By Elie Mutangana
The 2nd African Heritage Awards (AHA) 2024 earlier slated to hold in Johannesburg, South Africa, has been relocated to Lagos, Nigeria.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the organizers – Heritage Times HT, informed that the decision to change the event location is “due to unavoidable bottlenecks encountered.”
2nd African Heritage Awards To Now Hold In Lagos
The event is now slated to hold at the Lagos Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on April 13, 2024 (same date as earlier scheduled), the organizers said.
The choice of Lagos State for the AHA 2024 according to the organizers, is strategic, being that Lagos is the entertainment hub of Africa, and the vibrant city known for its high appetite for global events, has the pedigree to give the prestigious event a pan-African footprint, in line with the objectives of the organizers.
Earlier, the organizers had disclosed that those nominated include African-American billionaire Philanthropist, Robert. F. Smith, Chairman/CEO of Vista Equity Partners, Texas, United States; HE, Dr. George Weah, former President of Liberia; HE, John Dramani Mahama, former President of Ghana; and HE, Mama Rachael Ruto, First Lady of the Republic of Kenya & Founder of Mama Doing Good Organization; Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Others nominated for honours are: Mr & Mrs Strive Masiyiwa, Founder & Executive Chairman of International Technology Groups, Econet Global and Cassava Technologies; Adebayo Ogunlesi, Chairman/Managing Partner, Global Infrastructure Partners; Professor Thulisile Nomkhosi Madonsela, Founder of the Thuli Madonsela Foundation; Victoire Tomegah Dogbe, Prime Minister of Togo; Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, Managing Director of the Rose of Sharon Group and Executive Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil Limited; Othman Benjelloun, Co-chair of BMCE Bank Foundation and Madam Graca Machel, Founder of Graca Machel Trust.
The pan-African event which is a sequel to the inaugural edition held on April 1, 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda, is a gathering strategically organized to celebrate and recognize outstanding global accomplishments of Africans within the continent and in the Diaspora, in areas of Business, Politics, Philanthropy, Entertainment & Arts, Culture, Science & Technology, and Social Innovation.
This year’s AHA will be chaired by HE, Sir Seretse Khama Ian Khama, former President of Botswana, and will be attended by former Heads of States and Captains of Industries across the African continent.
The organizers say the recognition and awards have become imperative to sustainably foster the African culture of excellence, promote Afrocentrism, and create an ecosystem that will further retell the true African story towards the advancement of the continent’s full potentials.
