The Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship program of Pres. Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and a key component of President Barack Obama’s commitment to invest in the future of Africa. Yesterday, the U.S. Embassy released the list of Nigerians to participate in the 2016 edition.
The White House developed this initiative in recognition of the critical and increasing role that young Africans are playing in strengthening democratic institutions, spurring economic growth, and enhancing peace and security in Africa. 10,000 Nigerian applied.
Those that made it include the former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, 2000, Dr. Matilda Kerry, who has worked consistently to improve the lives of underprivileged children via the George Kerry Life Foundation; Adebola Williams, co-founder of Red Media who owns the Future Awards and YNaija.
Otto Orondaam who founded Slum2School which is now one of the largest volunteer driven non-profits in Nigeria. They will participate in an intensive, 6-week program on academic excellence and leadership focused on business and entrepreneurship, civic leadership, public management, and renewable energy at U.S. colleges and universities.
S/N First Name Last Name State Of Origin
1. Adams Adeiza Kogi 2. Adamu Ishiyaku Gombe 3. Adaora Uche-Ugwonna Enugu
4. Adebola Williams Lagos 5. Adebukola Shonibare Osun 6. Adedayo Adeniyi Osun
7. Adeniyi Adedokun Oyo 8. Ahmed Ogunlaja Ogun 9. Andidiong Okon Akwa Ibom
10. Anita Tele-Oduloye Delta 11. Anthonia Abayomi-Ojo Osun
12. Apolmida Tsammani Bauchi 13. Arinze Ekwem Anambra
14. Ayodele Odeogbola Ogun 15. Babafemi Adebola Ekiti 16. Balarabe Ismail Kano
17. Ballason Gloria Kaduna 18. Charity Isa Borno State 19. Chidinma Mbanasor Abia
20. Chinelo Uchendu Anambra 21. Chinenye Ezeakor Enugu
22. Chukwudi Anyanaso Imo 23. Chukwuemeka Ubaka Imo
24. Cosmos Anweh Benue 25. Danladi Saleh Idrisa Borno 26. Dauda Sanusi Ogun
27. Ebunoluwa Farinde Lagos 38. Edemawan Ossai Cross River
39. Egbuna Obianuju Maureen Anambra 40. Ehigie Imarhiagbe Edo
41. Emana Imona Cross River 42. Emeka Ossai Delta 43. Emmanuel Obioha Imo
44. Ese Ovabor Edo 45. Fadekunayo Adeniyi Lagos 46. Fatima Mohammed Yobe
47. Fatima Oyiza Ademoh Kogi 48. Feyisara Ogunranti Oyo 49. Folahanmi Aina Oyo
50. Gbenga Oni Ekiti 51. Grace Ihejiamaizu Abia 52. Hadiza Kasimu Plateau
53. Hauwa Liman Katsina 54. Hussaini Saraki Bauchi 55. Ibrahim Sawab Borno
56. Ibrahim Audu Salisu Yobe 57. Ifeoluwa Oluwole Ondo
58. Immanuel Charles Akhimien Edo 59. Ishaku Haruna Gombe
60. Jamila Bashir Kano 61. Jocelyne Agbo Enugu 62. John Paul Usman Kogi
63. Jude Onwujei Delta 64. Juliana Owolabi Osun 65. Kenneth Ati Benue
66. Kyela Gadi Kaduna 67. Lukman Lawal Zamfara 68. Maalum Nadine North
69. Matilda Kerry Delta 70. Miriam Odabe Ebonyi
71. Mohammed Kabir Ibrahim Adamawa 72. Mojisola Ojebode Osun
73. Mubarak Tiamiyu Oyo 74. Muhammad Abdullahi Bauchi
75. Muhibbat Abdullahi Bauchi 76. Nana Samuel Borno 77. Nari Welye Adamawa
78. Nkechi Okwuone Delta 79. Nneoma Albert-Benson Imo
80. Obiefule Iroabueke Abia 81. Obinna Ebirim Imo
82. Olajide Kabir Oluwatosin Kwara 83. Olakunle Owoeye Ekiti 84. Olanrewaju Suleiman Kwara 85. Olorunfunmi Adebajo Ogun
86. Olufunto OpeoluwaAkinterinwa Ondo 87. Olumide Mukaila Lawal Lagos
88. Oluwabusola Majekodunmi Lagos 89. Oluwaseun Olaseinde Ondo
90. Oluwaseun Sangoleye Oyo 91. Oluwatobi Popoola Oyo
92. Oluwatobiloba Ajayi Osun 93. Omolara Rasheed Ogun 94. Orondaam Otto Rivers
95. Sylvester Sede Bayelsa 96. Temitope OluwaseuOkupe Ogun
97. Tessie-Nkechi Udegboka Anambra 98. Thaddeus Akpa Kogi
99. Theophilus Odaudu Kogi 100. Titilope Babafunso Osun
101. Tochukwu Ikpegbu Abia 101. Tolulope Sangosanya Ogun
102. Toochukwu Emerem Imo 103. Tukur Garba Gada Sokoto
105. Uchenna Igbokwe Anambra 106. Vanessa Willie Edo
107. Veronica Bakam Kaduna 108. Vweta Chadwick Delta 109. Wasiu Peter Oladipupo Ogun