Africa’s biggest youth event, The Future Awards Africa (TFAA) 2014 has announced the performers for its 2014 edition, and from Paris, one of Africa’s biggest exports to the world, Asa is leading the pack.

Paris-based, Nigeria’s most successful music export of this decade, ASA and arguably the foremost breakout artiste of the year, Yemi Alade.

Described by CNN as ‘an African pop legend in the making’, Asa recently released her third album, ‘Bed of Stone’, which has arnered rave reviews across the world, will be performing songs from it exclusively at TFAA 2014.

She will be joined by multi-award winning singer, Iyanya and 2014’s breakout artiste, Yemi Alade, who debuted her album

‘King of Queens’ this year, with her music crossing borders through collaborations with the likes of Tanzania’s most successful artiste, Diamond Platnumz.

“Also on the stage at the awards will be pop culture icons including Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Genevieve Nnaji, Banky W and Lanre Da Silva Ajayi,” said designer Ohimai Atafo, who is Chair of the Central Working Committee for the awards. “They will be driving the content of the awards through calls to action and award presentations.”

It will be recalled that, last week, the organisers announced the four anchors for the event: Nigeria’s Ice Prince, Iyanya and Osas Ighodaro alongside Ugandan Channel O VJ, Flavia Tuminise.

Hosting the red carpet will be Africa’s IT girls on television, Bolanle Olukanni and Zainab Balogun of EbonyLife TV. They will be joined by fashion bloggers, Denola Adepetun and Zina Anumudu of StyleVitae who have defined the culture for fashion over the past year.

The Future Awards Africa 2014 will be broadcast live, primetime, on perennially award-winning TV station, Channels Television – from 7.30 – 9.30pm.

The black-tie event holds on Sunday, 7 December at the Intercontinental Hotels in Lagos, Nigeria. It is strictly by invitation.
The Future Awards Africa 2014 is headlined by Vitafoam and presented in partnership with Microsoft, the Lagos Internal Revenue Service and the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Official Media Partners are EbonyLife TV, AfricaMagic, Ventures Africa, and Y! Africa. Official Online Partners are MemeBurn, BellaNaija and 360nobs.

The official bloggers for 2014 are LindaIkeji, Omojuwa, LadunLiadi, Olorisupergal, Ameyaw, NigeriaNewsDesk and GidiTraffic. Country partners are RedBox Africa, The Trent, Information Nigeria, News Wire Nigeria, SabiNews and Pulse.ng. Buzz Partners are Style Vitae, StyleMeAfrica, Fashpa.com & FAP.
Cool FM is the host radio station. Channels Television is the host TV station.

For more information, visit @TFAAfrica on Twitter/Instagram or the website www.thefutureafrica.com/awards. The official hashtags for the 2014 awards are #TheFutureAwards and #TheFutureAwards2014.

Hosted by the legendary cool DJ Jimmy Jatt, Jimmy’s #JumpOff , tagged the official naija entertainment industry party, is set to hold at Get Arena in Victoria Island Lagos. The event will feature leading DJs in the industry: DJ Xclusive, DJ Spinall, DJ Neptune, DJ Sose, DJ Nana, DJ Humility, DJ Tee, and a host of other artistes.

#JumpOff is a musical platform that parades DJs and artistes making waves in Nigeria. It also offers electrifying performances by various entertainers that promise to amaze the audience.

Regular tickets are going for N2000 while the VIP tickets are N5000 per head.

Tickets are also available at selected Sweet Sensation outlets, all US Polo stores and Bruno’s Saloon Ikeja. To buy tickets online, visit www.easyticketonline.com, ariyatickets.com and quickteller.com.

Follow the hashtag on twitter #JumpOff for regular updates.

Jimmy’s JumpOff is proudly supported by Smirnoff, Red Bull, Paragoins and Nelson Jack. It is also heavily supported by media firms such as, Hip TV, Cool FM, Beat FM, Classic FM, Naija FM, Rhythm FM, City FM, Silverbird TV, SoundCity, Wazobia FM, YNaija.com, 360nobs.com, Music Africa, Notjustok.com, Primetime Africa, Top Radio, and several others.

Africa’s biggest youth event, The Future Awards Africa (TFAA) has announced the Keynote Speakers for its 2014 edition: they are the governor of Africa’s largest city, Babatunde Raji Fashola, and Tanzania’s Dr. Frannie Leautier, who has been called ‘Africa’s queen of development’. The event holds on Sunday, 7 December at the Intercontinental Hotels in Lagos, Nigeria.

“We are extremely excited to announce the confirming of these exemplary African leaders,” said Mohamed Diaby, from Abidjan, who is a member of the Central Working Committee for the awards. “They typify the theme for this year’s event, a call to action for Africa’s now generation to take charge and transform the continent. We are counting the days to the continent’s exclusive evening of inspiration.”

The Keynote Speaker for 2013 was Nigeria’s president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

Dr. Leautier is the Chief Executive Officer of Mkoba Private Equity, a fund created to support small and medium enterprises in Africa. She has served as Vice President of the World Bank and Head of the World Bank Institute. She was also co-chair of the World Economic Forum in 2013. She has also had a successful career in the private sector. In 2007, she founded the Fezembat Group, a company focused on risk management and leadership development, serving as its Managing Partner until 2009. Dr. Leautier was recently listed among the 100 most influential people in Africa. She is a board member of the Nelson Mandela Institute for Science and Technology in Africa (founding member), the Africa Institute for Governing with Integrity (founding member) and of UONGOZI, a leadership institute in Tanzania.

Governor Fashola’s track record in governance is widely regarded as peerless. Referred to by the UK Telegraph as “the man who tamed” Lagos, The Atlantic says of his leadership, “Lagos illustrates what is possible when the government enters into a social contract with its citizens”.

Nigeria declared Ebola-free has however been called “his biggest achievement in office.” Taking “personal charge of the operation to track down and quarantined nearly 1000 people feared to have been infected”, in a city with an estimated 17 million people, he successfully supervised “what would have been a formidably complex operation in any country,” according to the Telegraph.

“His insights on leadership and impact, which emphasise the capacity of Africans to lead and save Africa became even more important as TFAA drives the #StopEbola campaign to galvanise 1 million young Africans to fight the pandemic in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Mali,” said Mohamed Diaby.”

The Governor is recipient of the 2009 Yitzhak Rabin Centre for African Development Governor of the Decade for Peace Award and the recipient of the 2010 Award of Excellence in Leadership of the Martin Luther King Jnr. Foundation.

“We need all hands on deck,” said Dr. Leautier. “This is a truly great initiative, with impressive results achieved in entrepreneurship development and getting the message of action out to young Africans. I look forward to the awards, and the next phase of impact.”

The Future Awards Africa 2014 is headlined by Vitafoam and presented in partnership with Microsoft, the Lagos Internal Revenue Service and the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Official Media Partners are EbonyLife TV, AfricaMagic, Ventures Africa, and Y! Africa. Official Online Partners are MemeBurn, BellaNaija, Premium Times and 360nobs.

The official bloggers for 2014 are LindaIkeji, Omojuwa, LadunLiadi, Olorisupergal, Ameyaw, NigeriaNewsDesk and GidiTraffic. Country partners are The Trent, Information Nigeria, News Wire Nigeria, SabiNews and Pulse.ng.

Cool FM is the host radio station. Channels Television is the host TV station.

For more information, visit @TFAAfrica on Twitter/Instagram or the website www.thefutureafrica.com/awards. The official hashtags for the 2014 awards are #TheFutureAwards and #TheFutureAwards2014.

Africa’s biggest youth event, The Future Awards Africa (TFAA) has unveiled the list of its finalists for the 2014 edition of the awards.

The finalists have been selected from the pool of outstanding individuals across various disciplines and nominated from all over Africa for this season of the awards – and have been assessed through a four-month process supervised by the Central Working Committee, Board of Judges and Independent Audit Committee.

“We are delighted to announce the finalists for this year’s awards. It was a painstaking process but we are happy that the quality of nominations keeps rising every year,” said Elikem Nutifafa, who is member of the Independent Audit Committee. “These are the brightest stars of Africa’s today, and future.

The winners will be announced at an exclusive ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria on the 7th December 2014

See complete list of finalists below:

TFAA Prize in Technology

Jamilia Abass, Linda Kwamboka & Susan Oguya (Kenya)

Mark Essien (Nigeria)

Joshua Okello (Kenya)

TFAA Prize in Community Action

Jake Okechukwu (Nigeria)

Nixon Ochatre (Uganda)

Tricia Ikponmwonba (Nigeria)

TFAA Prize in Public Service

Lukman Jaji (Nigeria)

Okwuone Nkechi (Nigeria)

Ahmed Salihijo (Nigeria)

TFAA Prize in Advocacy

Kennedy Odede (Kenya)

Boniface Mwangi (Kenya)

Abdikadir Aden Hassan (Kenya)

TFAA Prize in Enterprise Support

Sanga Moses (Uganda)

Bunmi Otegbade (Nigeria)

Justin Stanford (South Africa)

TFAA Prize in Entertainment

Panshak ‘Ice Prince’ Zamani (Nigeria)

Michael Kwesi ‘Sarkodie’ Owusu (Ghana)

Nasibu Adul ‘Diamond’ Juma (Tanzania)

TFAA Prize in Agriculture

Olawale Isaiah Ojo (Nigeria)

Charles Nichols and Samir Ibrahim (Kenya)

Nasir Yammama (Nigeria)

The Tony O. Elumelu Prize in Business

Eseoghene Odiete (Nigeria)

Ally Edha Awadh (Tanzania)

Andrew Mupuya (Uganda)

TFAA Prize in Education

Regina Agyare (Ghana)

Obanor Chukwuwezam & Ogunlana Olumide (Nigeria)

Philip Obaji Jr (Nigeria)

TFAA Prize for Young Person of the Year

Kayode Disu (Nigeria)

Joel Mwale (Kenya)

Sangu Delle (Ghana)

Alengot Oromait (Uganda)

David Adedeji ‘Davido’ Adeleke (Nigeria)

The Future Awards Africa 2014 is presented in partnership with Microsoft and the Tony Elumelu Foundation and is headlined by Vitafoam.

Official Media Partners are EbonyLife TV, Africa Magic, Ventures Africa, and Y! Africa.

Official Online Partners are MemeBurn, BellaNaija, YNaija, Premium Times and 360nobs.

The official bloggers for 2014 are LindaIkeji, Omojuwa, LadunLiadi, Olorisupergal, Ameyaw Debrah, NigeriaNewsDesk. Country partners are LIRS, Silverbird TV, Hip TV, The Cable,The Trent, Information Nigeria, News Wire Nigeria, Pulse.ng and Sabinews; press Buzz Partners are StyleMeAfrica, StyleVitae, Ono Bello and FAP.

Cool FM is the host radio station. Channels Television is the host TV station.

For more information, visit @TFAAfrica on Twitter/Instagram or the websitewww.thefutureafrica.com/awards. The official hashtags for the 2014 awards are #TheFutureAwardsAfrica and #TheFutureAwards2014.

After thrilling fans and enjoying massive airplay to a smash hit in the month of August, Vector Tha Viper has released the gestating video to the song ‘Shiga’.

‘Shiga’ a Hausa expression for ‘enter’, is a bonus track from the mixtape #A7 audio which featured Waje as vocalist and one of Nigeria’s leading female on-air personalities Toolz.

The colourful video features Vector rocking a studded leather jacket and has a number of attractive vixens with one very curvaceous lady being the centre of attention. The afro-pop video has an infusion of the Fulani culture nicely portrayed in dressing and dance.

“We are trying to have fun, and I have left no stone unturned to meet the expectations of my fans” said Vector when asked about the concept of the video.
The crisp video also features cameo appearances by Hypeman, Jimmie Akinsola, afro-pop artiste Black Magic and on-air personality, Osam.

The track ‘Shiga’ was produced by Ekelly and the video shoot directed by beauty stylist, Toyin Lawani. It was shot on set in Lagos at Tiannah’s Place Empire beauty salon.

Download and watch the video HERE

RED Managing Director and Author  of “Are We The Turning Point Generation”, Chude Jideonwo joins the Book & Youth Empowerment panel at the 16th Lagos Book & Art Festival, LABAF 2014.  The annual book festival held panel on Sunday, November 16.

Also on the panel was author of ‘The Wonderful Life 0f Senator Boniface and other Sorry Tales’, Ayo Sogunro

Sage Hasson, author of Dream maker lead the Book & Youth Empowerment panel engaging both authors in conversation on the role of books in fuelling the power of youth.

The Future Awards Africa (TFAA) has announced the leading influencers for its global campaign to pool 1 million young Africans to act against Ebola in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. The #StopEbola campaign will be led by TFAA Young Person of the Year 2013, Ashish Thakkar and Africa’s leading creative icons – Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Paris-based Asa Elemide.

The #StopEbola campaign will get young Africans to support the World Health Organization by donating social media updates and a minimum of $25 between now and the awards date via the portal www.stopebola.com. The funds go directly to the United Nations Ebola Response Fund. The Future Awards Africa holds on Sunday, 7 December 2014 at the Intercontinental Hotels in Lagos, Nigeria.

“Ebola has been defeated in Nigeria,” said Nnaji who has actively supported causes including the Pink Ball against cancer. “This shows that with the will and resources it can be defeated anywhere else. We need to get involved beyond talk and beyond sympathy. As long as it remains anywhere in Africa, we are all at risk, and we can come together to stop this from happening. Join me, and join all of us now on www.stopebola.com.”

“This goes to the core of what is important to me, and what should be important to all of us who are very concerned about our continent,” said Jalade-Ekeinde, who has been spokesperson for Amnesty International and the United Nations. “Just when the world has begun to pay attention to Africa as a destination for rapid growth and investment, we cannot allow Ebola define the narrative. We need to put a stop to this immediately, and young people need to take the lead.”

Other influencers include CEO of Mara Group, Ashish Thakkar; CEO of Paga; Tayo Oviosu, Deputy Director of the British Council, Ojoma Ochai. Other influencers include Deputy Director of the British Council Nigeria, Ojoma Ochai; Tu Face Idibia, Van Vicker, Joselyn Dumas, Lanre Da Silva Ajayi, Dayo Israel, Denrele, Dakore Akande, Juliet Ibrahim, Funke Akindele, Omoni Oboli, Ohimai Atafo, Joseph Benjamin, Ice Prince, MI Abaga, Omawumi, Waje, Lynxx, Yemi Adamolekun, Gbenga Sesan, Kunle Afolayan, Osas Ighodaro, Yegwa Ukpo and Kathleen Ndongmo.

To be part of the campaign, it takes just 3 easy steps:

1. Go to stopebola.com.
2. Click on the SHARE button and sign up to the Thunderclap campaign. Thunderclap helps ensure everyone will tweet the same #StopEbola message on November 29 at the same time. It takes just 2 minutes to sign up, and/or
3. Click on the DONATE button to donate directly to the UN’s Ebola Response Fund.

You should also put up the #StopEbola flyer on your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Phone DPs everyday from now to 7 December. You can download the flyers on www.stopebola.com.

The #StopEbola hashtag campaign kicks off officially on Tuesday, 11.11.2014 at 12PM.

The Future Awards Africa 2014 is presented in partnership with Microsoft and the Tony Elumelu Foundation and is headlined by Vitafoam.

Official Media Partners are EbonyLife TV, Africa Magic, Ventures Africa, and Y! Africa. Official Online Partners are MemeBurn, BellaNaija, YNaija, Premium Times and 360nobs.

The official bloggers for 2014 are LindaIkeji, Omojuwa, LadunLiadi, Olorisupergal, Ameyaw Debrah, NigeriaNewsDesk. Country partners are Silverbird TV, Hip TV, The Cable, LadunLiadi, The Trent, Information Nigeria, News Wire Nigeria, Pulse.ng; and Buzz Partners are StyleMeAfrica, StyleVitae and OnoBello.

Cool FM is the host radio station. Channels Television is the host TV station.

For more information, visit @TFAAfrica on Twitter/Instagram or the website www.thefutureafrica.com/awards. The official hashtags for the 2014 awards are #TheFutureAwardsAfrica and #TheFutureAwards2014.

The Future Awards Africa (TFAA) has announced young business leaders who are headlining its global campaign to pool 1 million young Africans to act against Ebola in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. The #StopEbola campaign will be led by TFAA Young Person of the Year 2013, Ashish Thakkar and Africa’s leading creative icons – Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Paris-based Asa Elemide.

Business and social leaders across the continent have also joined up, including founder of Puku S8 Meck Khalfan, and chief executive of mobile payment company Paga, Tayo Oviosu.

The #StopEbola campaign will get young Africans to support the World Health Organization by donating social media updates and a minimum of $25 between now and the awards date via the portal www.stopebola.com. The funds go directly to the United Nations Ebola Response Fund. The Future Awards Africa holds on Sunday, 7 December 2014 at the Intercontinental Hotels in Lagos, Nigeria.

“Of course, I am signed up to be a #StopEbola ambassador,” said Khalfan who was named Africa Business Leader of the Year 2013 by the Corporate Council of Africa. “It is an important cause at this time and I absolutely align that Africans need to take the lead in the efforts to stop Ebola on the continent.”

“Ebola has been defeated in Nigeria,” said Nnaji who has actively supported causes including the Pink Ball against cancer. “This shows that with the will and resources it can be defeated anywhere else. We need to get involved beyond talk and beyond sympathy. As long as it remains anywhere in Africa, we are all at risk, and we can come together to stop this from happening. Join me, and join all of us now on www.stopebola.com.”

Other influencers include Ojoma Ochai, Tu Face Idibia, Van Vicker, Joselyn Dumas, Lanre Da Silva Ajayi, Dayo Israel, Denrele, Dakore Akande, Juliet Ibrahim, Funke Akindele, Omoni Oboli, Ohimai Atafo, Joseph Benjamin, Ice Prince, MI Abaga, Omawumi, Waje, Lynxx, Yemi Adamolekun, Gbenga Sesan, Kunle Afolayan, Osas Ighodaro, Yegwa Ukpo and Kathleen Ndongmo.

To be part of the campaign, it takes just 3 easy steps:

1. Go to stopebola.com.
2. Click on the SHARE button and sign up to the Thunderclap campaign. Thunderclap helps ensure everyone will tweet the same #StopEbola message on November 29 at the same time. It takes just 2 minutes to sign up, and/or
3. Click on the DONATE button to donate directly to the UN’s Ebola Response Fund.

You should also put up the #StopEbola flyer on your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Phone DPs every day from now to 7 December. You can download the flyers on www.stopebola.com.

The Future Awards Africa 2014 is presented in partnership with Microsoft and the Tony Elumelu Foundation and is headlined by Vitafoam.

Official Media Partners are EbonyLife TV, Africa Magic, Ventures Africa, and Y! Africa. Official Online Partners are MemeBurn, BellaNaija, YNaija, Premium Times and 360nobs.

The official bloggers for 2014 are LindaIkeji, Omojuwa, LadunLiadi, Olorisupergal, Ameyaw Debrah, NigeriaNewsDesk. Country partners are Silverbird TV, Hip TV, The Cable, LadunLiadi, The Trent, Information Nigeria, News Wire Nigeria, Pulse.ng; and Buzz Partners are StyleMeAfrica, StyleVitae and OnoBello.

Cool FM is the host radio station. Channels Television is the host TV station.

For more information, visit @TFAAfrica on Twitter/Instagram or the website www.thefutureafrica.com/awards. The official hashtags for the 2014 awards are #TheFutureAwardsAfrica and #TheFutureAwards2014.

RED Managing Director, Chude Jideonwo joined the Democratizing Africa panel at The Wharton Africa Business Forum which held on Saturday 8 November, in Philadelphia.

ALN Ventures was founded in 2010 by Acha Leke (Director McKinsey & Co.) and Fred Swaniker (Founder African Leadership Academy). The African Leadership Network (ALN) comprises over 1,000 of the most dynamic and influential emerging leaders in Africa.

The other judge on the Democratizing Africa panel was Chi Achebe, Program Manager Anzisha Prize, African Leadership Academy.