Nigeria’s Tony Elumelu, Dr Tunji Funsho, Tomi Adeyemi, Giannis Antetokounmpo Named In TIME Magazine’s List Of 100 Most Influential People For 2020

Four Nigerians have been featured in TIME magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world for the year 2020.

The list, now in its 17th year, recognises the activism, innovation, and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals.

Four Nigerians that made it to the list are; United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Transcorp Plc Chairman, Tony Elumelu, author Tomi Adeyemi, basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo and cardiologist Tunji Funsho.

Elumelu is acknowledged as one of Africa’s leading investors and philanthropists for his achievements in business, industry and development not only in Nigeria in particular, but also in Africa in general.

He is recognised for his track record of business turnaround and value creation, and economic empowerment of young Africans.

Elumelu is the Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, his family owned investment company, committed to improving lives and transforming Africa, through long-term investments in strategic sectors of the African economy, including financial services, hospitality, power, energy and healthcare.

In addition, Elumelu is chairman of top pan-African financial services group, the United Bank for Africa (UBA), which operates in 20 countries in Africa, the United Kingdom, France, and is the only African bank with a commercial deposit taking licence in the United States.

In 2010, he created The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, catalysing economic growth, driving poverty eradication and ensuring job creation across all 54 African countries.

Since inception, the Foundation has funded just under 10,000 entrepreneurs and created a digital ecosystem of over one million as part of its ten year, $100m commitment through the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme.

The second Nigerian to be honored, Ms Adeyemi, is a Harvard University-trained born Nigerian-American novelist and creative writing coach, is also on the celebrated roll.

She is acknowledged by Wikipedia as the writer of the #1 New York Times bestselling book, Children of Blood and Bone, the first in the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy published by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers.

The book won the 2018 Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, the 2019 Waterstones Book Prize, and the 2019 Hugo Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book. In 2019, she was named among Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.

The third recipient of the honor, Mr Funsho is a Lagos-based cardiologist and first Rotary member to be bestowed with this honour for the organization’s work to eradicate polio, following his role in ensuring Africa’s certification as wild polio-free in August 2020.

In the list also is Giannis Antetokounmpo is Nigerian-Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Antetokounmpo, whose surname is a Greek script rendition for “Adetokunbo” was in Greece to Nigerian parents in 1994.

He is a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2020.

Antetokounmpo is often recognized as one of the best all-around players in the NBA, he is highly athletic and versatile.

Congratulations to all four Nigerians for the achievement.