Theme: Determination, Drive & Discipline

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Sheraton Hotel Abuja
Ladi Kwali way, Zone 4
Abuja Nigeria
FCT, Abuja Federal Capital Territory, 234
Nigeria

Aderonke Bello

Associate Editor and Head of Sports desk at Naij.com

Aderonke Bello is a Nigerian journalist, currently an Associate editor and Head of sports desk at Naij.com. She has a B.sc and MBA in Human Resource Management amongst other international certificates from the University of Washington and John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health and USAID. She has worked with the Nigeria Football League and was at a time the country head for Kingston University in Nigeria. She had in the past worked with Premium Times and MTNFootball. She is a change agent, mentor and life coach, a public speaker known for her stance on sports development and sports for development. She is also passionate about reducing the nuisance value of the society. She is an advocate for women athletes in Africa, who has openly fought for the plights of female athletes in Nigeria and across. She won the 'sports category' at the Wole Soyinka Investigative Award in 2013, amongst other awards and nominations. She has worked on some personally funded project due to her passion to

Buffy Okeke-Ojiudu

Chief Executive Officer of the Zebra Group, with interests in Media, Agriculture and Real-estate.

Buffy Okeke-Ojiudu is a Nigerian businessman and the Chief Executive Officer of the Zebra Group, a Nigerian based organization with interests in Media, Agriculture and Real-estate. Within the group, Buffy spearheaded the founding of Zebra media, a media focused outfit which currently houses a series of newspaper titles including the THE ABUJA TIMES, THE LAGOS TIMES and West Africa’s first sub-regional E-Newspaper - THE WEST AFRICAN. As head of Zebra media Buffy also oversees the implementation of over 22 on-going media partnership agreements in which Zebra Media offers media solutions and services to various key top-tier government and private sector organisations. Buffy possesses a Law degree from the University of Sheffield (UK) and a Masters degree from Harvard University.

Charles (CharlyBoy) Oputa

Nigerian singer/songwriter, television presenter, publisher and producer.

Charles Oputa ,popularly known as Charley Boy, is Nigeria's most consistent and dynamic entertainer. He is a singer/songwriter, television presenter, publisher and Producer. Charley Boy has consistently generated controversy with his maverick lifestyle. He is a Biker and holds very strong political views. His Tv program,The Charly Boy Show, drew some of the highest viewing figures for an independent production. He was the President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria and a Nigerian Idol judge. The second son of former Supreme Court Judge, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa. He often says that his parents engraved strong values in his DNA. Charly Boy is known to be an advocate of the masses and has fought for the rights of the average Nigerian. Charles Oputa, a father and grand father ,is a dedicated family man and has been married to African-American singer and former fashion designer Diane for over thirty-eight years.

Kiki James

CEO/Founder Ace Charity

Kiki James is the founder of an innovative NGO whose main goal is Education and Training with a focus on Affordable healthcare and Economic Empowerment in Africa. Working with a great team of people, ACE has increased the literacy of over 2200 underprivileged African children and adults and created job opportunities for over 114 youth. It has also provided free medical treatment to over 618 people, and counting. She has a B.Sc. in Health Services Management and has worked at educational institutions and charities/NGOs in the U.K. such as ‘Crisis’. A self-driven and resourceful individual, she has a variety of skills, which include fundraising, team building, human resource management, project management, volunteer management, curriculum development, financial management, amongst others. She is currently based in Abuja, Nigeria where she coordinates ACE Charity’s projects in Africa.

Laila St. Matthew Daniel St. Matthew Daniel

Founder Acts Generation, Committed to the Healing of Mind and Body of troubled and hurting Women and ‘at-risk’ Youth through Counselling and Rehabilitation

A 21st century ‘Leadership Liaison’, Laila St. Matthew-Daniel's passion is to help connect people to their purpose. She is a sought after attitude and behavioural specialist consultant. She has earned a reputation for being a transformational strategist for change and a voice for the voiceless. Her easy and fluid style of interactive teachings and coaching enables her to connect with people for life-transforming changes. She is a motivational speaker, blogger, author, and is featured frequently as a speaker on various platforms dealing with self-Mastery. She is a frequent guest on popular TV and radio programs on SME/Entrepreneurship discussions, and writer in Business and Personal Development magazines. Laila St. Mathew-Daniel is also the visionary of ACTS Generation – a Gender based NGO geared towards empowerment of Women and girls especially in the area of domestic violence and abuse. This has seen her work along the West Coast from Abidjan to the corridors of Nigeria.

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi

Former Minister of Youths, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi was born in 1969. He attended one of Nigeria’s leading universities, the University of Lagos, Akoka-Lagos where he graduated with a B.Sc. Second Class Upper degree, in Mass Communication In 2001, he won the British Council Chevening Scholarship to study for a postgraduate programme in Governance and Development at the prestigious Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, in the United Kingdom where in 2002, he bagged a Masters Degree with Distinction. In April 2007 he was appointed Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology in Kwara State, a position he held until May 2011. In recognition of his exceptional leadership qualities, Mallam Abdullahi was appointed Minister of Youth Development in July 2011. All through his time at Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council, he earned the reputation of a pro-active, youth-friendly Minister.

Onyeka Nwelue

Assistant professor of African Studies and Literature at the University of Manipur in Imphal, India.

Onyeka Nwelue was born in 1988. He is an assistant professor of African Studies and Literature at the University of Manipur in Imphal, India. He teaches at Royal Arts Academy, University of Hong Kong and Instituto dAmicis in Mexico. He runs a mobile school, The Free Creative School. At 21, Onyeka Nwelue won the TM Aluko Prize for fiction with his first novel, “The Abyssinian Boy” (2009). He was the first runner-up for the Ibrahim Tahir Prize for First Book and nominated for the future Awards and a recipient of the Prins Claus Ticket Grant in 2013. Onyeka’s second book, “Burnt” is described by British-Hungarian poet, George Szirtes, ss ‘breathless’. "Hip-Hop is Only for Children,” his controversial expose book details personal encounters with musicians and music promoters inside and outside Nigeria and was released in 2015 to critical acclaim. At 27, Onyeka became the youngest jury member in film festival history as part of the Woodpecker International Film Festival in India.

Sadiq Sani Dambata

Student at Nigerian Turkish International

Sadiq was born 4th November 1999 He is from Kano State and a student of Nigerian Turkish International colleges.His interest are Reading, Basketball, Football and writing.

Sola Kuti

Politician/Entrepreneur

Sola Kuti is a politician and entrepreneur. He studied Business information systems with human resource management at the Middlesex University Business School in London, and graduated with a 2:1. His company Afriproducts Ltd which he founded in 1999 has pioneered many innovative ideas in the last 16 years. The business areas include: A Fresh Juice and Smoothie Chain, Luxury goods, Business Development, Consultancy, Telecoms and infrastructure, Oil and Gas, Exports and Trading. The technology arm of Afriproducts in a joint venture pioneered the smaller denomination mobile recharge vouchers in Nigeria and also launched the first ever e - commerce enabled website in Nigeria circa 1999. He served as a special assistant to Senator Toks Ogunbanjo in the Nigeria Senate 2003-2007. He aspired to be governor of Lagos in 2015, and ran an impressive campaign. Sola continues to propagate for more young people to participate in politics, and currently mentors young entrepreneurs.