Nokia, Guinness, Total, Ovation, GTBank, Alibaba allegation and many others.

Bode Pedro

27 years old Bode Pedro owns VEDA Technology which is involved in the manufacturing of laptop computers by Nigerians for Nigerians. In the past year, the company has rolled out several computer systems in partnership with and for various organisations.

In addition, through their Just In Time manufacturing model, their supply chain management is effective and efficient in delivering products with short production time without compromising cost of funds. They achieve this negative cash conversion cycle through forecasting and supplier management for integral parts and components (they turnover inventory 3 times a week).

Other milestone in the less than one full year of business are the receipt of a bonafide manufacturer’s certificate from the Ministry of Finance, this means that they pay 0% custom duty fees as local manufacturers. Bode is also the chairman of the VEDA Academy, Computer Hardware, Software and Information Technology training Institute launching this February.

Toyosi Akerele

28 years old Toyosi Akerele , a University of Jos trained lawyer, has pioneered countless youth initiatives and is a very sought after speaker at several youth programmes including what has now undoubtedly become the grand daddy of all inspirational youth gatherings in Nigeria.

Toyosi Akerele is the CEO of RISE Networks, Publisher of RISE Magazine and CEO of Rise Printing press.

Perez Nekabari

At 27, Perez Nekabari Tigidam runs Arden and Newton. Arden and Newton is a brand consultancy in Port Harcourt, River State. He is particularly nominated for his resilience in ensuring the business continues to grow even as the market is not ripe enough to accept the service.

His company has worked extensively with the Rivers State Government, State Ministry of Information and Photolighthouse amongst other clients.

Creative Artiste of the Year

Aisha Augie-Kuta – Photographer

Aisha Augie-Kuta is a 30 year old photographer.  In the past year she has exhibited in: ‘Nigeria: The future I see’ hosted by Nigerian Breweries in Lagos. 50 years ahead through the eyes of Nigerian women’; hosted by Schlumberger, The Embassy of the kingdom of Netherlands and African Artists Foundation both in Lagos and Abuja;   ‘Here and Now: Contemporary Nigerian and Ghanian art’  in New York, USA and ‘The Authentic trail: Breast Cancer’ awareness in Abuja hosted by Medicaid Diagnostics, Pinc Campaign, Aisha&Aicha. She has also worked with Africa Practice R&B, Actis Group, Standard Chartered Bank, Lagray Chemical company Ghana/USA, IEI-Anchor Pension Managers Ltd, Kebbi State Governor, Niger State Governor, First lady, Zamfara State, Al-Habtoor group Dubai,UAE, Studio 24 Miss Nigeria 2010, Abuja fashion houses, House of Farrah, Reedas, Dzyn.

Babatunde Adebola – Copywriter

Babatunde Adebola is 26 years old. He was until recently copywriter with DDB Advertising Lagos, where working on the MTN account was part of the highly successful MTN Boardroom Conference Call advert. On this account he has been honored with one Gold Award and 3 silver awards from the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF) 2010.

Babatunde Adebola caused a stir in the International Ad world with his Recommendation Letter from Hitler which he doctored to gain admission into the prestigious Miami Ad School, Hamburg, Germany. This letter gave him international fame and a prized Lurzer Archive Scholarship.

Zainbu Jallo

31 years old Zainab Jallo is a playwright, open style poet and freelance writer. Her biggest project this past year is her play Onoins make me Cry which got a nomination for the NLNG prize. She has also exhibited in Global arts Village Delhi India, Royal Court Theatre London, Contact Theatre, Manchester UK and the British Council Ikoyi Lagos.

She is a fellow of the Royal Court Theatre and the Global Arts Village.

Chibundu Onuzu

Chibundu Onuzu was born in 1991. Her novel, The Spider’s King Daughter, won her a two year deal with International publishing firm, Faber and Faber. Her writings are often geared towards determining the place of nurture to the human person especially amidst the unique Nigerian environment.

She has been featured in the 2010 International Frankfurt Book Festival.

Ogunnubi Babadeji

Ogunnubi Babadeji was born in 1980. He is a visual artists who works in the production of cards and paintings, mosaic designs and marble design.

In the past year, he has built his clientele list with work in the private residence of people like Mr Oba Otudeko Sir Lipede and the altar mosaic design of the Methodist Church Ojodu. He also exhibited in the UCL/Do Something Positive Africa Art and Culture Exhibition.

Babadeji is a past nominee in The Future Awards 2008 and 2009.

Comedian of the Year

Teju Babyface

Olateju Oyelakin has grown the Teju Babyface brand to a huge force in comedy and as compere. In the past year he has worked with corporate events for Total Ltd, Intercontinental Bank amongst others, charity events including the Osigwe Anyiam Osigwe Annual Lectures amongst others and industry support for other comedians who have hosted their own shows including Julius Agwu’s Crack Ya Ribs in London.

He has focused on the Teju Babyface show which has in 6months become a reference for TV comedy shows in Nigeria. During the year, the show has won The Tava Awards For Best Editor, Best Director, Best Producer And Best Television Talk Show, The Naija Awards For Best Comedy Show On TV and The Bold Inspiration Award For Inspiring Television Programme.
Emeka Smith

Adigwu Emeka Smith is 27. He launched his career as a comedian with winning the Ay open mic contest in 2006. In the course of the year, he has performed in Rhythm Unplugged,Night of a Thousand Laughs, Ay live Lagos,Benin,Abuja,Mnet Comedy Club live in Lagos season 1 and 2, Mnet Comedy Club Mombasa Kenya, Cool FM Praise Jams Concert, Guest comedian Teju Babyface T.V show, MTN project fame 2010(in house comedian),Who wants to be a Millionaire( in house comedian).

He has also been involved with training other comedians, one of whom won the MTN national comedy challenge, Lagos Zone.

Jedi

Jedi Oluwatosin Ayoola was born in 1979. In the past year, he has performed in numerous shows which include: InspirationFM Praise Jam, CoolFm/WazobiaFM Praise Jam, Nigerian Reunion Congress in New York, StandUp Nigeria. His comedy series tour LWKMD(Laugh Wan Kill Me Die) has been successfully hosted in various states in the world from Washington and Chicago to Lagos Nigeria.

Princess

Princess Damilola Adekoya was born in 1980. She started comedy in 2002 and has grown her brand to be one of the foremost names in comedy. In this past year, she has features in Crack Ya Ribs UK, Shades of Comedy Naija, Stand UP Nigeria, Gulder Ultimate Search Celebrity Edition, Night of A thousand Laffs, I go Save Unsual, Island Comedy with Gordons and many others.

Her movie ‘The Unsaid’ was also premiered in the UK during the year.

Seyi Law

Aletile Lawrence Oluwaseyitan was born in 1983.

He started comedy with Emeka Smith in church where he met Jedi who invited him to AY Open Mic Challenge where he became the first winner.In the past year, her has performed at Ryhthm Unplugged, Nite of a thousand laughs. Crack Ya ribs, All AY shows, Tee A’s  Live and Naked amongst others.

He has won the City People Ent Awards, Pacesetters International Positive Impact Award amogs others.

Corporate Professional of the Year

Tokini Peterside

Tokini was born in 1985. She holds a Law Degree from the London School of Economics(1^st Class Honours), Solicitors Legal Practice Course Certificate from the College of Law(UK) and a Fashion Marketing Certificate from Isitituto Marangoni(UK).

She is the Communication and Events Manager for Moet Hennessy. She manages the Media and Public Relations, Sponsorship and events for Hennesy, Moet and Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon and Belvedere. She also spearheaded the Hennessy Artistry 2010.

Kunle Olaifa

Kunle Olaifa is 30 years. His job is primarily focused on personnel recruitment for General Electric. His career is recruiting talents across Africa for organizations with needs in different sectors to grow Africa. Kunle’s brief with General Electric is leading, creating, implementing and executing effective recruiting and staffing programs for General Electric businesses in Sub-Sahara Africa.

Kunle, who is currently studying for an MBA was selected as a participant in the Strategic Leaders Programme for Africa by the British Council. He is also a career facilitator for the Lagos Business School.

Tony Usidamen

Tony Usidamen is 30. He is PR Consultant with Sesema PR. He is Responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of the organization’s internal and external communication strategies, policies and initiatives.

Within the past year, he has Developed and implemented a robust communications plan which ensured that Dana Air and Kia remained  top-of-mind  in Nigeria’s aviation and automobile industries respectively; Initiated the Dana Air Kidz Fly Programme, Facilitated and managed the Dana Air-Sickle Cell Foundation ‘in-flight envelope donation scheme’ which has raised over N8m towards alleviating the burden of sickle cell disease in Nigeria. He also handles PR Support for RISE Seminars in Abuja, Enugu and Lagos, National Arts Competition in conjunction with AAF and NB, AY Live (Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja), Hip Hop World Awards 2010, Gordon’s 7 Point Agenda in Abuja, Tuface Idibia Live Concert in Lagos, Basket Mouth’s Lord of the Ribs in Lagos e.t.c.

Adeniyi Olutayo

Olutayo Adeniyi Oluwatosin was born in 1980. He is the Head of Internal Audit, Control and Compliance at Nestle Nigeria PLC. His brief includes: Defining the overall enterprise risk management strategy for the company; Identifying and mitigating financial, operational and reputational risks; Ensuring full compliance with company policies and procedures, local and international laws/regulations; Guaranteeing business continuity and operational efficiencies.

His achievements include maintaining a solid internal control environment which prevents Nestle’s exposure to fraud and scandals.

Akintola Olufemi

Akintola Olufemi is currently Brand Manager of Nestle Plc. He made nine distinctions in his O Levels. He started his career with Insight Communications Limited. He moved to Nestle as Brand Specialist in 2008 and has been Brand Manager since April 2009. He is responsible for designing and implementing integrated marketing business plans to drive the growth and profitability of the MILO business in Nigeria.

He has consistently delivered positive top line growth, sustained market share gains and ensured healthy profitability. Hence, Nestle Nigeria won the 21st edition of the MILO Trophy for the best performing MILO market in terms of growth, profitability and marketing excellence in Nestle Zone AOA (Asia, Oceania and Africa) for the 2009 business year.

Owoeye Oluwatoyosi

Toyosi Owoeye was born in 1980. He works with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital(LUTH) and the College of Medicine, University of Lagos(CMUL) as clinician and lecturer respectively. At LUTH, he is the assistant head of unit of the Paediatrics Unit and he is involved in the rehabilitation/treatment of children with congenital and acquired disabilities using physical modalities and hands-on techniques. At the CMUL, he teaches and supervises physiotherapy students, conduct written and clinical exams, take undergraduate and MSc students on ward rounds and also involved in postgraduate research and seminar presentations.

Over the past year, he has represented his department in a number of programmes and events. I was nominated to serve as an educator and Counsellor at the World Physiotherapy Day and the World Heart Day tagged Movement for Health and Workplace Wellness respectively.

Oye Akindehinde

Oye Akindeinde is Chief Information Officer of Compliance and Content Monitoring Limited Lagos.  Prior to joining CCM Limited in July 2010, he was Head of Debit and Prepared Card Products with First City Monument Bank. While at FCMB Plc, he successfully managed the migration program from Magnetic Stripe Cards to Chip and PIN Cards. He was also chosen to manage the Visa Card program for FCMB with an approved budget of 250million Naira.

Oye Akindeinde also partnered with Noble Igwe and Bimbo Soares to start up 360nobs.com, an entertainment and lifestyle website in April 2010.
Creative Professional of The Year

Dimeji Alara

Dimeji Alara is a 27 years old freelance stylist. In the past year, he has worked with shooting fashion editorials and cover for various major magazines in Nigeria. He has also worked with the Maltina Dance All and Glo Naija Sings reality TV shows and the Coca Cola ‘Nigeria at 50’ campaign. Dimeji is currently working on producing his own magazine in collaboration with ace photographer, Kelechi Amadi Obi.

Osagie Osarenkhoe

Osagie is 26 and owns the m.e.t.al  brand name. She  is one of Nigeria’s finest artiste managers. She also runs a blog where she profiles different artistes, their careers, their music, as well as events and music related activities/events. She has worked with EME artists, Banky W, Wizkid and Skales. She has also worked with artiste, Lynxxx, Kel, Hakym The Dream and the Moment with Mo production amongst others.

Osagie also works as co-producer and production manager with Patrick Elis Productions.

Samuel Olatunji

Samuel Olatunji Olalekan was born in 1981.  He runs Bigsam Media, a PR and Publicity Firm. He holds a degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Lagos and another in Journalism from the College of Journalism. HE also writes for The Sun Newspapers.

In the past year he has worked with Emem Isong for Guilty Pleasure, Bursting Out, Holding Up. Ope Banwo and Mercy Johnson. Samuel has also worked on PR for Hennesy Artistry, Anchor Baby, Transcorp Hotel, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Dagrin, Basketmouth and Van Vicker.

Janet Nwose

Janet Nwose is the girl behind building the Asa brand. Born in Kaduna, Janet started out as a singer and photographer. She was a finalist in the British Council Telling Stories competition. She manages TAQSI, a publishing and management company which  handles Asa’s affairs.

In the past years, Janet has worked to ensure Asa remain relevant just as her music continues to improve. It is to Janet’s credit that Asa has today grown to be an International brand.

Nike Fagbule

At 25, Nike Fagbule is PR Team Leader at BlackHouse Media. This past year, she has worked on PR Campaigns for Sax Appeal, Disney’s High School Musical , T.W.O album release, Hip Hop World Awards, Nigerian Idol, MTV Networks Africa, MTV Africa Music Awards, Nickelodeon and Holy Mallam’s 10thanniversary. She has also been Dedicated PR officer and strategist for MTV Networks Africa in Nigeria, PR officer and media point person for Nigerian Idol, Short term PR campaign for FAB Fashion show, Media Coordinator and Chief publicist for Hiphopworld Awards 2010.

Godwin Tom

Mfon Godwin Tom was born in 1987. He is C.E.O of Godwin Tom Talen Management Company. He has worked with M.I, Jesse Jags, Iceprince, AiRis, Show Dem Camp, Rooftop MCs and Ikon. He is poised to make Godwin Tom Talent Management Company Africa’s biggest.

He also runs a Bag of Ideas, A communications company that develops Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to solve societal problems while offering brand the opportunity ro advertise and market their products and brands.

Emem Ema

Emem Ema works with One Management. In the past year Emem has worked in the field of Artiste management, media and entertainment consulting, film scoring and project management. Artsites like Mo’Cheddah, ProVabs, Leony and Genevieve Nnaji have had direct dealings with Emem.

Emem also handled the scripting for the presenters for the Hip Hop World Awards ad managed Nse Ikpe-Etim’s speaking appointment at Harvard University.

Designer of the year

Akpos Okudu

Born in 1986, Akpos Antoinette Okudu started sewing to keep herself busy. Today, she has grown the Akpos brand name into a women’s wear label where fun, feminine and romantic pieces celebrate the female form.

During the year, she created unique beach pieces titles ‘Beach Living’. She has also featured heavily in trade shows, Le Petit Marche and Fusion Quarterly.

Ugoma Adegoke

Ugoma Adegoke is 31. She runs Zebra Living which is a multi-tiered, dynamic fashion experience with the sole mission of making people look good and feeling happy. Zebra continually emphasies the fact that fashion goes beyond the surface and emphasize lifestyle even in their fashion pieces.

In the past year, Ugoma has with artists, Nneka, Bez and Somi, with fellow designers Aimas, Qamin and Zashady and with corporate bodies, Royal Air Maroc, IRS, ZK Advertising, GDN Nig Ltd and Smooth FM.

Yvonne Nwosu

Yvonne Chinele Nwosu is 27. She launched Vonne Couture, unprecedentedly, with a huge fashion show and has in the past year steered the brand to be one of the most respected names in the Nigerian fashion industry. She creates pieces that invoke the daring, sexy goddess in everywoman.

With a working force of over 20 people, Vonne designed for the MBGN 2010, Elite Model Search 2010, Lost in Lagos 2010 and launched her Ready to Wear line during the year.

Bridget Awosika

Bridget Awosika began showing interest in sketching designs and collecting fabrics when she was 10 years old. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the Howard University and a degree in Fashion Design from the Parsons School of Design in New York. She worked with Donna Karan and Giorgio Armani before developing her own line.

Since 2007, the Bridget Awosika Collection has warned a name for confident fearless, chic and edgy designs. In the past year, she has earned high acclaim and continued patronage from fashion icons and celebrities.

Ebubedike Mary

Ebubedike Mary was born in 1983. She runs West n Couture which started in 1999. She is a lawyer who left full practice to work in the Fashion Industry. She has trainings from the Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Desgin, United Kingdom. She is a beauty representative and attended House of Tara make up. She has participated in several Fashion shows and beauty contests
Journalist of the Year

Kemi Ajumobi

A philosophy graduate of the University of Ado-Ekiti, 31 years old Kemi Ajumobi has nurtured a career as Senior Features writer for Business Day Newspaper since 2007. In this position, she delivered a remarkable piece on life in Makoko community in the Yaba area of Lagos.

Kemi also birthed and still runs the Inspiring Women weekly column in the newspaper. She added spice to the column by organizing the annual Inspiring Women seminar which held in July. She has also launched the Inspiring Women with Kemi radio series which currently runs on Inspiration FM 92.3. Kemi also heads the Health desk of the Business Day newspaper.

Ololade Adewuyi

Ololade Adewuyi is 30 years old. He works with Tell Magazine. In the past year, he has written various articles and cover story for Tell including the investigative ‘Ibori’s Road to Jail’. He also covered the Togolese elections in March. He also handles sport reporting and sport writing for TELL and reported for international website, Goal.com during the African Nations Cup in Angola.

During the course of the year, Ololade also took pictures of AbdulMuttalab’s family home in FUntua for USAToday and had his pictures of Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak featured in Krakow , Poland in preparation for Poland’s co-hosting of the 2012 European football championship

Latasha Ngwube

Latasha Onyebuchi Ngwube was born in 1983 and works with the Style Department of THISDAY Newspapers. In the past year, she has been responsible for almost all the cover stories of the style issues. She also constantly covers various style events across Lagos and contributes numerous style pages to the paper weekly.

Her career has been highlighted by interview with: Lionel Richie, Erykah Badu, Jeffrey Daniel, Keziah Jones, Tyson Beckford, John Legend, Fergie (Black Eyed Peas) and many others.

Tolu Ogunlesi

Tolu Ogunlesi is 28. He is features editor with NEXT Newspapers and one of the youngest editors of a mainstream newspaper.

Aside writing for NEXT, Tolu also writes for at least 8 other publications. He was Guest Writer at the 2010 Gothenburg Book Fair in Sweden. His witty intelligent opinion pieces has earned him quite a following among Nigerian readers.

Toyosi Ogunseye

Oluwatoyosi Ogunseye is 26. She is an Investigative Journalist with The Punch Newspapers. She is responsible for a minimum of 4 stories weekly. Her major 2010 stories include a revelation on the LUTH Ransome Juti Children’s Centre where two babies die weekly due to doctors’ negligence and poor infrastructure. Her ‘Swindling traders via fake bank sms’ story had commercial banks scan the story and sending it to all their customers.

She attended a special training by the UN for Journalists in June 2010, was rewarded for contribution to academic excellence at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism and is a winner of the 2010 MDG Media Awards.

Nicholas Ibekwe

Ibekwe Nicholas Leonard was born in 1981. He works with Timbuktu Media Limited (Publishers of NEXT Newspapers and www.234next.com). He averages four stories every week for this organization. His major work this year include an expose on the rising rate of kidnapping in Abia state and how the lives of the people has been affected by it.

He was commended in the 2010 CNN Mutlichoice African Journalist Award.

Yinka Ibukun

Yinka Ibukun is a freelance journalist  with 4 years experience in magazine writing and publishing and 1 year experience reporting for Reuters. She is also a reporter with Associated Press. Fluent in French and English, her interests include culture, history, religion and politics in West Africa and its Diaspora. As a freelancer, her work has ranged from translating bank policy documents to crafting artist profiles.

Her stories have been published in almost all the major news media including The Guardian UK, The New York Times and Qaran News.
Magazine of the Year

FAB

Founded about a year ago, FAB magazine has carved a niche for itself in the fashion industry. FAB brings world-class high quality editorials, articles, graphics and imagery to Nigerian publication world. The magazine is distributed in Nigeria, Ghana and the United Kingdom. Featured individuals Eldee, Nneka, Dickson Etuhu, John Utaka, Kemi Adetiba, Noella Coursaris, Ty Ogunkoya, Deola Sagoe, Lisa Folawiyo, Yemi Osunkoya,  Lemar, Kel and Mo’Cheddah are among those that have been interviewed. FAB was nominated for the Black Entertainment Film Fashion TV Awards (BEFFTA) in the UK. The average age of the editors is 25.

The need to depict Africa and Africans in positive and vibrant light to the western world is important to FAB. It intends to be the biggest fashion and lifestyle magazine worldwide.

Soundcity BLAST

For over 3years, Soundcity Blast has grown to be the voice for quality and original music/entertainment/lifestyle news targeted to a sophisticated Nigerian youth audience. Soundcity Blast magazine is published and financed by the Soundcity Music Channel’s holding company, Consolidated Media Associates, owned by Media entrepreneur Tajudeen Adepetu. For this, it has become a home to advertisers like Nokia, Glo, Zain, MTN, Maltina, Closeup and Lucozade.

Soundcity Blast is a past winner of The Future Awards.

Side view

Side View is a magazine that focuses on fashion, music, culture and lifestyle. Even though the magazine is only two years old, it is circulated in Lagos, Abuja, Canada, South Africa and London. The current celebrity on the cover of the magazine is Jay Manuel who has never been featured on the cover page of any Nigerian owned magazine.

Side View has also featured Jesse Jagz, P Square, Whiz Kid, Sasha , Timi Dakolo, Ice Prince Adewale Akinoye Agbaje, Akeem kae’aez Kazeem, Tosh Yanez, Lisa Raye and Nigerian designer, Oscar Odeshi.

The average age of the editors is 25.

Vibez

Vibez magazine is a Nigerian entertainment news magazine.  For this reason, the magazine is circulated in the four geopolitical zones of Nigeria— all Nigerian campuses, corporate offices, hotels and most restaurants in the nation. Vibes has featured virtually all the major practitioners on the Nigerian entertainment scene. The average age of the editors is 23.

Vibez Magazine joined Genevieve Magazine to cover a fashion TV event in Nigeria few months back. Also, recently the magazine went into partnership with a self-made entrepreneur Abiola Adegoke (Chairman/CEO of Nu Grotto Stand).

Wow

Wow is a fashion and lifestyle magazine which is circulated in Nigeria, Ghana and the United States. Wow Magazine was involved in the planning and organization of the green carpet event for the movie, Nollywood Hustler. Wow also worked as media consultant for Street Kicks initiative and the official media partner for Fashion Frenzy, an ongoing student fashion and photography exhibition. The average age of the editors is 28.

From being a quarterly magazine, Wow evolved into a monthly in October, 2010. Monalisa Chinda, Uche Jombo, Eku Edewor, Tiwa Savage, Emem Isong, Gboye Adegbenro, Bridget Awosika, Funmi Daniels, Vector, Nyore and Freeze, Mannie, Ejike and Dotun (all of CoolFM) have all been interviewed in the magazine. The magazine has had collaboration with Mingle TV, Royal Arts Academy and Fashion Frenzy, among others.

Musician of the year

Mo’ cheddah

Modupe-Oreoluwa OLA popularly known as Mo’Cheddah is 20 years old. She started singing in 2001. She was the first Nigerian artiste featured on MTV Brand New. She won the award for the Most Gifted Female in the Channel O Music Video Award. She was also the Most Promising Act to Watch in the NEA awards. She is the youngest Nigerian artiste ever to be nominated for an African Music Award.

Mo’Cheddah debut Franchise Celebrity album is receiving immense attention and features hit track ‘If you want me’ and  ‘Ko ma roll’. She also released a Christmas mixtape in 2010.

Naeto C

Naetochukwu Chikwe was born in 1982. He started music as an undergraduate of the George Washington University with the trio World Famous Akademy. Since 2006, he has earned a following for himself, his ‘P’ persona and his Cerious Music brand.

Naeto C was phenomenal for a lot of tracks and appearances this year and turned through his hit track turned the ‘10/10 Chikena’ phrase to a Nigerian lingo as he did earlier with ‘P’, ‘Kini Big Deal’ and  host of others. Naeto has won all the major awards in Africa including the MTV African Music Awards(MAMA), the Soundcity Music Video Awards and the Hip Hop World Awards.

Naeto’s greatest strength is the ability to do so many things properly at the same time as exemplified with his combination of a full time music career in Africa and education in Scotland. He just completed his Msc in Oil and Gas Management from the University of Dundee making him the ‘only emcee with an Msc’.

Da grin

Olaitan Olanipekun was born in 1987. His shot to fame was on his E fi mi le collaboration with YQ. Since then, Dagrin earned a reputation for himself as one of the most loved artists in Nigeria. His rhythmical Yoruba rap laced with heavy messages gave him a wide audience of fans cut across different classes of listeners. His CEO album became one of the best albums of 2010.

Dagrin died in 2010 from complications from a motor accident.

Jesse Jagz

Born in 1984, Jesse Abaga is a rapper under the Chocolate City. As the son of a clergyman, Jesse was introduced to music at an early age. At 9, he was drummer for a brand that won a PMAN award. In High School, he released an album titled ‘My Life for your Love’ with his classmates. After High School, he started a musical group called Gospel Infinity.

Jesse joined Chocolate City with his brother and since then have been phenomenal both as a rapper and a singer. His first single ‘Africa’ was top of the charts for over a month. During the year, he released his Jagz of all trades album – one of the year’s most anticipated album which set Jesse in the league of Nigeria’s best.

Banky W

Olubankole Wellington was born in 1981. He is known under the stage name Banky W, is an American Nigerian R&B artist. Wellington was born in the United States to Nigerian parents, but the family moved back to Lagos Nigeria when he was five years old where he began singing in his church choir at the age of 8.

During the past year, Banky W dropped his much anticipated sophomore album in Nigeria, titled The W Experience. This album features production from Nigeria’s most sought-after talents, and showcases Banky W. as he combines global R&B/Pop with African rhythms and influences to create an entirely unique and impressive sound. His ‘Strong Thing’ Video hit hard on Nigerians and has been featured in awards including the Soundcity Music Video Awards(SMVA); KORA, and a two time nominee of The Future Awards.

Music producer of the year

Dj Klem

Christened Ifieya Clement Kponu, DJ Klem was born in the 6^th of August, 1984. He started music production professionally in 2003. He has worked with Knighthouse , Rooftop MCs, Sasha P, Twisted Mindz, Mo’Cheddah, Trigmatic (from Ghana), Myst, Kel,  Wrighty MC(from UK), among many others. DJ Klem produced 13 out of the 15 tracks in Mo’Cheddah’s album including the hit “if you want me.”

He was also involved in the African ad campaign for Fanta, Peugeot, Sprite and a new product from Guiness (which is yet to be released). He exclusively produced albums for girl-groups Chase and Emphirical which will be released early this year and already have singles enjoying airplay. He also released a dance-themed EP “Six8Ten” which received favourable reviews within and outside Nigeria.

DJ Klem is the first Nigerian ever to be invited as a participant at the prestigious Redbull music academy which held in London last year.

Sazzy

Osaze Mark Omobude a.k.a.  got into the world of music in the early 2000. He worked the like of MI, Naeto C, Jesse Jags, Ice Prince, 9ice, Ruggedman, DJ Jimmy Jatt, Yoye, Pheroshus and African Rockstar. He released an album with DJ Arts called “The Take Over.” Before he passed away, he was working on a personal album titled “Red.” All he did was music.

Ikon

Ikechukwu Ekwuyasi was born in 1985. He started music production professionally in 1985.

Ikon got into the limelight when he produced D’banj’s “no long thing.” Ever since, he has produced for many of the well known names in the Nigeria music industry, some of whom are Sasha, Ikechukwu, SauceKid, 2 Shotz, Molara, Lami, Bantu, Naeto-C.

Sossick

Born Esosa Douglas Osemwengie started music at a very early age. His addiction to music started at that age when he thrilled and entertained friends and family members in primary school. Sossick attained prominence for producing Gino’s hit ‘No be God’. He has moved on to work on other hits like ‘Julie’ for Shank and ‘Pon Pon Pon’ for Dagrin. He produced almost the entire CEO album for Dagrin. He has also worked for artistes like YQ, Owen Gee, Naeto C, Koffi, Ruggedman and many others.

Sossick recently released an EP with which he aims to project himself also as an artist.

J Martins

On- air personality radio

Matse Uwatse

Matse Uwatse is the anchor of the popular radio programmes “Eko, how una see am”, “Amebo Zone” and “People’s Choice”, all on 95.1 Wazobia FM. She is 29 years old. She has done several jobs for numerous notable organizations with brands like MOUKA, INDOMIE, LUCOZADE, PEAK, SUPER DIAMOND ELECTRONICS, COCA COLA, 7UP, but to mention just a few.

As an interior decorator, she runs Matse Interiors and also manages Matse Concepts, providing voice-over and advertising services to larger advertising firms. She also work as a Master of Ceremonies.

Matse is an ambassador for UZOTEX International (Nigerian) Limited and for PINK PEARL FOUNDATION. Some of the awards she has received include Eloy Awards, Future Awards, CNN African Voices Awards, Wim Awards, Club Unique Awards, Redeem Awards.

Lorenzo Menekaya

Lorenzo was born twenty four years ago. He anchored/presented/ hosted the following programmes: Dew of Hermon (The Biggest Gospel event in Rivers State), UNN Founders’ Day 2010, University of Nigeria Music Festival 2010, Hon. Chinwe Ugwu’s Declaration Rally for The National Assembly, ROHI Youth Conference 2010, Reach Out Nigeria Concert 2010, International IT Conference on Programming (Organized by Seamfix Ltd), FASA Awards & Beauty Pageantry, Annual Lecture of The Department of University of Nigeria 2010, The Challenge (Secondary Schools’ Speech Competition) 2010 and Nawao! Comedy Night Live.

He also produces movie soundtracks, sings, consults, writes and acts. He was the Young Person of the Year (HTBA Awards 2010), Personality of the Year, Most Ideal Person of the Year and Media Person of the Year (FASA Awards 2010)

Tolu Oniru (toolz)

Born 28 years ago, Tolu ‘Toolz’ Oniru is the presenter of “The Midday Show with Toolz” on the Beat 99.9FM. He anchored the MTN Industry Nite for Jos.

Apart being an On-Air Personality, he is also property manager for a 19 house estate in Lekki. He also works with the James Ashafa Foundation – a charity set up last year in the memory of his late grandfather for underprivileged people.

She was the Best Female Radio presenter at the Nigerian Broadcasters Awards 2010. Studio 53 Extra placed her 5th on their list of Top Radio Presenters in Africa. She won the award for the OAP of the year at the Dynamix Awards. She was also been nominated for Exquisite Lady of the Year Awards.

Joyce

Joyce Odichinma Onyemuwa was born on 6^th February 1984. She is the host fof the Mid Day Oasis on Cool FM. She is also a voice-over artiste. She thinks Creativity, Spunk, Sense of humour and her Wits are most responsible for her popularity.

She won an award the Positive impact award by Life link church.

Oluwatosyn Yetunde Bucknor

Tosyn Bucknor is perharps better known as Area Mama. Tosyn is an OAP with Top Radio. In the past year, she has hosted the Hip Hop World Awards, LAffmattaz and has worked with brands like Peak, Etisalat, Zain Glo, Coca Cola and many others.

Aside being OAP, Tosyn also handles PR, write for The Guardian and her blog, sing and run a sickle cell project.

OAP TV

Yvonne ImoAbasi Ekwere

Born in 1987, Yvonne Ekwere works with the Silverbird group. In the past year, she has hosted an Entertainment Magazine Programme on Stv tagged “E-weekly”. She has also appeared as a guest presenter on shows like Today on STV, anchored the past editions of live talent hunt show “Do Your thing” and hosted the official MBGN daily highlight show “silver moments”.

She is also a voice over artiste and a freelance producer. She has been invited to speak at public functions, seminars and other gatherings. Yvonne has gained huge exposure with interviews on television programs, radio shows,  and she has been featured in popular blogs and in a few high profile magazines.

Tana Adelana

Born in 1984, Christiana Adelana has been presenting since 2002. She has presented for MTV, Yello, 100 percent Naija, O-Boma, Zain Naira Rain, LG Karaoke Mega Star, West African Idols Eviction Party, Big Brother Nigeria Evictions Parties and is Nigeria’s representative for Big Brother Africa. She has also anchored Mnet’s dance reality show, Let’s Dance and the Peak Talent Show.

Tana is a two time nominee of The Future Awards.

Kemi Adetiba

Born in 1980, Kemi Adetiba anchored the fourth season of the Maltina Dance All Contest sponsored by Nigerian Breweries in 2010. With K Alpha and Abri Inc of New York handling her affairs, she has worked on various shows on TV and has gained immense popularity and acceptance as an OAP.

Kemi is also a Director, Producer and Cinmeatographer for various TV content.

Cynthia Okpala – Mbanefo

Cynthia Okpala-Mbanefo gained prominence with winning the nationwide MTV VJ search in November 2007. The 24 years old is a graduate of Computer Science from the Ebonyi State University.

This year, she has worked across the continent for MTV Base with major working points in Nairobi and South Africa. She anchors the popular MTV Base IQ Quiz which pitches celebrity contestants against their fans and is powered by Buttermint. She also works as a radio DJ with her shows syndicated across 40 stations in Nigeria.

Cynthia is also a star in the MNET TV series, Tinsel.

Efe Tommy

Efemena Tommy Adabamu was born in 1985. He is full time producer and presenter of Excite on TV. In the past year, he has hosted many red carpet events where he interviewed Nigerian celebrities and international acts like Young Llyod, Next, Akon and Jeffrey Daniels. His exclusive interview with the Ije crew and the revelation that Ije was the producer’s final year school project turned out a huge boost to his career.

He has been featured on the cover of Younik Magazine and a feature on Omolola Itayemi’s Thisday column as TV’s newest VEEJAYS. He has also been involved in content production for the Next Movie Star.

Screen Producer of the Year

Chinenze Anyaene

Born in 1983, Chinenze has earned wide acclaim for her work in the production of the hit movie, Ije. Chinenze, who started producing movies in 2005 while in school, has revolutionalised the Nigerian film industry. Ije has grown to become a landmark, being the highest grossing movie in the cinemas after Avatar and the longest running movie in Nigerian cinemas.

Chinenze is currently working on a second movie and has won the Excellence in Film Making Award of the Canada International Film Festival; Best Editing, Treasure Coast International Film Festival; Best feature film in the Arizona Black movie showcase and the Excellence in Film making of the Hawaii International Film Festival.

Clarence Peters

Clarence Peters was born in 1983. He started production as a 10 year old in a production called ‘Dudu’s Birthmark’. He resumed as an assistant director with various sitcoms including Everyday People. He also worked on various projects while attending City Varsity in South Africa where he bagged a degree in Cinematography.

In the past year, he has worked on the Tom Tom Advert for Cardbury, Seven up PLC, Only Me for Tuface, Goldie’s You know it, 2010 for Sound Sultan, Nobody Test ME by Choc Boiz and If you want me by Mocheddah. HE has alos worked on Montage for various brands.

Kemi Adetiba

Oluwakemi Adetiba was born in 1980. She has been directing and producing since 2007. Her production outfit, K’Alpha Innovations has worked with music video for Banky W, Bez, Ego, Maga No Need Pay, Wizkid. She also has worked with commercials for different brands and content for TV.

She was guest lecturer at the FIVECC 2010 which held in Alicante, Spain where she lectured on  ‘Guerilla Filmmaking’.

Onye Ubanatu

Onye Ubanatu was born on the first day of October, 1981. He is a producer, director, and consultant. He started her work in production professionally in 2003. He has worked with many well known names like UBA, MTN, ZAIN, Chevron, Cadbury, Friesland food, Guinness Nigeria, WHO, ThisDay, CNN, BBC and ABC News. He was involved in Desert Warriors Reality TV show, Nights on the Tiles (a BBC Scotland international scrabble competitors’ profiling), Malta Guinness Street Dance African Challenge, Style Me Make Over Show, Peak Talent Show Season 2 and Lucozade Boost Freestyle Challenge.

Onye was also the director of photography of Tony Elumelu’s retirement concert with Wyclef Jean and River state end of year concert with Ron Kenoly 2009. He was the camera operator of the ABC News of the Back story on the Abdulmutalab family.

Mex

Mex has grown within a couple of years to be one of the most respected names in music video production.  He has worked on Safe video for M.I, Gini for Jojo and Shopping for Churchill. In the past year, he became phenomenal for Pop off Selecta video for Dipp and Overkillin for Djinee, which was nominated for all the video awards this year.

Sports Person of the Year

Mobolaji Akiode

Mobolaji Akiode was born in 1982. She is a  member of the Nigerian women’s basketball team 2004 Summer Olympics and 2006 Commonwealth Games, Akiode is a graduate of Fordham University. At Fordham, Akiode won all-conference honors in her senior year and was the eighth Fordham player to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in her career. She also earned a tryout with the WNBA‘sDetroit Shock following her collegiate career.

Vincent Enyeama

Vincent Enyeama is 28. Since 2002, he has been goalkeeper for the national football team of Nigeria. He currently plays for Israeli Premier League club Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Vincent Enyeama justified claims as one of the best shot-stoppers in football at the moment, with a defiant display to restrict Argentina to a 1-0 win in their Group B 2010 FIFA World Cup match. Enyeama, who was playing his 56th international for the Super Eagles, made six fine saves, four of them from Lionel Messi, and was the major reason for Nigeria coming so close to almost pinching a draw against the two-time world champions. Despite the loss, he was named Man of the Match and Goal.com World Player Of The Week. One of the best shot-stoppers in Africa, Vincent Enyeama has been the undisputed first choice between the posts for Nigeria.

Desiree Oparanozie

Desire Oparanozie was born in 1993. She is a member of the Nigerian team to the FIFA U-20 Women World Cup. She was phenomenal with so many assists and scored two goals for Nigeria during the competition.

Christiana Nwoye

Ifeoma Christiana Nwoye wrestled for Ngeria in the Commonwealth games which held in October 2010. She defeated India’s Kumari Babita in the finals winning a second gold medal in the wrestling category for the country during the commonwealth games.

Janet Dung

Janet Dung is 24. She is a three-time winner of the Nigerian category (women) at the Obudu International Mountain Race. She is also a past winner in the Sport Person of the year Category of The Future Awards.

In the past year, she has continued to zeal for winning medals in various marathons across the world, participating in the Birmingham Half Marathon and winning the Sahara Half Marathon in February 2010.

Team of the Year

Jobber man

Adewunmi Ayodeji, Awoyemi Opeyemi and Olude Olalekan are the brains behind jobberman.com. They are internet entrepreneurs with a passion for online businesses, by providing online solutions to needs. The team was formed in 2008 and their average age is 25.

Jobberman has succeeded in building one of the fastest growing job portals in Nigeria.  Jobberman.com ranks amongst the top 100 most visited websites in Nigeria according Alexa rankings.

Not just OK.COM

Notjustok.com is run by Ademola Ogundele (Mola OG), Ovie Ofugara (OvieO) and Oluwafemi Adebanjo (Lalaboiy). The site was formed in July 2006 by Ademola Ogundele (Mola OG) and Ademola Ogundele and Ovie Ofugara later joined in 2008 and 2010 respectively. NotjustOk.com is an online platform that delivers new hip-hop/contemporary music, videos and music content on a daily basis to Nigerians, both in Nigeria and around the globe. The site offers a medium where Nigerian Music lovers around the world can access, listen, stream and give their honest opinion on Nigerian music content anywhere and anytime.

NotJustOk.com has steadily grown into one of the most visited sites within the Nigerian online communities and currently holds the 37117th position in the world according to the Alexa ranking and won the #1 Music Blog/Website in 2010 via votes made on Nigerian Blog Awards.

Celebrity Read Africa

Celebrity Read Africa was founded specifically to seek out ways to inspire an enduring reading culture in Nigeria. To achieve their cause, the team organizes a Celebrity book reading event once a month; career mentoring sessions ;radio show and reading challenge.  It is run by 5 young Nigerians with an average age of 28.

The team organized the largest gathering for a book reading event in December 2010. In subsequent year, they plan to take the program out of Nigeria to other African countries as well.

Knighthouse

Oladimeji Oluwaseun Olanrewaju, Arimoro Oluwaseun Aderogba, Gomes Mobolaji Temitope, average age 30, run a media production outfit with core expertise in audio production and content development. The team also provides media related consultancy services for a myriad and diverse group of clientele.

In the past year, the team has worked with a plethora of Nigerian artists and produced and scored music for corporates. The team has also created and managed a youth brand in the person of Mo’Cheddah to a point of great popularity. Knighthouse has also become the voice of the multitude of unheard aspiring musicians in hip hop, through its Street Scriptures project. They are past winners of The Future Awards.

Falconets

Nigeria’s female Under 20 national team, The Falconets were phenomenal at the FIFA U-20 Women World cup where they got the silver medal after losing to Germany in the final. The ladies play a beautiful passing game, lovely to watch. Their amazing team work makes them probably the best football team Nigeria ever fielded.

Young Person of the Year

Nnaemeka Ikegwonu

Nnaemeka founded the Smallholders Foundation in 2003. It provides rural communities in and around Imo state with information – via the radio – on contemporary agricultural techniques and environmental conservation. He has a bachelor of arts in history and international studies and a master’s degree in cooperation and development, is a change-maker fighting poverty using new interactive technology. He is a 2010 Rolex Young Laureate and his dream is to spread the impact of his foundation throughout the country. He is 28 years old.

Blessing Okagbare

Blessing is the quintessential Nigerian young woman. She set a triple jump record at the Mobile Track and Field Championships in May 2007 by finishing with a leap of 14.13 meters. In 2008, she was named the USTFCCCA Women’s Field Athlete of the Year and the Conference USA Indoor Track and Field Female Newcomer of the Year. She also won a Bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, 2008. She set a new record of 11.03 seconds at the 2010 African Championships in Nairobi beating fellow Nigerian Mary Onyali’s record of 11.05. She also won gold in the long jump category and was anchor for the Nigerian team that won gold in the 4 x 100m relay setting a record time of 43.45s. She is 22 years old.

Ojoma Ochai

Ojoma is in the British Council’s Regional Leadership Team and the Senior Leadership Team in Nigeria. Here, she is part of the team that sets strategy for BC operations in Nigeria and developing the organisational frameworks that ensure that both country and regional (in-country) operations are in line with regional and corporate objectives. She serves as the Assistant Director, Nigeria for the council. She has the lead on developing partnerships and strategic alliances in Nigeria, Sub Saharan Africa and the UK. She has developed and led the execution of significant large scale projects including the Creative Enterprise Programme and is part of a global design team for a project to showcase disability arts from participating countries in order to raise awareness of and stimulate debate about wider disability issues as part of the 2012 Paralympic legacy. She says however that her greatest achievement is “proving to everyday people like myself, who leave school with no idea of what the future holds, no singing or acting talent to speak off and no brilliant entrepreneurial idea that they can pound the pavement to find a job, rise to the top and make a name for themselves as a trailblazer in their immediate environments and beyond.”

Genevieve Nnaji

At 31, Genevieve is one of Nigeria’s A-list actors. She is outstanding even in this exclusive category and is one of Nollywood’s most recognizable faces. She has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show and was adjudged the Best Actress at the African Movie Academy Awards. She has been featured as the face of many products with brands eager to capitalise on the goodwill and instant recognition that her stellar cinematic performances have engendered. She launched a clothing line, St. Genevieve, in 2008 which donates all of its proceeds to charity.

Don Jazzy

Michael Onwuneme Enebeli is 29. He is perhaps, Nigeria’s largest music entrepreneurs, by volume and by quality. Since 2005, when he came into public consciousness for producing Past TFA Young Person of the Year, Dbanj’s hit Tongolo, Don Jazzy has transformed into an icon and a source of top of the chart hits.

He has transformed the Mo’Hits Record label into the largest force in the musical industry, with all the artists signed under the label, having major hits during the year. Artists under the Mo’Hits label are also known to be in the class of the most paid artistes in the country.

Makinde Adeagbo

Makinde Adeagbo was born in 1985. HE is a Software Engineer with Facebook. His work at Facebook spans from drastically reducing the time it takes to carry out actions and view content (especially in the developing world)…to building scalable infrastructure for our photos application to host and deliver the billions of photos that our users upload. He has also developed frameworks that have dramatically improved the speed of Facebook.  One of these frameworks, Primer, was an integral part of making Facebook twice as fast, as well as dramatically reducing development time for the team of 300+ engineers.

Outside of engineering, Makinde is also an avid athlete.  In college He was an All-Conference triple jumper.  He has completed a marathon and a half-IronMan triathlon.  He hopes to complete his first full IronMan triathlon.

Uche Eze

Uchenna Jennifer Eze is 26. Uche’s company, Bainstone Media has through its Bellanaija.com revolutionized and developed the online media sector of Nigeria. Bellanaija.com, the flagship of New Media startups in Nigeria, serves readers with up to date, accurate information on events and developments in Nigeria.

Graduated with Distinction from the HBA Program of the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. Uche started her career with Shell Canada before she transitioned to HR Advisor for Cadbury Middle East and Africa in London before moving to Nigeria as HR Advisor for the Commercial Unit of Cadbury Nigeria. She quit her job in 2009 to concentrate full time on Bainstone Media.

Uche is a TEDAfrica Fellow, a past nominee for The Future Awards 2010 and an Associate of the Nigerian Leadership Institute. She has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show  and on CNN International.

P square

Peter and Paul Okoye grew to be national acts in 2001 when they won the “Grab Da Mic” competition, with Benson & Hedges sponsored their debut album, titled “Last Nite”, which was released under Timbuk2 Music Label. They have an ever growing fan base across Africa and South Africa with a particular stronghold of die-hard fans in Cape Town. The group has performed alongside the following international artists like Ginuwine, Sean Paul, Akon and Busola Keshiro.

On 4 April 2010, P-Square was named the Artist of the Year[citation needed] at the KORA All Africa Music Awards in Ouagadougou, Burkina-Faso while they were in London for a Concert at the Troxy receiving 1 million dollars as cash prize for the award. They have won all the major music awards in Africa and were nominated in the Best International Act Category of the BET Awards 2010.

Nneka

Nneka Egbuna was born in a small town called Warri in Nigeria in 1981 and started singing in her local church. After relocating to Germany she’s been singing “professionally“ for 5 years now. Her influences reflect her younger days in Nigeria as well as her time in the western world as she names famous compatriot Fela Kuti and legend Bob Marley as well as contemporary rappers Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Mobb Deep and Lauryn Hill.  Musically her songs range from deep soulful ballads like her „Confession“ tune to modern reinventions of the UK sound, that „Massive Attack“ once was popular for („Changes“) to funk-driven Hip Hop tracks („Stand Strong“).

Nneka was featured in The David Letterman Show in New York in January 2010 In June 2010 and she also won the reggae category of the Museke Online Africa Music Award 2010 with her hit song, Africans. She went on tour with rap great, Nas and Damien Marley to promote their joint ‘Distant Relatives’ album. She also participates in this year’s Lilith Fair Concert (2010) where the likes of Tegan & Sara, Sarah McLachlan, Kelly Clarkson, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Corinne Bailey Rae, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna and others performed. She won the award for best indigenous artist in Nigeria at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2010 which was held in New York, U.S.A.

After achieving fame and glory internationally, Nneka made a triumphant return to Nigeria during the year on tour with MTV-Award-winning Nigerian rapper 2-Face and has since become a huge sensation.

Debo Olaosebikan

Gbadebo Olaosebikan is 25. Debo graduated Summa Cum Laude in May 2006 from Illinois Wesleyan University, with concentrations in Physics and Mathematics.

While working with IBM, he helped advance the first stages of a futuristic design for magnetic tape that could increase the information capable of being stored in current tape-based memory devices up to 100GB per square inch. His work is directly relevant to IBM’s interests in the billion dollar memory industry. Debo also worked on resolving a physics puzzle faced by scientists trying to understand an experiment related to a new kind of computer memory that used electric currents instead of magnets to read and write memory.

In December, 2009, he built a prototype of an innovative computer software product that addresses the problem of providing affordable 21st century education in Africa in a way that has not been realized on a mass scale anywhere in the world. The idea as well as the prototype computer software was chosen as a finalist of a United States Agency for International Development/Western Union $100,000 competition in Washington D.C. in January, 2010. He is in talks with the Lagos State Government to make this available to public schools.

In the past year, Debo who is also a rapper under the stage name Levelz! is currently completing a PhD in Physics at Cornell University where he is working on harnessing the novelties afforded by silicon photonic structures with respect to light matter interactions, electro-optics and non-linear optics. This work which is done with Dr. Michal Lipson, one of the world’s leading Nanophotonics pioneers, is groundbreaking research that will introduce the world to an era of much faster computer processes. Debo has demonstrated Stimulated emission in a silicon compatible material. Stimulated emission is a process, first predicted and discovered by Albert Einstein and it is a necessary condition for having a laser.

Debo also ran a pilot edition CATCH AFRICA, a science oriented competition that is supposed to inspire students to move away from rote memorization and use science to creatively solve problems in their immediate environment.