· The annual listing of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2020 published by the London-based New African magazine honoring African leaders from diverse fields is out
· The list can be classified into four categories; Leaders, Pathfinders, Creatives and Icons.
The annual listing of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2020 published by the London-based New African magazine honouring African leaders from diverse fields is out. The list includes doctors, scientists, actors, comedians, writers, producers and musicians. The list can be classified into four categories; Leaders, Pathfinders, Creatives and Icons. The creative category is dominated by women, non-binary artists and writers. While South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana account for nearly half of the laureates with 47 entries more countries such as Zimbabwe, Zambia and Sudan have also found their places on the list. Although English-speaking countries continue to dominate the 2020 listing with 76% of all entries, representation of Arabic, French and Portuguese-speaking countries have picked up with a sizeable 24% share.
The African medical and scientific community that has made commendable contribution in combating Covid-19 gets the limelight. The public health heroes like Nigeria’s‘virus detective’ Chikwe Ihekweazu, and vaccine expert Moroccan Moncef Slaoui who was appointed chief advisor to US Operation Warp Speed to organise vaccine production and distribution are among the acclaimed leaders.
In a year overshadowed by the pandemic, a splurge of the world-class contribution came from Africa’s writers, actors and actresses, producers, artists, dancers, chefs, fashionistas and presenters with many of them winning prestigious international awards. Nigerian writer and activist Chimanda Ngozi Adichie as well as Zambian Namwali Serpell are among the renowned names in the list. In music, South Africa’s Master KG song Jerusalema the most Shazamed which became a global hit is also on the acclaimed list. A galaxy of leaders in commerce, industry and sport, also part of the list. Aliko Dangote, Elon Musk, Koos Bekker are some of the billionaires on the list. Peacemakers and soft-power superstars like Trevor Noah, strategists like Tidjane Thiam, crime fighter Kumi Naidoo, Progressive political reformists like Abiy Ahmed is also among the top influencers in the list.
