MEDIATRACNET
In receiving his award at the TIME100 Impact Awards and Gala in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Monday, Chairman, United Bank for Africa and one of Africa’s most successful business entrepreneurs, Tony Elumelu, said the world is in urgent need of people who can empower others to grow.
“The world is in need of people like us—more than ever before,” an elated founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation told his audience at the Museum of the Future in Dubai.
The audience was composed of celebrities, politicians and prominent business leaders.
“We should pull resources together ro help the world. We should commit now to help in anyway possible in economically empowering others,” he said
In recognizing his sacrifices and contribitions toward helping people, especially the youth, organisers of the TIME100 Impact Award said Elumelu has spent his career advocating for economic empowerment in the less fortunate places in the world.
In his acceptance speech the Nigerian entrepreneur paid tribute to the hard working young men and women in Africa who aspire to help their families and their communities.
He shared his story of rising from a modest beginning to launching the Tony Elumelu Foundation in 2010, which he said aimed at creating “significant opportunities and economic hope for others.”
Besides,he said the Foundation also has the objective of “helping redefine how all of us need to work together to uplift through the message of entrepreneurship.”
The Foundation has so far given $5,000 each to 15,000 young entrepreneurs from 54 African countries as part of its effort to grow the entrepreneurial spirit in Africa and encourage economic development.
In addition to his philanthropic efforts, Elumelu serves as chair of Heirs Group, where his vision for securing long-term investments from the private sector to drive economic development in Africa has helped create new job opportunities and turn the continent into a hub for innovation.
At the award, Elumelu stressed that Africa, and the world, need investment and opportunities more than ever.
“In the 21st century, there’s so much poverty, sickness, and bitterness in the world,” he said. “Our calling should be one that has to prioritize humanity.”
