Tony Elumelu, 2 other Nigerians named in Time 100 Most Influential People of 2020

*President Muhammadu Buhari commends Elumelu for honour, recommends his strides to other high net worth people

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

For consistent activism, innovation, and achievement his chosen area of human endeavor, Mr. Tony Elumelu, Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and Transcorp Plc, is among three Nigerians named by the Time Magazine International on the 2020 TIME100, the annual roll of Honour of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Dr. Tunji Funsho and Tomi Adeyemi are two other listed Nigerians worthy of the honour for the year.

Now in its 17th year, the company list recognises the activism, innovation, and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals in their respective fields of human endeavour.

Elumelu has been acknowledged as one of Africa’s leading investors and philanthropists for his achievements in business, industry and development not only in Nigeria in particular, but also in Africa in general.

Also the Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Elumelu is only one of four Africans on the 2020 list recognised for his track record of business turnaround and value creation, and economic empowerment of young Africans.

Heirs Holdings, Elumelu’s family-owned investment company, is committed to improving lives and transforming Africa, through long-term investments in strategic sectors of the African economy, including financial services, hospitality, power, energy and healthcare.

He is also the Chairman of the UBA, a pan-African financial services group, which operates in 20 countries across Africa, the United Kingdom (UK) and France.

The banking group is reputed to be the only African bank with a commercial deposit-taking licence in the United States (US).

The bank provides corporate, commercial, Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) and consumer banking services to more than 21 million customers worldwide.

Likewise, Dr. Funsho who is a Nigerian medical doctor and cardiologist based in Lagos, is the first Rotary member to receive this honour for the organisation’s work to eradicate polio, having played an essential role in ensuring Africa’s certification as wild polio-free in August of 2020.

Funsho said: “I’m honoured to be recognised by TIME for my part in ensuring that no child in Africa will ever again be paralysed by wild polio, a disease that once disabled 75,000 African children every single year.

“Eradicating the wild poliovirus in Africa was a team effort that required cooperation and dedication of governments, partners, Rotary members, hundreds of thousands of health workers, and countless parents who chose to have their children vaccinated against polio.”

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Elumelu on his being named one of the 100 most influential people of 2020.

Mr. Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, in a ststement Wednesday, September 23, in Abuja, FCT, said Buhari commended his vision of Africapitalism, which espouses that Africa’s private sector must play a leading role in the continent’s development through long-term investments, entrepreneurship, and regional connectivity.

The President stated that it is only a matter of time before such caught global attention.

The statement reads: “President Buhari says Elumelu’s commitment to the development of African youths, whom he has given a voice and empowerment, investing $5,000 in 1,000 young entrepreneurs per year across 54 countries, places him as a visionary, with milk of human kindness.

Buhari wished Elumelu greater successes on all fronts, and recommended his strides to other high net worth people.