The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; former President of Liberia, George Weah and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vista Equity Partners, Texas, U.S., Robert Smith, are now to receive the African Heritage Awards (AHA) in Lagos, Nigeria.
Organisers of the 2024 AHA, Heritage Times HT, had earlier slated the event to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa. A statement, yesterday, by the organisers, disclosed that the decision to change the event location was “due to unavoidable bottlenecks encountered.”
“The event is now slated to hold at the Lagos Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, on April 13, 2024, same date as earlier scheduled,” the organisers said.
According to the organisers, the choice of Lagos State for the AHA 2024 is strategic, being that the state is the entertainment hub of Africa, and the vibrant city known for its high appetite for global events.
Also nominated for the award include John Dramani Mahama, former President of Ghana; Mama Rachael Ruto, First Lady of the Republic of Kenya and Founder of Mama Doing Good Organisation.
Others nominated for honours are Founder & Executive Chairman of International Technology Groups, Econet Global and Cassava Technologies, Mr & Mrs Strive Masiyiwa; Chairman/Managing Partner, Global Infrastructure Partners, Adebayo Ogunlesi; Founder of the Thuli Madonsela Foundation, Prof. Thulisile Nomkhosi Madonsela; Prime Minister of Togo, Victoire Tomegah Dogbe; Managing Director of the Rose of Sharon Group and Executive Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil Limited; Mrs Folorunsho Alakija; Co-chair of BMCE Bank Foundation, Othman Benjelloun and Founder of Graca Machel Trust, Madam Graca Machel.
The pan-African event, which is sequel to the inaugural edition held on April 1, 2023, in Kigali, Rwanda, is a gathering strategically organised to celebrate and recognise outstanding global accomplishments of Africans within the continent and in the diaspora, in areas of business, politics, philanthropy, entertainment and arts, culture, science and technology and social innovation.
The organisers said the recognition and awards had become imperative to sustainably foster the African culture of excellence, promote Afrocentrism, and create an ecosystem that would further retell the true African story towards the advancement of the continent’s full potential.
