South Africa-based magazine, African Leadership, has named the President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, 2019 African of the Year.
The magazine’s publisher, Ken Giami, in a speech made available on Sunday described Adesina as Africa’s developer-in-chief.
The African Leadership Persons of the Year Investiture Ceremonies and Awards Gala night took place at Johannesburg, South Africa on Saturday.
Mr Giami explained that the winner of the award emerged through vigorous and transparent processes across the continent.
He said this year’s edition, which was the eighth in the series, attracted over 300,000 votes and 2.2 million engagements across various social media platforms continent-wide, a 35 per cent increase from the 2018 edition.
“We are very happy with the growing involvement of Africans from all shades of thought in the selection process, and we trust that it will continue to grow,” he said.
“We also want to very specially celebrate the winner of our 2019 African of the Year Award, Adesina, President of AfDB whose image as Africa’s developer-in-chief, Africa’s investment mobiliser-in-chief, and Africa’s optimist in-Chief is both legendary and game-changing for the continent.
“They have secured for themselves, a place in Africa’s best 11 team. We are very proud of the work they do and are happy to be identified with them.”
Adesina commended the management of the magazine for the recognition, saying he was humbled.
He, however, dedicated the award to his wife, to all his staff and colleagues in the bank.
“I also dedicate this award to all those I have worked with my entire life, to Nigeria which always gave me air in my lungs, to all African countries, and to all Heads of State and governments across Africa, for their unrelenting support,” he said.
