Celebrating Ndi-Igbo

One to watch Winnie Ogbeyalu Awa recently launched an online platform for contemporary art and artists from Nigeria called Ulimuseum.com (@ulimuseum), with the aim of bringing global exposure to talented artists and providing comprehensive content to budding collectors. A budding collector herself, she is believes in the importance of preserving the arts and culture of the continent, encouraging artist development and building the new generation of collectors to have a positive impact on the African Art Market. Winnie, who currently works as a Strategic Programme Manager at a top tier Luxury eCommerce company, started her career as a Management consultant at Ernst & Young. She graduated with a first class honours degree in Management & Information Technology at University of Manchester. She is also a co-founder of a registered charity, With Love From Friends which has raised over £16,000 for education in Nigeria, since its inception in 2008. For more information...

Emeka Afigbo is the Google Outreach Program Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa. He leads Google's efforts to discover, inspire, mobilise and support tech entrepreneurs and software developers across Africa. He is also focused on growing the internet ecosystem and enhancing locally relevant content across the region through local developers. Emeka studied Electronic Engineering at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He has a Masters Degree in Technology Innovation Management from Carleton University, Canada. Emeka worked for Socket Works, SW Global and Parkway before joining Google in 2011. Sources: otekbits, TedX

One to Watch MIT graduate student Chidube Ezeozue is a first class electrical engineering graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is currently pursuing dual master’s degrees in MIT’s Technology and Policy Program and in electrical engineering and computer science. Frustrated by his nation’s erratic electrical grid, Chidube created an app, with his brother, that crowdsources information about Nigerian power outages. With the app, called NepaSituation, people living in Nigeria can report outages. This data, when merged into an algorithm developed by Ezeozue, can help Nigerians predict when power outages may strike their neighborhoods, and how long those outages might last. After graduating from MIT in June, Ezeozue will remain in Cambridge, working as a software engineer for Google. Read More: MITNews - Power to the people BellaNaija - BN Trailblazers & Tastemakers (Full Interview) Sources: Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Bella Naija

Ifeyinwa is a graduate of Accounting from the University of Nigeria Nsukka and has a Diploma in Interior Design from the American College in London. Ifeyinwa has worked in and run various furniture manufacturing and interior design companies, including Coonita, Casafina furniture company and Design Options, which she co-founded in 1987. Her passion and love of interiors helped grow Design Options and establish the brand as the preferred choice and one-stop shop for furniture and interior design in Nigeria. As an icon In the industry, Ifeyinwa has set out to re-invent herself through the brand DO.II which will service the need for a wide range of design choices and high-end finishes along with the impeccable organization, customer service and quality that she stands for, thus filling the gap that the dissolution of Design Options has left in the industry. In addition to the 2012 Best Residential Designer Award, Ifeyinwa has been honoured with the St Moritz Style Woman of the year Awar...