Dr. Ezekiel Adamu, the Chief Executive Officer of Balmoral Group Promotions, has been awarded the prestigious Mandela Award for Contribution to African Sports and Youth Engagement at a gala event held in Bari, Italy. The honour recognizes his significant role in sports development and inspiring young Nigerians to achieve their potential.

Dr. Adamu’s recognition is a direct result of his efforts to create opportunities for growth and development, particularly within the Nigerian sporting scene.

Major Boxing Promotion: The award comes shortly after he successfully promoted “Chaos in the Ring” in Lagos on October 1 (Nigeria’s Independence Day). This event was touted as the biggest boxing event in Africa, underscoring his commitment to elevating African talent onto the global stage.

Organizers’ Statement: The organisers hailed the award as a testament to his “exceptional leadership, vision, and enduring contribution to the creative and cultural industries.”

Upon receiving the accolade, Dr. Adamu dedicated the award to his team and the athletes, emphasizing the boundless potential of the continent’s youth.

“I am truly honoured to be recognized under a powerful name that stands for determination, courage, forgiveness, faith and love,” Dr. Adamu said. “This award also goes to the amazing athletes that step into the ring, that fight for their determination, courage and their freedom, this is all for them.”

He highlighted Africa’s demographic advantage: “The journey is just beginning. Africa is a very dynamic continent, we have a population of about 1.4 billion people, and 70 percent of that population is the youth, with ages from 16 years to 35 years. So we expect a lot to come from Africa, expect the world champion to come from Africa.”

Ndileka Mandela, social activist and eldest grandchild of Nelson Mandela, commended recipients like Dr. Adamu for carrying forward her grandfather’s legacy of empowerment and service.

“Life is not measured by what we gain, but by what we give. True purpose is found in uplifting others and using our gifts to light the path for those who come after us,” she said.

The forum also saw discussions on empowering Africa’s young population through economic channels. Adenike Adeyemi, the Executive Director of FATE Foundation, spoke on the global role of the creative sector:

“The creative economy is a powerful engine for global transformation and Africa’s entrepreneurs are ready to lead that charge,” Adeyemi stated. She noted that FATE Foundation has spent 25 years building the entrepreneurship pipeline in Nigeria to ensure the “creative and the industrial energies of our young people… translate into scalable, globally competitive businesses.”

Taiwo Meghoma, a fashion entrepreneur, added:

“Life is not measured by what we gain, but by what we give. True purpose lies in uplifting others, using our gifts, our voice, and our time to light the path for those who come after us.”