Young Person of the Year:
(This award is the BIGGEST of the 15 awards, and is for that Nigerian between 18 and 31 who has blazed a trail and achieved mind blowing success in WHATEVER field, and who has become an ultimate role model of talent hard work for millions of young people. This person must also be a Nigerian with visible leadership skills and who projects positive values that young people primarily and then the whole of Nigeria can connect with. Young people must aspire to be like this person.

It’s about symbolism … the Young Person of the Year must be a young person that has achieved a height that is mind-blowing - that person would be a success is every sense of the word!)

Full name: Temidayo Israel-Abdulai

Date of birth: 29 January 1986

Highlight: In the last one year, he has shared the same pulpit with people like Pastor E.A Adeboye, Pastor John Hagee, Pastor Albert Odulele and many more. In 2006 alone, he ministered at the RCCG Convention in Nigeria and in the US and in London. He has also appeared on International Christian TV Shows like Daystar and TBN. He has also started a TV Show broadcasted all over Europe and Africa called “Maximum Impact with Dayo Israel” on Dove Vision Television.

Major occupation presently: Presently, alongside his Law Degree at the London Metropolitan University, he is also Public-Motivational Speaker. He works with the UK Government and a lot of Universities abroad in the areas of Mentoring Young People. He also Pastors a Ministry ‘Spirits of David Ministries”.

Projects in past one year:
 British Red Cross Youth Advocacy Initiative: As a British Red Cross Humanitarian Citizen Ambassador, he is responsible for Promoting the World of the British Red Cross amongst Young People in Schools, Institutions and Communities.
 British Council - Africa 2007 Project: As one of the Senior Young Africans involved in the British Council Projects and a Partner of the British Council, he is involved in the Africa 2007 Belonging Project from the UK Headquarters which involved an Exchange between the UK and 10 African Countries which would start in Mid 2007. He is also in charge of leading the Team, which is behind preparing selection criteria and terms of Selection of Young People to participate in the Project.
 Youth Engagement Advocacy: He is running series of Conference and Seminar in Europe to advocate for More Engagement of Young Africans in EU Initiatives for Africa. At one of such meeting, in March 2007, The British Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Tony Blair gave a Presentation. He have also through the Session started Projects on Mobilizing Young Africans in the Diaspora to start up Volunteering Initiatives in Africa. This included a Visit to Malawi, Kenya and Nigeria sponsored by Virgin Nigeria and the London Metropolitan University
 International Summer School for Young Activist: In July 2006, his organization hosted the 1st International Summer School for Young Africans in the Diaspora and in Africa. The Summer School brought together a large number of Young Africans to discuss about the Role of Engaging the Diaspora in Enhance Africa’s Development with Many Speakers from the UK and USA.
 International Young Christian Leaders Summit: In 2006, he started a Series of International Gathering of Young Christian Leaders in 2 Continents, which are Nigeria and the USA. The US Session is known as the International Young Christian Leaders Summit while the Nigeria Session is the Nigerian Young Christian Leaders Summit. The Summit brought together thousand of Young People in the 2 Nations.
 He has started a TV Show broadcasted all over Europe and Africa called “Maximum Impact with Dayo Israel” on Dove Vision Television.
 Maximum Impact Summit: During the summer of 2006, he started a series called the Maximum Impact Summit. The aim is to empower people to cause a Radical Change. The Summit Reaches out to Young People, Singles, Parents and Professional from different communities, cities, colleges and Ministries all over the USA, Europe and Africa. The Summit is divided into different series which include:

A. Maximum Impact Summit for Schools
B. Maximum Impact Summit for Colleges
C. Maximum Impact Summit for Professionals
D. Maximum Impact Summit for Businesses
E. Maximum Impact Summit for Community Leaders
F. Maximum Impact Summit for Charitable Organisations
G. Maximum Impact Summit for Young Pastors
H. Maximum Impact Summit for Churches

Greatest achievement in the past one year? Preaching to over 500, 000 Young People at the RCCG Convention in Lagos, Houston and London.

Awards etc:
GAB Award of Excellence in Promoting the Positive Image of Africans in the UK; PEWA Award for Earnestly Working for Africa; AYL Award for Promoting Youth Development;
Icon of Hope Award from the Presidency during the Launch of the I See Hope Project of President Obasanjo where he appointed Temidayo as the Chair in 2002 (this particular award was not gotten in the past one year)

Why he is a role model: Being able to rub shoulders with international symbols including President Olusegun Obasanjo has made him an icon amongst young people, especially in the Diaspora.

Full name: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Date of birth: September 15, 1977
Present occupation: writer and graduate student at Yale.
Projects in past one year: Teaching Creative Writing at Princeton. Finishing and editing my novel HALF OF A YELLOW SUN
Greatest achievement in past year: The completion and publication of HALF OF A YELLOW SUN
Awards: Winner of overall Commonwealth Writers Prize for first novel; winner of Hurston/Wright Legacy award, short listed for the Orange and John Llewellyn Rhys prizes, O Henry Prize for short fiction,
Her impact: Her articles have been published in the New Yorker, The Guardian UK, Time, Newsday, Washington Post etc

Her new book has been reviewed in all the above and Wordsbody, The Australian, Entertainment Weekly, Daily Telegraph, Scotland on Sunday, Toronto Star, New Black Magazine, Elle, Publisher’s Weekly, The Observer, Times Literary Supplement, The Financial Times, San Francisco Chronicles, Los Angeles Times, New York Times Book Review, People, The Seattle Times, World Literature Today, The Independent UK etc

Other info: She was very recently a 2005-2006 Hodder Fellow at Princeton

Why she is a role model: She is living proof that Nigerian literary talent is alive and well and proof about the power of one’s dreams

Full name: Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa (Wild Child)
Date of birth: 21/05/1979
Major occupation presently: H.O.D Programmes Rhythm 93.7, Presenter Rhythm 93.7, Host Temptation Nigeria & Studio 53 Field Presenter
Other achievements: He anchored the once-in-a-lifetime Nokia/Silverbird Dance-athon where Nigeria broke the Guinness World Record, and also anchored the international Christian show - The Experience – that featured Kirk Franklin, Lionel Peterson et
Presenter of international reality show, Temptation Nigeria
Presenter, Mnet’s Studio 53
Awards:
Dove Media Billboards ‘Best Presenter’ and ‘Most Entertaining Show’
Fame Magazine Best On-Air-Personality
Winner, The Future… Awards 2007 On-Air Personality of the Year
Why he is a role model: Doing what he loves, being SO good at it and achieving immense success for it! Many young people look at him and find the courage to pursue their talents.

Full name: Tara Fela-Durotoye

Date of birth: 6th March 1977

Major occupation presently: CEO, House of Tara

Achievements:
Moved to an even bigger studio this year
Major Partner at the City People Fashion Show
Continues to send staff for international trainings
Setting up a makeup library
Began her seminar/talk show tagged You Can Do It – one edition held at the Main Auditorium of the University of Lagos and the second held at the Silverbird Galleria
Continues to be the choice make-up studio for True Love West Africa, major events, parties, designers and fashion shows in the country
Invited to speak at various conferences this year, including the City People Women Empowerment Seminar
Greatest achievement in past one year: Launching of her own make-up range, Orekelewa, first of its kind in the country

Awards in 2006:
The Future… Awards 2006 for Entrepreneur of the Year
City People Award for Best Make-Up Artiste 2006

Other info: Writing a book to teach young women on how to ‘turn hobby into business’

Why she is a role model: Tara has broken every boundary, crashed every ceiling and, still in her 20s, is arguably the singular most important force in the make up industry.

Full name: Kafayat Shafaru (Kaffy)

Date of birth: 1980

Details: Kaffy is easily Nigeria’s biggest and most respected individual dancer in the country – has appeared on most music videos, and also has her own dance group

Highlight: Leading the team that made Nigeria break the Guinness World Record for Dancing (more than 3 days on the dance floor)
Breaking the world dance record personally

Other info: She takes care of many dancers, giving them shelter amongst others things. She is also an aerobics/dance instructor and writes on the subject for Genevieve magazine.

Why she is a role model: Kaffy single-handedly – without exaggeration – made people begin to take individual dancers seriously and to win respects especially for girls in the profession – and she has given many female dancers faith in themselves and confidence in their art. Her feat at the Silverbird Danceathon was quite simply a very well deserved crowning glory. For many young Nigerians, she is almost a legend!