JCI Nigeria has announced the names of 29 young Nigerian professionals as nominees for its annual Ten Outstanding Young Persons (JCI TOYP) Awards. This comes just few weeks after kickstarting the nomination process for 2017 edition of the much celebrated 34 year-old awards ceremony, to determine which final 10 individuals that Nigerian voters will choose to receive the highly coveted honours.

Amongst nominees in the ten voting categories are popular entertainers and artists such as TY Bello, Kemi Adetiba and Cobhams Asuquo, as well as technology business leaders such as Jason Njoku, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Oluseun Onigbinde, Oluyomi Ojo and Seyi Taylor.

There are also those nominated for outstanding academic achievements such as Ufot Ufot Ekong, Ayodele Daniel Dada, Victor Olalusi, plus those recognized for their contributions to child rights, world peace, cultural development and humanitarian works such as Bukky Shonibare, Orondaam Otto, Imrana Alhaji-Buba, Laolu Senbanjo, Hauwa Ojiefo and Mayowa Ashake Kuti-Adegbile.

Others have been identified for their works in the fields of medicine, agriculture, education, environmental protection, political advocacy and public service. These include Gossy Ukanwoke, Affiong Williams, Ukinebo Dare, Matilda Kerry, Temie Giwa-Tunbosun, Adepeju Mabadeje Jaiyeoba, Charles Immanuel Akhimien, Akomaye Peters-Benson, Bilkiss Adebiyi-Abiola, Esther Agbarakwe, Mohammed Sani-Abdullahi and Mark Okoye II.

Junior Chamber International (JCI), a membership-based non-profit for young active citizens aged 18 to 40, present in over 100 countries of the world, has since 1983 been recognizing and celebrating young persons under the age of 40 who have excelled in their chosen fields of endeavour and created positive change in their communities through the annual Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) Awards.

Past recipients include personalities as Dr. Ola Orekunrin, Ray Ekpu, Sir Shina Peters, Kanu Nwankwo, Femi Anikulapo-Kuti, Daddy Showkey, Richard Mofe Damijo, Gbenga Sesan, Linda Ikeji, Japheth Omojuwa, and legends such as the late Bimbo Odukoya, MEE Mofe-Damijo and Amaka Igwe who were honoured before the age of 40, and before they had achieved national prominence.

Nigerians can visit www.toyp.jci.ng between now and the end of June 2017 to vote for outstanding young persons of their choice, while social media conversations are ongoing via #JCINTOYP2017 and official JCI Nigeria channels, @JCI_Nigeria.