An NLI Associate, Ntiedo (Nt) Etuk also the Founder and Chairman of the Board of DimensionU was recently honoured as one of six “Top Entrepreneurs” by Crain’s New York. The identification of the Technology Pioneer companies is the result of a rigorous selection process for which the Forum received hundreds of applications from around the world. The applications were evaluated by a selection committee of more than 50 global technology experts, including leading academics, journalists, technologists and venture capitalists.

Since 2000, the World Economic Forum has recognized the work of young companies who hold the promise of significantly transforming the way business and society operate. More than 400 innovative companies from five continents have been selected as Technology Pioneers.

DimensionU was also recently honored with other noteworthy awards, including designation as one of the “Shining Stars” in EdNET’s Best for 2011 program. This new recognition program, developed by MDR with the support of Educational Systemics, selected DimensionU from a large pool of competitive products and services offered in the education marketplace. “Shining Stars” is one of three categories in the program and recognizes products and services that are selected by the EdNET community and the EdNET’s Best panelists as “game changers” in the education marketplace.

Another honor came from the Computers for Youth’s (CFY) Innovative Learning Awards which named DimensionU games its Family Learning Software of the Year. CFY is a national educational non-profit organization dedicated to helping low-income children does better in school by improving the learning environment at home.

In addition, Etuk has been named to the “ones to watch in Silicon Alley” list by the esteemed Crain’s New York Business publication. The Technology Pioneers 2012 will be recognized for their work at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, People’s Republic of China, September 14-16, 2011.

DimensionU represents a universe of educational video games and rewards where students practice core K-12 subjects including math, literacy, and science. Students in more than 70 school districts across the United States are currently using DimensionU games including New York City Public Schools, Chicago Public Schools, Miami-Dade and Broward County Public Schools in Florida, and Dallas, Austin and Ft. Worth Independent School Districts in Texas.

For more information, visit http://www.DimensionU.com

NLI Associate, Dr. Muktar Gadanya, was awarded the J. D. Soleye’s prize for the best candidate in the Part II FMCPH with best dissertation and Adetokunbo Lucas prize for the best candidate in the part II FMCPH during the convocation ceremony of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria which took place at the college premises in Ijanikin Lagos, on the September 20, 2012.

Muktar, who is currently a senior registrar at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, was also awarded the National honour of Member of the Order of Federal Republic (MFR) at the age of 29 years.

Muktar is a Member of the West African College of Physicians, Associate of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and holds a Masters degree of University of London, United Kingdom in Reproductive and Sexual Health Research.  He is a co-founder of the Public Health Research and Development Association (PUBHERDA).

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has appointed Senior Fellow, Tony Elumelu, CON, to the Private Capital Group for Africa (PCGA) Partners Forum.

The Partners Forum is comprised of several leaders in industry convened to provide expert advice to the US Government on the best strategies for engagement with Africa’s private sector, and to better align its private investment and development goals.

Following the appointment of several prominent US-based members to the Forum including Edward Mathias, Managing Director and Co-Founder of the Carlyle Group, and Thomas Barry, CEO and Founder, Zephyr Capital Management, USAID has named Mr.Elumelu as the Forum’s founding African member.In his statement accepting the appointment, Mr.Elumelu stated: “It is indeed an honour to work with the United States Government and other members of the Partners Forum. I am proud to be a part of a mission to change the way that Africa is perceived – from a charity case to a demonstrably economically vibrant continent offering the opportunity for private sector investment through partnerships with Africa’s own successful businessmen and women.”

As Chairman of Nigeria-based Heirs Holdings, an African proprietary investment company with a focus on key economic development sectors including financial services, resources real estate, and healthcare, Mr.Elumelu understands the continent’s investment environment and leadership priorities. He is also the founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

According to CNN, Idris Ayodeji Bello is a leading example of an ‘Afropreneur’, a word he created to describe the bright, independent and tech savvy entrepreneurs using creative thinking and the power of innovation to take over Africa’s economic destiny.

At just 33 years old, NLI Associate Idris Ayodeji Bello has already been involved in several tech initiatives aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship and empowering communities across Africa.Early last year, he co-founded the Wennovation Hub in Nigeria, a technology space enabling ambitious entrepreneurs to come together and develop their trailblazing ideas into successful businesses.The Lagos-based hub, one of the many innovation centers that have recently mushroomed across Africa, has so far incubated the efforts of more than 100 entrepreneurs, providing them with space, support and consulting.

He also co-founded AfyaZima, a health technology and management startup that leverages the rise of mobile phones and other low-cost technologies across Africa to provide access to vital health information.The startup won the 2012 Dell Technology Award — in collaboration with the Oxford Engineering World Health Group – for Blood Pressure MCuff, a low-cost device that enables blood pressure monitoring and data transmission via mobile phones. The technology hence acts as a communication channel for doctors to remotely send treatment recommendations to their patients.

Bello’s most daring project to date is YoKwazi: an ambitious initiative aiming to change Africa’s education landscape by putting learning resources to the hands of students and teachers across the continent.

Still at testing stage, YoKwazi aims to deploy OTGPlaya, an offline wireless cloud device, in key community areas to house and host online educational tools. The device, which was incubated at the Wennovation Hub, will do a one-time download, store the content and make it available for people nearby to access it through their wi-fi enabled devices.

“It’s about bringing online education to an offline world,” says Bello.

On his legacy, Idris says his mission as an “Afropreneur” is to enable access to information so that people can tap into their own creativity to solve their problems without having to rely on government.

With deep regret and sorrow, NLI sympathizes with the families of Mijindadi, Somolu, and Shobowale for losing family members in the tragic accident of Dana Airlines Flight 0992. At this grieving moment for the families, we are united in prayers for God to provide them the strength to bear the irreparable loss.

In the March 2012 Edition of Forbes Africa magazine, NLI Associate Lola Adesioye wrote a 10-page article entitled “Top Ten Africans Making it in New York.” The article features successful Africans – many of who are Nigerians – who have very inspiring life stories. These individuals have been described as great role models deeply passionate about and committed to being a part of shaping Africa’s future in a positive direction.

Senior Fellow, Bayo Ogunlesi is the Chairman & Managing Partner of Global Infrastructure Partners. He was former Executive Vice Chairman & Chief Client Officer of Credit Suisse, New York, USA. He ranked 7th in Fortune magazine’s list of most powerful Black Executives in the Americas.

Senior Fellow, Jide Zeitlin is a Private Investor and Founder, The Keffi Group. He was previously a senior investment banker and Partner, Goldman Sachs & Co until December 2005. He is also chairman of the Board of Trustees of Amherst College, USA.

NLI Associate, Lola Adesioye, is a socio-political commentator/writer for UK and US publications.

NLI Associate, Stella Duru, was admitted into the top-notch Commercial law firm, Banwo and Ighodalo on the 1^st of March 2012 as the 6^th Partner of the firm.

Stella, who joined the firm in 2001, has distinguished herself as a diligent, conscientious and dedicated individual; thus rising in the professional ranks within the firm, from a youthful and exuberant, albeit nervous, Junior Associate to a more mature, assertive and widely knowledgeable Senior Counsel and now partner of the distinguished firm.

Ms. Duru has enjoyed a great many successes and achievements, ranging from winning the award for ‘Best Team Leader’ for year 2007 (in the firm’s Partners & Associates Annual Retreat Awards) to closing challenging transactions. One of such achievements include being selected in 2005, following a very competitive selection process on merit as the only Lawyer qualified to Intern with the prestigious law firm of Edward Nathan (now known as Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs) situate in Sandton Johannesburg, under their African Visiting Lawyer Programme.

Whilst in South Africa, Stella authored an article titled “Conquering Nigeria’s Darkness”, (published in a leading South African publication) focused on the on-going reform of the Nigerian Power Sector. Stella also delivered a presentation titled “Corporate Governance- the Nigerian Case Study” to the Partners and Associates of Edward Nathan aimed at showing the strides achieved by Nigeria in tackling corporate governance.

Stella has an LLB from the renowned University of Lagos and holds several professional memberships, including the Nigerian Bar Association and the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN).

At the 17^th edition of the Thisday Annual Awards for excellence, 3 Fellows and 1 Associate of the Nigeria Leadership Initiative were honoured as women of distinction. The award which was held on the 13^th of February 2012, sought to celebrate women who have broken barriers and made a difference.

Mariam Uwais: Honoured for Service to the Vulnerable

Senior Fellow, Mariam Uwais who is currently the Managing Partner of the Law Firm of Wali‐Uwais & Co , is a staunch advocate for the rights of women and children in Nigeria. Prior to her engagement at Wali-Uwais & Co., she worked at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from where retired from public service. A former prosecutor with the Kano State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Uwais was also a member of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission. Amongst her numerous outstanding contributions, to the Nigerian nation and society, were membership on the Boards of several organisations and civil society groups, notably: the National Human Rights Commission (where she was a Special Rapporteur on Child Rights); LEAP Africa; Youth Business Initiative; Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR); the National Consultative Committee on Justice Sector Reform; the Working Group on Fiscal Responsibility Law; the Justice Research Institute; Coalition Against Tobacco; Nigerian Investment Climate Advisory Council; Technical Committees of the Constitutional Reform Dialogue Mechanism and the Gender and Affirmative Action Coalition; and the African Union Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

Mrs. Uwais was also a founding member of the Nigerian Chapter of Musawah, a Global Movement for Equality and Justice in the Muslim Family. Moreover, Mrs. Uwais, through consultancy work, has lent her technical expertise of various issues and projects on children & women’s rights, entrepreneurship, education and justice sector reform. She has consulted for Open Society Initiative for West Africa [OSIWA], the United Nations Children Education Fund [UNICEF], the World Bank, and UK’s Department of Foreign Investment and Development [DFID]. Some of her writings included several papers and articles on rights (economic, social and cultural), child justice administration, children and women’s rights (especially on the misapplication of Sharia law in Northern Nigeria), and interfaith dialogue.

Ngozi Okonjo-Oweala: Honoured for being Nigeria’s Global Champion

Senior Fellow, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, since her appointment as the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy/Minister of Finance, has introduced measures that will help put the Nigerian economy on the path of sustainable growth.

Before this appointment, she was the managing Director, World Bank, Washington D.C; Economist. Distinguished Fellow, Brookings Institution, United States.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was educated at Harvard and has a PhD in Regional Economics and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is fluent in French, Ibo and English with working knowledge of Yoruba. She has received numerous awards, including Honorary Doctorate of Letters from University of Dublin, Trinity College, 2007, Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Colby College, 2007 and Brown University, 2006, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Jamaica, 2005, Time Magazine’s European Hero of the Year Award, 2004, for her work on economic reform in Nigeria, Euromoney Magazine Global Finance Minister of the year, 2005, Financial Times/The Banker African Finance Minister of the year 2005, This Day (Nigeria’s premier newspaper) Minister of the Year award 2004 and 2005.

Omobola Johnson: Honoured for Life of Service to Good Governance

Mrs. Omobola Johnson is the Minister of Technology and Communications. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Manchester and a Masters degree in Digital Electronics from King’s College, London.

Before her appointment as Minister, she served as the Country Managing director at Accenture.

Toyosi Akerele: Honoured for Standing up for the Youth

Twenty-eight-year-old Toyosi Akerele is a youth advocate and education expert.

A University of Jos, Nigeria trained Lawyer, she has pioneered countless youth/ professional initiatives and is a very intriguing and most sought after speaker, trainer, panelist and facilitator at several Youth and Professional programs. Partnering several Frontline Corporate Organizations and Multi-Nationals, she is the Convener of what has now undoubtedly become the most attended youth event in Nigeria with about 50 000 participants in 12 Nigerian States; the annual RISE Interactive Youth Forum
She has been actively involved in Local, National and Regional projects and processes on the need to provide a platform for youth inclusion in policy formulation and project implementation. She is a role model to many youths in Nigeria with her ability to initiate and implement youth-led, youth-focused projects aimed at developing the potentials of young people in Nigeria.

Partnering several frontline Corporate Organizations and Multi-Nationals, Toyosi, the phenomenal CEO of Nigeria’s first and most prominent youth interest organization, RISE, is a consummate young professional and an outstanding Manager. RISE itself has become a fast growing driving force and skill providing concern for several young people in Nigeria. She is the major driver of Nigeria’s leading Online Youth Interaction Centre. Click here to visit the RISE website.

TUNDE Ajia, an APM member of the Thames Valley Branch, has recently been inducted as an Associate of the Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI). These associates are emerging leaders and influencers in Nigeria and the Diaspora.

The NLI currently has a network of over 200 Associates globally; all professionals cut across all sectors of industry and from diverse backgrounds. Tunde was lucky to be one of the 25 newly inducted NLI Associates picked in October 2011.

When asked what it meant to successful for the NLI, Tunde said:

“As a professional, who is an advocate of young professionals contributing their quota to social change and developmental projects, I feel very elated, inspired and at the same time honored to be found worthy to be selected as an NLI Associate.

The NLI is a platform for credible, accomplished and uniquely patriotic Nigerian future leaders to develop and express values-based leadership skills with the aim of assuming a transformative role in the continuous development of Nigeria.”

The NLI was established in January 2006 as an international non-profit, non-partisan organisation registered as a charity in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Nigeria.

It’s mission is to create a growing, global network of credible, accomplished community spirited leaders, committed to taking responsibility for driving positive change in Nigeria and Nigerian communities.

Emerging leaders are nominated by distinguished individuals annually and afterwards a thorough selection process is carried out by a management consulting firm select the class delegates that would eventually attend the NLI’s Future Leaders Seminar. The seminar is usually a three day leadership colloquium, which draws on inspiring and thought-provoking events such as historical lessons on nation building, speeches from prominent guest speakers from all walks of life, lesson learning sessions that critically analyse how other once developing nations have evolved into developed nations and lastly brainstorming sessions amongst class delegates.

The aim is to identify gaps in the developmental process of Nigeria as a nation and empower the emerging leaders with the requisite understanding of how they all individually and collectively can effect change.

The theme for the most recent seminar in October 2011 was “Thoughts to Actions; Significance to Success.” The highlight of the seminar was where the associates class unit identified two projects that were felt would address a pressing need within the Nigerian society.

One of the projects identified was to produce a music video. The aim is for this to be a song that Nigerians will compose on their own, by directing them to an online portal where they can register their lyrical inputs which would then be screened. The very best would be collated, consolidated and tweaked to professional standard by one of the class associates, who is one of Nigeria’s music sensations.

They are seeking to ensure the song highlights the expectations the youths have of their government, where Nigeria currently is as a nation and were they envisage it should be in the foreseeable future.

When asked how it felt to be part on the ongoing class projects, Tunde added:

“It is a thrilling experience working alongside promising and vibrant professionals on our specific class projects; the energy is like that of an agile connection of speed boats.

Collaborative working alongside other likeminded future leaders, to actively promote the process and practice of leadership is an awesome experience, also a viable and sustainable way to give back to the society and I’m hoping that our actions will inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more.

Above all, as an ambassador of the project management profession, being able to positively transfer project management knowledge and practices as a discipline to other professionals in a social manner is an opportunity I will always welcome and forever cherish.”

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NLI Associate, Adeola Austin Oyinlade has been named by the African Union to popularize and digitize the African Youth Charter. While unveiling him and speaking to the young African Leaders at the AU Youth Experts’ meeting in Addis Ababa, Dr. Raymonde Agossou, Head of Division Human Resources and Youth Division of African Union, announced that Adeola , a United Nations’ Young Ambassador for peace and President, Know Your Constitution Initiative in Nigeria, has successfully used law, social media, radio and mobile applications successfully as tools of Social Engineering and problem- solving.

Adeola, a law graduate of the University of Lagos, was invited by the African Union Commission in April 2011 as a guest speaker at the plenary session of the African Youth Forum where he addressed the forum on Readiness to reform National Laws and Legislation in compliance with the African Youth Charter. His recommendations were part of the Forum resolutions presented to the Africa Union Head of States at the Malabo, Equatorial Guinea AU summit, in July 2011.

The thrust of the agreement signed on 4th November, 2011 at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia between the African Union Commission, Youth Division and Adeola for Know Your Constitution Initiative, is that he will develop mobile and facebook applications of the African Youth Charter in the six (6) African Union Official Languages: English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Swahili and Spanish and genarally popularize the African Youth Charter so that every phone user in Africa can have access to the Charter at the push of the button on their palms.

“The African Youth Charter enshrines the rights and duties that are critical to the survival of African Youths. Being an international treaty, it has to be signed, ratified, and transformed into the local laws by the African Union member- states before implementation. Many countries have not yet ratified the charter, not to talk of domestication,” Adeola observed in Addis Ababa.

He carried out opinion polls online alongside other Young social developers scattered across Africa in 2011 and realized that about Eighty Five percent (85%) of African Youths had not heard about the charter, let alone engaging their government to sign, ratify, transform into local law and implement the charter. He was of the view that African Youths cannot engage their leaders on the content of the charter because they are ignorant of their rights and duties contained in the document.

Speaking on the expected results of the project, Adeola said, “it will go a long way in making youths across Africa understand their Civil/Political rights and socio-economic rights alongside their duties towards national and international development. Moreover, it will go a long way in making all African Union member- states sign, ratify, transform into local laws and implement the charter in order to empower youths to get involved in the drive towards sustainable development in Africa.”

Adeola added that it would take twelve months to complete the project as it would not only involve mobile applications but also massive awareness campaigns. “My team will work with young technocrats, Young Africans who have distinguished themselves in important areas of life, Pan African Youth, National Youth Council of AU member- states and others” while responding to questions at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Thirty (30) year- old Adeola Austin Oyinlade is the President of ‘Know Your Constitution Initiative’, an organization that educates Nigerians and non- Nigerians alike to know their legal rights and provides solutions to legal issues that arise in people’s daily activities free of charge. It has been carrying out this project through on-air programes and international conference

His immense contribution to expanding the frontiers of Liberty, Human rights, democracy and happiness of Nigerians and Non- Nigerians alike through the Initiative has fetched him recognitions and awards from many national and international organizations and recently, the US Department of state in May, 2011 featured him on the US Government blog for helping Nigerians know their rights and immense contribution to the development of Africa. For details about the US department of state recognition, kindly click here.

Adeola was invited as a speaker at the African Parallel session of the 7th UNESCO Youth Forum on October, 2011 in Paris, France to give a testimony on youth- led social innovations from the perspective of his Initiative.

He was commended by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Navanthem Pillay last year for his ‘work to promote understanding and awareness of human rights in Nigeria when he distributed 10,000 copies of the Nigerian Constitution to Lagosians to mark the International Human Rights Day 2010 and demonstrated the relevance of the provision of the constitution to their daily life activities.’ He also organized a two- day Human Rights international Conference to empower Nigerians and Non-Nigerians alike free with 22 National and International lawyers as resource persons.

He has written many articles in contribution towards debates on national and international issues such as good governance in economic and social development, peace and security, Human rights, democracy, rule of law and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals which have been published in Nigeria and international print and online media. For details about Adeola, click here.