For the third year in a row, The Future Awards, referred to by the World Bank as ‘The Nobel Prize for Young Africans’, is searching for the most brilliant young minds in Science, in addition to its yearly search for the brightest minds in Technology.
“For many years, what we have done is try to mirror the breakthroughs that young people have made in different fields and to sustain them,” said Chude Jideonwo, who is Executive Director of The Future Project. “In keeping with our ‘Tear down these walls!’ campaign this year, we are looking for the brightest young minds driving innovation and impact in science and/or technology with innovation or invention – through the category Innovator of the Year – Science and Technology.
The awards website explains the broad criteria for this category: We are searching for young people across science and technology (especially Information Technology) who have furthered the boundaries in these fields in terms of research or activity. There are a critical number of young Nigerians who are advancing impressive, practical innovations that can compare with the best around the world. It will help if there is some kind of recognition or institutional buy-in for that work, and the work should be available for inspection.
“We are also beaming the search light on service,” Jideonwo said in explaining the Excellence in Service categories. “We are looking for young people in governance and the corporate sector whose work shines bright in driving effective, professionalism and impact, with integrity and productivity.”
It will be recalled that, in 2010, Ify Aniebo won the Best Use of Science (also the biggest prize, Young Person of the Year) award for her ground-breaking work in malaria research, and in 2011, Debo Olaosebikan won the award for his work on developing the world’s first electrically operated Silicon Laser, a project supported by a $6 million grant from the United States Department of Defense. In the same year, Tolulope Iroye won the Best Use of Technology award for the ‘Magic box’; a device built to allow you control your electronic gadgets, for example, your TV from anywhere with your mobile phone as well as control electricity or mobilise/immobilise cars from anywhere in the world.
Nominations for the 2012 awards kicked off on the 29th of May and will continue until this Saturday, June 30. Town Hall Meetings have been holding across the country, including in Lagos, Rivers, Anambra, Adamawa and Abuja. Nominees must be Nigerian citizens and must be aged 18 – 31. To nominate for this category, please go to www.thefuturenigeria.com.
Other categories for the Awards this year include Best Use of Advocacy, Actor of the Year, Best Use of New Media, Entrepreneur of the Year in Media/Communication, Entertainment, Technology and Fashion; Designer of the Year, Innovator of the Year - Education, Creative Artist of the Year, Journalist of the Year, Magazine of the Year, Musician of the Year, Music Producer of the Year, On-Air Personality of the Year (Radio), On-Air Personality of the Year (TV), Excellence in Service – Journalism, Corporate and Government, Screen Producer of the Year, and the biggest for Young Person of the Year.
Nominations end at midnight on June 30
22 comments:
*coughs*
‘The Nobel Prize for Young Africans’
Huh? Say what?!
*coughs again*
Pls who has baba blue? This my cough is getting badt
Linda, dis is wt they shld focus their head n mind into. Rather than giving musicians Future award for sayin absolutly nothin. I practically dnt feel it shld b based on nomination cos in som rural community we still som inventors, scientist, hw can they be figured out n be nominated fr d award? Seriously, dis is wt d govt shld be doing rather than feeding dir pocket(s)aggressivly. Good step in d right direction bt they shld b some transparency. Via Nokia touchlight, battery under Sun. *Drop mic*
TERRY-G SPEAKS---IMHO,i fill i shld b well recognised in d aspect of nigeria youth who av inspired d youth in both MUSIC & SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, cos i can give a practical proof of ow CHOKO[esp CLARO] inspires me & it can as well inspire u too..i wil keep d proof to myself till im called upon..--meanyl..lemme drop a punchline 4 ya all--gbagbagbogbo kukuruku gbegbekugbe..
When I see innovative youths,I feel so useless and helpless.
pretty gal
Razz gurl! I thot u wer an ajebota wit all d big big grammar u like to blow. So baba blue na ur levels? I thot u only do throat lozenge? :p Jst kidding
So what does the girl on the pic have to do with anything?
Where is lilspicer? Uve created a trend on lib.
Pretty face
exactly wat africa need we need more creative minds they is to much emphasis on business which is stupid because businesses need products to sell
the girl in the pix is a scientist and she won young person of the year. this babe fine no be small oh! Linda abeg you get her number abi email?
This girl needs to kiss me,see sweet lips,mwaaa joh.
via Spinlet.
dear seeme blah blah blah, wen I read ur comment, I got dis feeling Dat parts of ur painted brain washes off evrytime u shower! Baba blue is a mint infused candy, and can be used 2 clear throat issues. jst bcos its not boldly tagged a common lozenges, doesn't mean any idiot can't tell. Funny thing is ders no particular drug named "throat lozenges" dey all have brand names! So Seeme d onos, which one do u use? Biko go hide somewhere and sniff ur Utaba
":p jst kidding"
@ Anon 2.52 the gurl in question is Ify Aniebo referred to in the article, hust read for goodness sake. I went to high school with her and boy am i very proud of her accomplishments. nice article.
Lilspicerz bis has expired o.
she is very very pretty. i really look up to her. i am studying to be like her. i LOVE this gurl no homo lol
future awards tried in 2010 when ify aniebo won. i was so proud of them and proud of her. to win 2 big awards no be beans oo. the babe come fine join. chaiiiii
Linda you need to be putting all these inspiring girls on your blog not just those ones on tv and entertainment. i don tire for you o. please i need to see more of girls like ify aniebo, dolapo oni, even uche eze of bella naija. i take God beg you.
congrats to ify aniebo, at least we hav some younths that are making impact how ever be the case. i know ify, we went to command secondary ibadan. These youth you mentioned here are born with a silver spoon in their mouth compare to an average nigeria youth whose parent has to go through hell to pass 200,000 naira per academic session in LASU and yet still have to stay at home for some months becos ASUU is on strike. If i remember very well, Ify's dad was one of the military governors during Babangida or Abach regime. She left to study abroad after her SSCE. She has everything for make life easy for her at her disposal and kudos to her for making a differnce with what she has.
Ify aniebo was born with a silver spoon. she is a rich child. so abeg her achievements are not that impressive to me. she has the most comfortable life i have ever seen in my life and if i had what she has i will achieve what she has achieved. even more. next!
@ anonymous above
If being born rich guaranteed scholarly achievement, then our Nigeria would be a better country, on this blog we celebrate lagos big boys and big girls who have not come close to what she has achieved, one would argue being born with a “silver spoon” would take away the motivation from most rich kids, but the young lady is an Oxford Phd Scholar, a Bill Gates scholarship recipient and an Exxon Mobli Scholar.
http://belindaotas.com/?p=10919 . So in reality her father has not paid school fees for her in years. As most “silver spoon” parents do.
And unlike most that went to Vivian fowler and A-Hall she went to command secondary school, ill hardly call that comfortable, I’m pretty certain your school was as “comfortable” or better. Point is you cannot hat on the young ladies achievements, stop being negative and bitter if you are not rich GET A SCHOLARSHIP, there are many “wooden spoon” Nigerians that do and go on to change their lives and have “silver spoon” kids as opposed to spewing negativity on blogs. Celebrate greatness when you see it…..
linda why did you take this post off from the home page, abi you TOO dont like ify aniebo?
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