Reputable media platform, TIME magazine, has named Nigerian artist, Davido and three EndSARS protesters (Damilola Odufuwa, Odunayo Eweniyi and Feyikemi “FK” Abudu) among the Next 100 most influential people in the world.
The Editor-in-Chief and CEO of TIME, Edward Felsenthal, said they made the list due to their positive influence in their respective environments which points to the fact that they are well positioned to be leaders.
Felsenthal added that they used their influence to fight “systemic injustice” while advocating for truth and democracy.
“As we assembled our second annual TIME100 Next list—an expansion of our flagship TIME100 franchise that highlights 100 emerging leaders who are shaping the future—what struck me most was how its members are coping with crisis,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
In his tribute, Laycon, who once featured in the Big Brother Naija programme, stated that Davido was unaware of the impact of his songs across the globe.
“Davido is one of the biggest voices in Afrobeats because his music connects with people, often in ways that transcend his expectations,” he added.
For the EndSARS activists, TIMES captured that they founded the Feminist Coalition, and through it funded the campaign against alleged police brutality in Nigeria.
“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. Simultaneously, Feyikemi “FK” Abudu acted quickly, raising funds from both Nigeria and the diaspora to organize food and security arrangements for protesters on the ground. Abudu later joined forces with the Feminist Coalition, and the organization, comprising 13 founding members, raised more than $387,000 in two weeks,” it stated.
Courtesy: The Whistler
