By Osagie Alonge
American publishing and media company Forbes has named Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic, Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe better known as Chinua Achebe as the most influential celebrity in Africa.
Achebe ranks number one out of a list of 40 most influential celebrities which also includes actors, cerebral authors, musicians, movie producers, supermodels, TV personalities and athletes selected from all across the continent of Africa. The second position is occupied by Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour, while the third position by Ivorian footballer and Chelsea FC centre forward Didier Drogba.
The 40-man list selection involved picking out individuals with the highest number of votes from a vast nominations entry of 7,500 people. And then their media visibility (which includes exposure in print, television, radio and online), references on Google, TV/radio mentions and other mentions across continent.
A total of 11 Nigerians including Achebe are featured on the list. They include Noble laureate Wole Soyinka (6), Afrobeat maestro Femi Kuti (10), Nollywood star actress Genevieve Nnaji (19), Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie (32), hit producer Don Jazzy (36) and musicians 2face Idibia (34), Psquare (35), D’banj (37), Nneka (38) and Asa (39).
Check out the full list below…
1. Chinua Achebe, 80, Novelist (Nigeria)
2. Youssou N’dour, 51, Musician (Senegal)
3. Didier Drogba, 33, Footballer (Cote D’Voire)
4. Angelique Kidjoe, 51, Musician (Benin Republic)
5. Akon, 38, Musician (Senegal)
6. Wole Soyinka, 77, Playwright (Nigeria)
7. Salif Keita, 62, Musician (Mali)
8. Yvonne Chaka Chaka, 46, (South African)
9. Oumou Sang, 43, Musician (Mali)
10. Femi Kuti, 49, Musician (Nigerian)
11. Toumani Diabaté, Musician (Mali)
12. Oliver Mtukudzi, 59, Musician (Zimbabwe)
13. Haile Gebrselassie, 38, Athlete (Ethiopia)
14. Khaled Hadj Ibrahim, 51, Musician (Algeria)
15. Samuel Eto’o, 30, Soccer Player (Cameroun)
16. Alek Wek, 34, Supermodel (Sudan)
17. Liya Kebede, 33, Supermodel (Ethopia)
18. Dobet Gnahoré, 29, Musician (Ivory Coast)
19. Genevieve Nnaji, 32, Actress (Nigeria)
20. Koffi Olomidé, 55, Musician (Congo)
21. Neill Blomkamp, 32, Movie Director (South Africa)
22. Souad Massi, 39, Musician (Algeria)
23. Baaba Maal, 58, Musician (Senegalese)
24. Hugh Masekela, 72, Musician (South Africa)
25. K’Naan, 33, Rapper (Somalia)
26. Amadou and Mariam, Musicians (Mali)
27. Awilo Longomba, Musician (Congo)
28. Eric Wainaina, 38, Musician (Kenya)
29. Binyavanga Wainaina, 40, Author (Kenya)
30. Ngugi Wa Thiongo, 73, Author (Kenya)
31. Freshlyground, Musicians (South Africa)
32. Chimamanda Adichie, 34, Writer (Nigeria)
33. Rokia Traoré, 37, Musician (Mali)
34. Tuface Idibia, 36, Musician (Nigeria)
35. P-Square, 29, Musicians (Nigeria)
36. Don Jazzy, 30, Music Producer (Nigeria)
37. D’Banj, 31, Musician (Nigeria)
38. Nneka, 31, Musician (Nigeria)
39. Asa, 29, Musician (Nigeria)
40. Patricia Amira, 33, TV Personality (Kenya)
20 comments
inaccurate without omotola,besides no ghanians,dis is inequality o
Way to go 9ja… Chinua Achebe, we are so proud of you!
wrong, being powerful is diffeent from being famous, this list is meant to be filled with human right activist, philanthropist etc, i wonder why the list is filled with nigerians and kenyans.
The list is like the stamp of a galloping horse. Quite likened to an outsider show a house-owner rat holes in his kitchen. Quite naive
Genevieve ahead of 2face. Drogba ahead of eto? Never
I love dis list bt d names shal o. I knw dat very Genevieve wen powerful pas 2face. Power of 9ja!l
it is pretty funny cause no where in this world would Genevieve be rated ahead of 2face..this list sucks.
Am yet to convinced dat Gene is ahead of 2Baba.
Where is Daddy Showkey(d great inspiriation to AJ city kids?
Some artistes (celebrities) in Nigeria might be ‘big’ in the 9ja environment but may not be that ‘popular’ globally. And moreover this rating was compiled by a credibly organisation through vote. Just like it was learned months back that Van Vicker was more popular than Ramsey Nouah on a social network. Unbelievable?
Nneji above 2face? & No omotola? Stil wondering…
God Bless Nigeria, i believe the credibility of this list, apart from Kofi Annann and Micheal Essien nobody exist in Ghana.
Where is kanu Nwankwo n Jay-Jay?where is Kofi Annan?
9ija is alwys the pila of africa infact I’m proud to be nigerian.but 4get me not on the top 40 africa list of celebrity.i’m Author igube Emmanuel Amechi the Author of the fruit of over-pampered child.4 ur copy call me on 08035430611 or emmysmart4life@yahoo.com
Chinua Achebe…the greatest! Am a fan.
Guys, it’s top 40. Not 100. If Omotola or Essien or whoever is to be there, who would you drop? And that one calling okocha, or Kanu…go and sit down jare.
NB: it’s not most powerful, it’s most influential. Don’t spread the wrong word.
Author Igube Emmanuel Amechi.hails from effium in ohaukwu L.G.A of ebonyi state nigeria. He attended Azuedene primary school effium and effium high school and he was a studen of cornerstone internation secondary school ikoro,Ekitj state.there he obtained his ssce certificate and moved to olabisi onabanjo university ago-iweye (oou)in ogun state to study mass communication which stand to be the bed rock of every society.the author is a motivational speaker inspired by God to transform the life of present generation. He is a man found to have compassion qualities and extraordinary ablities to give solution and answer to problems of his fellow youth both in academic and moral up bring.to crown it all,autho Igube Emmanuel Igube believes in the philosophy of an egalitarianism which was one of the fact that bring him closer to various peronnels both home and abroad.TO God be the glory. ABOUT THE BOOK.OVER PAMPERED CHILD. chijoke was over pampered by his mother,becuse he happened to be the only child of the wealthy family,like a joke,the spoiling attitude from the mother encourage him to indulge himself in bad habits,the nutty goat begins with violation of the school rule and regulations”how does it happened? What was the effort of his father to prevent him from the ugly situation and exactly did one need to learn from over pampered child.grap your copy now.reach author Igube Emmanuel Amechi on +2348035430611 or Emial Emmysmart4life@yahoo.com
The power of 9ja. Am proud to be called a Nigerian, weather u like it or not, dis is a country that possibilities, expliots, & productivity abound. Am a fan of 2face idibia ,”becos by the time u enter the place, u nor go dey look uche face” One Love Friends! Together we stand cos there is nothing been black. One Love Africans. I saluate………… God’swill(08066181124)
It doesnt matter wheather your name is on the list or not. if its not there, then you can be inflencial to ur family, environment, or even nation. ” influencial na influencial”. The concept there is affecting your society in the little way that u can positively. God help Africans. See good,Think good,& Act good………… Godswill(08066181124)