At the University of Abuja in Nigeria, on Saturday, April 27, 2024, a first-of-its-kind event was held to honor Tim Akano, the CEO of New Horizons, for his unparalleled contributions to youth empowerment in Nigeria and Africa.
The Nigeria University Students’ body and youths across the country gathered to organize the event in his honour.
Firstly, a magazine titled “The TITAN” was launched to highlight some of Akano’s empowerment activities. Secondly, representatives from 33 organizations from various parts of the country, such as Taraba, Katsina, Kaduna, Anambra, Plateau, Bauchi, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Lagos, and Niger, presented awards to Tim Akano for his outstanding work.
During his lecture titled “Optimizing the Power of Technology in Wealth and Jobs Creation,” Tim Akano traced the evolution of technology from ancient times to the modern era. He emphasized the importance of African youth seizing opportunities in the emerging Fourth Industrial Revolution, listing seven key technologies that will shape the future which includes Cloud Computing, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Social Media, Quantum Computing, and Cybersecurity.
In his speech, Comrade Obaji Uchenna Marshal, the President of the Nigeria University Students’ Association (NAUS), described Tim Akano as “a TITAN of youth empowerment” and “Africa’s foremost Youth Mentor,” underscoring the significance of the event in honoring his contributions.
Additionally, thirty-three youth organizations presented several awards to Tim Akano, recognizing him for his role in various aspects of societal development.
These awards included the Nelson Mandela Award of “Patron Extraordinaire” from Save Africa Youth Initiative for Good Governance, the Sir Ahmadu Bello Platinum Leadership Award from the Coalition of Northern Nigerian Ethnic Youth, and the Icon of National Development Award from the Progressive Youth of Nigeria.
Other awards included the Icon of Societal Development Award from the National Youth Network of Nigeria, the Icon of Leadership Award from the Nigeria Youth Movement for Good Governance, and the Africa Entrepreneurship Icon of the Year Award from the Youth Employability and Career Enhancement Programs-Africa.
The youth leaders collectively expressed their appreciation to Tim Akano for his role in building the youth not only in Nigeria but throughout Africa, acknowledging his efforts in empowerment and mentorship initiatives.
