Our Distinguished Heroes!!!

Great People, Great Nigerians.

GiDi Kakaaki Celebrates this our heroes

(in no particular order of preference).

ASA>

Asa was born in 1982 in Paris. She lived there for two years and after she went to Lagos in Nigeria. Her real name is Bukola Elemide and her nickname Asa means “little hawk” because when she was young she often ran away and changed directions like a hawk.

She is success full thanks to her lyrics which deal with Africa, everyday life things with lots of irony. She is the new singer of soul, pop and reggae music!!!! She is compared to Tracy Chapman.

DEOLA SAGOE>

Deola Sagoe has given African fashion in the 21st century the most radical expression imaginable, from the deeply rooted African fabrics to perfectly matched accessories. Known for constantly fabulous design o a two-time international award winner creates designs that truly celebrate Africa and Nigeria. Described as the African fashion designer who is ‘’best placed to interpret our cultural diversity and artistry, our earthiness and mystery, our colors warmth and passion of the African woman in her simplicity and elegance,’’

PHILLIP EMEAGWALI>

Philip Emeagwali (born in 1954) is an Igbo Nigerian-born engineer and computer scientist/geologist who was one of two winners of the 1989 Gordon Bell Prize, a prize from the IEEE, for his use of a Connection Machine supercomputer to help analyze petroleum fields.

Emeagwali was born in Akure, Nigeria on 23 August 1954. He dropped out of school in 1967 because of the Nigerian-Biafran war. When he turned fourteen, he was conscripted into the Biafran army. After the war he completed a high-school equivalency through self-study and came to the United States to study under a scholarship after taking a correspondence course at the University of London.[citation needed] He received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Oregon State University in 1977. He was also working as a civil engineer at the Bureau of Land Reclamation in Wyoming during this period.

WOLE SOYINKA>

Oluwole Akinwande was born in Ijebu Isara, Nigeria. He grew up in Abeokuta, where his father was a schoolteacher. He was educated at Abeokuta Grammar School and Government College, Ibadan. He studied at University College, Ibadan ( 1952 –4 ) and then at Leeds University ( 1954 –7 ), where he graduated with an honours degree in English. He has been at various times on the academic staff of the Universities of Lagos, Ibadan, and at Ife, where he was professor of comparative literature and dramatic arts. Between 1973 and 1974 he was overseas fellow, Churchill College, Cambridge, and visiting professor, department of English, University of Sheffield. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986 .

Soyinka’s influence and impact in Africa is evident in drama, poetry, fiction, and autobiography. In addition to his poetical works, he has published two novels, two volumes of autobiographical writing, critical essays, and several plays. He has also edited an impressive anthology, Poems of Black Africa (London, 1975 ). As a consequence of his political activities during the Nigerian Civil War he was detained in August 1967 until October 1969 by the Federal Military Government of Nigeria.

GENEVIEVE NNAJI>

Nnaji found mainstream Nollywood success in 1998. Despite her popularity as an actress, she has consistently added accolades, such as singer, producer and fashion designer to her name. In 2004 she became the face of Lux soap in a highly lucrative sponsorship deal. Among other actors and actresses, she released her first album, titled No More, in 2005, following a one year acting ban. Three years later in May, Nnaji launched her clothing line St. Genevieve which was a huge success as the simple, yet elegant easy-wear clothes.

OLUCHI>

Oluchi Onweagba (born August 1, 1982) is a model. who grew up in the suburbs of Lagos, Nigeria with her two brothers and sisters. She is the daughter of a civil servant father and mother who was a nurse. When Onweagba was 16 years old, she won the “Face Of Africa” contest. In August 2005, she married her longtime companion, Italian fashion designer Luca Orlandi. Onweagba’s first name comes from the Igbo language and means “God’s Work”.

She was urged by a family friend to enter into the M-Net “Face of Africa” preliminary screening at the M-Net office in Victoria Island, Lagos. The agency groomed her to be one of Nigeria’s entrants for the 1998 competition (now called the Nokia Face of Africa). This despite the fact that, growing up, she had maintained a relative ignorance towards fashion and modeling, but with the support of her family and friends, she decided to compete in the inaugural edition of the Face of Africa in 1998. This was the first-ever continent-wide model competition, organized by the South African channel M-Net in collaboration with Elite Model Management. She won the competition. She was just seventeen years old. Elite Model Management awarded Onweagba a three-year modeling contract.

After moving to New York City, where she still lives, Onweagba graced the covers of Italian Vogue, i-D, ELLE, Untold, and Surface; she also was featured in Nylon, Marie Claire, Allure, and other national editions of Vogue around the world. She became the face of campaigns for Gianfranco Ferré, Gap, Express, Banana Republic, and Ann Taylor, as well as working for Victoria’s Secret. Onweagba’s runway experience has been with John Galliano, Christian Dior, Costume National, Chanel, and Giorgio Armani, amongst others, in London, Milan, Tokyo and Paris. She has worked with such notable photographers as Steven Meisel, Nick Knight, and Patrick Demarchelier.

DANGOTE>

Alhaji Aliko Dangote (born April 10, 1957) is a businessman based in Nigeria. He is the owner of the Dangote Group, which has operations in Nigeria and several other countries in West Africa. A wealthy supporter of erstwhile President Olusegun Obasanjo and the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dangote controls much of Nigeria’s commodities trade through his corporate and political connections. With an estimated current net worth of around US$ 2.5 billion, he was ranked by Forbes as one of the richest black African citizens [3] and the third richest person of African descent in the world behind Mohammed Al Amoudi ($9.0 billion) and Oprah Winfrey ($2.7 billion.) [4]

The Dangote Group, originally a small trading firm founded in 1977, is now a multi-trillion naira conglomerate with operations in Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. Dangote’s businesses include food processing, cement manufacturing, and freight. The Dangote Group dominates the sugar market in Nigeria: it is the major sugar supplier to the country’s soft drink companies, breweries, and confectioners. Dangote Group has moved from being a trading company to Nigeria’s largest industrial group, including Dangote Sugar Refinery (the most capitalized company on the Nigeria Stock Exchange, valued at over US$3 billion with Aliko Dangote’s equity topping US$2 billion), Africa’s largest Cement Production Plant: Obajana Cement, Dangote Flour amongst others.

KANU PAPILLO>

Nwankwo Kanu (born August 1, 1976 in Owerri, Kanu Nwankwo is a professional football |footballer, currently playing for West Bromwich Albion F. C. West Bromwich Albion in the English Premier League. He is known for his height, which is 198 cm (6’6″).

Kanu began his career, aged fifteen, at first division club Federation Works before moving to Iwuanyanwu National in 1992. After a notable performance at the Football U-17 World Championship|U-17 World Championships he was

signed by Ajax Amsterdam in 1993 for $250,000. He made his Ajax debut in 1994 and went on to play 54 times for the Netherlands|Dutch side, scoring 25 goals. In 1996, Ajax sold him to Internazionale Inter Milan for around $4.7

million; that summer he played in the Nigeria national football team|Nigerian squad that won gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics Olympics. Kanu was named African Footballer of the Year for that year.

At Inter a medical examination revealed a serious heart defect; he underwent surgery in November 1996 to replace an aortic valve and did not return to his club until April 1997. In February 1999, after just twelve games for Inter, Kanu was signed by Arsenal F. C. Arsenal for roughly $7.5 million. Initially his career was revived under Arsène Wenger, and he was named African Footballer of the Year for the second time in 1999.

Kanu’s appearances for Arsenal gradually became less frequent, and in the 2004 offseason, after failing to get his contract with Arsenal extended, he moved to West Bromwich Albion F. C. West Brom on a free transfer. Kanu played for Nigeria in the Football World Cup 1998 and Football World Cup 2002 World Cups.

Kanu is remembered for his classic hat-trick against Chelsea F. C. Chelsea, in which one of the goals was scored parallel to the goal line.

MIKE ADENUGA>

CHIEF MICHAEL ADENUGA - Chairman Chief Executive Officer of Globacom.

Adenuga’s rise to wealth and accompanying fame is an interesting story. His resolve to succeed against all odds started when, while in America, he worked as a taxi driver and security guard to sustain himself in school.

Born on April 29, 1953, Michael Adeniyi Isola Adenuga had his secondary school education at the Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan, Oyo State, before proceeding to the North-Western University in Oklahoma and Pace University, New York, both in the United States where he studied business administration.

At age 26, Adenuga had already become a millionaire with connections in high places. With his unique flair for risks and sheer tenacity of purpose, in no time he started reaping profits in billions. He owns Equitorial Trust Bank and Consolidated Oil, which carries out crude oil drilling, refining and marketing.

He won the bid in August 2002 through his Globacom Limited. The SNO has a wider range of operations as Globacom has the right to operate as a national carrier, operate digital mobile lines, serve as international gateway for telecommunications in the country and operate fixed wireless access phones.

Adenuga’s estate business and company shares traverse several countries in Western Europe, North America and the Middle-East.

PAPA ADEBOYE>

Enoch Adejare Adeboye is a Pastor from Nigeria and General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG)

Before joining the pentecostal church Adeboye was a mathematics lecturer, and worked at the universities of Lagos and Ilorin; He has a PhD in applied mathematics from the University of Lagos, hitting a successful career in the academic world. After he joined The Redeemed Christian Church Of God he began working to translate the sermons of its then Pastor and founder, Rev. Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi, from Yoruba into English.

In 1981 by Divine Providence Adeboye became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church Of God, making him leader of the Church after the death of Papa Akindayomi the previous year. For three years he filled the role part-time, still lecturing at Ilorin, until giving up his university position to preach full-time.

The Church, which was not well known before Adeboye took charge, now claims branches in over a hundred countries, including more than 14,000 in Nigeria. Adeboye has stated that his aim is to put a church within five minutes of every person on Earth.

In 2008 Newsweek magazine named Adeboye one of the fifty most powerful people in the world. He is married to Foluke Adeboye, also a pastor, with whom he has children.