Adebola Oluchi Aderibigbe, a student at Stillman College, Alabama, has made history by becoming the youngest and first African recipient of the 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Horizon Award. The award recognises individuals who embody Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideals of social justice, peace, and equality.
Adebola was recognised for her advocacy for girls’ rights and literacy promotion. She has been an active participant in promoting literacy in educational, musical, and spiritual realms through her initiative, “Girls Matter Too.” Her efforts have been recognised globally, and 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.”
In an interview with the press, Adebola expressed her gratitude for the award and said, “I am honoured to receive this award, and I hope it inspires other young people to pursue their dreams and make a difference in the world. I believe that education is the key to unlocking opportunities and creating a better future for all.”
On her LinkedIn page, she wrote, “In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, last Friday I was honoured to receive the prestigious Horizon Award at the 15th Realising the Dream Legacy Banquet. The award recognises a person in keeping with Dr. King’s ideals of promoting social justice, peace, and equality who is providing vision, courage, and leadership to improve the quality of life for all. I am in awe to also be recognised alongside former Birmingham Mayor Richard Arrington, Jr. and attorney and former U.S. Senator Doug Jones, who both received the Mountaintop Award and the Call to Conscience Award, respectively…A huge thank you to the entire “Realising the Dream” committee for considering me for this award. Here’s to living a life of legacy. On becoming.”
The United States Mission in Nigeria congratulated Adebola on its Facebook page, saying, “Recognised for her advocacy in girls’ rights and literacy promotion, she embodies MLK Jr.’s ideals of social justice and equality.”
The proud father, Taofiq Adebowale Aderibigbe, remarked on his Facebook page, “Thank you for doing the Aderibigbe family proud. Thank you for doing Nigeria proud. Thank you for doing Africa proud. “
The hashtags #MLKDay and #EducationUSA have been trending on social media platforms since the announcement of the award.
