Today Nigeria celebrates its 60 years of independence and we want to showcase some of Nigeria’s greatest.
1. Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician and activist who pioneered the modern style of Afrobeat, a fusion of American blues, jazz, and funk with traditional highlife Yoruba music.
He started his sojourn as a professional musician while studying Classical Music at Trinity College London. His music became increasingly politicised after his 1969 tour of the United States, where the politics of Malcolm X, the Black Panthers, and other militants influenced him. He encouraged social change in his songs, decrying oppression by Nigeria’s military government.
Fela’s impact and importance to the global musical village is almost impossible to overstate. As a producer, multi-instrumentalist, and bandleader with a larger-than-life personality, he turned the afrobeat into a global phenomenon and was ranked alongside the likes of Bob Marley for being a voice for the country’s masses.
2. Aliko Dangote is the richest black man in the world and one of the largest private-sector employers in Nigeria.
He has been Africa’s richest man for 12 years and is worth $13.5 billion by current estimations. His Dangote Group is the most valuable conglomerate in West Africa, with investments in multiple sectors.
He has received many awards and holds Nigeria’s second-highest honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
3. Burna Boy is arguably one of Nigeria’s biggest global stars whose musical style combines dancehall, reggae, afrobeat, and pop, capturing the hearts of fans worldwide. His talent has been duly acknowledged with numerous awards and accolades, most notably the prestigious Grammy Award in 2021. This achievement solidified his position as a true music icon.
Presently, Burna Boy is signed to the esteemed American record label, Atlantic Records, further expanding his global presence. Additionally, he is the visionary founder and CEO of Spaceship Records, a record label based in Nigeria, where he nurtures and supports emerging talents in the music industry.
4. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is an acclaimed writer and feminist icon. Her works have been translated into over 30 languages worldwide and won multiple awards, including the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, the Orange Prize, and the US National Book Critics Circle Award.
In 2022, she became the first African woman to join the ranks of Oprah Winfrey and Muhammadu Ali to receive the W.E.B Du Bois Medal, Harvard University’s highest honour in African and African American studies. She has been recognised by TIME Magazine as one of 100 Most Influential People in the World and Fortune Magazine’s 50 Greatest Leaders.
5. Stephen Keshi was a player, coach, and inspirational leader who played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s football culture and success.
He captained the national team to its historic triumph at the 1994 African Cup of Nations. In 2013, he won the trophy again as a coach, becoming one of just two persons in history to achieve that feat.
Keshi is also fondly remembered for leading Togo to her first and only appearance at the World Cup finals.
6. When Nigerian singer and songwriter Temilade Openiyi, aka Tems, teamed up with Wizkid on his song Essence in October 2020, her distinguished style set her apart from artists within the dominating Afrobeat genre.
Recognized for her alternative music style and alto textured voice, Tems biography leaped when she ventured into the industry in 2018 with Mr. Rebel, a song that won the hearts of many Nigerians. Her fans have since taken up the ‘Rebel gang’ title. Tems has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song for Marvels Wakanda Forever as well as rated next on TIME’s 100.
7. Wole Soyinka is a literary giant and cultural icon who has profoundly impacted modern Nigeria through his literary achievements, activism, and critical engagement with societal issues.
In 1986, he became the first African writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature and remains the only Nigerian to win the Prize. Soyinka also won the 1993 Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award, among other prestigious accolades.
o-access JAMAICA 