American weekly news magazine and news website, Time Magazine, has named Nigerian contemporary artiste, David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, as one of the next 100 most influential people in the world for 2021.
Davido in his reaction wrote on his social media platforms: ‘Proud to be included in the inaugural #TIME100Next list”.
According to TIME Magazine, TIME100 Next list is an expansion of their flagship, TIME100 franchise, that highlights 100 emerging leaders who are shaping the future.
The FEM singer was selected in the Phenoms category alongside stars like Amanda Gorman, Charli D’Amelio, Rege-Jean Page, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nyjah Huston, Sydney McLaughlin, Brit Bennett, Olivia Rodrigo, Steve Kornacki, Doja Cat, Luka Doncic, Trevor Lawrence, Abby Phillip, Janja Garnbret, Izkia Siches Pasten, Koyoharu Gotouge.
Each person on the TIME100Next list had a tribute written by someone in their field. For Davido, Nigerian rapper and winner of the Big Brother Naija Lockdown Edition, Olamilekan Moshood Agbeleshe, known professionally as Laycon, wrote the tribute.
Nigerians on the list are founders of the Feminist Coalition – Damilola Odufuwa and Odunayo Eweniyi; a member of the group, Feyikemi “FK” Abudu; and Flutterwave’s co-founder and CEO, Olugbenga Agboola.
Odufunwa, Eweniyi and Abudu were spotlighted by Time Magazine for their role in the #ENDSARS protest which rocked Nigeria in 2020.
When protests calling for an end to police brutality and the disbandment of Nigeria’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) erupted across the country in fall 2020, Damilola Odufuwa and Odunayo Eweniyi, founders of the Feminist Coalition, sprang into action. Drawing on their expertise in tech, they raised donations in Bitcoin to offer protesters medical assistance, legal aid and mental health support.
Tech expert Agboola was recognised for his contribution during the #ENDSARS protest.
Amid lockdown, Flutterwave expanded from specializing 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. Now Flutterwave—which already has a presence in 17 African countries—is planning to leverage that momentum into greater expansion, so that a customer in South Africa, for example, can seamlessly use her Kenyan digital wallet to buy products in Senegal.