Feyikemi ‘FK’ Abudu, Odunayo Eweniyi, Damilola Odufuwa and three other Nigerians have been named in the 2021 edition of the Time Magazine Next 100.
The Time Next 100 list released on Wednesday featured 100 persons across the world ‘shaping the future’ in business, entertainment, health and science, sports, activism and other fields.
Other Nigerians named in the list include Olugbenga Agoola, co-founder and chief executive officer of Flutterwave; Ijeoma Oluo, a Nigerian-American writer and Afrobeat singer; David Adeleke, better known by his stage name, Davido
The Trio of Abudu, Eweniyi and Odufuwa were named in the Advocate category for their efforts during the #ENDSARS protests that rocked Nigeria in October 2020.
According to Times magazine, they raised donations from both Nigeria and the diaspora to organise food and make security arrangements for protesters on the ground. In two weeks, the trio was able to raise more than 387,000 dollars for the protest.
Read Also: Reactions as CNN’s investigation exposes how Nigerian Army shot at peaceful #EndSARS protesters
Agboola, CEO of Flutterwave, was named in the Innovation category for his tech support provided to many small businesses amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
“Amid lockdown, Flutterwave expanded from specialising in digital cash registers to hosting digital storefronts, helping some 20,000 small businesses suddenly without foot traffic set up online shops, receive payments and arrange delivery options,” the magazine said.
Davido’s selection on the 2021 Times next list was also not unconnected with the #ENDSARS protests in Nigeria.
“Through FEM in 2020, a title that loosely translates to ‘shut up’ in Yoruba, he didn’t know it would become a major #EndSARS protest anthem, as youths banded together to demand the government take action to end police brutality in Nigeria last October. Officials responded by sending politicians to give speeches. We told the government to keep quiet unless they had something sensible to add—the ethos of “FEM” was directly relatable to that moment,” according to his nominee, Laycon.
Oluo, a Nigerian-American writer, was selected for her books on social equality and justice.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94