The Central Working Committee for The Future Awards has announced that the awards, in its 8th edition, would be going continental this year for the first time. Explaining the details of the formal calendar of activities for The Future Awards 2013, Chude Jideonwo, executive director, The Future Project, organisers of the awards, noted that the move was timed to coincide with the just-concluded 50th anniversary celebration of the African Union.
“It has been seven years of inspiring young Nigerian leaders across the country. We have visited 23 states with the awards, the town hall meetings, conferences, amongst others, and we have touched thousands of lives. That legacy will remain,” he said.
The 2013 edition of the awards would be hosted in partnership with the youth office of the African Union Commission, based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and nominations for the awards’ biggest prize, Young Person of the Year, would be Africa-based.
The executive director said the decision to move the awards to a continental level was taken after visiting Ghana, South Africa and Ethiopia and seeing the great synergy and impact an Africa-wide awards would have on Africans, especially youths who have distinguished themselves in their various endeavours.
On the reason the pan-African organisation is partnering in the awards, Raymonde Agossou, division head, Human Resources and Youth Development, African Union Commission, said: “We are very proud of The Future Awards because it has always been based on performance and achievement. Those values have remained intact and should always be.”
Jideonwo said: “Nominations in the 16 categories of the awards are now on. Please nominate any inspiring young Nigerians between 18 and 31 in the categories above by going to the website www.thefutureafrica.com/awards. Those without Internet access should call or SMS 08022226712. As this year’s campaign declares: Inspiration begins here!”
The event holds in August 2013. Judges will be officially unveiled in a statement next week. There will be no public voting for The Future Awards 2013.
