Co-founder of Rancard Solutions

Ehi Binitie is the co-founder and director of Rancard Solutions started in 2001. Rancard is a leading mobile software technology firm providing a cloud based mobile platform for delivery, discovery and monetisation. This software is used by Google, ESPN, VOA and MTV to deliver and monetise services targeted at mobile users in Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia. To date the rancardmobility.com platform has delivered over a billion transactions and connects content partners to over 40 mobile operators and over 100 million mobile phone users. A passionate problem solver and entrepreneur, Ehi currently leads Rancard’s efforts in using social recommendations to help mobile users across Africa discover things they might find fun, useful, or relevant via their mobile phones. Rancard was top 15 in the Legatum Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship in 2011 out of 3000 companies from Africa.

Dr. Oviemo Ovadje

The Nigerian medical Doctor who contributed in developing an effective, simpler and affordable blood auto-transfusion mechanism. He started working on the invention in 1989 with 120 US dollars to start off with. In 1995 he was declared best African scientist and founded EATSET (Emergency Auto-Transfusion Set) industries in 2001. He has patented the invention in 9 countries and the technology is in use in many developed countries. Dr. Oviemo has received several more awards for this invention, from the African Union to the World Intellectual Property Organisation among others.

Hugh Masekela

The 73 year-old South African Jazz maestro and internationally-acclaimed trumpeter shows no signs of slowing down. Started out playing the Trumpet at the age of 14; used his music to protest against apartheid, slavery, and socio-economic exploitation. In 2004 he published his autobiography: Still Grazing: The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela. Masekela sits on the board of the Lunchbox Fund, a charity which provides a daily meal to students of township schools in the sprawling slums of Soweto.

Source: Forbes 40 most powerful Africans

Liya Kebede

Born and raised in Ethiopia, Kebede stepped into the global limelight in 2000 when Gucci offered her an exclusive contract for its Fall/Winter 2000 fashion show. Over the years, the svelte Ethiopian model has strut the catwalk for Victoria’s Secret, Tommy Hilfiger, Escada, Louis Vuitton and Estee Lauder. Passionate maternal heath advocate. In 2005 Kebede was selected by the World Health Organization as a goodwill ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. Through her Liya Kebede foundation she also funds initiatives which promote the use of proven, simple, low-cost strategies to save the lives of mothers and their children.

Source: Forbes: 40 most powerful African celebrities

African of the Year 2012

Thabo Mbeki was named African of the year for his consistent efforts to avert war between Sudan and South Sudan. Former Tanzanian Prime Minister Salim A. Salim said the former South African President showed “outstanding leadership” of the (AUHIP) African Union’s High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan. The award is sponsored by the Daily Trust newspaper of Abuja, Nigeria. The award is usually given to an ordinary African but was awarded to Mbeki for his extraordinary work.