Former mixed martial arts champion Ekufu unveils prestigious African honors

Ambassador Lovethpatra Ekufu, a former Nigerian kickboxing and MMA star, has launched the inaugural Black African History Global Iconic Awards, an initiative aimed at celebrating African excellence, promoting unity, and inspiring young people across the continent.

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The awards, scheduled to take place on July 5 at the Marriott Hotel, GRA Ikeja, Lagos, are designed to recognize the achievements of Black Africans and people of African descent worldwide, whose contributions often go unnoticed, according to Ekufu, the president of BAHGIA.

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Ekufu noted that despite their outstanding contributions, Black people across the world are under-celebrated, and the aim of the award is to honour excellence wherever it is found and bring deserving individuals to the forefront.

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The awards will honour outstanding Africans and people of African descent who have made significant contributions in fields including sports, politics, business, education, arts, entertainment, and community development, with over twenty categories to be awarded.

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The event will combine a daytime conference session with a gala night honouring winners, alongside entertainment performances and presentations from distinguished guests across Africa and the diaspora, according to the organisers.

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Charles Ezerime, vice president of BAHGIA, stated that the organisers have engaged relevant government institutions, including the National Sports Commission and the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, to ensure the event’s success, with unity among Africans and people of African descent being a core objective.

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Ezerime emphasized that the initiative aims to bring people together under one umbrella, irrespective of religion, culture, or nationality, with the message being unity, whether in Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, or the diaspora.

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Nigeria’s strategic significance on the continent informed the decision to host the event in the country, according to Ezerime, who noted that there are great Nigerians and Africans doing remarkable things despite the challenges around them.

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Olisa Chukwuma, head strategist of BAHGIA, said that sports played a central role in shaping the vision behind the awards, inspired by Ekufu’s background as an internationally recognised kickboxing champion, popularly known as the “Queen of the Cage”.

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Chukwuma noted that sports, entertainment, and youth development go hand in hand, and are central to the vision of the awards, which aims to promote these values.

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Francis Emeka, a board member, said that the initiative also seeks to encourage young people to embrace education and positive values at a time when many are losing faith in formal learning.

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Emeka appealed to corporate organisations, ministries, parastatals, and international bodies to support the vision, noting that the impact it will have on young people is enormous, and that a conference session at the event will address issues affecting African youth.

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The conference session will help change the perception that certificates have no value and encourage young people to pursue education and legitimate success, according to Emeka.

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Pauline Christian, Canada-based President of the Martin Luther King Awards, said that Lagos is the ideal host city for the event due to its cultural significance and influence across Africa, describing it as the heartbeat of African creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

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Christian noted that the event is a bridge between Africa and its diaspora, and a moment for Africa and the diaspora to come together and celebrate their shared heritage, with Lagos being a gateway to the world and African excellence belonging at the centre of global conversations.

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Organisers expressed confidence that the maiden edition of the awards would set a new standard for celebrating Black excellence and fostering collaboration among Black communities worldwide.