11th POTY: A Collection of Avant-gardes

From pioneers to change makers, the 11th edition of the African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year list is a rich collection of avantgardes, whose love for the continent is helping to reshape the continentʼs narrative globally. The African Leadership Organization, publishers of African Leadership Magazine unveiled this yearʼs list amidst enthusiasm.

In his remarks during the unveiling ceremony, the founder and Chairman of the African Leadership organization, Dr Ken Giami, stated that, “Africa has traditionally been the cradle of great leadership; from Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Steve Biko, to Julius Nyerere, the continentʼs contribution to leadership philosophy remains indelible. However, a new leadership paradigm is evolving in the continent – they are the new Changemakers.” Continuing, the chairman, added that, “our nominees are Changemakers, who have chosen to push through with their vision to build and bequeath an Africa that works for all to the next generation.”

“Our winners see progress, where others see retrogression; they see possibilities in the midst of challenges. They are on a mission and are eager to lead Africa to the promise land,” he said.

The African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year Awards is Africaʼs premier vote-based endorsement, reserved annually for the leading Africans who are contributing towards promoting the continentʼs progress, and positively altering Africaʼs perceived negative image. The annual event has also become a platform for honouring people-centred leadership and Africans that are pursuing a pan-African agenda in their chosen fields of endeavour

Below are the winners and a brief profile on their leadership strides:

1.

AFRICAN

Of The Year 2022

H.E DR. JULIUS MAADA BIO

Julius Maada Bio is the current president of Sierra Leone.

Born on 12th May 1964, President Bio completed his primary, secondary and undergraduate education in Sierra Leone after which he ventured into the public service as a teacher before joining the Sierra Leone Army where he rose through the ranks to the position of Brigadier.

He served in various capacities as: Chief Secretary of State, Chief of Defense Staff, Minister of Information, Minister of Marine Resources, Deputy Head of State, and ultimately Head of State of Sierra Leone from January to March 1996.

As Head of State in 1996, President Bio presided over the conduct of the first democratic elections in Sierra Leone in nearly three decades.

Presently in Sierra Leone, President Julius Maada Bio is popularly referred to as the “Father of Democracy” because of his outstanding contribution towards the restoration of democracy and attainment of peace in the country

2. AFRICAN FEMALE LEADER OF THE YEAR 2022

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the seventh Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is a global finance expert, an economist, and an international development professional with over 30 years of experience which spans across continents.

She has served on the boards of various organisations such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Standard Chartered PLC and Twitter Incorporated.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was a twotime Finance Minister in her home country, Nigeria, and also served as

Minister of Foreign Affairs.

She had a career with the World Bank spanning 25 years as a development economist where she rose to the position of Managing Director, Operations.

3. AFRICAN EDUCATIONIST OF THE YEAR 2022

Dr. GETRUDE NWANGALA AKAPELWA

Dr. Gertrude Nwangala

Akapelwa is the Founder and ViceChancellor of the Victoria Falls University of Technology, Zambia which she helped establish in 2002.

Dr. Akapelwa has 49 years of working experience in leadership, strategic management, and operational functions in various key sectors of the economy

She served as the Chairperson of the Zambia ICT Authority Board, the regulator of the ICT sector in Zambia and also served the African Development Bank (ADB) in different capacities for 23 years, in Ivory Coast and Tunisia.

4. AFRICAN INDUSTRIALIST OF THE YEAR 2022

Patrice Motsepe.

Patrice Tlhopane Motsepe is a South African businessman and entrepreneur

He is the Founder and Executive Chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, ARM.

Motsepe made his fortune through mining interests which expanded to a successful multifaceted mining company, ARM, which has investments in gold, ferrous metals, base metals, and platinum.

He sits on several company boards, including being the nonexecutive chairman of Harmony Gold, the world's 12th-largest gold mining company while his firm, African Rainbow Minerals, controls 19.8 percent of Harmony

5. AFRICAN POLITICAL LEADER OF THE YEAR 2022

H.E. Hakinde Hichilema, President of Zambia

Hakainde Hichilema popularly referred to as President H.H. is the current Zambian President.

The 50-year-old businessman came into power in 2021 after having contested five previous elections in 2006, 2008, 2011,2015, and 2016.

Under his leadership, Zambia has recorded several successes, from the introduction of free education at the primary and secondary levels to a substantial increase in the Constituency Development Fund to upholding the rule of law and respecting human rights and freedoms.

6. AFRICAN PHILANTHROPIST OF THE YEAR 2022

Tsitsi Masiyiwa.

Tsitsis Masiyiwa is a social entrepreneur devoted to empowering young Africans with educational opportunities and access to technology

She is the Executive Chairperson and co-founder of Higher Life Foundation Zimbabwe.

In the last two decades, Masiyiwa through the Higher life Foundation has supported the education of over 250,000 vulnerable students in Zimbabwe, Burundi, and Lesotho.

She is also the lead organizer of the African Gender Initiative, a network targeted at uniting African philanthropists behind the common goal of advancing gender equality across the continent.

7. EMERGING AFRICAN LEADER OF THE YEAR 2022

Emma Theophilus.

Emma Theophilus is the Deputy Minister of Information, Communication, and Technology, in Namibia.

Her appointment as deputy Minister came at age 23 making her one of Africa's youngest ministers.

She is a board member of Namibia's National Council for Higher Education and has a law degree from the University of Namibia as well as a Diploma in African Feminism and gender studies from the University of South Africa.

8. AFRICA PEACE & SECURITY LEADER OF THE YEAR 2022

Yankuba Drammeh.

Yankuba Drammeh is a Gambian military officer and is also the current Chief of Defence Staff of Gambia.

His military career saw him rise to the rank of Brigadier General and Deputy Chief of Defence Staff before he was dismissed from the army by Yahya Jammeh on 30th November 2009 but was later reinstated in December of the same year as a Major General after being cleared of any wrongdoing.

Reassigned from the military, Drammeh also served his country in the diplomatic service as Ambassador to Turkey and then as Consul-General in New York before going back to the military

9. AFRICAN ENERGY LEADER OF THE YEAR 2022

Patricia Simon-Hart.

Patricia Simon-Hart is the founder and Managing Director of Aftrac Limited, an oil and gas service company that has been operational for over 20 years.

She is also the Secretary to the Executive Board of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), and a co-founder and Vice President of Women in Energy Network

Patricia has over 30 years of experience in Management, Public Policy, and Administration. She began her career in the Information and Communications Technology sector after which she set out to establish her own oil service company