Olamide wins Future Award for entertainment

This year the Future Awards marked its tenth anniversary. In the years since its inception the award ceremony has become an important fixture in the entertainment/entrepreneurial calendar of the continent, so much that it has been branded as ‘Africa’s biggest youth event.’

Singer Darey and South Africa’s media personality Bonang Mathba anchored the event, overseeing the awarding of 11 young people around the continent who have done remarkably in science and technology, business, entertainment, politics, and education.

The ceremony’s most prestigious award Young Person of the Year went to Olamide’s compatriot Philip Obaji Jnr., who was rewarded for his “extraordinary courage and commitment in advocating for basic primary education for street children popularly called Almajiris in North-East Nigeria, a region where Islamist militant group, Boko Haram forbids western education and attacks those in support of it.”

For his win, Olamide, who was absent at the ceremony, was described as rapping “a unique blend of Yoruba and English with lyrics that are at once playful and punchy. He has emerged in the last five decades as one of the most prolific and commercially viable artistes on the continent. With numerous hit singles and albums, Olamide has been able to crossover into mainstream circles. A businessman and label boss, Olamide’s YBNL label and artiste management outfit manages his career and has introduced fast rising acts such as Lil Kesh, Viktoh, Chinko Ekun and Adekunle Gold.”

The Future Awards is a set of prizes given annually to celebrate and accelerate innovation, creativity and enterprise amongst young Africans aged 18 – 31. It has produced over 150 winners and over 1550 nominees since its first edition in 2006.

Full list of winners below.

• The Future Awards Africa Prize in Advocacy & Activism

• The Future Awards Africa Prize in Education

• The Future Awards Africa Prize in Enterprise Support

• The Future Awards Africa Prize in Community Action

• The Future Awards Africa Prize in Technology

• The Future Awards Africa Prize in Entertainment

• The Future Awards Africa Prize in Agriculture

• The Tony O. Elumelu Prize in Business

• The Future Awards Africa Prize in Public Service

• The Future Awards Africa Prize for Young Person of the Year

• Ford Foundation Prize for Youth Employment Category