Oluwatobiloba Ajayi Emerges Winner of the N1M Nigeria Prize for Difference and Diversity 2020
In honour of her work with children living with cerebral palsy, The Nigeria Prize for Difference and Diversity has announced Oluwatobiloba Ajayi as winner of the 2020 maiden edition of the N1million Prize. Oluwatobiloba Ajayi is the founder of the Let Cerebral Palsy Kids Learn Foundation. The announcement was made on Thursday, December 10, 2020, to commemorate World Human Rights Day.
The Nigeria Prize for Difference and Diversity prize was launched this year by digital media platform Ynaija and Chude Jideonwo with the objective of fostering a culture of inclusion in all spheres of Nigerian life. The 2020 maiden edition of the prize was presented by the co-founder of the human flourishing company, Joy Inc and host of #WithChude, Chude Jideonwo, to identify and support individuals and organizations creating safe spaces for difference and diversity to flourish in Nigeria.
Oluwatobiloba Ajayi is a lawyer and disability rights advocate. She holds a first degree in law and a master’s degree in International law from the University of Hertfordshire, UK. Oluwatobiloba has over seven years’ experience in the development sector in Nigeria, primarily working with and for persons living with disabilities. She served as secretary to the board of directors and project-planning and implementation team of BENOLA Cerebral Palsy Initiative, a Nigerian non-profit working to change the face of cerebral palsy in Africa through advocacy, capacity building, referral services, and counseling.
Speaking on the win, Chude Jideonwo said:
“Ms. Ajayi’s work inspires me deeply, as it should inspire all of us. I really, deeply hope that this prize gives her all the attention she and her work need to expand their reach and impact. The work is so important in creating a space to nurture and support difference, to expand society’s definition of normal, and to force us to pay attention to what truly matters – our common humanity.”
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Fifteen finalists including Oluwatobiloba Ajayi all below the ages of 35 were graded and judged by a panel of judges including actors Nse Ikpe-Etim and Eku Edewor, consultant psychiatrist – Dr. Gbonjubola Abiri, journalists Kiki Mordi and Harry Itie, fashion designer Adebayo Oke-Lawal, CNN African Voices’ Arit Okpo, and consultant Ndukwe Igbokwe.
The finalists also attended a week-long virtual workshop in October where they had access to, and were mentored by a faculty of some of the brightest minds across media, human rights, and governance.
The list of the 15 finalists and their profiles can be viewed on www.diversity.ynaija.com.