Oluwadamilola Akintewe is one of just twenty people across the world presented with The Legacy Award by HRH, William, The Prince of Wales at a special award ceremony in London on 14 March 2024.
The Legacy Award marks The Diana Award’s 25th Anniversary – a charity set up in memory of Diana, the late Princess of Wales and her belief in the power of young people to change the world.
Established in memory of Diana, the late Princess of Wales, the Award has the support of both her sons, HRH The Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex. The 20 Legacy Award recipients have been chosen by a prestigious independent judging panel, chaired by Baroness Doreen Lawrence, who had the difficult task of selecting just 20 from a pool of exceptional individuals, already recognised for their impact on society with The Diana Award in 2022 or 2023.
Oluwadamilola Akintewe, 24, from Nigeria has been recognised with the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts.
As a young leader, she is committed to advocating for women’s rights and advancing gender equality in Nigeria and across the world. Oluwadamilola as an undergraduate founded Forbidden Topics, a young women community who uses storytelling to campaign against campus based gender violence. She recalled being attacked on her campus with a machete as the breaking point that led to her founding her organisation.
Since then, she has organised and mobilised young people across 30 countries in a solidarity against gender violence, and influenced policy reviews that protected over 25,000 students from campus based gender violence.
Oluwadamilola Akintewe also founded Project Rebirth, a social enterprise that provides skills and resources to women in rural marginalized communities and IDP Camps in Abuja and Nasarawa.
Dr Tessy Ojo CBE, CEO of The Diana Award, says:
“As we mark the start of our 25th Anniversary year these young people couldn’t be a more fitting tribute and legacy to Diana, the late Princess of Wales and her belief that young people have the power to change the world. Their compassion, determination and agency to make positive change today and in the years ahead is immense.”
Oluwadamilola Akintewe says:
“Receiving the award validates the assertion that I’ve always made which says that young people can, and will change the world. By receiving the highest humanitarian award given to a young person, I hope I can inspire other young people in Nigeria and beyond that if we want change to happen, we have make it happen. We truly are the saviours we are waiting for”
