1.Asa                                                          Female reggae musician.Has potentials to influence  her industry 
             
2.Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie                       Young female writer and author of the internationally acclaimed 'half of a yellow sun'

3.Mallam Nuhu Ribadu                                   Was influential in EFCC but now has potentials to influence future Nigerian politics

4.Deola Sagoe
                                             
5.philip Emeagwali                                         Super Computer Scientist that was once described as a father of the Internet. Influential to  those who visit his website.

6.Emeka Anyaoku                                         Influential as former Commonwealth Head but do not know how much influence he wields in Nigeria now but must have influence in the diplomatic world.

7.Oluwole Akinwande(Soyinka)                       Has been a recurring factor in Nigeria both as her first nobel laureate, literary guru, activist and an international figure and so qaulifies as influential.

8.Ngozi okonjo-Iweala                                       Former finance  and foreign affairs minister of Nigeria.  Influential in the International finance world as  a World Bank  Managing Director.

9.Genevieve Nnaji                                            Popular  Nollywood actress. Influential in the movie industry.

10.Oluchi Onweagba                                           Once MNET face of Africa and now an International model. Might be influential in the modelling world

11.Agbani darego                                     Former miss world who must have an influence on the NIgerian youths

12.Babatunde R fashola.            Lagos state governor with very progressive governance and touted as the best performing governor in present day Nigeria. Has potentials to influence future Nigerian politics.

13.Adenike ‘Nike’ Oshinowo-Soleye

14.Aliko Dangote                                                    Business tycoon with very large employment base and said to be the richest blackman.

15.Nwankwo Kanu                                           Most decorated Nigerian footballer and founder of the Kanu heart foundation

16.Biodun Shobanjo

17 & 18 P-Square brothers(Peter and Paul Okoye)     Pop musicians with much influence on youths

19.Michael Adenuga              Vast Nigerian businessman with interests in telecommunications ,banking and Oil. Huge employment base.

20.Enoch Adeboye      Nigerian Pastor and Preacher that hosts the world's most attended convention and pastors the largest African church with over 15,000 parishes. Winner of the vanguard living legend  contest of 2009.



PLEASE HELP FILL THE BLANKS AND FEEL FREE TO ADD OR MODIFY.

How can General Mathew Okikiola Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo not make the list? This is definitely incomplete.

Nice list,shows those who have selflessly worked to change nigeria

Ileke-IdI:

I guess the "whole bank" worth of money he stole from you guys was influential enough
Nigerians never learn.
We might as well add IBB and Abacha to the list.

I guess. . . .

Dude, whatever you say does not change the fact that he (Obj) is an influential Nigerian - anywhere in the world. Whether he stole the 'whole bank' or not, he is still influential.

ayo84:

Nice list,shows those who have selflessly worked to change nigeria

. . . . yes and those that introduced campus cults in our tertiary institutions

Epiphany:

Dude, whatever you say does not change the fact that he (Obj) is an influential Nigerian - anywhere in the world. Whether he stole the 'whole bank' or not, he is still influential.

Nah!!! If anything, the most influential on Nigeria top 20 list ought to be as follows . .


1. money
2. money
3. money
4. money
5. money
6. money
7. money
8. money
9. money
10. money
11. money
12. money
13. money
14. money
15. money
16. money
17. money
18. money
19. money
20. money

Boring !!!

so ur telling me dat Asa is more INFLUENTIAL dan Aliko Dangote,

I'm sure you must be talking about 20 most privileged Nigerians.

where is the spirit of ZONING in this list?

The Most influential are not known, cos they are silent Billionaires.

Kobojunkie:

Nah!!! If anything, the most influential on Nigeria top 20 list ought to be as follows . .


1. money
2. money
3. money Malam Nuhu Ribadu . . . . . . For President
4. money
5. money
6. money
7. money
8. money
9. money
10. money
11. money
12. money
13. money
14. money
15. money
16. money
17. money
18. money
19. money
20. money

Fixed it

Epiphany:

Dude, whatever you say does not change the fact that he (Obj) is an influential Nigerian - anywhere in the world. Whether he stole the 'whole bank' or not, he is still influential.

Where "anywhere" is he influential? How has he influence "the world"?
Has he spread his loot in different banks around the world; thereby helping the bank's host's economy?

Going by the definition of 'influence' being bandied by people on this thread, OBJ, IBB & the Sultan of Sokoto should be top of that list.

i think two more people who should have been on the list are 1. king sunny ade 2. pastor chris oyakhilome

100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century

Leaders and Politicians
Sr. No. Name Occupation/Influence
1. Ayatullah R. Khomeini Leader of Iran's Revolution
2. Bill Clinton Former U.S. President
3. David Ben-Gurion Israel's 1st Prime Minister
4. Eleanor Roosevelt Former U.S. First Lady
5. Fidel Castro Dictator of Cuba
6. Harry Truman Former U.S. President
7. Ho Chi Minh First President of North Vietnam
8. Joseph Stalin Soviet Politician
9. Lech Walesa Polish Union Organizer
10. Mao Zedong Leader of Communist China
11. Margaret Sanger Birth Control Crusader
12. Margaret Thatcher British Prime Minister
13. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Leader
14. Mikhail Gorbachev Soviet Reformer
15. Pope John Paul II Religious Leader
16. Ronald Reagan Former U.S. President
17. Theodore Roosevelt Former U.S. President and Environmentalist
18. Tony Blair Former U.K. Prime Minister
19. Unknown Rebel Photographer of Tiananmen Square protests
20. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin Founder of Soviet Union

Scientists and Thinkers
Sr. No. Name Occupation/Influence
1. Alan Turing Computer Scientist
2. Alexander Fleming Bacteriologist
3. Edwin Hubble Astronomer
4. Enrico Fermi Atomic Physicist
5. James Watson and Francis Crick Molecular Biologists
6. Jean Piaget Child Psychologist
7. John Maynard Keynes Economist
8. Onas Salk Virologist
9. Kurt Godel Mathematician
10. Leo Baekeland Plastics Pioneer
11. Ludwig Wittgenstein Philosopher
12. Marie Curie Scientist and Discoverer of Radium
13. Niels Bohr Physicist
14. Philo Farnsworth Inventor of Electronic Television
15. Rachel Carson Environmentalist
16. Robert Goddard Rocket Scientist
17. Sigmund Freud Psychoanalyst
18. The Leakey Family Anthropologists
19. Tim Berners-Lee Internet Designer
20. William Shockley Solid-state Physicist

Artists and Entertainers
Sr. No. Name Occupation/Influence
1. Aretha Franklin Soul Musician
2. Bart Simpson Cartoon Character
3. Bob Dylan Folk Musician
4. Charlie Chaplin Comic Genius
5. Coco Chanel Designer
6. Frank Sinatra Singer
7. Igor Stravinsky Classical Musician
8. James Joyce Novelist
9. Jim Henson Puppeteer and Creator of TV's Muppets
10. Le Corbusier Architect
11. Louis Armstrong Jazz Musician
12. Lucille Ball TV Star
13. Marlon Brando Actor
14. Martha Graham Dancer and Choreographer
15. Oprah Winfrey TV Talk-show Host
16. Pablo Picasso Artist
17. Rogers and Hammerstein Broadway Showmen
18. Steven Spielberg Movie Maker
19. The Beatles Rock Musicians
20. T.S. Eliot Poet

Builders and Titans
Sr. No. Name Occupation/Influence
1. A.P. Giannini Architect of Nationwide Banking
2. Akio Morito Co-founder of Sony
3. Bill Gates Co-founder of Microsoft
4. Charles Merill Advocate of Small Investor
5. David Sarnoff Father of Broadcasting
6. Estee Lauder Cosmetics Tycoon
7. Joseph Blatter President of Fifa
8. Juan Trippe Aviation Entrepreneur
9. Leo Burnett Advertising Genius
10. Louis B. Mayer Hollywood Mogul
11. Lucky Luciano Criminal Mastermind
12. Pete Rozelle Football-league Commissioner
13. Ray Kroc Hamburger Meister
14. Sam Walton Wal-Mart Dynamo
15. Stephen Bechtel Construction Magnate
16. Thomas Watson Jr. IBM President
17. Walt Disney Creator of Animation and Multimedia
18. Walter Reuther Labor Reader
19. William Levitt Creator of Suburbia
20. Willis Carrier Maker of Air-conditioning systems

Icons and Heroes
Sr. No. Name Occupation/Influence
1. Andrei Sakharov Soviet Dissident
2. Anne Frank Diarist and Holocaust Victim
3. Bill Wilson Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous
4. Billy Graham Evangelist
5. Bruce Lee Actor and Martial-arts Star
6. Charles Lindbergh Translantic Aviator
7. Che Guevara Guerrilla Leader
8. Diana Princess of Wales
9. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Conquerors of Mount Everest
10. Emmeline Pankhurst Suffragist
11. Harvey Milk Gay-rights Leader
12. Helen Keller Champion of the Disabled
13. Jackie Robinson Baseball Player
14. Marilyn Monroe Actress
15. Mother Teresa Missionary Nun
16. Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing Champion
17. Pele Soccer Champion
18. Rosa Parks Civil Rights Torchbearer
19. The American G.I. Soldier for Freedom
20. The Kennedys Dynasty

Mobinga:

Fixed it

You ruined it actually. The man with his accidental popularity cases with no real influence. . .  most of what he has for him are people drunk with sentiments and less on reason if you ask me.

Definition of Influence Power or authority arising from elevated station, excelence of character or intellect, wealth, etc.; reputation; acknowledged ascendency; as, he is a man of influence in the community.



Definition of Influential A person whose actions and opinions strongly influence the course of events.

Flawless:

Definition of Influential [size=14pt]A person whose actions and opinions strongly influence the course of events.[/size]

thank you

this list is a crap

is it infulencial or popularity?

it's crazy that anyone would think asa deserves to be on the list and king sunny ade doesn't - if both of them were to stage individual shows, does anyone honestly think asa's crowd will be bigger than ksa's ?

What is genevieve doing on that list, infact obasanjo suppose to be no 1

Are you guys not surprised that FELAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA[b][/b] of all people did not make that list and the less known ASA, makes that list, Truly Vanguard Newspaper ( aka IBORI[b][/b] lefthand pen) has got drunk with oil slags!

To prove Vanguard wrong, I dare members of this forum to nominate their top 20 most influential Nigerians, guess we can tally the list and send it t Vanguard newspaper for reprint!

Ileke-IdI:

Where "anywhere" is he influential? How has he influence "the world"?
Has he spread his loot in different banks around the world; thereby helping the bank's host's economy?

It takes a 'special' kind of person to occupy the top seat in any country twice - whether by election or providence. He is currently the UN sec gen's special envoy to the Great Lakes Region. Was chairman of AU for two consecutive terms. Was a former contender for the position of United Nations Secretary General, Member and co-chair of the commonwealth Emintent Persons Group on Apartheid in South Africa, Founding member of the Interaction Council, Started the Africal Leadership Forum, an author of various books, etc etc.

Regardless of what you (or I) may think of him, he is still very outspoken and respected on issues pertaining to the African continent and beyond. Take some time to read articles about him on the internet (just google his name) and give him his due.

Yes, he may have done a lot of nonsense when he was in government, but that does not take a lot away from the status he has built around the world.  He will be recognized in many places and fora, before anybody else on the posters list is even given a chance to speak.

Flawless:

Definition of Influence Power or authority arising from elevated station, excelence of character or intellect, wealth, etc.; reputation; acknowledged ascendency; as, he is a man of influence in the community.



Definition of Influential A person whose actions and opinions strongly influence the course of events.

Seconded!

Whoever said Obasanjo was influential must be having a laugh!!, To really prove to your self that you are having a laugh, ask yourself this simple question: DO I WANT TO BECOME AN OBASANJO?

Again this vey list from vanguard newspaper underscore the shabby journalism that characterize Nigeria's landscape! In civilizied societies, for such a list to be drawn up, a national poll would be taken based on sampled opinion, which in mmost cases are regional opinion samples. A national opinion is formed based on these regional opinion samples, which in most cases reflects the mind of the majority!

TRULY, NIGERIA WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO AND A VERY STEEP LEARNING CURVE TO ATTAIN!

Omo_Tier1:

Whoever said Obasanjo was influential must be having a laugh!!, To really prove to your self that you are having a laugh, ask yourself this simple question: DO I WANT TO BECOME AN OBASANJO?

Again this vey list from vanguard newspaper underscore the shabby journalism that characterize Nigeria's landscape! In civilizied societies, for such a list to be drawn up, a national poll would be taken based on sampled opinion, which in mmost cases are regional opinion samples. A national opinion is formed based on these regional opinion samples, which in most cases reflects the mind of the majority!

TRULY, NIGERIA WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO AND A VERY STEEP LEARNING CURVE TO ATTAIN!

Oga it seems you are trying to invent a new definition for the word "influential"

As someone rightly said

[size=15pt]Definition of Influential A person whose actions and opinions strongly influence the course of events.[/size]

Now tell me how OBJ should not make the top 5 in Nigeria?

Omo_Tier1:

Whoever said Obasanjo was influential must be having a laugh!!, To really prove to your self that you are having a laugh, ask yourself this simple question: DO I WANT TO BECOME AN OBASANJO?
Again this vey list from vanguard newspaper underscore the shabby journalism that characterize Nigeria's landscape! In civilizied societies, for such a list to be drawn up, a national poll would be taken based on sampled opinion, which in mmost cases are regional opinion samples. A national opinion is formed based on these regional opinion samples, which in most cases reflects the mind of the majority!

TRULY, NIGERIA WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO AND A VERY STEEP LEARNING CURVE TO ATTAIN!

Having someone as a ROLE MODEL is different from knowing someone as an influential person. The two are completely divergent and have no correlation whatsoever

Who wrote this list? Don't they understand the meaning of influence?

How can you say that people, half of whom are not even known to the average Nigerian, are the most influential?

What factors would make Adichie more influential than Soyinka? (Make no mistake, I admire the woman. But there is no factor that would place her above Soyinka. Not literature, not politics, not activism, nothing.)

The average Nigerian includes the people in villages and the illiterates. In fact, that's the majority of Nigeria. Nigeria is not just Lagos and Abuja but Jigawa, Borno and Katsina too. When you talk about the most influential in Nigeria, you should look for people whose influence cuts across. If it wouldn't, then it should at least be so strong in whatever sector the person is prominent in that it would warrant such an inclusion. There are some of these names that wont strike a bell when mentioned to 9 out of 10 people living outside Lagos.

And to those who are always insulting Pastor Adeboye, I have a very simple question. This guy has built a city that houses thousands of people and employs thousands. He has built schools, hospitals,  besides pastoring Nigeria's largest church. He has written bestselling books. Coming to his profile, he graduated with a first class and is a Ph D holder. Crowds go to meet him in hundreds of thousands and sometimes millions in that bush he transformed into a city called Redemption Camp. Unlike most of Nigeria, Redemption Camp has very good power supply (mainly generated withing the place). The water system is good even though it serves hundreds of thousands,

This man has even started a university.

My question to you guys who are trying to gain cheap popularity on Nairaland by insulting him is this: What have you done? What achievements can we accrue to your name? Besides your posts on Nairaland, how have you benefited Nigeria?

May I say that many of you are just liabilities to this nation. Stop trying to distract those who are working. If you can't change the world, at least you can shut up!

I almost moved to the next thread until I saw Nike Osinowo's name,then i ran back. Vanguard must be a crazy media house. How influential is Nike Osinowo? Funny enough,Tuface isn't there? Mama Bakassi (Senator Florence Ita Giwa isn't there too? And like someone rightly pointed out, Obasanjo SHOULD be on that list (if it truly has to do with influential).
*Vanguard staff are obviously high on refinery gas*

How is[b] Asa[/b] influential ?