THIS IS MY STORY; I crashed the Future Awards 4years ago because I had no invite, no one knew me. I was just a young girl trying to find my way in the media industry. I only went there to gather content(interviews) on the red carpet. When I finished my interview, I spotted the whiteboard where all the celebrities signed, it was some wall of fame so I signed too. I saw the way the Future Awards celebrated young people making an impact and I decided I wanted that for myself. So I wrote these words on the whiteboard "One day, I will win the Future Awards" Four years later, several challenges in between, with consistency hard work and God...My dreams came true. This award is a BIG DEAL to me. It's a reminder to me that no dream is too big if I can think it if I can work for it if I can trust God in the wait...I WILL GET IT. Thank you @tfaafrica for celebrating me, thank you for giving me a reason to want to do more.

• Olive Emodi
• TFAA winner, Prize for On Air Personality Visual

5 years ago (2013), I was nominated for this same prize and though I didn’t win then, the nomination boosted my then budding career as a Social Media Strategist. Years later, after much growth, I am celebrated as a TFAA winner. Thanks to TFAA for this honor, I am very grateful. Growth is intentional, Growth takes time. A lot can happen in 5years.

• John Obidi
• TFAA winner of Prize for New Media

I am a living example that with hard work, passion and faith that you can achieve that which you never planned for. This is my first award as an actor and I have been on this journey for quite a while now. You too can win by going against the grain. You can win by saying “no” and holding your spirit of excellence. You can win by refusing to shift your moral compass and keeping your standards when they ask you to throw it away. Thank you so much for riding this wave with me! Thank you The Future Awards Africa.

• Zainab Balogun
• TFAA winner of Prize in Acting

It is Such an honor to be nominated, even more, humbling to be announced the winner! Thanks to The Future Enterprise Support Scheme for giving me the platform to learn this skill 6 years ago and now thanks to The Future Awards Africa for this recognition, It is a testament that hard, smart work pays! Thanks for always encouraging me to do better.

• Emmanuel Oyeleke
• TFAA winner for prize in photography

Thanks to The Future Awards Africa for giving my first ever award in 2012. I am so grateful for this recognition as it shows that people appreciate my work as a designer. This has given me more zeal to inspire more people.

• Toju Foyeh
• TFAA winner for Fashion designer of the year

Just when the world has begun to pay attention to Africa as a destination for rapid growth and investment, we cannot allow Ebola to define the narrative. We need to put a stop to this immediately, and young people need to take the lead just as The Future Awards Africa has.

• Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde
• Best 100 Honouree