SOME POSITIVE AND GREAT NIGERIANS

Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. He was best known for his first novel and magnum opus, Things Fall Apart, which is the most widely read book in modern African literature.

 Philip Emeagwali, referred to by Bill Clinton as the “Bill GATES of Africa”, is a supercomputer genius, who played a major role in making today’s  internet a reality. He was one of two winners of the 1989 Gordon Bell Prize, for his use of a Connection Machine supercomputer to help analyze petroleum field His achievements were quoted in a speech by Bill Clinton as an example of what Nigerians could achieve when given the opportunity.

Medicine and surgery;

Dr. Elizabeth O. Ofili was the first woman president of the Association of Black Cardiologists.  She is nationally recognized for her expertise in the field of echocardiography, the use of sound waves to study the heart and how it functions. She received the Young Investigator Research Award from the American Society of Echocardiography and Mallinckrodt Cardiology in 1993, for her echo studies of myocardial blood flow. In 2000 she became the first woman to serve as president of the Association of Black Cardiologists.

Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti (1927 – 2003)(Nigeria’s Minister of Health and Human Services, 1985-1992). It was during his tenure as health minister that a law against smoking was enacted and manufacturers were compelled to carry warnings such as “Cigarette smokers are liable to die young,” and “The Federal Ministry of Health warns that tobacco smoking is dangerous to health.”  Professor Ransome-Kuti has also served as chairman of the World Health Organization’s Executive Board (1991-1992) . He was a guest professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland.
Law and Justice;

Gani Fawehinmi, (died 05 September 2009) was a Nigerian author, publisher, philanthropist, social critic, human and civil rights lawyer, politician and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) (the equivalent of the rank of Queen’s Counsel in the United Kingdom). His supporters have called him “the scourge of irresponsible governments, a sphygmomanometer with which the blood pressure of dictators is gauged, the veritable conscience of the nation and the champion of the interests and causes of the masses”.Many Nigerians called him the people’s president.

With his boundless energy he tenaciously and uncompromisingly pursued and crusaded his beliefs, principles and ideals for the untrammelled rule of law, undiluted democracy, all embracing and expansivesocial justice, protection of fundamental human rights and respect for the hopes and aspirations of the masses who are victims of misgovernment of the affairs of the Nation.

Media;

Femi Oke is a Nigerian-born British television presenter and journalist. A graduate of Birmingham University, England, Femi currently lives in New York and appears as a daily newscaster, contributor and interviewer on Public Radio International/WNYC’s morning public radio news program, The Takeaway. She is a former anchor for CNN International‘s World Weather service at the network’s global headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. She presented weather segments for the programs Your World Today and World News. She also regularly hosted Inside Africa, now fronted by Isha Sesay, a programme that looks into the economic, social and cultural affairs and trends in Africa.

Literature

Wole Soyinka (born 13 July 1934) is a Nigerian writer, poet and playwright. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, the first African to be so honoured. In 1994, he was designated United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Goodwill Ambassador for the promotion of African culture, human rights, freedom of expression, media and communication.  

Fashion, Style and Modelling;

Agbani Darego (born 1983), is a Nigerian model, best known for being the first black African to be crowned Miss World in 2001, She did so at record age 18!
She is signed to Next Model Management, and is currently pursuing a modelling career in Europe.  She has modelled for the renowned L’Oréal cosmetics.

Banking

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Nigeria’s World Bank Magnate. (born June 13, 1954) She was a former Finance Minister and Foreign Minister of Nigeria and was notable for being the first woman to hold either of those positions. She served as finance minister from July 2003 until her appointment as foreign minister in June 2006, and as foreign minister until her resignation in August 2006. Okonjo-Iweala was considered as a possible replacement for former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz. On October 4 2007 she was appointed as Managing Director of the World Bank by World Bank President Robert Zoellick.

Education and Youth

Paula and Peter Imafidon: Youngest kids ever to pass the A/AS Mathematics papers at record age 7, and more stunningly enough the widely-acclaimed University of Cambridge’s Advanced Mathematics paper at record age 8; set to make history by being the youngest to gain admission into High School. Watch out for these promising Nigerian kids!!!

Sports

Nwankwo Christian Nwosu Kanu He is the most decorated African footballer in history, having won aUEFA Champions League medal, a UEFA Cup medal, three FA Cup Winners Medals and two African Player of the Year awards amongst others.
Out of the hundred of players that ply their trade in the English Premier League, Kanu of Nigeria remains the only player to have won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, Premier League, FA Cup and an Olympic Gold Medal. How Glorious! He is also a UNICEF ambassador.