LINDA IKEJI: SHE IS AMONG TOP 10 AFRICAN WOMEN OF THE YEAR 2013
By Gadiola Emanuel - 7:36:00 AM
A look at our top 10 African women for 201310. Coming in at number 10 on our list is a South African woman whose name commands respect across the world. Born on the 25th of June in 1987, Bonang Matheba is a gorgeous radio DJ, TV presenter, reality show host, MC, Brand Ambassador and fashion designer known for her infectious smile, electrifying personality and fabulous sense of style. Bonang made history last year in June when she became the first African to be the Face of Revlon outside of the United States Of America, joining other starts like Halle Berry, Olivia Wilde and Emma Stone. It was the first time Revlon ever considered an African star as an ambassador and it’s a first of many as Bonang is a woman known for opening doors.
Bonang Matheba - (Image sourced from mg.co.za)
9. Short-haired, gorgeous Hanaa Ben Abdesslem was born into a traditional conservative Tunisian
family where modelling wasn’t really your everyday dream career.
Through the various challenges she faced and uncertainties, today Hanaa
is 1 of the most sought-after fashion models in the world and has been
featured in fashion magazines across various continents. In 2012, Hanaa
became the 1st ever African model to become the new spokesperson for cosmetic line Lancรดme, and is 1 of the very few top models who has worked with international designers like Vivienne Westwood, Ralph Lauren, Anna Sui, Oscar de la Renta, and Jean Paul Gaultier.
Last year, the beautiful 23 year old model got deeply involved in the
development of her own country by supporting the United Nations’ aid
project programme for Tunisia and being the spokesperson for NGO’s like Esmaani and YEDA, 2 organizations whose common interest is the youth of Tunisia and providing opportunities for them.
Hanaa Ben Abdesslem - (Image shot by Lancomeby Alex Lubomirski)
8. It was a big year for singer/songwriter LIRA, who started 2013 in a magical way with her performance at President Obama’s Inauguration Ball in January. Even before her Rise Again – The Reworked Hits Collection album dropped in the United States, we were already singing along to hits like Phakade, Rise Again, Feel good and Ixesha. LIRA is the first African artist to release a full HD DVD in Blu Ray and she is still the highest selling vocalist in South Africa to this very day. She has released 7 platinum selling albums on Sony
Africa: All My Love in 2003, Feel Good in 2006, Soul in Mind in 2008,
Live in Concert; A Celebration in 2009, Return to Love in 2011, the
Captured Tour in 2012 and most recently this year, the Rise Again The Reworked Hits Collection in April, 2013.
She is a superstar singer who inspires millions daily via her soulful
sound and she is also incredibly down-to-earth on social media.
Lira – (Photographed by Jurie Potgieter)
7. Ghanaian actress, model, film producer and entrepreneur, Yvonne Nelson is by far the most famous Ghanaian woman in 2013 according to our research. Yvonne had an amazing year beating other top Ghanaian divas like Yvonne Okoro, Nadia Buari, Jocelyn Dumas, Lydia Forson and Jackie Appiah. For starters, she is the only Ghanaian actress this year to get verified on Twitter and if you are internet savvy, you would know that’s a big statement to get verified by Twitter.
When it came to award nights, not only did she look glamorous on every
occasion, she also walked home with a few awards. For example, at the 2013 City people Awards held in Lagos, Yvonne walked away with 2 awards for the Hottest Ghanaian Actress in Nollywood and Best Ghanaian movie for the movie “Single and Married”. Next was her commanding display at the 2013 ZAFAA Global Awards held in London
where the actress walked away with 7 awards. Although people
“especially a few bloggers” love to talk about her previous relationship
with superstar singer Iyanya, the truth is everyone in the media couldn’t stop talking about Yvonne Nelson in 2013. She has demonstrated herself to be an excellent communicator and an important voice in the movie industry right here in Africa.
Pictured here is Yvonne. (Image sourcedfrom yvonne-nelson.com)
6. According to Alexa, Linda Ikeji’s blog is one of 2013′s most visited blogs in the world. The founder, Linda Ikeji
is a former model who got inspired to get into blogging in 2007 to
share things she loved with the world. Now sitting at the pinnacle of
blogging in Nigeria, Linda is currently the most popular blogger in Nigeria and arguably Africa, commanding
big bucks from corporate brands and covering some of the juiciest
gossip from across the world to her massive followership. What sets her
apart from the competition is her knack for breaking hot news, her
seeming humility and spontaneous and off-beat sense of humour.
She inspires a new generation of bloggers and we respect her zeal for
her craft. Linda was recently honoured by the Future Awards and Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan as one of The Top 100 Young people in Nigeria.
Linda Ikeji – (Image sourcedfrom lindaikeji.blogspot.com)
5. In the international business community, Bisila Bokoko
is 1 of Africa’s most inspirational women who is breaking new grounds
not just for herself, but for millions of people worldwide. For nearly 7
years, Bisila ran the Spain-US Chamber of Commerce in New York as it’s Executive Director and her duty as the Executive Director to the Spain-US Chamber of Commerce
was to foster trade deals and to create pathways for businesses looking
to enter new international markets. Leaving her role at the Spain-US Chamber of Commerce wasn’t an easy decision for Bisila but it was 1 she had to make because of her love for her NGO “BBALP“. As founder and chairperson of The Bisila Bokoko African Literacy Project (BBALP), an NGO whose mission is to promote literacy among the African people by building libraries in rural communities across Africa, she is determined to make sure the next generation of African
kids get a chance at having the basic education foundation and, giving
them a golden opportunity at fulfilling their dreams. Apart from being
an entrepreneur, Bisila is also the face behind a new wine, Bisila Wines. She also sits on the advisory board of many African, European and American organizations, such as: Macdella’s
Coooper Foundation, Feacoba, African Development Institute, Empretec
(UNCTAD-Geneva), Fashion for Development, Africa Fashion Week NY
and a few other brands. She is a business leader who delivers, is an
inspiration for all women trying to break through the glass ceiling and,
is a woman committed to serving the people.
Bisila Bokoko – (Bisila’s Image shot by Victor Cucart)
4. Any woman who can appear 3 times on the cover of US Vogue is an exceptional woman. Right? Well, Liya Kebede is not just an exceptional woman, she is inspirational! Born on the 1st of March in 1978, Liya Kebede is an Ethiopian
supermodel, an accomplished actress, a fashion designer and a maternal
health advocate whose name in the modelling industry is legendary. Liya
has worked with the best in the business and has featured in ad
campaigns including those for Shiatzy Chen, Gap, Yves Saint-Laurent, Victoria’s Secret, Emanuel Ungaro, Tommy Hilfiger, Revlon, Dolce & Gabbana, Escada and Louis Vuitton to name a few. Her clothing line, Lemlem was founded in 2007 and the brand produces Ethiopian hand-woven cotton scarves, women’s clothing and children’s dresses made by traditional artisans in Ethiopia. Now in her 30′s, Liya is more focused on her philanthropic work through her NGO, the Liya Kebede Foundation. In 2013, Liya was named one of Glamour (magazine)’s Women of the Year recipients for her philanthropic work through her Foundation. The LKF partners with the Ethiopian Government and the Ethiopian North American Health Professionals Association (ENAHPA) to equip the Maternal Child Health Center (MCH) in Hawassa
and, train its growing clinical team in comprehensive emergency
obstetric and newborn care. Liya has taken the lead role in the fight
for maternal healthcare and she will always be among the first women to
stand up and step forward for policies that promote improved maternal
health and safe motherhood for women not only in Africa but across the world.
Liya Kebede - (Image sourced from fashionbombdaily.com)
3. Lupita Nyong’o's fan base exploded massively this year after she portrayed Patsey in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave movie alongside Chiwetel Ejofor. Since the movie hit the cinemas, Lupita has been nominated for several awards including a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress, Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress and she recently received double nominations at the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role and for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Lupita was born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1983 to a Kenyan family and was raised primarily in Kenya. On the red carpet, Lupita is a rising fashion star, and in our books, one to watch in 2014.
Lupita Nyong’o - (Image sourcedfrom zimbio.com)
2. In December 2010, the MacDella Cooper Foundation opened the first school in Liberia
to offer free tuition, including room and board, to 55 students. 3
years after the opening, the MCF is growing stronger by the minute and
the NGO is getting huge reviews worldwide for all the humanitarian work
they are doing. Founder and CEO of the MacDella Cooper Foundation, MacDella Cooper, is a philanthropist, activist, humanitarian, fashionista and proud Liberian who has been making strides for justice via her foundation. Her NGO is dedicated to providing the youth in Liberia,
especially orphans and abandoned children, an education and the basic
necessities like food, clothing, and shelter. MacDella like so many
other Liberians born in the 70′s witnessed the war in Liberia
and is determined that no such thing ever repeat itself again. Through
her organization, young kids are now having a fighting chance at getting
an education in Liberia. The country is still growing from the civil war days but one thing is certain and that is MacDella Cooper
is doing everything in her power to bring change to her country one
child at a time. We commend her for her leadership and vision and urge
more people and organizations to support her foundation.
MacDella Cooper - (Image sourced fromnjmonthly.com)
1. No countdown would be complete without the poetic Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and 2013 was definitely an incredible year for the award-winning writer and inspirational speaker. Officially the only female African writer to have worked with the talented Beyoncรฉ Knowles this 2013, Chimamanda has in different turns, evolved to become a heroine for women across Africa and the world. After the successes of her debut novel ‘Purple Hibiscus’, her Biafran civil war novel ‘Half of a yellow Sun’ which has been adapted into a movie and her collection of poignant short stories ‘This thing around your neck’, Ms Adichie returned in fiery form in 2013 with her gripping story of life as a Nigerian American immigrant ‘Americanah’.
And Adichie continues to prove the critics wrong with her masterful
weaving of an unusual narrative around hair, love and a protagonist ‘Ifemelu’ who is not entirely likable. The BBC certainly
thinks so, naming her Book the No 1 book to be read in 2013. But the
icing on top of the cake was Chimamanda’s entrรฉe into mainstream
pop-culture with the feature of her TedX speech in Beyonce’s new feminist anthem ‘Flawless’. This has truly been the year for the firmly outspoken author and role model.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - (Image sourced from ebony.com)For more details on each of the women, please visit their websites below for more details about what they do and their plans for 2014.
Bonang Matheba: http://bonangmatheba.com/
Hanaa Ben Abdesslem: http://hanaab.com/
LIRA: http://www.misslira.com/
Yvonne Nelson: http://yvonne-nelson.com/
Linda Ikeji: http://lindaikeji.blogspot.com/
Bisila Bokoko: http://bbalp.org/
Liya Kebede: http://www.theliyakebedefoundation.org/
MacDella Cooper: http://www.macdellacooper.org/
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: http://chimamanda.com/
Lupita Nyong’o: http://instagram.com/lupitanyongo
Written by Arinze Nwokolo Contributor: Oma Areh
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