The Seven (7)- Changing Africa!

The Seven- Changing Africa

Celebrating Seven(7) truly amazing young Africans, highly inspiring individuals who have contributed immensely to nation building in their respective nations and localities. By their exemplary leadership, they have impacted the lives of many young people in Africa making priceless investments in the future of this great and noble continent.

DANIEL A. (Accra, Ghana)

Daniel is an inspiring youth leader of over 400 teenagers in the city of Accra, Ghana. At just 20 years of age, Daniel organizes training meetings where he motivates and provides direction for the youth within his scope of influence on how to positively impact wherever they are located. He also organizes talent hunt events, which also serves to teach those within his age group that each one of them has a unique gift a special endowment in his or her life.

SAMUEL E. (Lagos, Nigeria)

This vibrant 18 year old has pioneered Christian groups in several high schools in Lagos, Nigeria with the aim of impacting young people for the future. He is also actively involved in a massive high school program which introduced 54 high schools to using Christian faith and value-building resources, including the world wide acclaimed daily devotional Rhapsody of Realities and it’s teenage companion Teevo, as part of their schools educational curriculum.

DWAPE O. (Abuja, Nigeria)

This is a dynamic 15-year-old teenager with an excellent character and a passion to impact his generation in an extraordinary fashion. Presently, he is the head of chapel in his college. He raises funds and goes into communities in his city to help the poor and less privileged. His services to the motherless baby’s homes and orphanages in his locality is worthy of emulation, as he not only ministers to these needy children providing them with essentials for living but also leads other teenagers to join him in carrying out this worthy cause. He is also involved in an anti-corruption fight, “FAMILIES AGAINST CORRUPTION IN THE SOCIETY” where he gets other young people to hear his views on the subject and to promote justice and fairness.

BLESSING C. (Lagos, Nigeria)

Blessing is vivacious 16-year-old teenager with a strong passion for God; she is a product of the Inner city Mission of Christ Embassy, which is a mission home project, with a school for indigent children. She is currently a senior secondary school student in Lagos Nigeria where is the chapel prefect. Taking advantage of this apex position in her school, she boldly uses her faith to impact the students daily on the assembly ground, building in them the right values for their futures. She is also giving back to society by volunteering as a teacher at the Inner City Mission and also a part of the team which introduced 54 schools to using Christian faith and value-building resources including the Rhapsody of Realities and its Teenager companion- the Teevo, as part of their educational curriculum.

CLARENT T. (Accra, Ghana)

He is a 19-year-old leading over 350 teenagers in Accra, Ghana. Every month this year, he distributed hundreds of Christian materials, including the world acclaimed Rhapsody of Realities to young people in order to instill in them values, self-worth, excellence and patriotism, as foundation blocks for success. Though a teenager, he raises the funds for the free distribution of these devotionals, as he believes that Africa’s young people should give into worthy initiatives they believe in.

OBIORA M. (Lagos, Nigeria)

Young Obiora is a highly motivated youth leader mobilizing secondary school students towards imbibing and exhibiting a strong spirit of patriotism towards Nigeria. He raised, and leads a team, which targets the re-culturing of young people. This team has reached over 20 secondary schools through specific specialized training meetings, specialized seminars, and special mentoring workshops.

TOSIN O. (Lagos, Nigeria)

He is a motivational youth leader inspired to improve the educational quality of young people in selected communities in Nigeria. He has raised and leads an impact group of over 197 young people who participate in an academic program he manages with a team of other inspired youths. He impacts them with the life-changing messages he has received from his mentor, Reverend Chris Oyakhilome.

THE FUTURE AFRICAN LEADERS AWARD 2013

THE FUTURE AFRICAN LEADERS AWARD 2013

The Future Africa Leaders Award is an initiative of the Chris Oyakhilome Foundation International and it is aimed at exploring and expanding the leadership potential in Africa and for Africa by identifying, celebrating and supporting young Africans who have demonstrated exemplary leadership by impacting their generation positively through education, youth empowerment and mentoring, and also through other projects aimed at building young people and preparing them for a positive future.

Award winners will be supported by scholarships and grants to further enhance their effectiveness and capacities. The Future Africa Leaders Award is sponsored by the Chris Oyakhilome Foundation International and enjoys further support from various other foundations interested in raising leaders for Africa’s future.

The President’s Opening Remarks

The award ceremony for the outgoing year 2013 began with an opening address by the President, Believers’ LoveWorld Incorporated, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome (PhD). In his opening remarks, he pointed out that one of the necessary focus areas for us in Africa in 2014 would be Africa’s future. He added that though a lot has been done in this area in times past, more effort would be put in this direction. According to him, the future of Africa is very important not only to Africa but also to the whole world.

In his remarks, he stressed that it’s impossible to successfully think about the future of any society without thinking about children and young people. Furthermore, the man of God added his voice to the voices of many around the world calling for a more inspiring leadership in Africa. He explained that there’s a need for inspiring leadership in all the sectors of society in Africa, saying that to build a more prosperous and successful continent, African leaders and Africans must focus on education. Pastor Chris said, “we must review the mis-education of the past and in addition review the present inadequate and ineffective academic curriculum of the school systems”. He also added that there is a need for Africa to create a new qualitative curriculum that can actually lead people into a successful future. In his remarks, the schools should no longer be places where children are camped to keep them from disturbing the polities of the day rather, Africa’s Children should go to school to really learn in such a way as to become better citizens and build better societies.

According to the man of God, the importance of this is underscored in the scriptures themselves. Pastor Chris said that God in His Word gave us His wisdom when He said, “when a man who has been a leper is healed of leprousy, he must wash his clothes, [and] even his house. This is to prevent him from been re-infected by his environment.” Explaining further, Pastor Chris told the audience that no matter how successful an individual is, until and unless he makes his environment, his country, or the city where he lives or works part of that success, his success will be in danger of failure.  Admonishing further he said, “you are not successful until your environment is successful. Always remember that it cannot be you and you alone. True success and achievement must include you and us”.

The President of Believers’ LoveWorld Incorporated affirmed saying, “on our part as a ministry, we are participating in several projects to help build better societies. Not only are we providing housing for the poor, clean water in different communities, transportation, building and renovating schools, we are also training people all the time. We are training and raising leaders so they can help their communities and strengthen their societies so they can fulfill their dreams and serve God in the right environment”.

Finally, he admonished by saying; “in 2014, I ask that you give your time to these pursuits. Train and empower the youths, educate the children and get them ready for the future”.

Empowering Africa's Next Generation of Leaders

Empowering Africa's Next Generation of Leaders

by Valerie Jarrett Jul 28, 2014 9:44 PM

President Barack Obama delivers remarks and answers questions at the Young African Leaders Initiative town hall in Washington, D.C., July 28, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

President Obama’s town hall today with 500 of Africa’s most promising young leaders provided an inspiring window into what the future holds for Africa, and the world.

The 500 participants in the Washington Fellowship program were selected from nearly 50,000 applicants from across Africa, as part of the President’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). YALI was launched by President Obama in 2010, as part of a long-term investment in the next generation of African leaders. It aims to sharpen their skills, to improve their networks, and to strengthen partnerships between the United States and Africa for years to come.

The President announced during the town hall that the Washington Fellowship was being renamed as the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, in honor of the former South African President, Nelson Mandela. Mandela Washington Fellows represent the best and brightest from communities across Africa, and fields ranging from education, medicine, law, business, and beyond. These are the young leaders whose skills, passion, and visions for the future, will help shape the fate of their countries and the world. It is in everyone’s best interest to help them prepare with the tools they need to build a healthier, more secure, more prosperous, and more peaceful Africa, which is why President Obama launched YALI in the first place.

President Obama also took today’s opportunity to preview another historic event planned for next week. The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit will be hosted in Washington, by President Obama, and will represent the largest gathering any American president has ever hosted with African heads of state and government.

The President pointed out today, “even as we deal with crises and challenges in other parts of the world that often dominate the headlines; even as we acknowledge the real hardships that so many Africans face every day -- we have to make sure that we’re all seizing the extraordinary potential of today’s Africa, the youngest and fastest-growing continent.”

People taking part in the Young African Leaders Initiative town hall raise their hands as President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the summit in Washington, D.C., July 28, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

YALI is about capitalizing on the creativity and talent of Africa’s young leaders by empowering them with the skills, training, and technology necessary to make lasting change, and meaningful progress back home. And to do so, we are engaging public and private sector partners to create new Regional Leadership Centers across Africa to reach more young leaders. We’re joining with American universities, African institutions and business partners like Microsoft and MasterCard Foundation. Starting next year, young Africans can come to these centers to network, access the latest technology, and get training in management and entrepreneurship. The first centers will be located in Senegal, Ghana, South Africa and Kenya -- and will provide tens of thousands of young Africans the resources they need to put their ideas into action.

As last year came to a close, the world said goodbye to one of the brightest lights the world has ever known -- President Nelson Mandela. His life was proof of the power within each of us to leave the world better than we found it. Yet, as that brilliant star dimmed, we now have the opportunity to see 500 more shine brightly this week.

One of this summer’s Fellows, Sobel Ngom from Senegal, captured the spirit of his experience in the YALI program this way: “Here, I have met Africa. The [Africa] I have always believed in. She is beautiful, young, full of talent, motivation and ambition.” And being here with all of his Fellow Mandela Washington Fellows -- learning together, working together, dreaming together -- has only strengthened his determination, he says, to realize his aspirations for his country and his continent.