Co-founder of RED | For Africa and chairman of AW Network and STARC, Adebola Williams has been named the winner of the Trailblazer Award at the DTN @ 100 Times Heroes Awards, recently held in Victoria Island, Lagos, as part of the centenary celebrations of Daily Times Nigeria (DTN).
The centenary programme, themed “Honouring the Past, Shaping the Future,” brought together three components: the Shaping the Future Town Hall, the Honouring the Past Exhibition and the DTN @ 100 Times Heroes Awards. Together, they marked 100 years since the newspaper was founded in 1926.
Mr Williams received the Trailblazer Award for his role in shaping modern African political communications and nation branding for a trifecta of African presidents, including President Muhammadu Buhari, President Nana Akuffo-Addo and President Macky Sall. The platforms he founded and owns including YNaija, Rubbin’ Minds on Channels TV, The Future Awards Africa, and StateCraft Inc. continue to dominate social impact storytelling and youth engagement across the continent.
He was honoured alongside Elohor Aiboni, Shell’s Executive Vice President and Country Chair for Nigeria; Dr Kola Adesina, Group Managing Director of Sahara Group; General Christopher Gwabin Musa, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Defence; Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, CEO and General Partner of Future Africa; and Uche Pedro, Founder of Bella Naija.
The awards were given to leaders who have distinguished themselves across energy, banking, media, technology, public service and national development. Recipients included Dr Supo Shasore; Dr Biodun Shobanjo, Chairman of Troyka Holdings (Changemaker of the Century); Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Founder and Chairman of THISDAY and ARISE News (Media Icon of the Decade); and Dame Dr Adaora Umeoji, Group Managing Director and CEO of Zenith Bank Plc (Person of the Year).
In his keynote address, former Governor of Ogun State and former Managing Director of Daily Times, Chief Aremo Olusegun Osoba, said that attaining 100 years gives Daily Times the chance to go beyond celebrating itself and to recognise the individuals and institutions whose vision, leadership and achievements have shaped Nigeria, while preserving their stories for future generations.
A key part of the centenary is The Nigerian Grand Book, National Book of Changemakers, a publication developed over 15 years and informed by the Daily Times archive, with a foreword by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.