PICTORIAL:  20-year-old Nigerian emerges first african recipient of Martin Luther King Jr. horizon award. 

A 20-year-old Nigerian student, Adebola Aderibigbe, was honoured with the Horizon Award at the 15th Realising the Dream Legacy Awards Banquet on January 12 in the United States.

This was made known by the United States Mission in Nigeria on its Facebook page on Thursday.

Sharing photos from the banquet, the US Mission Nigeria wrote, “Congratulations to Adebola Oluchi Aderibigbe, an EducationUSA Abuja  student at Stillman College, Alabama, on making history as the youngest and first African recipient of the 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Horizon Award.

“Recognised for her advocacy in girls’ rights and literacy promotion, she embodies MLK Jr.’s ideals of social justice and equality.  #MLKDay #EducationUSA”

She received the award alongside former Birmingham Mayor Richard Arrington Jr. and attorney Doug Jones, which acknowledges individuals embodying Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideals of social justice, peace, and equality.

Aderibigbe is recognised for her advocacy for girls’ rights, literacy promotion, and community engagement. She won the International Day of the Girl Child Essay Contest at the age of 15 with her essay titled “What Gender Equality Means To Me.”

Aderigbigbe, who is currently studying at Stillman College, Alabama,  manages The House Tuscaloosa, promoting literacy in educational, musical, and spiritual realms.

In 2019, Aderibigbe served as a panellist at the With and For Girls Awards in London, representing sub-Saharan Africa. During her time in London, she was featured on the podcast interview segment of IG Advisors, a UK-based organisation specialising in strategy consultancy for social and environmental change.

Running the “Girls Matter Too” initiative and volunteering with The Legend Lifeskills Foundation, she empowers young girls.

Previous Horizon Award recipients include Kendra Key, Tyler Merriweather, Elliot Spillers, and Marissa Navarro.