Africa may be in the process of development; she may have contributed less to global economic development in 2018; she may be voiceless in the international political sphere, but the fact that outstanding Africans are contributing to the daily events that have helped move the world forward cannot be overruled.

During the course of the year, some outstanding Africans joined the league of movers and shakers of the earth in their various endeavours, and as a result, they were honoured with prestigious awards and nominations that brought them into the global limelight. Below are the carefully selected outstanding Africans who caught the world’s attention in 2018.

1. Dr Denis Mukwege (surgeon, winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize)

Denis Mukwege is a Congolese surgeon, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018, in recognition of his humanitarian work in Congo. Since Congo became independent, it has been a theatre of war. Consequently, many women and girls have become victims of gender-based violence.

As part of his effort to help the victims of war, he has devoted a major part of his life to treating thousands of women who were raped by rebels. He consistently criticized the impunity for mass rape and berated the Congolese government and international community for not making frantic effort to end sexual violence against women as a weapon of war.

In honour of his daring work, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. The committee described him as“ the foremost, most unifying symbol, both nationally and internationally, of the struggle to end sexual violence in war and armed conflict.”


2. Silas Adekunle (robotic engineer)

For Silas Adekunle, it was not award that spread his fame across the globe but his talent as the smartest and highest paid robotic engineer in the world. The genius was born in Lagos before he relocated to the UK. He graduated with a first class degree from the University of the West of England, where he studied Robotics.

He built the world’s first gaming robot in 2017 and became the highest paid in the field of Robotic engineering in 2018 after he signed a new deal with Apple Inc. Silas Adekunle’s feat is not ordinary. Little wonder why his name appeared in the news.


3. Mamoudou Gassama (French spiderman)

Gassama is a Malian migrant in France. He was an unknown figure until he scaled a building to save a four-year-old child hanging from a fourth-floor balcony in Paris. While others were watching, Gassama climbed the building like Spiderman to save the child who might have likely fallen and died, if he was not rescued. In honour of his heroic deed, the French President, Emmanuel Macron honoured him with a bravery medal, offered him citizenship, and proposed Gassama join the French fire service https://qwenu.com/2018/12/21/2018-in-review-outstanding-africans-that-caught-the-worlds-attention/