A few patriots represent the silver lining for Nigeria, a country whose outgoing year has been one of tears and blood induced by economic hardship. Their impressive contributions on the global scale send chills to the world powers as they bequeath glory to their fatherland. LANRE ODUKOYA takes a cursory look at some of those who hoisted Nigeria’s flag abroad.
Kah-Lo (Singer)
Faridah Demola Seriki (a.k.a. Kah- Lo), a rising international artiste and daughter of former Minister of Defence and Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Chief Demola Seriki was nominated for the prestigious Grammy Awards.
The ‘unsung’ music star returned his father’s name to reckoning from oblivion where politics had hidden it for years.
Kah-Lo, an alumna of Hofstra Journalism in the United States of America, was nominated for Best Dance Recording “Rinse & Repeat” – Riton Featuring Kah-Lo.
Adebayo Ogunlesi (Investment Banker)
He is brilliant, super rich and sounds refreshing whenever he discusses the implementation of his projects. He’s known as “the man who bought Gatwick,” and his poker face is world class.
Meet Adebayo Ogunlesi, the new diversity hire of President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump. The Nigerian billionaire and investment banker, Ogunlesi is expected to join Trump’s cabinet as part of a policy and strategy forum, which is poised to help Trump bring back jobs and “make America great again.”
Bayo, for short, as he’s called by those close to him, is chairman and managing partner of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a New York-based private equity firm, with over $35 billion assets under investment.
Wizkid (Singer and Songwriter)
Vastly talented Nigerian music export and Star Boy Music Worldwide boss, Ayo Balogun known by the showbiz moniker, Wizkid, has been tagged in the prestigious Grammy Awards nominees list for his role in Drake’s hit single “One Dance”.
The track, which also features Kyla, is off Drake’s award winning album “Views” which stood out as one of the best albums released in 2016.
Drake’s album, in which Wizkid appeared, made the highly coveted “Album of the year” category, competing against other award winning artistes like Adele, Beyonce, and Justin Bieber.
Wizkid has had a tremendous year making motherland proud with top notch awards credited to him. Worthy of mentions are his Bill Board appearance as the first Nigerian to emerge on that list, MTV Europe Music Awards (Best African Act), 2016 MAMA awards (Best African Act), 2016 MOBO Awards, AFRIMA awards, the Headies (Nomination), and just recently, his appearance on the Grammy Awards among others.
Wizkid’s international prominence started when his “Ojuelegba” hit single had American rapper Drake and British rapper with Nigerian descent, Skepta, on the remix.
Amina Mohammed (Nigeria’s Environment Minister)
The moment the new UN Secretary- General, António Guterres, said: “I am pleased to announce that I will be appointing Ms. Amina J. Mohammed of Nigeria as my Deputy Secretary-General, and Ms. Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti of Brazil as my Chef De Cabinet.
I am happy to count on the efforts of these highly competent women, whom I have chosen for their strong backgrounds in global affairs, development, diplomacy, human rights and humanitarian action,” all doubts about the enchantment in Nigeria’s environment minister’s resume were removed.
And there’s no gainsaying that the northern belle did Nigeria proud with that global portfolio as the world awaits a prosperous reign.
The Imafidons (World’s most mathematical family)
From the heartland of Edo State, Nigeria, hails The Imafidons, the Nigerian family regarded as the smartest in Britain.
However, it is not difficult to know why that is the case. Still blazing the trail, a member of the family, Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon, was recently named one of the top 10 women in technology in the world.
A pioneering alumna of the multi-record breaking institution, the Excellence in Education program, Dr. Imafidon has just been featured in the world’s first permanent public exhibition of mathematics which opened days ago in London.
Dr. Imafidon is the eldest child of what is also known as the world’s most mathematical family and visitors were simply enthralled watching her explain the mathematical principles behind computer security at the prestigious British museum.
The head of the family, Chris Imafidon and his wife, Ann, relocated from Nigeria to Britain almost 40 years ago but their achievements along with those of their high-achieving children, have turned them into notable celebrities.
Anthony Joshua
(British-born Nigerian boxing champion)
Anthony Joshua stopped Charles Martin in two rounds at London’s O2 Arena in April to claim the IBF heavyweight title in only his 16th professional fight.
The British-born Nigerian boxer, Anthony Oluwafemi Joshua emerged the IBF World Heavyweight Champion on April 9, 2016, after defeating Charles Martin with a knockout in the second round.
Joshua was born in Watford to a Nigerian mother and a father of Nigerian and Irish descent. His cousin is fellow unbeaten professional boxer, Ben lleyemi. The pair made their professional debuts together in 2013.
In his 10th professional bout, Joshua defeated Michael Sprott within the 1st round to extend his record to 10 wins all by stoppage.
He was supposed to face American boxer Kevin Johnson on January 31, 2015 at The O2 Arena in London, but the bout was cancelled after Joshua sustained a back injury.
On April 4, 2015, Joshua beat Jason Gavern as he won by a third-round knockout in his return to the ring in Newcastle.
On 9 May 2015, in his 12th professional bout, Joshua defeated Raphael Zumbano Love in a second round knockout in Birmingham.
Joshua fought Dillian Whyte for the vacant British Heavyweight title on December 12, 2015, whilst also defending his Commonwealth Heavyweight title for the first time.
The two had previously fought within the amateur rankings in 2009 where Whyte had won. After surviving the first scare of his professional career in the second round, Joshua won the fight after initially shaking Whyte with a right hook to the temple and eventually finishing with a devastating uppercut for the knockout in the seventh round, making it the furthest distance either fighter has gone in a professional fight to date. It is said that Joshua earned £3million for this fight alone.
Oluyinka Olutoye (Surgeon)
A number of physicians abroad had done Nigeria proud over the years but one in focus is the man whose feat in 2016 got the world talking.
Oluyinka Olutoye, an alumnus of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, is one of the 22 doctors who recently performed a groundbreaking surgery at the Texas Children’s Hospital in the US.
The doctors removed sacrococcygeal teratoma a rare tumor that appears at the base of a baby’s tailbone and returned the child to the mother’s womb. Twelve weeks after that unprecedented operation, the baby was born normally.
According to experts, sacrococcygeal teratoma, which occurs in about one of 40,000 pregnancies, could result to heart failure.
Olutoye and Darrel Cass led 20 other doctors to perform the surgery itself, spending majority of the time on making meticulous incisions into the uterus, then carefully pulling out the lower half of the baby’s body.
In the middle of the procedure, the baby’s heart stopped and needed to be restarted; she required a blood transfusion, as well.
Yet it was his first, Olutoye had made exceptional contributions to the art and science of surgery.
New Telegraph
