In an online statement published on Quartz’s website on Monday, Yinka Adegoke, Quartz Africa editor, says the organisation has chosen 30 innovators in Africa for their creative approaches to local problems in business, politics, culture and health and more.
“The narrative in Africa,” he explains in the statement, “has moved from seeking foreign-solutions-for-African-problems, to discussing African-solutions-to-African-problems. And, as our coverage (and the efforts many of these innovators) shows, it’s now moving toward a narrative of African-solutions-to-global-problems…Africa’s future is as promising and rewarding as we often hear, but not just because of oft-cited factors like abundant natural mineral resources and increasing political stability. The countries of the continent have great promise because of their people.”
According to the statement, Afolayan made the list for his contribution to African cinema. “…in 2015 (he) got off to a great start when his award-winning drama ‘October 1’ became one of the first-ever Nollywood movies to get signed up for distribution on Netflix, the world’s largest Internet-based video on-demand platform. October 1, had one of the biggest ever budgets for a Nollywood movie as Afolayan tries to lead his counterparts to raise production standards across the Nigerian movie business.
“Afolayan started acting in 2005 and later transitioned into directing. His Yoruba and English language film “The Figurine” won multiple awards at the 2010 “African Oscars,” or the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), including best picture. His films have been featured in various festivals including the London Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival and the New York African Film Festival.”
“The narrative in Africa,” he explains in the statement, “has moved from seeking foreign-solutions-for-African-problems, to discussing African-solutions-to-African-problems. And, as our coverage (and the efforts many of these innovators) shows, it’s now moving toward a narrative of African-solutions-to-global-problems…Africa’s future is as promising and rewarding as we often hear, but not just because of oft-cited factors like abundant natural mineral resources and increasing political stability. The countries of the continent have great promise because of their people.”
Other Nigerians who made the list are: novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, Kunle Adeyemi, an Amsterdam-based architecture, among others. They were honoured on Monday September 14, 2015 at the Quartz Africa Innovators summit.