Olu of Warri, TY Bello, Burna Boy named among ‘most influential people of African descent’

Tsola Emiko, the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has been named among the ‘most influential people of African descent (MIPAD)’.

MIPAD honours 200 outstanding individuals of African descent in four categories: politics and governance; business and entrepreneurship; media and culture, humanitarian and religion — the programme has held every year since 2015.

Alongside the Olu of Warri, Wendy Okolo, Taiwo Olawole, Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola and Aminu Umar-Sadiq were listed in the politics and governance sector.

The Nigerians in the media and culture category include Arese Ugwu, Bunmi Ajakaiye Daniel Effiong, Busola Tejumola, Eze Ezegozie, Joël Kachi Benson, Lanre Aina.

Omolabake Adenle, Abbey Wemimo, Adenike Odutola, Bankole Cardoso and Babawande Afolabi are some of the Nigerians on the business and entrepreneurship list.

Japheth Omojuwa and Gbemisola Abudu made the list for the humanitarian, activism and religious category.

Other notable persons recognised include TY Bello, Sola Sobowale, Kemi Adetiba, Richard Mofe Damijo, Dakore Akande, Kunle Afolayan, Burna Boy, Femi Kuti, Ali Baba, Bolanle Austen-Peters and Mo Abudu.

With the theme for this year, ‘Amplifying Global Black Narratives’, according to the organisers, MIPAD aims to showcase the contributions of people of African descent.

“What we are doing is to recognise and support people of African descent,” Kamil Olufowobi, chief executive officer, MIPAD, said in an interview with CNN.

“As long as you are working in contribution to the collective and to support humanity, that’s what makes you a nominee for our global list.

“We are working on the UN resolution that declares the international decade for people of African descent, and the first pillar of that is recognition. And the task that we have had is to scout around the world and find people of African descent who are making positive contributions and highlight them every year.”

Olufowobi added that another aim of MIPAD is to create a platform where Africans from different parts of the world get to connect and create possibilities for the people of Africa.