LEADERS BY RECOGNITION RECEIVED
This list is incomplete, but it gives a sense of the range of awards that Africa’s emerging and established leaders have earned
Achievements in International Development Award (given by The Guardian)
“Maggy” Barankitse (Burundi), 2009
Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA)
Tony Elumelu (Nigeria), Honorary Counsel to the AMAA
Africa Prize for Leadership (through the Hunger Project)
Wangari Maathai (Kenya)
African Footballer of the Year (through the Union of European Football Associations)
Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
African International Award of Merit for Leadership
Zainab Bangura (Sierra Leone), 1999
Africare Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award
Graça Machel (Mozambique)
Angel of Africa Award (from the Segal Family Foundation)
“Maggy” Barankitse (Burundi), 2013
Anzisha Prize (through the African Leadership Academy)
Donald Bambara (Burkina Faso), 2013 finalist
Sirjeff Dennis (Tanzania), 2015 finalist
Mabel Suglo (Ghana), 2015 second runner up
Aspen Global Leadership Fellow
Patrick Awuah (Ghana)
Champion of the Earth Award (through the United Nations)
Fatima Jibrell (Somalia), 2011
Cheikh Anta Diop Award for Excellence in African Studies
Toyin Falola (Nigeria), 2006 Award
Clinton Global Citizen Award
Mohamed Ibrahim (Sudan), 2010
Graça Machel (Mozambique), 2014
Commonwealth Scholarship (through the Government of the UK)
Cinderella Anena (Uganda), Master’s Degree, Global Development & Gender, U. of Leeds
Dell Social Innovation Competition Award
Kennedy Odede (Kenya), 2010
Distinguished Africanist Award
Kassahun Checole (Eritrea), from UT-Austin, 2006
Toyin Falola (Nigeria) from the African Studies Association, 2011
Echoing Green Global Fellow
Kennedy Odede (Kenya), 2010
Rajesh Panjabi (Liberia), 2011
Four Freedoms Award (from the Roosevelt Institute)
“Maggy” Barankitse (Burundi), 2004
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Fellowship
Amnah Ibuni (Tanzania), to participate in the 2015 Young Leaders Forum
Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence
Francis Amedahe, School of Education, Elon University, 2006-07
Future Africa Award
Kelvin Mutize (Zimbabwe), 2015
Kennedy Odede (Kenya), 2014
Future for Nature Award
Corneille Ewango (DRC), 2011
Gleitsman International Activist Award
Ilwad Elman (Somalia), 2015
Global Ambassador (through the National Basketball Association)
Dikembe Mutombo (DRC)
Global Leader for Tomorrow (through the World Economic Forum)
Mpule Kwelagobe (Botswana), 2003
Global Leadership and Humanitarian Award
Reginald Mengi (Tanzania)
Global Youth Ambassador (through A World at School)
Hikmat Baba Dua (Ghana)
Marshall Dyton (Malawi)
Salimatou Fatty (The Gambia)
Issac Jonas (Zimbabwe)
Joannes Paulus Yimbesalu (Cameroon)
Goldman Environmental Prize
Corneille Ewango (DRC), 2005
Fatima Jibrell (Somalia), 2002
Wangari Maathai (Kenya),1991
Goodwill Ambassador (through the United Nations)
Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire), for the UNDP
Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), for UNICEF
Mpule Kwelagobe (Botswana), for Youth and HIV/AIDS
Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
Miriam Were (Kenya)–story coming in 2016
Ibadan Foundation Award
Toyin Falola (Nigeria), 2009 award
Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership
Joaquim Chissano (Mozambique), 2007–story coming in 2016
Pedro Pires (Cape Verde), 2011–story coming in 2016
IDEO.org Global Fellow
William Kamkwamba (Malawi)
Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development
Wangari Maathai (Kenya)
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia)
International Order of the Lion (through the International Assoc. of Lions Clubs)
Reginald Mengi (Tanzania)
International Visitor Leadership Program (through the US Department of State)
Nadege Afoutou (Togo)
Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
Mamoudou Barry (Guinea), Master’s in Policy Economics, Williams College
Kanthari Fellow
Odion Anavhe, 2014
Laureate of Africa Prize
Graça Machel (Mozambique)
Liberty Medal
Nelson Mandela (South Africa)
MacArthur Foundation Fellowship
Patrick Awuah (Ghana), 2015
MasterCard Foundation Scholar
Isaac Jonas (Zimbabwe)
Mandela Washington Fellows (through the US Department of State)
2014
Ba Coulibaly (Cote d’Ivoire), hosted by the University of Texas-Austin
Jean-Patrick Ehouman (Côte d’Ivoire), hosted by the University of Texas-Austin
Ilwad Elman (Somalia), hosted by the University of Delaware
Amnah Ibuni (Tanzania), hosted by Arizona State University
Phillip Garjay Innis (Liberia), hosted by Syracuse University
Adepeju Jaiyeoba (Nigeria), hosted by the University of Texas-Austin
Saied Tafida Sulaiman (Nigeria), hosted by Syracuse University
2015
Nadege Afoutou (Togo), hosted by the University of Delaware
Essan Emile Ako (Côte d’Ivoire), hosted by Rutgers University
Cinderella Anena (Uganda), hosted by the “Presidential Precinct” (a consortium of universities)
Momodou Inkeh Bah (The Gambia), hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University
Mamoudou Barry (Guinea), hosted by Georgia State University
Ndzoyi Averty Delamizere (Republic of Congo), hosted by Presidential Precinct
Sinazo Didiza (South Africa), hosted by Arizona State University
Hikmat Baba Dua (Ghana), hosted by Rutgers University
Marshall Dyton (Malawi), hosted by Notre Dame
Heinrich Hafeni (Namibia), hosted by Clark Atlanta University
Sara Idohou (Benin), hosted by Arizona State University
Alieu Jallow (The Gambia), hosted by Northwestern University
Aruna Kallon (Sierra Leone), hosted by the “Presidential Precinct” (a consortium of universities)
Fombah Kanneh (Liberia), hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Stout
Allen Kimbelwa (Tanzania), hosted by Tulane University
Kelvin Macharia Kuria (Kenya), hosted by Dartmouth College
Collins Nakedi (Kenya), hosted by Arizona State University
Virgile Samba-Moussinga (Rep. of the Congo), hosted by VCU
Kelvin Mutize (Zimbabwe), hosted by Arizona State University
Bobwealth Omontese (Nigeria), hosted by Syracuse University
Onemus “Jnr Kannase” Shoombe (Namibia), hosted by Arizona State University
Amalkher Djibrine Souleymane (Chad), hosted by Tulane University
Miss Universe
Mpule Kwelagobe (Botswana)
Moremi Initiative for Women’s Leadership in Africa (MILEAD) Fellows
Hikmat Baba Dua (Ghana)
Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award
Kennedy Odede (Kenya)
Mulago Foundation Fellow
Rajesh Panjabi (Liberia)
Nansen Refugee Award (from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)
“Maggy” Barankitse (Burundi), 2005
Graça Machel (Mozambique)
National Geographic Emerging Explorers Award
John Dau (South Sudan)
Nobel Peace Prize
Hawa Abdi (Somalia), nominee in 2012
Mohamed ElBaradei (Egypt), 2005
Wangari Maathai (Kenya), 2004
National Dialogue Quartet (Tunisia), 2015
Nelson Mandela (South Africa), 1993
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia), 2011
North-South Prize (awarded by the Council of Europe)
“Maggy” Barankitse (Burundi), 2001
Graça Machel (Mozambique)
Presidential Medal of Freedom
Nelson Mandela (South Africa)
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia)
President’s Service Award (through the US Government)
Dikembe Mutombo (DRC)
Queens Young Leader
Pater Noster (Cameroon)
Stella Mutale Sata (Zambia), mentor to Queens Young Leaders
Joannes Paulus Yimbesalu (Cameroon)
Star Award
Chinenye Sarah Ogoko (Nigeria)
Swedish Institute Scholarship
Phillip Garjay Innis (Liberia), for Environmental Management and Policy, Lund University
TED Fellow
Hawa Abdi (Somalia), 2011 talk
Patrick Awuah (Ghana), 2007 talk
Corneille Ewango (DRC), 2007 talk
William Kamkwamba (Malawi)
Seyi Oyesola (Nigeria), 2007 talk
Fred Swaniker (Ghana), 2014 talk
Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP)
Basant Motawi (Egypt), 2015
United Nations NGO Lifetime Achievement Award
Reginald Mengi (Tanzania)
Vital Voices Lead Fellow
Odion Anavhe, 2015
Women Deliver Young Leader
Hikmat Baba Dua (Ghana)
Young Global Leader (through the World Economic Forum)
Mpule Kwelagobe (Botswana), 2006
Fred Swaniker (Ghana)
