By Thisday
The 2023 Best of Africa Awards, with the theme “Legacy” held on Nigeria’s Independence Day at the Londoner Hotel, London, brought together luminaries from across the globe to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Africans in various domains. This prestigious event, now in its 11th edition, was marked by the recognition of individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the African continent and its people. Among the honorees, Bose Ogulu received the coveted ‘2023 History Maker Award’ and delivered a captivating keynote address that left the audience inspired.
The event followed the same tradition, showcasing distinguished recipients alongside Bose Ogulu. Among them were Eniola Akulo (Former Chelsea and England football player), Madams Fatma Samoura (First female secretary general of FIFA), Sir Mo Farah (Retired long-distance runner), Vincent Kompany (Former Manchester City center back), Eddie Kadi (Comedian / BBC 1 Xtra presenter), DJ Cuppy (Nigerian DJ/music producer), Christian Atsu (Ghanaian International footballer), Darren Lewis (President of ISA), and numerous others.
As the keynote speaker of the evening, Bose Ogulu, celebrated as both the mother and manager of Grammy Awardee Burna Boy, delivered an inspirational address that resonated with attendees from diverse backgrounds. She spoke passionately about the essence of “structure” in creating a lasting legacy and underscored the importance of acknowledging and celebrating African excellence across various domains, including music, sports, and business.
In her words, ” This is how the legacy in managing Burna Boy has been built, brick by brick, taking the stairs, putting on the top of your mind the fact that you need to be impactful and different, so when they said you can’t do that, I said why can’t we, and we did it.” In her closing statement, she expressed gratitude to BOA for the recognition and emphasized the importance of breaking barriers, making a meaningful impact, and leaving a lasting legacy. She acknowledged notable figures from various African industries, such as Paul Pogba, Giannis Antetokounmpo (former NBA MVP), and Ham Serunjogi, the founder of Chipper Cash.
Concluding she said ” There is a lot of work still to do, but the important thing is we are enough! Let us not be afraid to build brick by brick, avoid shortcuts, embrace structure, and then we would have legacy. Thank you!”
The 2023 Best of Africa Awards, with its theme of “Legacy,” will undoubtedly be remembered as a night that celebrated not only the achievements of the past but also the promise of a brighter future for Africa. Bose Ogulu’s receipt of the History Maker Award and her inspirational keynote address further solidified the event’s status as a platform for recognizing and nurturing African excellence.