A
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| A'Salfo | b. 5 October 1977, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire A'Salfo Salif Traoré, is an Ivorian singer and lead member of the Magic System group. He is signed to the record label Parlaphone. |
| Aamito Lagum | b. 3 December 1992, Kampala, Uganda Aamito Lagum is a Ugandan model and personality. She was in the first series of Africa's Next Top Model, winning it and gaining a modelling contract. She has appeared in various international editions of Vogue, i-D and the cover of Elle in the UK. |
| Abane Ramdane | b. 10 June 1920, Larbaâ Nath Irathen, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 27 December 1957, Tétouan, Morocco Abane Ramdane was an Algerian political activist who was a key figure during the Algerian war for independence. He was murdered by the National Liberation Front (FLN) because his charismatic ways allegedly were overriding the collective leadership. |
| Abassi Madani | b. 28 February 1931, Sidi Okba, present-day Biskra Province, French Algeria, present-day Algeria Abbasi Madani is an Algerian political activist and co-founder of the Algerian Islamic Salvation Front. He was imprisoned for his involvement in, what became, a banned party and has spoken out to overthrow a secular government. |
| Abbas El Fassi | b. 18 September 1940, Berkane, French protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco Abbas El Fassi served as 14th Prime Minister of Morocco (19 September 2007 - 29 November 2011) and his appointed government for Morocco included seven women. He was ambassador to France when a damning pamphlet called Notre ami, le roi accusing Morocco of human rights abuse was released, causing bad feeling between France and Morocco. |
| Abd al-Salam Yasin | b. 1928, Marrakesh, French Morocco, present-day Morocco, d. 13 December 2012, Rabat, Morocco Abd al-Salam Yasin was a Moroccan religious leader and head of Al Adl Wa Al Ihssane. A Sufi Muslim he became increasingly involved in the political side of Islam. He wrote a letter to King Hassan II calling the King unIslamic and that Morocco should become an Islamic state, this led him to be incarcerated in a mental institution and then kept under house arrest. He wrote many books in both French and Arabic. |
| Abd el-Krim | b. 1882, Ajdir, Morocco, d. 6 February 1963, Cairo, Egypt Abd el-Krim was a military leader and political activist for the Riffian people of northwest Africa. Along with his brother, they launched a full-scale revolt against the colonisation of the Rif from the French and Spanish, setting up the Republic of Rif. The republic only lasted for five years but Abd el-Krim's actions were used as an example by rebel leaders later on. |
| Abdallah Ibrahim | b. 24 August 1918, Marrakech Haouz, French protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco, d. 11 September 2015, Casablanca, Morocco Abdallah Ibrahim was a left-wing Prime Minister for Morocco (16 December 1958 - 20 May 1960). He was dismissed as Prime Minister by King Mohammed V which, in turn, caused a cabinet crisis. King Mohammed V then placed himself as Prime Minister in order to calm the crisis. |
| Abdel Fattah el-Sisi | b. 19 November 1954, Cairo, Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is the 6th President of Egypt (8 June 2014 - present) and is the first incumbent to sign a handover document with his predecessor Adly Mansour. He has encouraged the citizens of Egypt that this is "the hard work phase" and imposes that his government must set an example by attending work early and taking care of their health. He has also spoken out against instances of sexual assault in the country and requested that agencies such as the police, media and army address the issue. In the 2018 presidential election, el-Sisi faced only nominal opposition after arrests, enforced disappearance of, and threat against his main political opponents. |
| Abdel Rahman El-Abnudi | b. 11 April 1938, Abnoud, Qena, Egypt, d. 21 April 2015, Cairo, Egypt Abdel Rahman El-Abnudi was an author, children's writer and poet from Egypt, who also wrote for a number of singers. He wrote his work in the Egyptian dialect of Sa'idi Arabic |
| Abdel Rahman Swar Al-Dahab | b. 1934, Omdurman, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, present-day Sudan Abdel Rahman Swar Al-Dahab was the 5th President of Sudan (6 April 1985 - 6 May 1986), a position he gained by launching a military coup against Gaafar Nimeiry. He surrendered power to Sadiq al-Mahdi in 1986 and became the Chairman of the Islamic Call Organization. |
| Abdelaziz Bouteflika | b. 2 March 1937, Telemcen, French Algeria, present-day Algeria Abdelaziz Bouteflika is the 5th President of Algeria (27 April 1999 - present). He is a former Army of National Liberation fighter which was the military branch of the National Liberation Front (FLN). He has so far served four terms as president and has not given a speech in public for many years. He has received the Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry, Portugal in 2003. |
| Abdelaziz Gorgi | b. 2 June 1928, Tunis, Tunisia, d. 10 January 2008, Tunis, Tunisia Abdelaziz Gorgi was a renowned Tunisian artist who helped to establish the Tunis School of painting and set up the Gorgi Gallery. He won a number of awards including the President's Prize in 2000. |
| Abdelhamid Ben Badis | b. 4 December 1889, Constantine, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 16 April 1940, Constantine, French Algeria, present-day Algeria Abdelhamid Ben Badis was a philosopher and high-profile individual in the Islamic Reform movement of Algeria. He is the founder of the Association of Algerian Muslim Ulema which influenced the way many Algerian children were educated and had a great effect on the lead up the Algerian War of Independence. |
| Abdelilah Benkirane | b. 8 April 1954, Rabat, French protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco Abdelilah Benkirane was the Prime Minister for Morocco (29 November 2011 - 5 April 2017) and is a left-wing aligned politician. A strong Islamist he has spoken out against secularism and was reported as trying to ban an Elton John concert for promoting "homosexuality". He also initiated a probe into Jennifer Lopez after an educational group sued the singer for her show's "sexually suggestive" broadcast of her concert. He resigned in 2017 claiming "incompatibility" with the government. |
| Abdelkader Houamel | b. 17 August 1936, N'Gaous, French Algeria, present-day Algeria Abdelkader Houamel is an artist and political activist from Algeria. His work is highly influenced by his socialist and anti-colonial viewpoints and was a member of the National Liberation Front in the 1950s. |
| Abdelkader Taleb Omar | b. 27 March 1951, Laayoune, Spanish Sahara, present-day Western Sahara Abdelkader Taleb Omar was Prime Minister of the Sahrawi Republic (29 October 2003 - 4 February 2018) and was the Wali (Governor) of the Smara refugee camp. He is known for being more liberal than many of his contemporaries in the Polisario Front. |
| Abdellatif Filali | b. 26 January 1928 Beni Mellal, French protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco, d. 20 March 2009, Clamart, France Abdellatif Filali served as 11th Prime Minister of Morocco (25 May 1994 - 4 February 1998), having served as ambassador to numerous countries such as Spain, Algeria, the United Kingdom and China. He did many of TV broadcasts in the Moroccan Berber dialect. |
| Abdellatif Laâbi | b. 1942, Fes, Morocco Abdellatif Laâbi is a Moroccan poet who spent time imprisoned due to "crimes of opinion". He also founded Souffles, a magazine and literary review which was subsequently banned. |
| Abdelmalek Benhabylès | b. 27 April 1921, Beni Aziz, French Algeria, present-day Algeria Abdelmalek Benhabylès was acting president of Algeria (11 January 1992 - 14 January 1992) when the military forced Chadli Bendjedid out of office. He was also the first ambassador to Japan and received the Order of the Rising Sun on 17 December 2012. |
| Abdelmalek Sellal | b. 1 August 1948, Constantine, French Algeria, present-day Algeria Abdelmalek Sellal was Prime Minister of Algeria (3 September 2012 - 13 March 2014, 29 April 2014 -25 May 2017) and also served as the Ambassador to Hungary whilst he was working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. |
| Abdelwahab Meddeb | b. 17 January 1946, Tunis, Tunisia, d. 5 November 2014, Paris, France Abdelwahab Meddeb was a Tunisian writer. His work, in the French language, is rich with imagery and has won him numerous prizes including the Prix Max Jacob for his work Matière des oiseaux. |
| Abderrahmane Farès | b. 30 January 1911, Amalou, Béjaïa Province, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 13 May 1991, Zemmouri, Algeria Abderrahmane Farès was President of the Provisional Executive Council of Algeria (3 July 1962 - 20 September 1962), started out his career as a lawyer and then joined politics after the Second World War. He joined the Front de Libération Nationale (FLN) in 1956 after the 1955 Pieds-Noir massacre of Muslim civilians and the French army did nothing to respond. |
| Abderrahmane Sissako | b. 13 October 1961, Kiffa, Mauritania Abderrahmane Sissako is a filmmaker and producer from Mauritania who has gained international acclaim for his work. His film Waiting for Happiness (Heremakono) was well received at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival and his film Timbuktu was nominated for an Academy Award. |
| Abderrahmane Youssoufi | b. 8 March 1924, Tangier, French protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco Abderrahmane Youssoufi was the 12th Prime Minister of Morocco (4 February 1998 - 9 October 2002), he originally aligned himself with the left-wing National Union of Popular Forces and went to prison for this. Later on, after he returned from Paris on a self-imposed exile, he joined the newly renamed Socialist Union of Popular Forces. When appointed to Prime Minister by King Hassan II he instilled a greater freedom of the media. He won the North-South Prize in 1999. |
| Abdiqasim Salad Hassan | b. 1 January 1941, Galdogob, British Somaliland, present-day Somalia Abdiqasim Salad Hassan was the 5th President of Somalia (27 August 2000 - 14 October 2004), he put himself forward as a candidate for the Transitional National Government and was sworn in after receiving 145 votes to Abdullahi Ahmed Addou's 92. Despite actions to try and join the factions of a split country together in a new government, Hassan left talks and was accused of trying to extend his term by the Prime Minister Hassan Abshir Farah. He subsequently dismissed Farah. |
| Abdirashid Ali Shermarke | b. 8 June 1919, Harardhere, Mudug, Italian Somaliland, present-day Somalia, d. 15 October 1969, Las Anod, Somalia Abdirashid Ali Shermarke was the 2nd President of Somalia (10 June 1967 - 15 October 1969) and the 3rd Prime Minister of Somalia (12 July 1960 - 14 June 1964). He beat an assassination attempt in 1968 when a grenade was thrown near the car he was driving in, however in 1969 he was assassinated by one of his own bodyguards. |
| Abdisalam Aato | b. 1970, Mogadishu, Somalia Abdisalam Aato is a director and producer who founded Olol Films. He is considered one of the first Somaliwood film makers. |
| Abdou Anta Ka | b. 1931, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 1999, Place unknown Abdou Anta Ka is a celebrated Senegalese writer and playwright. One of his most famous works is a collection of plays called Quatre pièces. |
| Abdou Diouf | b. 7 September 1935, Louga, French Senegal, present-day Senegal Abdou Diouf was the 2nd President of Senegal (1 January 1981 - 9 April 2000) and had previously held the role of Prime Minister of the country (1970 - 1980) under Senghor's presidency. From 1986 he held an anti-AIDS programme which resulted in excellent results and a much lower infection rate in Senegal than other countries in Africa. Diouf left willingly power after losing the 2000 presidential election to Abdoulaye Wade. He was twice President of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) from 1985 to 1986, and in 1992. He was also President of ECOWAS (July 1991 - July 1992) and more recently of Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (2002-2014). |
| Abdou Ouologuem | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Abdou Ouologuem is a Malian actor and artist. He uses numerous mediums and toured with Peter Brook's theatre company for ten years. |
| Abdoulaye Ascofaré | b. 20 April 1949, Gao, French Sudan, present- day Mali Abdoulaye Ascofare is a Malian film director. Producing films such as Welcome and The Host, he has also written and published a book of poetry. |
| Abdoulaye Bathily | b. 1947, Tiyabu, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Abdoulaye Bathily is a Senegalese politician who has the roles of Minister of the Environment and also Minister of Energy in Senegal's government. He has run a number of times for the presidency but was unsuccessful. |
| Abdoulaye Élimane Kane | b. 6 October 1941, Kayes, French Sudan, present-day Mali Abdoulaye Élimane Kane is a Malian politician and philosophy professor. He held the role of Ministry of Education in Mali's government and then went onto hold the role of Minister of Culture. |
| Abdoulaye Konaté | b. 1953, Diré, Mali Abdoulaye Konaté is a Malian artist whose work primarily takes the form of textile-based installations that explore socio-political and environmental issues. |
| Abdoulaye Ndoye | b. 25 April 1983, Dakar, Senegal Abdoulaye Ndoye is a footballer originally from Senegal but naturalised to Equatorial Guinea. He plays the position of midfield. |
| Abdoulaye Sadji | b. 1910, Rufisque, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 25 December 1961, Rufisque, Senegal Abdoulaye Sadji was a Senegalese writer, most notable for his novels and children's books but also his struggle for the independence of Senegal. A forefather of the Négritude Movement he wrote many works that were at the core of the movement. |
| Abdoulaye Wade | b. 29 May 1926, Kébémer, French Senegal, present-day Senegal Abdoulaye Wade ran for office a number of times before he was eventually successful at becoming the 3rd President of Senegal (1 April 2000 - 2 April 2012). When he pledged to run for a third term the National Assembly had to approve the amendment to the constitution. Because of this constitutional amendment he encountered overwhelming street contestation and ultimately lost the election against Macky Sall. |
| Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed | b. 1 July 1951, Souali, French Somaliland, present-day Djibouti Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed is the present Prime Minister of Djibouti (1 April 2013 - present) and the head of the People's Rally for Progress party. Other roles he has held in the government include Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Defence. |
| Abdourahman A. Waberi | b. 20 July 1965, French Somali Coast, present-day Djibouti Abdourahman A. Waberi is a writer from Djibouti who has written novels, poetry and articles in the French language. |
| Abdourahmane Sakaly | b. 1926, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 1988, Place unknown Abdourahmane Sakaly comes from a merchant family of Saint-Louis, Senegal, originally from Morocco. He was introduced to photography in his youth and decided to open his studio in Medina Coura, facing one of the major markets of the Sudanese (now Malian) capital. |
| Abdul Ati al-Obeidi | b. 10 October 1939, Italian Libya, present-day Libya Abdul Ati al-Obeidi was a Prime Minister of Libya (1 March 1977 - 1 March 1979) under the Gaddafi government. He was Foreign Minister when the government fell during the Libyan Civil War in 2011. |
| Abdul Kader Haidara | b. Date and year unknown, Timbuktu, Mali Abdul Kader Haidara runs the Mamma Haidara Memorial Library and saved numerous historic documents that were at risk of being destroyed in war and by jihadists. |
| Abdul Razzaq as-Sawsa | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Abdul Razzaq as-Sawsa was Head of State of Libya (7 October 1990 - 18 November 1992), he was an independent candidate and considered an Islamic socialist. |
| Abdullah Abdurahman | b. 18 December 1872, Wellington, South Africa, d. 2 February 1940, Cape Town, South Africa Abdullah Abdurahman was a South African politician who was the first non-white city councilor of Cape Town. In addition to this he campaigned against segregation through his involvement with the African Political Organisation. |
| Abdullah Al-Thani | b. 1954, Place unknown Abdullah Al-Thani is the Prime Minister of Libya (11 March 2014 - present), having stepped into the role in an acting capacity following Congress dismissing Al Zeidan. He offered to resign from the post in 2015 following an assassination attempt in May 2015. He cited his exit would be a solution to the Second Libyan Civil War. |
| Abdullah Ibrahim | b. 9 October 1934, Cape Town, South Africa Abdullah Ibrahim is a South African composer and pianist, specifically in the Cape Jazz genre. His music was used as part of the anti-Apartheid movement and has worked with Max Roach amongst other artists. |
| Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed | b. 15 December 1934, Galkayo, Italian Somaliland, present-day Somalia, d. 23 March 2012, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was the 6th President of Somalia (14 October 2004 - 29 December 2008). Before he became president of Somalia, he was President of Puntland, the region he was from in the north. There was an assassination attempt made on his life in 2006 by suicide car bomber. |
| Abdulrazak Gurnah | b. 1948, Zanzibar Abdulrazak Gurnah is a Tanzanian novelist and professor. Specialising in postcolonial writing he has written numerous novels such as Desertion (2005) and Grave Heart (2017). |
| Abdulsalami Abubakar | b. 13 June 1942, Minna, Northern Region, present-day Niger State, British Nigeria, present-day Nigeria Abdulsalami Abubakar was the 11th Head of State of Nigeria (9 June 1998 - 29 May 1999). His term, as a military head of state, was following the death of Sani Abacha. During his term amendments were made to the constitution and allowed a democratically elected president to take over in May 1999. |
| Abe Odedina | b. 1960, Ibadan, Nigeria Abe Odedina is an artist originally from Nigeria who began painting in 2007. His work uses bold colour and symbology and has been referred to as Brixton Baroque. He draws inspiration from places such as Haitian Voodoo practitioners and African rural arts and crafts. |
| Abedi Pelé | b. 5 November 1964, Kibi, Eastern Region, Ghana Abdei Pelé is a Ghanaian footballer who has a record as one of the most successful African footballers in history. He played for, amongst others, Marseille, Lyon and Lille, as well as the Ghana national team from 1982 to 1998. |
| Abel Chivukuvuku | b. 11 November 1957, Luvemba, Huambo Province, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Abel Chivukuvuku is the leader of the Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola electoral alliance (CASA-CE) (March 2012 - present). Prior to this he was a member of UNITA and served as their representative to Portugal and the United Kingdom. |
| Abel Goumba | b. 18 September 1926, Grimari, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic, d. 11 May 2009, Bangui, Central African Republic Abel Goumba held numerous roles in his political career such as the Prime Minister of Ubangi-Shari (30 March 1959 - 30 April 1959) and then, 44 years later, Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (15 March 2003 - December 2003) and Vice-President of the Central African Republic (December 2003 - March 2005) before the post was abolished. He ran for the presidency in 2005 but was defeated. |
| Aboudia | b. 21 October 1983, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Aboudia is an Ivorian artist who has exhibited internationally with his paintings that are dark and heavy in their imagery. He stayed in his Abidjan studio during the civil war in Côte d'Ivoire, heading down to the cellar when the noise and fighting got close to the studio, then returning to paint what he had visualised. |
| Abraham Oghobase | b. 1979, Lagos, Nigeria Abraham Oghobase is a Nigerian photographer who specialises in a particular style of candid street art style and portrait work. He has exhibited internationally in Finland and the United Kingdom. |
| Abubakar Tafawa Balewa | b. 1912, Bauchi, Northern Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria, d. 15 January 1966, Lagos, Nigeria Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was the first prime minister of an independent Nigeria (1 October 1960 - 15 January 1966). He was overthrown and assassinated during a military coup in 1966. |
| Achille Mbembe | b. 27 July 1957, Otélé , French Cameroon, present-day Cameroon Achille Mbembe is a philosopher, political theorist and author of Critique of Black Reason and On the Postcolony. He is currently a member of the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. |
| Ada Udechukwu | b. 1960, Nigeria Ada Udechukwu is a Nigerian-American artist and poet. She has written a collection of poems, Woman, me and creates artwork in the medium of ink and watercolour. |
| Adama Barrow | b. 16 February 1965 Mankamang Kunda, Gambia, Adama Barrow is the 3rd President of the Gambia (19 January 2017 - present) having won the 2016 election but was forced to flee to Senegal for fear of repercussions by Yahya Jammeh. He has since overturned a number of decisions made by his predecessor, including the exit from the International Criminal Court. |
| Adama Drabo | b. 1948, Bamako, French Sudan, present-day Mali, d. 15 July 2009, Bamako, Mali Adama Drabo was a Malian playwright and film director. Directing Nieba, la journée d'une paysanne (Nieba, A Day in the Life of a Peasant Woman) in 1988 he went onto create feature length films such as Ta Dona. |
| Adama Ndiaye | b. Kinshasa, Zaire, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo Adama Ndiaye, also known as Adama Paris, is a fashion designer of Senegalese origin. Daughter of diplomats, she created Dakar Fashion Week as a platform to showcase her designs which are manufactured in Morocco. |
| Adame Ba Konaré | b. 1 May 1947, Segu, Mali Adame Ba Konaré is a Malian historian and former First Lady of Mali (26 March 1999 - 8 June 2002). She co-wrote a history book with her husband, Alpha Oumar Konaré, Grande Dates Du Mali, and has gone on to write a number of other works and also set up Muso Kunda, a women's museum. |
| Adamu Waziri | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Adamu Waziri is a cartoonist, animator and head of EVCL: an independent animation and VFX studio based in Abuja, Nigeria. He is also the founder and producer of Bino and Fino educational cartoon. |
| Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe | b. 15 April 1956, Hudur, Bakool, Italian Somaliland, present-day Somalia Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe was briefly the acting president of Somalia (29 December 2008 - 31 January 2009) after Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed resigned from office. After this he came to blows with the Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke. This led him to resign and parliament voted him out of office, however in 2014 he was reappointed back into government as Minister of Industry and Commerce. |
| Addis Gezehagn | b. 1978, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Addis Gezehagn has been a long-time artistic presence in Addis Ababa, where he is known for portraying the multifaceted characteristics of the city's residents by detailing the external facades of their homes. |
| Adebayo Adedeji | b. 21 December 1930, Ijebu-Ode, Southern Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria, d. 25 April 2018, Lagos, Nigeria Adebayo Adedeji was a professor and diplomat, who specialised in economics. He was appointed Nigeria's Minister of Economic Reconstruction and Development during the military rule of General Yakubu Gowon, constructing and implementing a plan of economic revival. |
| Adelaide Tambo | b. 18 July 1929, Top Location, Vereeniging, South Africa, d. 31 January 2007, Johannesburg, South Africa Adelaide Tambo, often referred to as 'Mama Tambo', was a South African anti-Apartheid campaigner, activist and prominent individual in the struggle against the Apartheid regime. A nurse, her political career started when her elderly grandfather was arrested by police following a riot that caused the death of a police officer. She later served as a member of parliament and has won numerous awards including the Order of the Baobab in Gold. |
| Aden Adde | b. 9 December 1908, Beledweyne, Hiran, Italian Somaliland, present-day Somalia, d. 8 June 2007, Nairobi, Kenya Aden Adde was the 1st President of Somalia (1 July 1960 - 10 June 1967), after Somalia gained its independence. A known nationalist figure when he was defeated in 1967, he was the first president in Africa to hand over their position to a democratically elected successor. |
| Adiato Djaló Nandigna | b. 6 November 1958, Guinea-Bissau Adiato Djaló Nandigna was the acting prime minister of Guinea-Bissau (10 February 2012 - 12 April 2012) and was the first woman to hold the post. Her term was cut short during a coup that deposed her and her president Raimundo Pereira, in the political unrest that followed the death of Malam Bacai Sanhá. She returned to the cabinet in 2015. |
| Adjoavi Trenou | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. 3 November 2008, Lomé, Togo Adjoavi Trenou was a politician and activist from Togo. Starting out as a teacher and principal, she was elected to parliament in 1979 and was a prominent member of the National Union of Women of Togo. |
| Adly Mansour | b. 23 December 1945, Cairo, Egypt Adly Mansour was the acting president of Egypt (4 July 2013 - 8 June 2014) after the resignation of Mohamed Morsi. An Egyptian judge, he has also held the post of President of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt (1 July 2013 - 30 June 2016) and was in power when the Egyptian system of governance received an overhaul to its new constitution. |
| Africanus Horton | b. 1835, Gloucester Village, British Sierra Leone, d. 15 October 1883, Freetown, Sierra Leone Africanus Horton, who was born James Beale Horton, was a surgeon, scientist, soldier, and a political thinker. He was a vocal nationalist who suggested ideologies for African-self-governance. His philosophies and writings were used as the basis for future independence. |
| Agathe Uwilingiyumana | b. 23 May 1953, Nyaruhengeri, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Rwanda, d. 7 April 1994, Kigali, Rwanda Agathe Uwilingiyimana, also known as 'Madame Agathe', was the 4th Prime Minister of Rwanda (18 July 1993 - 7 April 1994) and, presently, the only female to hold that office. She was assassinated at the beginning of the Rwandan Genocide. |
| Agostinho Neto | b. 17 September 1922, Icolo e Bengo, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 10 September 1979, Moscow, Soviet Union, present-day Russia Agostinho Neto was the 1st President of Angola (11 November 1975 - 10 September 1979) following the war for independence against Portugal. He was the leader of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), in addition to his political and revolutionary actions he is considered one of Angola's most celebrated poets. |
| Aguila Saleh Issa | b. 11 January 1944, Al Qubbah, Libya Aguila Saleh Issa is the President of the House of Representatives of Libya (5 August 2014 - present) which is the current head of state. His home and town were targeted by ISIL in 2015 which led to numerous deaths. |
| Ahlam Mosteghanemi | b. 13 April 1953, Tunis, Tunisia Ahlem Mostgehanemi is an Algerian writer and personality. She has written a number of works and has caused controversy in her battle against sexism. Her books are written in Arabic and deal with romance, as well as political themes throughout. |
| Ahmad Tejan Kabbah | b. 16 February 1932, Pendembu, Kailahun District, British Sierra Leone, present-day Sierra Leone, d. 13 March 2014, Freetown, Sierra Leone Ahmad Tejan Kabbah was elected to office as President of Sierra Leone (29 March 1996 - 25 May 1997 and 10 March 1998 - 17 September 2007). In his inauguration speech he promised to end the civil war which he managed to achieve in his second term. |
| Ahmadou Ahidjo | b. 24 August 1924, Garoua, British Cameroons, present-day Cameroon, d. 30 November 1989, Dakar, Senegal Ahmadou Ahidjo was the 1st President of Cameroon (5 May 1960 - 6 November 1982) and Prime Minister of East Cameroon (1 January 1960 - 15 May 1960). He was on the receiving end of a rebellion in the 1960s from the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon but quashed them by 1970. He resigned in 1982. |
| Ahmadou Kourouma | b. 24 November 1927, Boundiali, Côte d'Ivoire, d. 11 December 2003, Lyon France Ahmadou Kourouma is a writer that spoke out against the colonialism of Côte d'Ivoire and was imprisoned and exiled. His novels, such as Les soleils des indépendances (The Suns of Independence, 1970), have been well received with their themes surrounding war, nationalism and post-colonial Africa. |
| Ahmadu Bello | b. 12 June 1910, Rabah, Sokoto State, Nigeria, d. 15 January 1966, Kaduna, Nigeria Ahmade Bello was the first, and only, Premier of Northern Nigeria. He worked alongside other notable political figures in Nigeria to form the first native Nigerian government which helped to gain independence from Britain. |
| Ahmat Taboye | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Ahmat Taboye is a literary critic and published author from Chad. His book Anthologie de la littérature tchadienne, covers forty years of Chadian literature and has held the role as head of the Department of Letters at the University of N'Djamena. |
| Ahmed 'Urabi | b. 31 March 1841, Hirriyat Razna, Egypt, d. 21 September 1911, Cairo, Egypt Ahmed 'Urabi was an Egyptian nationalist and an officer in the Egyptian army. He participated in a mutiny in 1879 against Anglo-French colonial influence and was later promoted to the Egyptian cabinet. |
| Ahmed Abdallah | b. 12 June 1919, Domoni, Anjouan, French Comoros, present-day Comoros, d. 26 November 1989, Moroni, Grand Comore, Comoros Ahmed Abdallah was the 1st President of the State of Comoros (July 6 1975 - August 3 1975) when it first gained independence from France. However, this was short-lived as he was overthrown by Said Mohamed Jaffar in a coup d'état. He then returned in 1978 and staged a coup, resuming his role as president for a second time (25 October 1978 - 26 November 1989) and turned the country into a one-party state, running unopposed in 1984. He was shot dead in 1989 during a coup led by Said Mohamed Djohar. |
| Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi | b. 15 April 1956, Hudur, Bakool, Italian Somaliland, present-day Somalia Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, also known as 'Ayatollah', was President of the Comoros (26 May 2006 - 26 May 2011). He came to power winning over half the vote in an election and was the first president of Comoros to hand over power peacefully to a successor. |
| Ahmed al-Mirghani | b. 16 August 1941, Khartoum North, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, present-day Sudan, d. 2 November 2008, Alexandria, Egypt Ahmad Ali al-Mirghani was the 6th President of Sudan (6 May 1986 - 30 June 1989), the last to be elected in a democratic election. He lost his seat during a coup in 1989 led by Omar al-Bashir. |
| Ahmed al-Tayeb | b. 6 January 1946, Qena, Egypt Ahmed el-Tayeb is the current Grand Imam of Al-Azhar (10 March 2010 - present) which is considered to be the highest authority in Sunni Islamic culture and jurisprudence. Before his ascension to this role, he was also the Grand Mufti of Egypt (10 March 2002 - 27 September 2003) and received his Ph.D. in Islamic philosophy from the Sorbonne. |
| Ahmed Bahnini | b. 1909, Place unknown, d. 10 July 1971, Rabat, Morocco Ahmed Bahnini was Prime Minister of Morocco (13 November 1963 - 7 June 1965). Appointed by King Hassan II, there were major riots in Casablanca during his term which led to him being dismissed by the King. He was shot dead during birthday celebrations for the King in an unsuccessful military coup. |
| Ahmed Balafrej | b. 5 September 1908, Rabat, Morocco, d. 14 April 1990, Rabat, Morocco Ahmed Balafrej was the 2nd Prime Minister of Morocco (12 May 1958 - 13 December 1958), he later went on to be the Foreign Minister until 13 November 1963 when King Hassan II removed him from office and replaced him with himself. He was still considered extremely powerful and worked alongside the King. |
| Ahmed Ben Bella | b. 25 December 1916, Maghnia, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 11 April 2012, Algiers, Algeria Ahmed Ben Bella was the 1st President of Algeria (15 September 1963 - 19 June 1965) after the Algerian War of Independence against the French. Because of his dictatorial style of governance, he had disputes with former leaders of the Front de Libération Nationale (FLN) and was deposed in 1965 by the defence minister Houari Boumédiène in a bloodless coup. He was placed under house arrest for 14 years. In 2003 he was elected president of the International Campaign Against Aggression on Iraq at its Cairo Conference. |
| Ahmed Fouad Negm | b. 22 May 1929, Sharqia, Egypt, d. 3 December 2013, Cairo, Egypt Ahmed Fouad Negm, also known as el-Fagommi, was a poet and musician and part of the Egyptian folk genre. He was a United Nations Ambassador of the poor and wont the Prince Claus Award for 'Unwavering Integrity'. |
| Ahmed Hassan | b. 1 May 1947, Segu, French Sudan, present-day Mali Ahmed Hassan is a midfield footballer player having played for the Egyptian national team. He is one of the most renowned players in the history of African football and holds the title as the most capped international male in history. |
| Ahmed Kathrada | b. 21 August 1929, Schweizer-Reneke, Transvaal Province, Union of South Africa, d. 28 March 2017, Johannesburg, South Africa Ahmed Kathrada, also known as Kathy, was a political activist against the South African Apartheid. He is credited for authoring a book No Bread for Mandela - Memoirs of Ahmed Kathrada, Prison No. 468/64, detailing the incarceration of those in the Rivonia Trial. |
| Ahmed Keshta | b. 1978, Giza, Egypt Ahmed Keshta is an Egyptian self-professed "Renaissance" artist with a contemporary edge. |
| Ahmed Laraki | b. 15 October 1931, Casablanca, French protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco Ahmed Laraki was Prime Minister of Morocco (7 October 1969 - 6 August 1971) and also Minister of Foreign Affairs and the renamed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. |
| Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo | b. 1930, Burao, British Somaliland, present-day Somalia Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo, sometimes referred to as 'Silanyo', was the 4th President of Somaliland (27 July 2010 - 13 December 2017), a role and state that considers themselves autonomous from Somalia. |
| Ahmed Osman | b. 3 January 1930, Oujda, French protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco Ahmed Osman was the 8th Prime Minister of Morocco (2 November 1972 - 22 March 1979) and was the brother-in-law of the King Hassan II from 1964 to 1977 until his wife, Princess Lall Nuzha of Morocco died in a car crash. He has held numerous roles within Moroccan government including Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany and the United States. |
| Ahmed Sékou Touré | b. 9 January 1922, Faranah, French Guinea, present-day Guinea, d. 26 March 1984, Cleveland, Ohio, United States Ahmed Sékou Touré was the first elected President of Guinea (2 October 1958 - 26 March 1984) and in 1960 banned all other political parties making him, in effect, a dictator. Politically isolated by France on the international scene, Touré's primary allies in the region were presidents Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Modibo Keita of Mali. In 1982 he led the delegation sent by the Islamic Conference Organization to mediate in the Iran-Iraq War. As a Pan-Africanist leader, Touré virulently criticized colonial powers. He befriended African American activists such as Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael, to whom he offered asylum. He also supported freedom fighters in neighbouring Portuguese Guinea against Portugal which ultimately launched a failed attack against Conakry in 1970. Over time and as his paranoia against alleged coups grew, more than 50,000 people are believed to have been killed in concentration camps such as Camp Boiro. His heritage is still very disputed in Guinea today. |
| Ahmed Tidjane Cissé | b. 1941, Kongolia, Lower Guinea, d. 6 January 2015, Le Mans, France Ahmed Tidjane Cissé was an internationally known writer, director, choreographer as well having acclaim in a number of other creative accolades. He was also a member of the National Assembly and held the role of Minister of Culture and Historic Heritage in the Guinea government. |
| Ahmed Zewail | b. 10 June 1920, Larbaâ Nath Irathen, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 2 August 2016, Pasadena, California, United States Ahmed Zewail was an Egyptian-American scientist who specialised in the field of femtochemistry and received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, along with many other awards in his career. He was also involved in political work, visiting Egypt as part of a science envoy to Islamic countries. |
| Aïcha Bellagha | b. 1916, Place unknown, d. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Aïcha Bellagha was a Tunisian feminist and one of the first women in Tunisia to achieve the baccalaureate qualification. She also held the role as the first president of the Tunisian National Union of Women. |
| Aïcha Lemsine | b. 30 August 1945, Tébessa, Algeria Aïcha Lemsine is an Algerian novelist and essayist whose real name is Aicha Laidi. She began writing articles on Algeria's ethnic conditions and joining women's literary organisations at a young age. She wrote three novels, all in French, in which she describes the antipolygamy struggles of generations of Algerian women. |
| Aïcha Snoussi | b. 1989, Tunis, Tunisia Aïcha Snoussi is an artist from Tunisia who started her career as an engraver. She is particularly known for her large graphic ink murals drawn directly onto walls. |
| Aïchatou Mindaoudou | b. 1959, Place unknown Aïchatou Mindaoudou is a politician and diplomat from Niger. She has held numerous roles in government, being reappointed following a number of military coups within the country and held the role of Foreign Minister from 2001 till 2010. |
| Aïda Touré | b. 1973, Gabon Aïda Touré is an artist, poet and composer from Gabon. She has exhibited works across the world, including the United States as well as releasing a number of poetry books. She has also released her own line of jewellery. |
| Aissa Dione | b. circa 1953, Place unknown Aissa Dione is a Senegalese textile designer and artist. Using traditional methods and manufacturing processes, her team create traditional Senegalese fabric that is used by international brands such as Fendi and Hermès. |
| Aïssa Maïga | b. 25 May 1975, Dakar, Senegal Aïssa Maïga is a French Senegalese comedic actress. She has appeared in a number of films such as Les poupées russes and Bamako, as well as appearing on stage and television. |
| Ajarb Bernard Ategwa | b. 1988, Kumba, Cameroon Ajarb Bernard Ategwa is a Cameroonian artist whose paintings are bright and vibrant pieces detailing and chronicling the lives of those in Douala. His work has appeared across the world and has held a number of solo exhibitions. |
| Ajuma Nasenyana | b. 16 August 1984, Lodwar, Kenya Ajuma Nasenyana is a Kenyan fashion model who has worked with companies such as Victoria's Secret, Lacoste and Issey Miyake. |
| Akin Omotoso | b. 27 June 1974, Ibadan, Nigeria Akin Omotoso is a Nigerian film director, writer and actor. He was involved in films such as Blood Diamond and directed the television series Jacob's Cross. In 2017, his film Vaya won an Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Director. |
| Aklilu Lemma | b. 18 September 1934, Jijiga, Ethiopia, d. 5 April 1997, United States of America Aklilu Lemma was an Ethiopian physician and was co-awarded the 1989 Right Livelihood Award for his work and discoveries on how to prevent the parasitic disease Bilharzia. |
| Akua Asabea Ayisi | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Akua Asabea Ayisi is a lawyer who was jailed for political activism in 1949. In 1959 she read History at Newnham College, Cambridge University, England, one of the first black women to attend the prestigious institution, returning to Ghana as a private legal practitioner. She was one the first female judges on the Ghanaian bench. |
| Akua Shorshorshor | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. Date unknown, Place unknown Akua Shorshorshor was a "market queen" of Ghana, who used her business profits to finance liberation groups in the pursuit for independence in Ghana. |
| Akuoma Omeoga | b. 22 June 1992, Irondale, United States of America Akuoma Omeoga is a track and field athlete and member of the first Nigerian bobsled team, competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics. |
| Akwasi Afrifa | b. 24 April 1936, Mampong-Ashanti, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 26 June 1979, Accra, Ghana Akwasi Afrifa was 3rd Head of State for Ghana (2 April 1969 - 7 August 1970). On 26 June 1979, Afrifa was executed by firing squad with accusations of corruption and embezzlement. |
| Akwasi Frimpong | b. 11 February 1986, Ashanti Region, Ghana Akwasi Frimpong was a skeleton racer for Ghana's 2018 Winter Olympic team and Ghana's first skeleton athlete. |
| Alain Gomis | b. 6 March 1972, Paris, France Alain Gomis is a film director whose film, Félicité, was the entry chosen for nomination to the Academy Awards as Senegal's entry for the Foreign Language Film category. Born in France, he has also directed another feature length film called Today, back in 2012. |
| Alain Mabanckou | b. 24 February 1966, Republic of the Congo Alain Mabanckou is a French journalist and writer, born in the Republic of Congo, who writes both fiction and non-fiction around the daily lives of modern-day Africa. Some of his books are Black Moses, Red-White-Blue and Broken Glass. |
| Alan Paton | b. 11 January 1903, Pietermartizburg, Natal, present-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, d. 12 April 1988, Durban, South Africa Alan Paton was a South African anti-Apartheid activist and reputed author of novels. His novel Cry, the Beloved Country has been turned into a Broadway musical and filmed as a feature length film twice. |
| Alassane Ouattara | b. 1 January 1942, Dimbokro, French Côte d'Ivoire, present-day Côte d'Ivoire Alassane Ouattara won the election to become 5th President of Côte d'Ivoire (4 December 2010 - present), his predecessor Laurent Gbagbo challenged the vote and called it a fraud while refusing to leave power. However, Alassane Ouattara was declared the winner, and with the help of French troops dislodged Gbagbo and took office. |
| Albert Lubaki | b. 1895, Place unknown, d. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Albert Lubaki was a Congolese painter who started his career as an ivory carver. His works are a juxtaposition between traditional pictorial images based on mythology and folklore often mixed with modern day elements such as cars, footballers and colonial individuals. |
| Albert Lutuli | b. ca. 1898, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 21 July 1967, Stanger, Natal, present-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Albert Lutuli, who was also known as 'Mvumbi', was a Nobel Prize winning teacher and political. He was an anti-Apartheid activist and was president of the African National Congress. |
| Albert Memmi | b. 15 December 1920, Tunis, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Albert Memmi is a Jewish-Tunisian author and writer. He has written a number of books, including La statue de sel, Agar and The Colonizer and the Colonized. He was held in a forced labour camp during the Nazi occupation of Tunisia but was able to escape. |
| Albert Pahimi Padacké | b. 15 November 1966, Gouin, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Albert Pahimi Padacké is the currently Prime Minister of Chad (15 February 2016 - present) having been involved in government since the 1990s. He holds a number of degrees including a Master's in Public Law. |
| Albertina Sisulu | b. 2 October 1918, Transkei, South Africa, d. 2 June 2011, Linden, Johannesburg, South Africa Albertina Sisulu, sometimes known as 'Mother of the Nation' was a nurse who became one of the most important leaders of anti-Apartheid resistance in South Africa. She acted on her ideal of human rights throughout her life and war married to Walter Sisulu, another prominent figure in the anti-Apartheid movement. |
| Alberto Chissano | b. 25 January 1935, Chicavane, Manjacaze, province of Gaza, Portuguese Mozambique, present-day Mozambique, d. 19 February 1994, Matola, Mozambique Alberto Chissano was a Mozambique sculptor and considered to be one of the country's most important artists. He exhibited all over the world in places such as Angola, Cuba and the United Kingdom. |
| Alda Espírito Santo | b. 30 April 1926, São Tomé and Príncipe, d. 9 March 2010, Luanda, Angola Alda Espírito Santo was the first female African author in Portuguese, and a well-known figure in São Tomé and Príncipe's fight for independence from Portugal. Working as a teacher she was imprisoned in 1965 for being identified with Africa liberation, and was President of the National Assembly between 1980 and 1991. She wrote the lyrics of the São Tomé and Príncipe national anthem, as well as poetry. Her last published work was The Clock of Time in 2008. |
| Alda Lara | b. 9 June 1930, Benguela, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 30 January 1962, Cambambe, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Alda Lara was a poet from Angola. In addition to her poetry, she had a degree in medicine and wrote for numerous papers and magazines. Her poetry and writings focused on motherhood, children and also dissatisfaction with the colonial powers in Angola at the time. She died aged 31 and a prize has been set up in her honour. |
| Alek Wek | b. 16 April 1977, Wau, Sudan, present-day South Sudan Alek Wek is a Sudanese model who was scouted after moving to London following the outbreak of civil war. She was the first African model to feature on the front page of Elle magazine and has catwalk modelled for many famous fashion houses including Vivienne Westwood, Chanel and Oscar De La Renta. |
| Alex La Guma | b. 20 February 1925, District Six, South Africa, d. 11 October 1985, Havana, Cuba Alex La Guma was a novelist and leader of the South African Coloured People's Organisation. He was a member of the South African Communist Party, helped draw up the Freedom Charter and was arrested during the Treason Trials of 1956. |
| Alex Mawimbi | b. 1981, Kenya Alex Mawimbi, born Ato Malinda, is a Kenyan artist based in Holland. Her work portrays a number of elements and influences drawing from the African identity, mixed in with elements of female sexuality and experiences from the LGBTQ community. |
| Alexandre-Ferdinand Nguendet | b. 23 May 1972, Bossangoa, Central African Republic Alexandre-Ferdinand Nguendet served as the temporary Head of State of the Central African Republic (10 January 2014 - 23 January 2014) and also as President of the National Transitional Council of the Central African Republic (15 April 2013 - 6 May 2016). He pleaded that the people of the country agree to the new proposed constitution in a referendum in 2015 after many years of unrest and political turmoil. |
| Alexis Kagame | b. 15 May 1912, Kiyanza, German East Africa, present-day Rwanda, d. 2 December 1981, Nairobi, Kenya Alexis Kagame was a historian and philosopher, specifically in the field of ethnophilosophy and ethnohistory. He was also a political spokesperson and was often representative of the Tutsi class. |
| Alfa Ibrahima Sow | b. 8 October 1934, Tougué, French Guinea, d. 21 January 2005, Conakry, Guinea Alfa Ibrahima Sow was a diplomat and the Guinean ambassador to the United Nations. In addition to his political career, he was also a professor of philosophy, economics and political ideology. |
| Alfred Francis Russell | b. 25 August 1817, Lexington, Kentucky, United States, d. 4 April 1884, Liberia Alfred Francis Russell was elected to President of Liberia (20 January 1883 - 7 January 1884) was marred with the loss of territory to the British. By the end of his term Liberia was struggling to pay for the cost of imports into the country with the income they generated from their own exports. |
| Alfred Mangena | b. 16 March 1943, Maranda, Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 28 June 1978, Place unknown Alfred Nikita Mangena was heavily involved with the Rhodesian Bush War. He was in charge of the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army. |
| Alfred Raoul | b. 15 December 1938, Pointe-Noire, French Congo, present-day Republic of Congo, d. 16 July 1999, Paris, France Alfred Raoul served as the acting president of Republic of the Congo (5 September 1968 - 1 January 1969) after Massamba-Débat resigned. As Prime Minister he assumed the role until it was handed over to The National Revolutionary Council, led by Marien Ngouabi. |
| Ali Ben Salem | b. 1931, Bizerte, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Ali Ben Salem is an anti-colonial, human-rights activist. His political roots were formed following his father being shot and killed by police during a nationalist demonstration. He helped to establish the Tunisian League of Human Rights (LTDH). |
| Ali Bongo Ondimba | b. 9 February 1959, Brazzaville, French Congo, present-day Republic of Congo Ali Bongo Ondimba is the 3rd and current President of Gabon (16 October 2009 - present) following on his father's footsteps, who held the 2nd presidency. |
| Ali Dilem | b. 29 June 1967, Harrach, Algeria Ali Dilem is an Algerian cartoonist. After a series of satirical illustrations printed in the newspaper Liberte depicted Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika he was given a one-year jail sentence and a fine of 50,000 dinars. |
| Ali Farka Touré | b. 31 October 1939, Timbuktu, French Sudan, present- day Mali, d. 6 March 2006, Bamako, Mali Ali Farka Touré was a reputed Malian musician and guitarist. He won three Grammy Awards and his album, Talking Timbuktu, is one of the most commercially successful African albums of all time. |
| Ali Hassan Mwinyi | b. 8 May 1925, Kivure, Pwani Region, British Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania Ali Hassan Mwinyi was the 2nd President of Tanzania (5 November 1985 - 23 November 1995), taking an opposing view from his predecessor Julius Nyere. He reversed numerous socialist based policies, relaxed restrictions on imports and tried to stimulate and encourage private enterprise. He received the Order of Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere. |
| Ali Kafi | b. 7 October 1928, El Harrouch, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 16 April 2013, Geneva, Switzerland Ali Kafi held the role of Chairman of the High Council of State for Algeria (2 July 1992 - 31 January 1994) after his predecessor Mohamed Boudiaf was assassinated. Because of a military intervention, he was considered head of state. Having fought for Algerian independence in the underground he had a long military career before taking on the role within the Council of State. |
| Ali La Pointe | b. 14 May 1930, Miliana, Algeria, d. 8 October 1957, Algiers, Algeria Ali la Pointe was the name that Ali Ammar was best known as. A revolutionary and guerrilla leader of the National Liberation Front (FLN), Ali became known as one of the most trusted members of the organisation. He was involved in a number of high-profile incidents including a nightclub bombing and suspected as the murderer of the Mayor of Boufarik. |
| Ali Mahdi Mohamed | b. 1 January 1939, Jowhar, Italian Somaliland, present-day Somalia Ali Mahdi Mohamed was the 4th President of Somalia (26 January 1991 - 3 January 1997), he was internationally recognised however struggled to be recognised as the leader by parts of Somalia outside of Mogadishu. |
| Ali Saibou | b. 17 June 1940, Ouallam, French Niger, present-day Niger, d. 31 October 2011, Niamey, Niger Ali Saibou became the 3rd President of Niger (14 November 1987 - 16 April 1993) having taken over from Seyni Kountché who had died of a brain tumour. |
| Ali Soilih | b. 1 April 1960, Kanye, Bechuanaland Protectorate, present-day Botswana, d. 29 May 1978, Comoros Ali Soilih was head of state (3 January 1976 - 28 October 1977) and then President of the Comoros (28 October 1977 - 13 May 1978). An atheist and Maoist, he took power following a coup six months after Comoros gained its independence and instilled a number of radical socialist aligned laws - lowering the age of voting to 14 and legalising cannabis. He was deposed in a coup. |
| Alice Diop | b. 1979, Aulnay-sous-Bois, France Alice Diop is a French Senegalese documentary maker, specifically about French modern society. Her films include On Call and La mort de Danton and she has won a number of awards for her work. |
| Alice Mbenya Kivuvani | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Alice Mbenya Kivuvani was a founder of the Pan-African Women's organisation, hailing from Kenya. She was an attendee at the Conference of African Women in Tanganika, present-day Tanzania in July 1962. |
| Alice Nkom | b. ca. 1945, British Cameroons, present-day Cameroon Alice Nkom is a respected human rights lawyer from Cameroon and was the first black woman in to be called to the bar in the country. She is particularly known for her work towards to decriminalisation of homosexuality which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison. |
| Alice Nzomukunda | b. 12 April 1966, Bujumbura, Burundi Alice Nzomukunda held the post of 2nd Vice-President of Burundi (29 August 2005 - 5 September 2006). She was responsible for social and economic affairs but resigned in September 2006 citing human rights abuses and corruption. |
| Alick Macheso | b. 10 June 1968, Shamva, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe Alick Macheso, also known as 'Extrabasso' and 'Chikopokopo' amongst other names, is a solo musician and is Zimbabwe's best-selling musician in history. He can sing and speak five languages and plays the bass guitar. |
| Alifa Rifaat | b. 5 June 1930, Cairo, Egypt, d. 1 January 1996, Cairo, Egypt Alifa Rifaat, born Fatimah Rifaat, was an Egyptian author of short stories. Her works were highly controversial, depicting realistic and often taboo, with female sexuality and the treatment of women in Arabic society. |
| Alimi Adewale | b. 8 May 1954, Place unknown Alimi Adewale is a Nigerian artist who uses his background as a mechanical engineer as part of his work. In addition, he has focused on the role of the nude in African art, as well as inspections into minimalism and social belief systems. |
| Alimotu Pelewura | b. ca. 1865, Lagos, Protectorate of Nigeria, present-day Nigeria, d. 1951, Place unknown Alimotu Pelewura was the head of the Lagos Market Women's Association and was instrumental in speaking out against the changes in taxation and legislation by the British. She led a number of protests and was considered a great threat by the colonial administration. |
| Alioum Fantouré | b. 27 November 1938, Forécariah, Guinea Alioum Fantouré is a Guinean writer and economist who worked with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisations. His book, Tropical Circle, won the Grand Prix de Littérature d'Afrique Noire. |
| Alioune Diop | b. 10 January 1910, Saint-Louis, Senegal, d. 2 May 1980, Paris, France Alioune Diop was a Senegalese literary figure and founder of the intellectual journal Présence Africaine. His work to promote African identity and against the colonialization of the continent made him a key figure in the Négritude movement. |
| Allal al-Fassi | b. 10 January 1910, Fes, Morocco, d. 19 May 1974, Bucharest, Romania Allal al-Fassi was a Moroccan writer and religious intellectual who also served in Morocco's government. He held the role of Minister of Islamic Affairs and was then elected to parliament. |
| Allen Kagina | b. 1961, Rukungiri District, Uganda Protectorate, present-day Uganda Allen Kagina is an administrator from Uganda. She has held numerous roles in government of Uganda, most notably as the director general of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and her position as the executive director of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA). |
| Almaz Ayana | b. 21 November 1991, Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Ethiopia Almaz Ayana Eba is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who broke the world record in the 10000m at 29:17:45 to win gold during the 2016 Olympics. She also won a bronze medal in the 5000m during the same Olympic games. |
| Almaz Eshete | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Almaz Eshete is an intellectual and senior consultant at UNESCO-International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa who has written extensively on the role of gender and sexuality within Ethiopian society. |
| Almerindo Jaka Jamba | b. 21 March 1949, Place unknown, d. 1 April 2018, Angola Almerindo Jaka Jamba was a member of UNITA and was Secretary of State during the transition government in 1975. He has also held the role as Angolan ambassador to UNESCO. |
| Alpha Blondy | b. 1 January 1953, Dimbokro, Côte d'Ivoire Alpha Blondy is a musician from Côte d'Ivoire who specialises in politically driven reggae. He sings in a number of languages including French, Hebrew, English and his native dialect of Dioula and has performed with The Wailers. |
| Alpha Condé | b. 4 March 1938, Boké, French Guinea, present-day Guinea Alpha Condé won the 2010 election to become the President of Guinea (21 December 2010 - present). He was a historic opponent under all previous postcolonial Guinean regimes. He was sentenced to the death penalty in absentia under Sékou Touré's regime. He was arrested in 1998 under the military regime of Lansana Conté and was finally released under international pressure in 2001. There was an attempt made on his life in July 2011 and there have been numerous incidences of violence and allegations of corruption against him. |
| Alpha Oumar Konaré | b. 2 February 1946, Kayes, French Sudan, present-day Mali Alpha Oumar Konaré was the 3rd President of Mali (8 June 1992 - 8 June 2002). Along with his political career he was also a dedicated scholar. He founded a newspaper and Mali's first free radio station. He was Chairperson of the African Union Commission from 2003 to 2008. |
| Alphonse Alley | b. 9 April 1930, Bassila, Dahomey, present-day Benin, d. 28 March 1987, Cotonou, Benin Alphonse Alley was a President of Dahomey (19 December 1967 - 17 July 1968). He was Chief of Staff of the Army in 1965 following a coup. Another attempted coup was launched against the current president Christophe Soglo by Maurice Kouandété, he then handed power to Alphonse Alley. Alley's government created a new constitution and held an election, but it was unsuccessful because three-quarters were prevented from voting due a boycott. He handed power back to Emile Zinsou and he was dismissed from the army and put a trial. He ended up spending his final years in prison. |
| Alphonse Massamba-Débat | b. 11 February 1921, Nkolo, Boko District, French Congo, present-day Republic of Congo, d. 25 March 1977, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo Alphonse Massamba-Débat was the 2nd President of the Republic of the Congo (16 August 1963 - 4 September 1968) and also held the role of Prime Minister (16 August 1963 - 19 December 1963) for six days. He was ousted in a bloodless coup and was forced under house arrest. He was executed in 1977 following the assassination of Marien Ngouabi who overthrew his government. |
| Alun Be | b. 17 April 1981, Dakar, Senegal Alun Be is a Senegalese photographer and artist who is known for his images taken in extremely high contrast. His collection, Empowering Women, features facial portraits to show the tenacity of African women. |
| Alvan Ikoku | b. 1 August 1900, Arochukwu, Nigeria, d. 18 November 1971, Aba, Nigeria Alvan Ikoku was a renowned educator, statesman, activist and politician. He put forward the 'Education Bill of Rights' for primary school education to free in Nigeria which was then implemented in 1976. |
| Ama Ata Aidoo | b. 23 March 1942, Saltpond, British Togoland, present-day Ghana Ama Ata Aidoo is a Ghanaian writer and playwright. As well as her written and theatrical works, she has also established the Mbaasem Foundation to promote African female writers. |
| Ama K. Abebrese | b. 3 May 1980, Kumasi, Ghana Ama K. Abebrese is an actress and producer. In 2011, she won Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards for her role in the movie Sinking Sands. She is also founder of the "I Love My Natural Skintone. Say NO to Skin Bleaching" campaign. |
| Ama Naidoo | b. November 1908, Pretoria, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa, d. 25 December 1993, Place unknown Ama Naidoo was a South African anti-Apartheid activist along with her husband Roy. From 1946, when she joined the Passive Resistance campaign, she was regularly imprisoned and incarcerated for her political activism. She was a member of the Federation of South African Women and all her children became involved with the cause. |
| Ama Nkrumah | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Ama Nkrumah was a female activist who was an active member of the Convention People's Party (CPP) who played a pivotal role in Ghana's struggle for independence. Along with Leticia Quake, Hanna Cudjoe, and Madam Sohia Doku she was worked as a propaganda secretary who travelled around the country conducting political education meetings and recruiting people into the party. In 1960, she was one of the founding members of the National Council of Ghana Women (NCGW). |
| Amadou Bagayoko | b. 24 October 1954, Bamako, French West Africa, present-day Mali Amadou Bagayoko is a Malian musician who is one half of Amadou & Mariam. The pair have been nominated for a Grammy Award and are both blind. They were married in 1983 before they started their musical career. |
| Amadou Cissé Dia | b. 2 June 1915, Saint-Louis, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 1 November 2002, Dakar, Senegal Amadou Cissé Dia was a Senegalese politician and playwright. He served as President of the National Assembly of Senegal and he wrote Les derniers jours de Lat Dior and La mort du Damel. |
| Amadou Hampâté Bâ | b. ca. 1900, Bandiagara, French Sudan, present-day Mali, d. 1991, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Amadou Hampâté Bâ was an esteemed writer and ethnological anthropologist. He founded the Institute of Human Sciences in Mali's capital and helped to unify the way African languages and dialects are transcribed. |
| Amadou Lamine Sall | b. 26 March 1951, Kaolack, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Amadou Lamine Sall is a famous Senegalese poet and founder of the African House of International Poetry. He has written a number of anthologies of poetry and his works appear on curriculums across the world. |
| Amadou Sanogo | b. Date and year unknown, Ségou, Mali Amadou Sanogo is a military leader and held the role as temporary head of state off Mali (22 March 2012 - 12 April 2012) following the 2012 coup d'état. He was arrested in 2013 for his involvement in a number of his rivals in the military vanishing and being kidnapped. |
| Amadou Toumani Touré | b. 4 November 1948, Mopti, French Sudan, present-day Mali Amadou Toumani Touré held the role of 4th President of Mali (8 June 2002 - 22 March 2012). Before his presidency he was head of the presidential guard and arrested Moussa Traoré and temporarily took over as acting head of state before handing power over to a democratically elected leader in 1992. He was almost deposed in 2012 following a military coup led by Ahmadou Sanogo following the handling of rebel activity in the northern part of the country. He eventually resigned, handing over to a junta who promised to pass power to a civilian government. |
| Amaka Igwe | b. 2 January 1954, Enugu, Nigeria, d. 28 April 2014, Enugu, Nigeria Amaka Igwe was a Nigerian filmmaker and broadcasting executive. She was the owner of Top Radio 90.9 Lagos and founder and CEO of Amaka Igwe Studios. She directed several Nollywood films, including Violated. |
| Ambroise Ngaimoko | b. 1949, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 1999, Place unknown Ambroise Ngaimoko was an Angolan photographer. As a refugee, his family settled in present-day Democratic Republic of Congo where he began helping out his uncle. His images, mainly in black and white, are striking portraits of individuals or pairs. |
| Ameenah Gurib-Fakim | b. 17 October 1959, Surinam, British Mauritius, present-day Mauritius Ameenah Gurib-Fakim was the 6th President of Mauritius (5 June 2015 - 23 March 2018) and was the first elected woman as president. She has also been the only president of the country to be threatened with impeachment by both government and the opposition. |
| Amelia Kyambadde | b. 30 June 1955, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom Amelia Kyambadde is a Ugandan politician and a member of the Ugandan Cabinet. She is the current minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives and is the Patron of the Twezimbe Development Foundation (TDF). |
| Américo Boavida | b. 20 November 1923, Luanda, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 25 September 1968, Moxico Province, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Américo Boavida was a political activist in pre-independent Angola. He was a doctor who specialised in Tropical Medicine and looking after the poorest of citizens. He joined the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), he spent time in Morocco and Congo before returning to Angola and teaching basic medicine to members of the guerrilla army for People's Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA). He was killed in action by a Portuguese helicopter attack. |
| Ameyo Stella Adadevoh | b. 27 October 1956, Lagos, Nigeria, d. 19 August 2014, Lagos, Nigeria Ameyo Stella Adadevoh was a Nigerian doctor who is credited with curbing the Ebola virus when it hit Nigeria by identifying and quarantining 'Patient Zero'. Her actions, despite conflicts with the Liberian government in the matter, saved countless lives. She contracted the disease and died in August 2014. |
| Amílcar Cabral | b. 12 September 1924, Bafatá, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea Bissau, d. 20 January 1973, Conakry, Guinea Amílcar Cabral was instrumental in promoting the independence causes of the then Portuguese colonies and the founder of artido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde (Portuguese for African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde). |
| Amina Cachalia | b. 28th June 1930, Vereeniging, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa, d. 31 January 2013, Johannesburg, South Africa Aina Cachalia played a key role in planning and executing the escape of Arthur Goldreich, Harold Wolpe, Mosie Moolla and Abdulhay Jassat from Marshall Square prison in 1963. A well-regarded political activist she also held roles as a member of the TIYC and TIC, treasurer of FEDSAW, patron of the Federation of Transvaal Women. |
| Amina Mama | b. 19 September 1958, Kaduna State, Nigeria Amina Mama is a writer and feminist scholar. She is the founding editor of the journal Feminist Africa, author of Beyond the Mask: Race, Gender and Subjectivity and was co-producer of the documentary The Witches of Gambaga. |
| Amina Mohamed | b. 5 October 1961, Kakamega, Kenya Amina Mohamed is a politician, lawyer and diplomat. She is currently the Cabinet Secretary for Education in Kenya and has won numerous awards for her political and philanthropic work. |
| Amina Msafiri Ali | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Amina Msafiri Ali was a delegate from Zanzibar who attended the 1962 conference that founded the Pan-African Women's Organisation. |
| Aminata Sow Fall | b. 1941, Saint-Louis, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Aminta Sow Fall is a Senegalese writer who writes in French. Having trained as a teacher she wrote number of novels such as L'Appel des arènes (The Call of the Arena) and Douceurs du bercail. |
| Aminata Touré | b. 12 October 1962, Senegal Aminata Touré was Prime Minister of Senegal (3 September 2013 - 6 July 2014) under the presidency of Macky Sall. She is the second female to hold the office and her main legacy was to tackle corruption and reformed the judicial system. |
| Amira Yahyaoui | b. 6 August 1984, Tunis, Tunisia Amira Yahyaoui is a Tunisian blogger and political activist. Yahyaoui helped to organise Nhar 3la 3mmar, a protest against censorship that took place in Tunisia in May 2010. |
| Ammar Farhat | b. 1911, Béja, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia, d. 2 March 1987, Tunis, Tunisia Ammart Farhat was a Tunisian painter who won the Young Artist Prize whilst at School of Tunis. His work depicts daily life of Tunisian civilians and workers. |
| Amon Simutowe | b. 1982, Mbala, Zambia Amon Simutowe is a chess Grandmaster from Zambia and economist, with degrees from Texas and Oxford. He is the first grandmaster to hail from sub-Saharan Africa. |
| Amos Sawyer | b. 15 June 1945, Greenville, Sinoe County, Liberia Amos Sawyer took charge of the interim government as president (22 November 1990 - 7 March 1994) following Samuel Doe's government being overthrown. He was awarded the Gusi Peace Prize in 2011. |
| Amos Tutuola | b. 20 June 1920, Abeokuta, Southern Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria, d. 12 September 1977, Pretoria, South Africa Amos Tutuola was a writer from Nigeria. His writing and novels are loosely based on traditional Yoruba folktales and include books such as The Palm-Wine Drinkard and The Wild Hunter in the Bush of the Ghosts. |
| Ana Clara Guerra Marques | b. 2 November 1962, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Ana Clara Guerra Marques is an Angolan dancer and took charge of Angola's only dancing school in 1978. She has won numerous awards such as the IDENTITY prize by the UNAC (Union of Artists and Composers). Her work is often related to social commentary and she is an executive of the Angolan Ministry of Education and Culture. |
| Anastase Murekezi | b. 15 June 1952, Nyaruguru District, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Rwanda Anastase Murekezi was the 10th Prime Minister of Rwanda (24 July 2014 - 30 August 2017). A specialist in agriculture he has also been a prominent member of Compact2025 which collects evidence and research in an attempt to end world hunger and malnutrition. |
| Andimba Toivo ya Toivo | b. 22 August 1924, Omangundu, Ovamboland, South West Africa, present-day Namibia, d. 9 June 2017, Windhoek, Namibia Andimba Toivo ya Toivo was a key icon in the fight against Namibian Apartheid. Despite being incarcerated for 16 years for convictions relating to terrorism he was apprehensive to leave prison. However, when he did, he had a long political career holding ministerial positions from 1990 till 2006 when he retired. |
| André Brink | b. 29 May 1935, Vrede, South Africa, d. 6 February 2015 André Brink was a South African writer who wrote in the Afrikaans language. As well as writing books such as Imaginings of Sand and An Act of Terror, he also spoke out against the Apartheid government in the Afrikaans language and in his literature. |
| André Kolingba | b. 12 August 1936, Bangui, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic, d. 7 February 2010, Paris, France André Kolingba was the 4th President of the Central African Republic (21 September 1985 - 22 October 1993), replacing David Dacko after gaining the position in a bloodless coup. He was renowned for being very close to the French and submitted a new constitution to be voted for at referendum. He lost his position after Ange-Félix Patassé beat him in a general election. |
| Andry Rajoelina | b. 30 May 1974, Antananarivo, Madagascar Andy Rajoelina was the President of the High Transitional Authority of Madagascar (17 March 2009 - 25 January 2014) and acted as head of state in that time. Prior to his political career he started off as a music and media entrepreneur and undertook some large constitutional changes when he came to power. |
| Anerood Jugnauth | b. 29 March 1930, La Caverne, British Mauritius, present-day Mauritius Anerood Jugnauth has served as President of Mauritius (7 October 2003 - 31 March 2012) and Prime Minister of Mauritius (16 June 1982 - 22 December 1995, 17 September 2000 - 30 September 2003 and 17 December 2014 - 23 January 2017). He has worked in politics for many years and holds the title of Sir, one of the last Mauritian Knights of the United Kingdom. |
| Ange-Félix Patassé | b. 25 January 1937, Paoua, Ouham-Pendé, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic, d. 5 April 2011, Douala, Cameroon Ange-Félix Patassé was the 1st Prime Minister of the Central African Empire (8 December 1976 - 14 July 1978) and the 5th President of the Central African Republic (22 October 1993 - 15 March 2003). He suffered many mutinies and coup attempts and was eventually ousted in 2003 by General François Bozizé. |
| Angelina Wapakhabulo | b. 24 March 1949, Tanzania Angelina Wapakhabulo, known as 'Mama Angelina', in Uganda, is a community activist and social leader. She is well revered and particularly renown for her work with victims of HIV/AIDS and orphans. |
| Angélique Kidjo | b. 14 July 1960, Cotonou, Dahomey, present-day Benin Angélique Kidjo is a singer songwriter and activist. She is a three-time Grammy Award winner, was recipient of the Ambassador of Conscience Award from Amnesty International in 2016 and The Guardian listed her as one of its Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World. |
| Angie Brooks | b. 24 August 1928, Virginia, Liberia, d. 9 September 2007, Houston, Texas Angie Brooks was the first female African President of the United Nations General Assembly. She was also a diplomat and Professor of Law at the University of Liberia. |
| Anicet-Georges Dologuélé | b. 17 April 1957, Place unknown Anicet-Georges Dologuélé served as Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (4 January 1999 - 1 April 2001). After his time in office, he founded his own political party the Union for Central Africa Renewal (URCA) and was planning to stand for the presidential election. |
| Anna Gwasa | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Anna Gwasa held the role of area commissioner in Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania, and attended the Conference of African Women in Tanganyika, back in 1962. |
| Anna Tempo | b. 23 September 1867, Cape Town, South Africa, d. 30 May 1946, South Africa Anna Tempo, often referred to as 'Nannie Tempo' or 'Sister Annie', was the daughter of enslaved parents. She dedicated her life to protecting and looking after destitute girls and Nanny House was set up by her to protect some of the most vulnerable. |
| Anna Tibaijuka | b. 12 October 1950, Tanzania Anna Tibaijuka is a respected Tanzanian politician and academic in economics. In addition to her time in Tanzanian government she also held the role of Under-Secretary-General at the United Nations. |
| Anna Victoria Mangena | b. Date unknown, Natal, present-day South Africa, d. 1961, Klipspruit, Johannesburg, South Africa Anna Victoria Mangena was the first qualified black nurse in Transvaal and was dedicated to helping the sick. She first worked with improving the conditions of care for mine workers and then worked throughout the great influenza epidemic of 1918. |
| Anne Kansiime | b. 13 April 1986, Rukiga District, Uganda Anne Kansiime is a comedian and actress. She has won several awards including Outstanding Female Comedian in 2016 and the African Oscar Award for favourite comedian in 2015. |
| Anne-Laure Folly | b. 31 March 1954, Togoland, present-day Togo Anne-Laure Folly is a Togolese film maker whose film, Femmes aux yeux ouverts (Women with eyes open), won a Silver Medel at the Monte Carlo Television Festival. She has also made a number of other films such as Les Oubliées (The lost) and Deposez les Lames. |
| Annette Mbaye d'Erneville | b. 23 June 1926, Sokone, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Annette Mbaye d'Erneville is a writer from Senegal who is known for poetry and writing. She launched the first French publication for African women called Awa in 1963 and writes mainly children's literature. |
| Annette Nkalubo | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Annette Nkalubo is one of the highest-ranking females in the Ugandan military. She has served as a member of parliament in Uganda and has also worked on secondment the United Nations. She has been named a 'Top Woman Movers' by Uganda's Daily Monitor. |
| Annie Silinga | b. 1910, Nqamakwe, Butterworth district, Transkei, present-day Eastern Cape, South Africa, d. 1984, Langa, Cape Town, South Africa Annie Silinga was a female South African activist who was heavily involved in the Anti-Pass and anti-Apartheid movements. She was the only African woman implicated in the Treason Trials of 1956. She successfully managed to evade having a pass all of her life during the Apartheid regime. |
| Anouar Brahem | b. 20 October 1957, Halfaouine, Tunis, Tunisia Anouar Brahem is a famous Tunisian musician who plays the oud. He is particularly known for his music that fuses traditional Arabic music with jazz and blues. |
| Ansuyah R. Singh | b. 12 June 1917, Durban, South Africa, d. 27 November 1978, South Africa Ansuyah R. Singh was a doctor and medical author from South Africa. One of her most known works was a survey of the hospitals, clinics and social services in the Indian community of Durban and her work on foetal development in regard to emotional influences was highly regarded in the Unites States. On top of her medical accomplishments, she also holds the title as the first Indian South African to have a fiction book published, Behold the Earth Mourns was released in 1960. |
| Anthony Enahoro | b. 22 July 1923, Uromi, Nigeria, d. 15 December 2010, Benin City, Nigeria Anthony Enahoro is known for being one of Nigeria's biggest anti-colonial rule, pro-democracy advocates. Starting a career as a sub-editor and journalist, he became Nigeria's youngest ever editor. He spoke passionately and worked towards self-governance, eventually leading to Nigerian independence in 1960. |
| Anthony W. Gardiner | b. 3 February 1820, Southampton County, Virginia, United States, d. 1885, Monrovia, Liberia Anthony W. Gardiner was elected the 9th President of Liberia (7 January 1878 - 20 January 1883) and was also acting president when Joseph Jenkins Roberts was unwell at the end of his term. He is the first Liberian president to resign from office which he did due to ill health. |
| Antjie Krog | b. 23 October 1952, Kroonstad, South Africa Antjie Krog is a South African academic, best known for her poetry and writing. She has authored numerous books, articles and is best known for her book Country of My Skull. |
| Antoine Bangui-Rombaye | b. 1933, Place unknown Antoine Bangui-Rombaye is a Chadian writer and politician. He was close to President François Tombalbaye and was in the cabinet but was imprisoned when he fell out of favour. He then used his experiences to write the book Prisonnier de Tombalbaye. |
| Antoine Gizenga | b. 5 October 1925. Bandundu Province, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo Antoine Gizenga held the role of Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (30 December 2006 - 10 October 2008) until his resignation, which he cited due to old age. He received the honour of National Hero, the highest award in the country. |
| Antoinette Badila Makaya | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Antoinette Badila Makaya is a Congolese woman who was one of the founding members of the Pan-African Women's Organisation. |
| Antoinette Batumubwira | b. 23 May 1956, Ngozi, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi Antoinette Batumubwira is a politician from Burundi. She held the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs and has been named as candidate for the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, but her support was rescinded. |
| Antoinette Lubaki | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Antoinette Lubaki was a visual artist from the Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo. Her works, along with her husband Albert Lubaki, are mixtures of traditional works mixed with modern elements. |
| António Aurélio Gonçalves | b. 25 September 1901, Mindelo, São Vicente, Cape Verde, d. 30 September 1984, Mindelo, São Vicente, Cape Verde António Aurélio Gonçalves, also known as Nhô Roque, was a writer and historian from Cape Verde. As well as his own work and articles for the Claridade, he was also a well-respected critic. He died following a hit run accident. |
| António Dembo | b. 1944, Nambuangongo, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 25 February 2002, Moxico Province, Angola António Dembo was the president of UNITA (22 February 2002 - 25 February 2002) for 3 days following the death of Jonas Savimbi. He was also hurt in the attack that killed Savimbi and died a few days later. |
| António Jacinto | b. 28 September 1924, Luanda, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 23 June 1991, Lisbon Portugal António Jacinto, also known under the pseudonym of Orlando Tavora, was an Angolan poet and politician. He initially began his political career with very vocal political opinions with his poetry which led to a number of arrests and a stint in a concentration camp. He then joined the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) after escaping and served as Minister for Education and Culture, amongst other roles. |
| António Mascarenhas Monteiro | b. 16 September 1944, Ribeira da Barca, Portuguese Cape Verde, present-day Cape Verde, d. 16 September 2016, Cape Verde António Mascarenhas Monteiro was the 2nd President of Cape Verde (22 March 1991 - 22 March 2001) and was the first to be elected under multiparty politics. Prior to this he had been the president of the Supreme Court of Cape Verde and after his presidency he was appointed by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, at the time, Special Envoy to East Timor. |
| António Pitra Neto | b. 12 February 1958, Luanda, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola António Pitra Neto is an Angolan political figure, as well as being a university professor in law and a lawyer. He has been a member of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) since 1974 and has been a member of the central committee from 1998 onwards. |
| Anwar al-Sadat | b. 25 December 1918, Monufia, Sultanate of Egypt, present-day Egypt, d. 6 October 1981, Cairo, Egypt Anwar al-Sadat was the 3rd President of Egypt (15 October 1970 - 6 October 1981) and journalist. He was initially considered to have been a puppet for Nasser but was able to retain his presidency with some strong political moves. He launched the October War (Yom Kippur) against Israelis and Syrians in 1973, and later led to peace with Israel. He was then assassinated in October 1981 under a fatwaā. |
| Aoua Kéita | b. 1912, Bamako, French Sudan, present-day Mali, d. 1980, Bamako, Mali Aoua Kéita was an award-winning Malian independence activist, writer and politician. She obtained a diploma in midwifery before working for the French colonial government. Marriage to Dr. Daouda Diawara kindled her interest in politics and she joined the African Democratic Rally (RDA). In 1959 she became a Member of Parliament, the first woman in French-speaking Africa to be elected to the assembly governing her country. |
| Arafa Ame | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Arafa Ame was one of the founding members of the Pan-African Women's Organisation from Zanzibar |
| Archibald Campbell Jordan | b. 30 October 1906, Transkei, South Africa, d. 20 October 1968, United States, Archibald Campbell Jordan was a novelist, literary historian and intellectual pioneer of African studies in South Africa. |
| Aristides Pereira | b. 17 November 1923, Boa Vista, Portuguese Cape Verde, present-day Cape Verde, d. 22 September 2011, Coimbra, Portugal, Aristides Pereira was the 1st President of Cape Verde (8 March 1975 - 22 March 1991) following the country's independence from Portugal. He fought for the independence of Cape Verde under a nomme de guerre Alfredo Bangura. He allied Cape Verde with Libya and China. |
| Armand Boua | b. 1978, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, Armand Boua is an Ivorian artist who creates images made from layers using tar and acrylic on cardboard boxes he has found. The images often depict street children of Abidjan. |
| Armando Guebuza | b. 20 January 1943, Murrupula, Nampula, Portuguese Mozambique, present-day Mozambique, Armando Guebuza was the 3rd President of Mozambique (2 February 2005 - 15 January 2015) and was elected with 63.7% of the vote at the time. He, unlike his predecessors, held a non-Marxist ideology. |
| Arménio Vieira | b. 29 January 1941, Praia, Cape Verde Arménio Vieira is a writer and journalist in the Portuguese language from Cape Verde. He has won awards such as the Camões Prize and has published a number of works over a 30-year period. |
| Aron Simeneh | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Aron Simeneh is an Ethiopian photographer who specialises in concert photography and portraits. |
| Arthur Barclay | b. 31 July 1854, Bridgetown, Barbados, d. 10 July 1938, Monrovia, Liberia Arthur Barclay, President of Liberia (4 January 1904 - 1 January 1912) was the first president to serve under the adjusted four-year term. He created the Liberian Frontier Force, the precursor to the Liberian Armed Forces. |
| Asamoah Gyan | b. 22 November 1985, Accra, Ghana Asamoah Gyan is a Ghanaian footballer who has played in the Ghanaian Premier League as well as the Premier League in the United Kingdom at Sunderland. He has also played for the Ghana national team since 2003. |
| Asha-Rose Migiro | b. 9 July 1956, Songea, Tanzania Asha-Rose Migiro is a Tanzanian politician and served as the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations for five years under Ban Ki-moon. |
| Ashraf Ssemwogerere | b. 1 February 1932, Kassala, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, present-day Sudan Ashraf Ssemwogerere is an actor and director from Uganda. Appearing both in film and on stage he has appeared in critically acclaimed films such as Mukajanga and Murder in the City. |
| Asisat Oshoala | b. 9 October 1994, Ikorodu, Nigeria Asisat Oshoala is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Chinese side Dalian Quanjian F.C. in the Chinese Women's Super League. She was named best player and was the highest goal scorer at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. In 2014 she was made a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON). |
| Assetou Koité | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Assetou Koité held the role of President of the Pan-African Women's Organisation (PAWO) and spoke at the 2013 anniversary of the founding of the group. |
| Assia Djebar | b. 30 June 1936, Cherchell, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 6 February 2015, Paris, France Assia Djebar was the pen name of Fatima-Zohra Imalayen, an Algerian novelist and filmmaker. A dedicated feminist, her books focus on the role of women and their origins in Algeria and Algerian society. Although she never won the honour, she was often referred to as a runner for the Nobel Prize for Literature. |
| Atandwa Kani | b. Date and year unknown, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Atandwa Kani is an actor from South Africa. He is a Shakespearean actor, performing in The Tempest and has appeared in both Life is Wild and Wild at Heart. |
| Atef Maatallah | b. 1981, Al Fahs, Tunisia Atef Maatallah is a Tunisian artist whose paintings and drawings evoke the existence of those he encounters in his daily life. |
| Athi-Patra Ruga | b. 1984, Mthatha, South Africa Athi-Patra Ruga is a South African artist who reflects the history and story, both of the modern day and the Apartheid era, as portraits filled with parody and lore. |
| Athol Fugard | b. 11 June 1932, Middelburg, Eastern Cape, South Africa Athol Fugard is a South African actor, playwright and novelist whose book, Tsotsi, was turned into a film which won an Academy Award. He was an anti-Apartheid activist and writes in South African English. |
| Atta Kwami | b. 1956, Accra, Ghana Atta Kwami is a Ghanaian painter and printmaker. His work examines architecture and West African woven textiles alongside themes of migrancy, acceptance, assimilation and acculturation. |
| Attaher Jeannette Haidara | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Attaher Jeannette Haidara is a Malian woman who was a founding member of the Pan-African Women's Organisation. She has a computer science centre named in her honour. |
| Audius Mtawarira | b. 1977, Chumbumu, Guruve, Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe Audius Mtawarira is a Zimbabwean musician and producer. His main genre is urban and has worked with musicians such as Delta Goodrem, Iggy Azalea and Jessica Mauboy. |
| Augustin Matata Ponyo | b. 5 June 1964, Maniema, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo Augustin Matata Ponyo Mapon is a Congolese political figure who was Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (18 April 2012 - 17 November 2016). Prior to his role as Prime Minister, he was the Minister of Finance. |
| Avomo, Christelle | b. 1992, Libreville, Gabon Christelle Avomo is a musician from Gabon, having migrated to America without speaking any English. She has released her own EP and single and achieved Billboard Top 40 success. |
| Awa Thiam | b. April 1950, Senegal Awa Thiam is a politician from Senegal who has been an outspoken campaigner against the practice of female genital mutilation. She has also published a number of books such as Black Sisters, Speak Out: Feminism and Oppression in Black Africa, on feminist theory. |
| Ayesha Dawood | b. 31 January 1927, Worcester, South Africa, d. 2014, Worcester, South Africa Ayesha Dawood, also known as Asa, was a prevalent anti-Apartheid activist. She was arrested for incitement and later on for high treason, along with 155 others. |
| Ayi Kwei Armah | b. 28 October 1939, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana Ayi Kwei Armah is a writer and author of Two Thousand Seasons and The Healers. |
| Azali Assoumani | b. 1 January 1959, Mitsoudjé, French Comoros, present-day Comoros Azali Assoumani is the President of the Comoros (30 April 1999 - 21 January 2002, 26 May 2002 - 26 May 2006 and 26 May 2016 - present). He began his presidency having won a coup against Tadjidine Ben Said Massounde, but then installed multiparty elections of which he won in 2002. |
| Azwinndini Muronga | b. Lwamondo, South Africa Azwinndini Muronga is a South African theoretical physicist and one of the leading scientists in the relativistic treatment of viscosity. He is currently the Dean of Science at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. |
B
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Ba Mamadou Mbaré | b. 1946, Waly Diantang, Colony of Mauritania, present-day Mauritania, d. 10 January 2013, Paris, France Ba Mamdou Mbaré was acting president of Mauritania (15 April 2009 - 5 August 2009) having taken over during the transitional period before the 2009 elections so Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz could run for office. Ba Mamadou Mbaré was the first black president of Mauritania. |
| Baaba Maal | b. 12 November 1953, Podor, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Baaba Maal is a Senegalese songwriter who sings in the Pulaar language. He has released 11 albums, performed with Mumford & Sons and his work has featured in the soundtrack to the Black Panther film. |
| Baba Moustapha | b. 1952, Chad, d. November 1982, France Baba Moustapha was a Chadian playwright whose play, Commandant Chaka, was a scathing criticism of military dictatorships. It is considered to be one of his best pieces of work however, was only published following his death in 1982. |
| Baba Sala | b. 1936, Ilesha, Osun State, Nigeria Baba Sala, born Moses Olaiya, is a comedian and actor and known as the father of modern Nigerian Comedy. |
| Baba Traoré | b. 13 October 1992, Pierrfitte-sur-Seine, France Baba Traoré is a French footballer, of Malian descent, who plays as a defender for Le Havre. Before his current club he also played for Auxerre and Le Poiré-sur-Vie. |
| Babajide Olatunji | b. 1989, Okitipupa, Nigeria Babajide Olatunji is a Nigerian artist who works using charcoal to create hyper realistic portraits. His work reflects a study of facial scarification and the stories behind the marks on the individuals' faces. |
| Babatunde Olatunji | b. 7 April 1927, Ajido, Nigeria, d. 6 April 2003, California Babatonde Olatunji was a drummer, percussionist, social activist and educator. He composed the music for the Broadway theatrical and Hollywood production of A Raisin in the Sun and in 1991, received a Grammy for Best World Music Album for his participation on the Planet Drum album. |
| Bachir Touré | b. 8 March 1929, Ziguinchor, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 2 September 2006, Drancy, Seine-Saint-Denis, France Bachir Touré was a respected Senegalese actor of stage and screen. He appeared in plays such as Jean Genet's The Negroes and dubbed voices of people such as Sidney Poitier in Hollywood films. |
| Bachir Yellès | b. 12 September 1921, Tlemcen, Algeria Bachir Yellès is a celebrated Algerian painter who has worked in disciplines such as Cubism, Expressionism and Fauvism. His works reflect life in Algeria and are a rich palette of colours. |
| Baffour Osei Akoto | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. 3 September 2002, Kumasi, Ghana Bafuor Osei Akoto was a Ghanaian political strategist and founding member of the National Liberation Movement, which agitated for a federal system of government for the country during the struggle for independence. |
| Bai T. Moore | b. 12 October 1916, Dimeh, Liberia, d. 10 January 1988, Monrovia, Liberia Bai T. Moore was a Liberian writer whose works have greatly influenced Liberian culture. His novella Murder in the Cassava Patch is still taught in Liberian high schools and he covered the Liberia office for UNESCO. |
| Bakili Muluzi | b. 18 March 1943, Machinga, Nyasaland, present-day Malawi Bakili Muluzi was the President of Malawi (24 May 1994 - 24 May 2004) and the first to be freely elected, democratically. He was Malawi's first Muslim president. |
| Bala Mohammed | b. 5 October 1958, Bauchi State, Nigeria Bala Mohammed is a Nigerian politician and was in the cabinet of Goodluck Jonathan. He is the current Minister of Federal Capital Territory (8 April 2010 - present). |
| Baleka Mbete | b. 24 September 1949, Claremont, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Baleka Mbete is a South African politician and has held the office as Deputy President of South Africa (25 September 2008 - 9 May 2009). She is the current Speaker of the National Assembly in South Africa (21 May 2014 - present). |
| Ballaké Sissoko | b. 1968, Mali Ballaké Sissoko is a Malian musician who specialises in playing the kora. He has released eight albums and has had a number of international releases as well. |
| Baloji | b. 12 September 1978, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo Baloji is a Belgian-Congolese rapper who has also performed as MC Balo in Starflam. He has released four solo albums. |
| Baltasar Lopes | b. 23 April 1907, Caleijão, São Nicolau, Cape Verde, d. 28 May 1989, Lisbon, Portugal Baltasar Lopes was a Cape Verdean poet and writer. His novel Chiquinho is considered the greatest book of Cape Verde by academics in the field of literature at University of Rome. |
| Bambo Sibiya | b. 1986, Springs, South Africa Bambo Sibiya is a visual artist who specialises in using traditional printmaking techniques as part of his work. His work often depicts daily scenes from the streets of Johannesburg. |
| Ban Kamian | b. 1928, San, French Sudan, present-day Mali, d. 11 December 2016, Tunisia Bakari Kamian was a Malian historian and writer. He won a number of awards including Commander of the National Order of Guinea and National Order of the Lion Senegal. |
| Banjo Mosele | b. 1 April 1960, Kanye, Bechuanaland Protectorate, present-day Botswana Banjo Mosele is a well-known musician from Botswana. He has played Glastonbury Festival and WOMAD whilst in Bushmen Don't Surf, a group formed when he attended Goldsmiths College in south London. He has released a number of solo albums and also founded and toured with the Kalahari Band. |
| Barbara Hogan | b. 28 February 1952, Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa Barbara Hogan is a South African politician who is also known for her political activities during the Apartheid. She was arrested for high treason in 1981 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison and has also survived an assassination attempt. |
| Barbara Kaija | b. 1976, Uganda Barbara Kaija is the Editor-in-Chief of the Vision Group of newspapers in Uganda. Her journalism career kick started in 1992, when she started out as a sub-editor. She was the first Ugandan woman to become a chief editor on a Ugandan major newspaper. |
| Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini | b. 15 May 1942, Swaziland, present-day eSwatini Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini is the 8th Prime Minister of eSwatini (26 July 1996 - 29 September 2003, 23 October 2008 - present) and held the role when the country name changed its name from Swaziland. |
| Barthélémy Toguo | b. 1967, Cameroon Barthélémy Toguo is a Cameroonian artist who creates in photography and watercolour, as well as installation and art performances. His work investigates the movement between cultures from the between the West and the developing world. |
| Basile Boli | b. 2 January 1967, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Basile Boli is a footballer and television personality originally from Côte d'Ivoire. He has played for the French national team as a defender as well as clubs such as Marseille, Rangers and Monaco. |
| Basma Khalfaoui | b. 1971, Tunisia Basma Khalfaoui is a Tunisian personality who became well-known following the assassination of her ex-husband Chokri Belaïd, prior to the revolution in Tunisia. She has since become a vocal activist in pro-democracy. |
| Bassekou Kouyate | b. 1966, Garana, Mali Bassekou Kouyate is a Malian musician who performs in the band Ngoni ba. He plays the ngoni and has won awards such as the BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards for Album of the Year and African artist of the Year. |
| Bazilio Olara-Okello | b. 1929, Place unknown, d. 9 January 1990, Khartoum, Sudan Bazilio Olara-Okello was briefly the head of state for Uganda as the chairmen of the Military Council (27 - 29 July 1985) after overthrowing Milton Obote's second term as president in a military coup d'état. He was then replaced as chairman by Tito Okello and was made head of the army until the Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Party seized power in 1986. |
| Beatrice Anywar | b. 9 January 1964, Kitgum, Uganda Beatrice Anywar is a member of the Ugandan parliament and politician. Her career started off in marketing and commercial care. Her first major motivation for joining politics is because of her environmental activism, such as trying to save the Mariba forest which had been sold to a sugar company. During the protests that followed there were clashes and causalities, Beatrice Anywar was arrested for terrorism. |
| Beatrice Wanjiku | b. 1978, Nairobi, Kenya Beatrice Wanjiku is a Kenyan artist who has had four distinct phases. Her works explore the nature of being human and have included things such as X-ray prints, weeping teeth and collages with political messages. |
| Béchir Ben Yahmed | b. 2 April 1928, Djerba, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Béchir Ben Yahmed is a journalist of dual French and Tunisian nationality. He was CEO and editor for the Jeune Afrique news and writes columns for publications such as La Revue. |
| Bejo Caid Essebsi | b. 29 November 1926, Sidi Bou Said, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Beji Caid Essebsi is the 5th President of Tunisia (31 December 2014) and Prime Minister of Tunisia (27 February 2011 - 24 December 2011) prior to that. Coming from an elite family, since he has taken up the presidency, he has changed inheritance law, bringing equal standing to both men and women. He has also called for Tunisian women to be able to marry non-Muslims. In addition, he has won numerous awards and honours, including the Founder's Award of International Crisis Group in 2015. |
| Belgacem Bouguenna | b. Date and year unknown, Douz, Tunisia Belgacem Bouguenna is a Tunisian singer who sings songs about loneliness, love and guilt. He has released 11 albums of songs in the Arabic language. |
| Ben Barek | b. 16 June 1914, Casablanca, Morocco, d. 16 September 1992, Casablanca, Morocco Ben Barek was a football player who was recognized as the first successful African player in Europe. |
| Ben Enwonwu | b. 14 July 1917, Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria, d. 5 February 1994, Lagos, Nigeria Ben Enwonwu was a Nigerian artist of painting and sculpture. His work set him apart as one of the most talented artists to come from Africa, inheriting him the moniker of "Africa's Greatest Artist". He has created a number of well-known pieces, including a bronze of Queen Elizabeth II and a portrait of Ife princess Adetutu Ademiluyi which sold for £1.2million. |
| Ben Okri | b. 15 March 1959, Minna, Nigeria Ben Okri is a poet and writer whose publications include The Famished Road, A Way of Being Free and Starbook. In 1991 he received the Booker Prize and in 2001 was honoured with the Order of the British Empire. |
| Benedict Wallet Vilakazi | b. 6 January 1906, Kwadusa, Natal, present-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, d. 26 October 1947, Johannesburg, South Africa Benedict Wallet Vilakazi was a South African poet, writer and teacher. He was specifically known for writing Zulu fiction and poetry. He was also the first black African to gain a Ph.D. |
| Benjamin Mkapa | b. 12 November 1938, Ndanda, Masasi, Tangankiya, present-day Tanzania Benjamin Mkapa was the 3rd President of Tanzania (23 November 1995 - 21 December 2005). His rise to popularity was based upon being heavily involved in anti-corruption activity. In addition, he privatised many nationalised sections of industry and tried to stimulate external foreign investment and development. Since the end of his term, he has been accused of corruption himself. |
| Benjamin Sehene | b. 1959, Kigali, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Rwanda Benjamin Sehene is a Rwandan writer and commentator. His work is heavily influenced by the Rwandan Genocide and the socio-political influences that led to the event. Some of his books include Le Piège ethnique (The Ethnic Trap) and the play Un sentiment d'insécurité. |
| Benni McCarthy | b. 12 November 1977, Cape Town, South Africa Benni McCarthy is an ex-footballer from South Africa. Having played for clubs such as Ajax and West Ham, as well as the South African national team, he now currently coaches the Cape Town City club. |
| Benyoucef Benkhedda | b. 23 February 1920, Berrouaghia, Médéa Province, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 4 February 2003, Algiers, Algeria Benyoucef Benkhedda was a Head of the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic (9 August 1961 - 3 July 1962) during the Algerian War of Independence. When the war ended, he was temporarily the leader of the country and negotiated with France. He was forced to stand down due to a political crisis with Ahmed Ben Bella. |
| Berhanu Zerihun | b. 1933, Gondar, Ethiopia, d. 1987, Ethiopia Berhanu Zerihun is an Ethiopian writer known for his trilogy of novels, Ma'ebel Ye'abiot Wazema (Wave on the Eve of a Revolution), Ma'ebel Ye'abiot Mebacha (Wave on the Dawn of the Revolution) and Ma'ebel Ye'abiot Magist (Wave on the Aftermath of the Revolution). |
| Bernadette Kunambi | b. 1934, Place unknown Bernadette Kunambi is an activist and politician who has held posts such as YWCA National General Secretary and Chair of the Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania, Council of Women. She was also a member of parliament and a founding member of the Pan-African Woman's Organisation. |
| Bernard Ayandho | b. 15 December 1930, Bangassou, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Central African Republic, d. 18 December 1993, Paris, France Bernard Ayandho was Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (26 September 1979 - 22 August 1980), a role he was given after Jean-Bédel Bokassa was overthrown having been in disrepute prior to this. He won a number of awards including the Legion of Honour. |
| Bernard Binlin Dadié | b. 10 January 1916, Assinie, Côte d'Ivoire Bernard Binlin Dadié is an author and politician from Côte d'Ivoire. He held the role as Minister of Culture for Côte d'Ivoire from 1977 to 1986 and has written many books and poems on the subject of colonialism. |
| Bernard Zadi Zaourou | b. 1938, Soubré, Côte d'Ivoire, d. 20 March 2012, Place unknown Bernard Zadi Zaourou was an Ivorian writer and politician. He wrote a number of books and plays, particularly on feminist issues and was also Minister for Culture. |
| Bertha Gxowa | b. 28 November 1934, Germiston, South Africa, d. 19 November 2010, Johannesburg, South Africa Bertha Gxowa was a political figure in South Africa that struggled against the Apartheid state. She was a co-founder of the Federation of South African Women which mobilised and organised the women's march, as well as collecting signatures in petitions. She was involved in the Treason Trial and later on, in the 1990s, served as a member of parliament. |
| Bertha Mkhize | b. 6 June 1889, Embo, Mkhomazi, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, d. 3 October 1981, Inanda, KwZulu-Natal, South Africa Bertha Mkhize was a prolific activist and was legally emancipated in 1909 which was highly unusual position for her time. She was able to create her own business and was a pioneer for women's rights in South Africa. |
| Bertina Lopes | b. 11 July 1926, Maputo, Mozambique, d. 10 February 2012, Rome, Italy Bertina Lopes was a world-renowned Mozambican painter and sculptor who used her art as a vehicle for the expression of social criticism of Portuguese colonial domination. |
| Bessie Head | b. 6 July 1937, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, d. 17 April 1986, Serowe, Botswana Bessie Head was a writer born in South Africa and granted citizenship of Botswana. She is considered an extremely important writer with her collections of fiction and short stories. She was posthumously awarded the South African Order of Ikhamanga and has also had a trust and awards set up in her name. |
| Bettie du Toit | b. 15 July 1910, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa, d. 31 January 2002, Johannesburg, South Africa Bettie du Toit was a South African trade unionist and anti-Apartheid activist. She was involved in a number of high-profile events including the Defiance Campaign in 1952 and was banned for life from trade unions. She worked handing out food and writing about the subject before heading to London fearing jail. |
| Bibi Titi Mohamed | b. 1926, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, d. 5 November 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa Bibi Titi Mohamed was one of the leaders of the Tanzanian nationalist movement. Entering politics in 1955, she became the first female member of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), an independent party led by Julius Nyerere. As a singer and a musician in community dancing groups, she helped recruit more than 6,000 women for the TANU. From 1962 to 1967 she was president of the national organisation of women's groups, Umoja waa Wananawake wa Tanzania, before falling into political disgrace and becoming the centre of Tanzania's first treason trial. |
| Bingu wa Mutharika | b. 24 February 1934, Thyolo, Nyasaland, present-day Malawi, d. 5 April 2012, Lilongwe, Malawi Bingu wa Mutharika was the President of Malawi (24 May 2004 - 5 April 2012) and his two terms in office were marred with domestic issues. There was a fuel shortage, currency shortage and the international community stopped aid to the country. He died in office of a heart attack. |
| Binyavanga Wainaina | b. 18 January 1971, Nakuru, Kenya Binyavanga Wainaina is a Kenyan author, journalist and 2002 winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing. In April 2014, Time magazine included Wainaina in its annual TIME 100 as one of the "Most Influential People in the World." |
| Birago Diop | b. 11 December 1906, Ouaka, Dakar, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 25 November 1989, Dakar, Senegal Birago Diop was a prolific Senegalese writer who was heavily involved in the Négritude movement. As well as a writer he was also a veterinarian and the first Senegalese ambassador to Tunisia. |
| Bisi Ezerioha | b. 6 January 1972, Aba, Abia, Nigeria Bisi Ezerioha is a Nigerian professional race car driver and engineer, who has built some of the world's most powerful Honda and Porsche engines. He is the current CEO and Chief Engineer at Bismoto Engineering. |
| Bisi Silva | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. 12 February 2019, Lagos, Nigeria Bisi Silva was a curator and founding director of the Centre for Contemporary Art in Lagos, Nigeria. In 2015 she was appointed Artistic Director of the 10th Bamako Encounters in Mali. |
| Biyi Bandele | b. 13 October 1967, Kaduna State, Nigeria Biyi Bandele is a UK-based Nigerian writer for fiction, theatre, journalism, television, film and radio. He moved to London in 1990. |
| Black Coffee | b. 11 March 1976, Kwamashu, South Africa Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo, also known as Black Coffee, is a record producer, recording artist and DJ, specializing in Afro-house and deep-house music. He has released several albums, including Pieces of Me. |
| Blaise Compaoré | b. 3 February 1951, Ziniaré, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Blaise Compaoré was a President of Burkina Faso (15 October 1987 - 31 October 2014) after taking the country from Thomas Sankara in a coup d'état that killed the then president. He proceeded to reverse many of the Marxist based policies his once colleague had implemented. He was a pillar of Françafrique in West Africa and also acted as a mediator in regional issues (Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali). He received criticism for changing the constitution in order to extend his 27-year term of office, causing the 2014 Burkinabé uprising. He resigned from office and fled to the Côte d'Ivoire in 2013. |
| Blaise Diagne | b. 13 October 1872, Gorée, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 11 May 1934, Cambo-les-Bains, France Blaise Diagne was a politician and leader from Senegal. He made history as the first black African to hold a position in the French government and spent his life advocating equal rights, but also an acceptance of French rule. |
| Boaventura Cardoso | b. 26 July 1944, Luanda, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Boaventura Cardoso is an Angolan politician and noted author. A member of the MPLA, he has held posts as ambassador to France, Italy and Malta and Minister for Culture. |
| Bodo | b. 1953, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo, d. 5 March 2015, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo Bodo, born Camille-Pierre Pambu Bodo, was a Congolese painter. His work was predominantly influenced by the concepts of symbology and fantasy. Pieces such as Bodostar, were created as surreal amalgamations between creatures and was created, in part, to dissuade people from playing with sorcery and magic. |
| Bodys Isek Kingelez | b. 1948, Kimbebele-Ihunga, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo, d. 14 March 2015, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo Bodys Isek Kingelez was a self-taught artist and sculptor from the Democratic Republic of Congo who achieved international repute for his work. He would create cities from recyclable materials called Extreme Models, some of which would be true to life and some of which would be more fantastical and futuristic. |
| Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung | b. 1977, Yaoundé, Cameroon Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung is an art curator and biotechnologist from Cameroon. He founded SAVVY Contemporary Berlin and has curated projects and exhibitions all over the world. One of his other enterprises is as editor-in-chief of SAVVY|art.contemporary.african., the first bilingual online news regarding African art and artists. |
| Abass Bonfoh | b. 23 November 1948, Kabou, French Togoland, present-day Togo Abass Bonfoh was interim president of Togo (25 February 2005 - 4 May 2005) after the death of Gnassingbé Eyadéma and the resignation of his son, Faure Gnassingbé. Bonfoh Abass was a strong supporter of Faure Gnassingbé and dismissed ministers for standing in the way of the election. |
| Bonga | b. 5 September 1942, Bengo, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Bonga, the stage name for José Adelino Barceló de Carvalho, is an Angolan musician who has spoken out over the years for independence for Angola. As well as being a musician he was a renowned athlete and used this freedom of movement to transfer messages from exiled fighters. When this was realised by the Portuguese police he was exiled to Holland and he started releasing political music which earned him arrest warrants for his lyrics. Bonga has long been the sound of peace and spoken out against the fighting in Angola. |
| Boris Nzebo | b. 1979, Port-Gentil, Gabon Boris Nzebo is an artist from Gabon who works in Cameroon. He is known for his work on hairstyles and has featured in a number of exhibitions of up-and-coming young artists. |
| Bornito de Sousa | b. 23 July 1953, Quéssua, Malanje Province, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Bornito de Sousa is the 3rd Vice-President of Angola (26 September 2017 - present) and started his career service at the first National Secretary of Youth of MPLA (JMPLA) and was president of the Constitutional Commission of the National Assembly which drafted the 2010 Angolan constitution. |
| Boubacar Barry | b. 1943, Place unknown Boubacar Barry is a professor of history at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal. He has also worked as the West Africa coordinator for UNESCO's Management of Social Transformations Programme. |
| Boubacar Boris Diop | b. 1946, Dakar, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Boubacar Boris Diop is a writer and journalist from Senegal. He has written a number of books including Murambi, le livre des ossements (Murambi: The Book of Bones) which is a fictional account of events during the Rwandan Genocide. He has also founded a Senegalese independent newspaper called Sol. |
| Boubacar Touré Mandémory | b. 1956, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Boubacar Touré Mandémory is a Senegalese street photographer. His work of images in and around Dakar, shot mostly from the hip or from the ground have been praised for their unusual snapshot into daily life in the capital. |
| Boubacar Traoré | b. 1942, Kayes, French Sudan, present-day Mali Boubacar Traoré is a self-taught guitarist and musician from Mali. He shot to fame with his unique sound following the country's independence but shortly went out of favour following the ousting of the government. |
| Boyzie Cekwana | b. 1970, Soweto, South Africa Boyzie Cekwana is a South African performing artist and choreographer. Along with some of his continental peers, he is part of an artistic noise for developing a voice for contemporary dance practice and scholarship in Southern Africa. |
| Brahim Ghali | b. 16 September 1949, Smara, Spanish Sahara, present-day Sahrawi Republic/Western Sahara Brahim Ghali the incumbent President of the Sahrawi Republic (12 July 2016 - present) and was one of the founding members of the Polisario Front. He has been a member of government since 1976. |
| Brahim Ghallab | b. 31 December 1919, Fes, Morocco, d. 14 August 2017, El Jadida, Morocco Abdelkrim Ghallab was a Moroccan writer who was known, in particular, for his political journalism and novels. His novel, Dafann al-m'd (We Buried the Past) was hailed as the first "breakthrough" Moroccan novel written in Arabic rather than French. |
| Breeze Yoko | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Breeze Yoko is a Johannesburg based multidisciplinary artist specialising in video and graffiti. |
| Brenda Fassie | b. 3 November 1964, Langa, Cape Town, South Africa, d. 9 May 2004, Johannesburg, South Africa Brenda Fassie was a famous South African musician, also known as MaBrrr, who sang often on very controversial topics. She is often known as the 'Black Madonna' and had a number of substance abuse problems that led to her death. Her contribution to Afropop music spanned numerous decades. |
| Breyten Breytenbach | b. 16 September 1939, Bonnievale, Cape Province, present-day Western Cape, South Africa Breyten Breytenbach is a South African artist and writer. Although not an official title, he is aligned with being South Africa's poet laureate in Afrikaans and was imprisoned by the Apartheid government for high treason. |
| Bridgette Radebe | b. 26 February 1960, South Africa Bridgette Radebe is a notable South African businesswoman, as one of the first black females in the country to own a and run a mining company, Mmakau Mining. She has received a number of awards including 'International Businessperson of the Year Award' in 2008. |
| Brigalia Bam | b. 1933, Eastern Cape, South Africa Brigalia Bam is a social activist and writer from South Africa. She is a founding member of the Women's Development Foundation and has held roles in places such as the Matla Trust and South African Broadcasting Corporation. |
| Brigitte Mabandla | b. 23 November 1948, Johannesburg, South Africa Brigitte Mabandla is a politician from South Africa. She has held numerous roles including Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and Minister of Public Enterprise and is co-founder of the National Committee for the Rights of the Child. |
| Bronwyn Katz | b. 1993, Kimberley, South Africa Bronwyn Katz is a South African artist whose work incorporates sculpture, installation, video and performance. |
| Btihal Remli | b. 1987, Germany Btihal Remli is a Moroccan photographer, born in Germany, whose work has won a number of awards and enjoyed exhibits around the world. Her work particularly focuses on the cultural clash between her Moroccan roots and German identity. |
| Buchi Emecheta | b. 21 July 1944, Lagos, Nigeria, d. 25 January 2017, London, United Kingdom Lagos, Nigeria Florence Onyebuchi "Buchi" Emecheta was an acclaimed Nigerian-born novelist, children's writer, screenwriter, autobiographer and feminist, described as "the first successful black woman novelist living in Britain after 1948." A sustained and vigorous voice of direct feminist protest, notable novels include Second-Class Citizen and The Joys of Motherhood. |
| Buhlebezwe Siwani | b. 1987, South Africa Buhlebezwe Siwani is a South African artist who works in a number of disciplines such as performance, photography and video. She considers herself as a Sangoma, or traditional medicine healer, and works a lot with the female form. |
| Buyaphi Mdledle | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Buyaphi Mdledle is a South African photographer and photojournalist who describes himself as the 'unknown photographer'. Through works exhibited at the Market Photo Workshop and various projects, his aim is to celebrate and encourage the rich wealth of talent and culture from Africa and eradicate the colonial past. |
C
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Caesarina Kona Makhoere | b. 1955, Pretoria, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa Ceasarina Kona Makhoere was arrested and held under the Terrorism Act for gaining military training to go against a ruling that schools must be taught only in Afrikaans. She spent three years in prison and wrote a book about her time in prison, No Child's Play: In Prison Under Apartheid. |
| Calestous Juma | b. 19 June 1953, Kenya, d. 15 December 2017, Boston, United States of America Calestous Juma was a scientist and professor at the Harvard Kennedy School. He founded the African Centre for Technology Studies, Africa's first independent policy research institution designed to advance research on technology in development. He has made significant contributions to understanding the dynamic role of technological innovation in economic transformation in developing countries and contributed to biodiversity conservation on a global level. |
| Calixthe Beyala | b. 26 October 1961, Douala, Cameroon Calixthe Beyala is a French-Cameroonian writer and author who has written books such as Maman a un amant, which won the Grand Prize of Literature of Black Africa and Lettre d'une Afro-française à ses compatriotes. Her work and themes include poverty, a strong stance on feminism and a positive view on homosexuality. She has won awards from UNESCO and Académie française. |
| Calvin Dondo | b. 1963, Salisbury, present-day Harare, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe Calvin Dondo is an award-winning Zimbabwean photographer. His photographic work earned him the Seydou Keïta Prize, awarded by the African House of Photography and Ministry of Culture in Mali. |
| Camara Laye | b. 1 January 1928, Kouroussa, French Guinea, present-day Guinea, d. 4 February 1980, Dakar, Senegal Camara Laye was a Guinean author who wrote L'Enfant noir and Le Regard du roi. He won the Prix Charles Veillon in 1954 and then worked for the government before leaving Guinea for political reasons. |
| Camara Snoba | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Camara Snoba was a Guinean founding member of the Pan-African Women's Organisation and attended the 1962 conference in Dar es Salaam in Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania. |
| Cameron Platter | b. 1978, Johannesburg, South Africa Cameron Platter is a visual artist born and based in South Africa. His work is across a number of different disciplines and focuses on excess and consumption, as well as his identity as a South African. His work is known to be quite divisive for its unusual and unorthodox approach and feel. |
| Canaan Banana | b. 5 March 1936, Essexvale, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 10 November 2003, London, United Kingdom Canaan Banana was the 1st President Zimbabwe (18 April 1980 - 31 December 1987) he wrote a book called The Gospel According to the Ghetto, and a personalised version of the Lord's Prayer. Canaan Banana was arrested and charged for sodomy in 1997, a criminal offence in Zimbabwe. |
| Carlos Agostinho do Rosário | b. 26 October 1954, Maxixe, Portuguese Mozambique, present-day Mozambique Carlos Agostinho do Rosário is the Prime Minister of Mozambique (17 January 2015 - present). He has worked in numerous capacities in government and held the role as Ambassador to Indonesia before taking the Prime Ministerial role. |
| Carlos Lopes | b. 7 March 1960, Place unknown Carlos Lopes is a respected economist and teacher from Guinea Bissau. He has lectured at the University of Oxford and the University of Cape Town, as well as working with the United Nations Development programme. |
| Carlos Veiga | b. 21 October 1949, Mindelo, Portuguese Cape Verde, present-day Cape Verde Carlos Veiga was Prime Minister of Cape Verde (4 April 1991 - 29 July 2000) and also practiced law. He attempted to stand for the presidency twice but lost both times to Pedro Pires. |
| Carmen Pereira | b. 1937, Bissau, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea-Bissau, d. 4 June 2016, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau Carmen Pereira held the office as acting President of Guinea-Bissau (14 May 1984 - 16 May 1984) for only three days, she was also the first woman in Africa to hold the role of an acting president. She had previously fought on the frontline during the struggle for independence. |
| Caroline Diop | b. 11 July 1923, Foundiougne, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 28 July 1992, Dakar, Senegal Caroline Diop was a Senegalese politician who became the first female deputy at the National Assembly of Senegal. She additionally served as a minister in the cabinet under the presidency of Abdou Diouf. |
| Carolle Bénitah | b. 1970, Casablanca, Morocco Carolle Bénitah is a Moroccan photographer and former fashion designer who uses photography from her childhood as part of her works. She takes the images and embroiders them with coloured thread and beading which she calls "putting to death of my demons." |
| Cassam Uteem | b. 22 March 1941, British Mauritius, present-day Mauritius Cassam Uteem was the 2nd President of Mauritius (30 June 1992 - 15 February 2002) and resigned following his refusal to sign off a controversial anti-terrorism bill. He has since worked in a number of international political roles, including the Secretary-General's Special Envoy and Head of the United Nations Electoral Observation Mission in Burundi. |
| Caster Semenya | b. 7 January 1991, Polokwani, South Africa Mokgadi Caster Semenya is a track and field athlete who won gold medals in both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic games in the 800m. In 2014 she received the South African Bronze Order of Ikhamanga. |
| Catherine Obianuju Acholonu | b. 26 October 1951, Orlu, Nigeria, d. 18 March 2014, Imo State, Nigeria Catherine Obianuju Acholonu was a poet, writer and lecturer of African Cultural and Gender Studies. She was the former Senior Special Advisor to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Arts and Culture, and foundation member of the Association of Nigerian Authors. |
| Catherine Phiri | b. 1 January 1987, Lusaka, Zambia Cathy Phiri is a Zambian boxer that achieved the World Boxing Council bantam weight title. In her boxing career she has won fourteen matches, five by knockout. |
| Catherine Samba-Panza | b. 26 June 1956, Fort Lamy, present- day N'Djamena, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Catherine Samba-Panza, also known as 'Mother Courage', held the role as interim president of the Central African Republic (23 January 2014 - 30 March 2016). As the first woman to hold the head of state role in the Central African Republic her presidency was during a time of great unrest and a risk of becoming "the next Rwanda", but encouraged peace talks on both sides of the troubles. |
| Catherine Turpin | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Catherine Turpin was an attendee at the 1962 Conference of African Women in 1962. She was a representative of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, both of which were still under colonial rule at the time. |
| Cécile Kyenge | b. 28 August 1964, Kambove, Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo Cécile Kyenge is an Italian politician and member of the European Parliament, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. She was the Minister of Integration from 2013 to 2014 and is also a trained ophthalmologist. She is the first black cabinet minister in Italy's history. |
| Cécile Manorohanta | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Cécile Manorohanta held the role of acting Prime Minister of Madagascar (18 December 2009 - 20 December 2009) during the political crisis that occurred in 2009. She had held roles such as the Minister of Defence and Deputy Prime Minister for the Interior. She was the first female to hold the role of defence minister. |
| Celeste Ntuli | b. 25 August 1978, Empangeni, South Africa Celeste Ntuli is a comedian and actress from South Africa. She received a Golden Horn Award for Best Actress in a TV Soap. |
| Célestin Gaombalet | b. 1 January 1942, Grimari, Ouaka, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic, d. 19 December 2017, Agen, France Célestin Gaombalet was a politician who held the role of Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (12 December 2003 - 13 June 2005) and following this the President of the National Assembly of the Central African Republic (14 June 2005 - 15 April 2013). He was a surprise placement for prime minister by the president as he had no political experience and had been a businessman and worked in banking. |
| Celestino Mudaulane | b. 1972, Maputo, Mozambique Celestino Mudaulane is an artist from Mozambique. He is considered to be a founding member of the Contemporary Art Movement of modern Mozambique. In addition to his artwork, he also teaches at the National School of Visual Arts. |
| Cerinah Nebanda | b. 1988, Place unknown, d. December 2012, Kampala, Uganda Cerinah Nebanda was a Ugandan politician and rising star, after beating a seasoned politician to represent the Butaleja women's district. However, she was found dead in 2012 at the age of 24. The circumstances surrounding her death are suspicious and many have speculated that she may have been poisoned as she was a vocal critic of the government. |
| Cesária Évora | b. 27 August 1941, Mindelo, São Vicente, Cape Verde, d. 17 December 2011, São Vicente, Cape Verde Cesária Évora was a Cape Verdean musician she was a Grammy award winner and known for her "morna" ballads. |
| Chadli Bendjedid | b. 14 April 1929, Bouteldja, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 6 October 2012, Algiers, Algeria Chadli Bendjedid was the 3rd President of Algeria (9 February 1979 - 11 January 1992). Initially he tried increasing the separation between the country's economy and the government's involvement. He also reduced the amount of surveillance on its citizens. The austerity measures the government implemented led to the 1988 October Riots causing the death of several hundred individuals. He was forced out of government when the military were involved to stop the Islamist Front Islamique du Salut (FIS) coming into power and launched an Algerian Civil War. |
| Charity Ngilu | b. 1952, Mbooni, Makueni District, present-day Kenya Charity Ngilu is one of three individuals that became Kenya's first female governors. She is currently the 2nd County Governor for Kitul (22 August 2017 - present) and has held roles such as Minister of Water and Irrigation and Minister of Health. |
| Charity Salima | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Charity Salima is a retired midwife and nurse who opened her own birth clinic in Malawi, struck by the high number of infant mortalities. She has been referred to as Malawi's 'Florence Nightingale'. |
| Charity Waciuma | b. 1936, Naaro, Fort Hall, Kenya Charity Waciuma is celebrated writer of several children's novels as well as an autobiographical novel, Daughter of Mumbi. Along with Grace Ogot she was one of the first Kenyan women writers to be published in English and was writing about female genital excision as long ago as the 1960s. Her works also included Mweru, the Ostrich Girl and Who's Calling. |
| Charles D. B. King | b. 12 March 1875, Monrovia, Liberia, d. 4 September 1961, Monrovia, Liberia Charles D. B. King served Liberia as the 17th President (5 January 1920 - 3 December 1930) and was able to gain a loan from the American government and get the Firestone Rubber Company to start exporting from Liberia, bolstering their struggling economy. |
| Charles Massi | b. 25 July 1952, Baboua, Nana-Mambéré Prefecture, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic, d. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Charles Massi served in the government of the Central African Republic under numerous roles in the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2008 he became a rebel leader for Union of Democratic Forces for Unity (UFDR). It is rumoured that he was killed in January 2010 however an official legal investigation deemed in 2010 that they had no evidence that he was dead. |
| Charles Mungoshi | b. 2 December 1947, Zimbabwe Charles Mungoshi is known for his anti and post-colonial novels, short stories and poems. His literary works include the novel Kunyarara Hakusi Kutaura. |
| Charles Taylor | b. 28 January 1948, Arthington, Montserrado County, Liberia Charles Taylor was elected President of Liberia (2 August 1997 - 11 August 2003) in the aftermath of the First Liberian Civil War. Whilst in office he was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity and, due to this, the Second Liberian Civil War broke out. He resigned and fled to Nigeria in exile. |
| Charlotte Maxeke | b. 7 April 1874, Ramokgopa, Pietersburg District, present-day Polokwane District, Limpopo Province, South Africa, d. 16 October 1939, Johannesburg, South Arica Charlotte Maxeke was the first woman from South Africa to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree and founder of the Bantu Women's League of South Africa. She is known as the 'Mother of Black Freedom in South Africa'. |
| Cheick Fantamady Camara | b. 1960, Conakry, Guinea, d. 7 January 2017, Place unknown Cheick Fantamady Camara was an award-winning film director. His film Il va pleuvoir sur Conakry won the 2007 Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso and the 2008 Prix Ousmane Sembène at the Khouribga African Cinema Festival, Morocco. |
| Cheick Modibo Diarra | b. 1952, Nioro du Sahel, Mali Cheick Modibo Diarra was an aerospace engineer who contributed to several NASA missions. He was chairman of Microsoft Africa from 2006 - 2011 and served as acting Prime Minister of Mali from April to December 2012. |
| Cheick Oumar Sissoko | b. 1945, San, Mali Cheick Oumar Sissoko is a Malian film director. He directed The Tyrant in 1995, which won prizes at film festivals. His 1999 feature Genesis won the Etalon de Yennenga and Battù won him the 2001 RFI Prize for Cinema. He was nominated Malian Minister of Culture in 2001. |
| Cheick Sallah Cissé | b. 19 September 1993, Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire Cheik Sallah Cissé won a gold medal in Taekwondo during the 2016 Olympics, giving the Côte d'Ivoire its first ever Olympic gold medal. |
| Cheick Tidiane Seck | b. 11 December 1953, Ségou, Mali Cheick Tidiane Seck is a respected Malian musician and composer. He has worked with numerous prestigious African musicians, including Fela Kuti, Salif Keita, Mory Kante and Youssou N'Dour, as well as jazz exponents Hank Jones and Dee Dee Bridgewater. |
| Cheik Aliou Ndao | b. 3 August 1933, Bignona, Senegal Cheik Aliou Ndao is a renowned Senegalese author who has written in the native Wolof language as well as French. He is known for many works, including Buur Tilleen (1967) and the more recent Mbaam Aakimoo (1997). |
| Cheik Ledy | b. 1962, Kinto M'Vuila, Democratic Republic of the Congo, d. 1997, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Cheik Ledy was a Congolese artist who began his career in painting as an apprentice to his elder brother Chéri Samba, one of Africa's foremost contemporary artists. Notable works include Arrosage (Watering) (1995), and Absence de morale (Moral Absence) (1990). He died in 1997. |
| Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba | b. 1850, Mbacké, Kingdom of Baol, present-day Senegal, d. 1927, Diourbel, Senegal Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba was a Sufi religious leader who founded the Mouride Brotherhood (dedicated to Sunni Islam.) He wrote a huge quantity of poems and tracts on aspects of Islam, as well as championing resistance to colonial French rule by pacifist means. |
| Cheikh Anta Diop | b. 29 December 1923, Diourbel Region, Senegal, d. 7 February 1986, Dakar, Senegal Cheikh Anta Diop was a Senegalese politician, historian and anthropologist known for his work on the origins of humankind and on pre-colonial Africa. His theories were often controversial, and he argued there was a shared cultural continuity across African peoples above ethnicities. |
| Cheikh Hamidou Kane | b. 2 April 1928, Matam, Senegal Cheikh Hamidou Kane is an author, best known for L'Aventure ambiguë (Ambiguous Adventure), a tale of a Senegalese boy who loses touch with his African heritage and Islamic roots when he goes to study in France. It won the prestigious Grand Prix Littéraire d'Afrique Noire in 1962. |
| Cheikh Lô | b. 1955, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso Cheikh Lô demonstrated his musical prowess at an early age. His first band, Orchestre Volta Jazz, played Congolese and Cuban pop, as well as indigenous Burkinabé music. His debut album Ne La Thiass (1996), produced by Youssou N'Dour, was a global success. |
| Chenjerai Hove | b. 9 February 1956, Mazvihwa, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 12 July 2015, Stavanger, Norway Chenjerai Hove was a poet, novelist and essayist. His novels offer an intense examination of the psychic and social costs of the war of liberation in Zimbabwe. |
| Chéri Chérin | b. 16 January 1955, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Chéri Chérin is a Congolese artist, renowned for his depictions of everyday life in Kinshasa, as well as representing traditional folk painting. The satirical aspect of his work earned him trouble during the latter days of the Mobuto regime. |
| Chéri Samba | b. 30 December 1956, Kinto M'Vuila, Democratic Republic of the Congo Chéri Samba is one of the most renowned contemporary African artists, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. His works are displayed in the Pompidou Centre in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. |
| Chérif Diallo | b. 5 September 1984, Guinea Chérif Diallo is a Guinean writer, playwright and journalist. He is the author of several novels, plays and short stories. |
| Chérif Sy | b. 17 May 1960, Néma, Mauritania Chérif Sy was a transitional head of state of Burkina Faso under the title President of the National Transitional Council of Burkina Faso (27 November 2014 - 30 December 2015) and transitional president of Burkina Faso (17 September 2015 - 23 September 2015) during the coup led by Gilbert Diendéré. He attempted to oust the coup leaders via social media with much of the army getting behind him. He was awarded a journalism award for his role in ending the coup. |
| Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe | b. March 1936, Atani, Anambra, Nigeria, d. 11 May 2007, Connecticut, United States of America Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe was renowned for his 1984 single Osondi Owendi. This established him as a leader in the highlife genre and was one of Nigeria's most popular records ever. |
| Chika Okeke-Agulu | b. 1966, Umuahia, Nigeria Chika Okeke-Agulu is an artist, art historian and professor of African and African Diaspora Art at Princeton University, New Jersey. He is the author of Postcolonial Modernisms and Contemporary African Art Since 1980. |
| Chika Unigwe | b. 12 June 1974, Enugu, Nigeria Chika Unigwe is a Nigerian author who writes in English and Dutch. Formerly based in Belgium, she is now a resident of the USA. Notable works include Tear Drops (1993) and The Phoenix (2007). |
| Chilala Moco | b. 8 May 1977, Caála, Huambo Province, Angola Chilala Moco is a photographer and the son of Marcolino Moco, former Prime Minister of Angola. He is a full-time photography editor for the Angolan newspaper O PAIS and additional titles at the group. He has won numerous awards including a shared award with Rogerio Tutty for the Angolan national award for photojournalism in 2009. |
| Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | b. 15 September 1977 Enugu, Nigeria Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a writer of short stories and novels which include Americanah, Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun. She is also the recipient of the 2008 McGarther Fellowship, awarded to "extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction." |
| Chinedu Ikedieze | b. 12 December 1977, Nigeria Chinedu Ikedieze, originally from Nigeria, is an actor, featuring in films like Aki na Ukwa. In 2007 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the African Movie Academy Awards and awarded Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2010. |
| Chinelo Okparanta | b. 1981, Port Harcourt, Nigeria Chinelo Okparanta is a writer whose works include Happiness, Like Water and Under the Udala Trees. In 2016 she was the recipient of the Lambda Literary Award for General Lesbian Fiction. |
| Chinua Achebe | b. 16 November 1930, Ogidi, Nigeria, d. 11 March 2013, Boston, United States of America Chinua Achebe was a novelist, poet and author of Things Fall Apart. He was the recipient of the Man Booker International Prize in 2007. |
| Chipo Chung | b. 17 August 1977, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Chipo Chung is an actress and activist whose films include Sunshine and Proof as well as the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Dido, Queen of Carthage. She is co-founder of SAFE-Kenya, which develops theatre for social change in Kenya, in addition to Peace Direct, which works towards consensus-building and peace in Zimbabwe. |
| Chisenga Muyoya | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Chisenga Muyoya is a Zambian tech whizz and founded the Asikana Network. She focuses on empowering women and education in the ICT industry. She also consults at Bongo Hive which is a Zambian tech hub and equips fledgling entrepreneurs. |
| Chris Abani | b. 27 December 1966, Afikpo, Nigeria Chris Abani published his first novel, Masters of the Board in 1985, aged 16. A political allegory, it led to his imprisonment. He now lives in the USA. Notable works include The Virgin of Flames (2007) and The Secret History of Las Vegas (2014) |
| Chris Hani | b. 28 June 1942, Cofimvaba, Transkei, present-day Eastern Cape, South Africa, d. 10 April 1993, Dawn Park, Boksburg, South Africa Chris Hani was General Secretary of the South African Communist Party, a role he held until his assassination in 1993. An outspoken critic of Apartheid, he was considered very charismatic and very popular, though there are many theories regarding the circumstances around his death. |
| Chris McGregor | b. 24 December 1936, Somerset West, South Africa, d. 26 May 1990, Ager, France Chris McGregor was a musician, bandleader and composer. In his youth he was exposed to the local Xhosa music, which remained an influence. Enrolling in the South African College of Music he developed an interest in various styles, especially jazz. |
| Chrissie Jasson | b. 1928, Place unknown, d. 1999, Place unknown Chrissie Jasson was a South African political activist who was part of the Rivonia Trial, accused of high treason. She was placed in the infamous 'Fort". |
| Christian Okoye | b. 16 August 1961, Enugu, Nigeria Christian Okoye was a former NFL running back for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was selected to the Pro-Bowl both in 1989 and 1992 and was the NFL rushing leader in 1989. |
| Christiane Yandé Diop | b. c.1926, Doula, Cameroon Christiane Yandé Diop is the first black woman to run a large publishing house in Paris. She now runs Presence Africain, founded in 1947 by her late husband Alioune Diop. She was awarded the Legion of Honor. She was originally from Cameroon. |
| Christine Alalo | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Christine Alalo has headed a number of a units that deal exclusively with missing children, the Child and Family Protection Department of Uganda and similar later on in Somalia. She received an award from the European Union's Human Rights Defenders Awards in 2014. |
| Christine Eyene | b. 1970, Paris, France Christine Eyene was born in Paris, of Cameroonian descent. She is an art critic and curator. Among her curated work is All of Us Have a Sense of Rhythm, comprising her original research into rhythmic sources in contemporary African cultures. |
| Christophe Soglo | b. 28 June 1909, Abomey, Dahomey, present-day Benin, d. 7 October 1983, Place unknown Christophe Soglo took control as Head of the Provisional Government of Dahomey (28 October 1963 - 25 January 1964), in order to prevent a civil war. He dismissed cabinet and suspended the constitution and reorganised the government before handing over power to Sourou-Migan Apithy. He then overthrew the government again and took role as President of Dahomey (22 December 1965 - 19 December 1967) after the president of the National Assembly was unable to form a government following the coup. He was then deposed himself. |
| Christopher Ifekandu Okigbo | b. 16 August 1932, Ojoto, Anambra State, British Protectorate of Nigeria, present-day Nigeria, d. 1967, Nsukka, Igboland, Nigeria Christopher Ifekandu Okigbo was a Nigerian poet and activist. He is one of the most well-known English-language African poets of the 20th century. He was killed fighting for the independence of the Biafra state. |
| Christopher Okoro Cole | b. 17 April 1921, Waterloo, British Sierra Leone, present-day Sierra Leone, d. 1990, Sierra Leone Christopher Okoro Cole held the official title of 1st President of Sierra Leone (19 April 1971 - 21 April 1971) for a few days whilst the monarchy in the country was abandoned and whilst power was passed to him as interim Governor-General before handing over the title to the Prime Minister, SIaka Stevens. |
| Clay Apenouvon | b. 1970, Lomé, Togo Clay Apenouvon is a Togolese artist and graphic designer who uses mainly cardboard in his work in both a physical and performance medium. |
| Clément Mouamba | b. 1944, Sibiti, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Congo Clément Mouamba is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Congo (23 April 2016 - present) and is a member of the Party of Labour. Before his role as the Prime Minister, he was the Minister of Finance. |
| Clémentine Faïk-Nzuji | "b. 21 January 1944, Tshofa, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo Clémentine Faïk-Nzuji is a Congolese writer who has been described as "the first poet of real significance" among the African writers emerging in the 1960s. She was her country's first female writer, and her notable works include Lianes (The Creepers) and Lenga et autres contes d'inspiration traditionnelle (Lenga and other traditional stories). |
| Clements Kadalie | b. April 1896, Chifara village, Nyasaland, present-day Malawi, d. 1951, Place unknown Clements Kadalie was the first black national trade union leader in South Africa. After settling in Cape Town in 1918 he founded the Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union of Africa, which eventually grew to over 100,000 members, making it Africa's largest labour union. |
| Combo Ayouba | b. 1953, Anjouan, French Comoros, present-day Comoros, d. 13 June 2010, Moroni, Comoros Combo Ayouba, sometimes known as Ayouba Combo, was a colonel and high-ranking military officer from Comoros. He held the office of Coordinator of the Transitional Military Committee following a military coup. Combo Ayouba was assassinated in 2010. |
| Comfort Freeman | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Comfort Freeman is a Liberian woman who is focused on peace activism. She heads up the Liberian Women's Initiative for Peace and has worked with numerous people, particular during the Second Liberian Civil War, which they are commended as being a driving force in ending. |
| Condetto Nénékhaly-Camara | b. 10 September 1930, Guinea, d. 22 July 1972, Place unknown Condetto Nénékhaly-Camara was a poet and playwright. He is known for two plays published in France in 1970, eventually translated into English in 1975, Continent Afrique and Amazoulou. The latter was an epic drama about the Zulu King Shaka. |
| Connie Chiume | b. c.1953, Welkon, South Africa Connie Chiume is an actress who began in plays like Porgy and Bess and Little Shop of Horrors. After featuring in a number of South African films her major breakthrough came with a part in the Hollywood blockbuster Black Panther, the first to feature a prominently black cast |
| Connie Mofokeng | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Connie Mofokeng was a member of the Soweto Student Representative Council during the Soweto Uprising and then was a founding member of the Vaal Organisation of Women. During clashes with police during a march she was arrested and tortured. She was later exiled to Russia and found that she had been poisoned. |
| Cornelius Francis Adjetey | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. 28 February 1948, Accra, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana Cornelius Francis Adjetey was a sergeant and one of the three veterans shot dead by Major Imray while on their way to present a petition to Sir Gerald Creasy who was Governor of the Gold Coast at the time. |
| Cremilda de Lima | b. 25 March 1940, Luanda, Angola Cremilda de Lima began writing for children at an early age, joining the Angolan Writers Union in 1984. She received the National Prize of Culture and Arts in 2016, for literature. Her notable works include Uma Aventura nas Nuvens and Brincadeira ao Luar (both 2016). |
| Cristina Fontes Lima | b. 18 May 1958, Praia, Santiago, Cape Verde Cristina Fontes Lima is a Cape Verdean politician for the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde. She was brought into the cabinet January 2001 as the Minister of Justice and has since served as Minister of Local Administration and Minister of Interior. |
| Cyprian Ekwensi | b. 26 September 1921, Minna, Niger, d. 4 November 2007, Enugu, Nigeria Cyprian Ekwensi was a prolific writer of novels, short stories and children's books. He was awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld International Prize in Literature in 1968. His notable works include The Leopard's Claw (1950) and The Drummer Boy (1960). |
| Cyprien Ntaryamira | b. 6 March 1955, Mubimbi, Bujumbura Rural Province, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi, d. 6 April 1994, Kigali, Rwanda Cyprien Ntaryamira was the 5th President of Burundi (5 February 1994 - 6 April 1994), selected as although he was of the Hutu ethnicity, he was considered a moderate. His presidency was short-lived though as the plane he was travelling on with president Juvénal Habyarimana of Rwanda was shot down. The attackers have never been identified and the event sparked the Rwandan Genocide. |
| Cyril Ramaphosa | b. 17 November 1952, Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa is the current President of South Africa (15 February 2018 - present), following the resignation of Jacob Zuma. His political career started following his years as an anti-Apartheid activist and trade union leader. |
D
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Dalia Basiouny | b. Date and year unknown, Egypt Dalia Basiouny is a playwright, theatre director and Assistant Professor of Theatre in the English Department at October 6 University. Her works include the one woman play Solitare. |
| Dambisa Moyo | b. 2 February 1969, Lusaka, Zambia Dambisa Moyo is an economist, author and spokesperson who has specialised in working on analysing the economies of Africa and the practices of foreign aid. She has won numerous awards for her work and has been named in TIME's 100 and O's Power List. |
| Dambudzo Marechera | b. 4 June 1952, Rusape, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 18 August 1987, Harare, Zimbabwe Dambudzo Marechara was a prolific writer compared to James Joyce and Henry Miller. He was the first and the only African to have won the Guardian Fiction Prize in its 33 years. His most renowned works include The House of Hunger (1978) and Black Sunlight (1980). |
| Danai Gurira | b. 14 February 1978, Iowa, United States of America Danai Gurira is an actress and playwright. She her roles include the television series Walking Dead and the film Black Panther. She was also a writer for the Tony Award-winning play Eclipsed. |
| Dani Kouyaté | b. 4 June 1961, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso Dani Kouyaté is a filmmaker from Burkina Faso, described by the BBC as 'Africa's most important film-making country.' His films have received Junior Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and include the feature films Soleils (2013) and Medan vi lever (2016). |
| Daniel Amokachi | b. 30 December 1972, Kaduna, Nigeria Daniel Amokachi is a former footballer who was assistant manager of the Nigerian national team. He has been third in the African Footballer of the Year award. During spells at Bruges, Everton and Besiktas he was known as 'Black Train' because of his strength and speed. |
| Daniel arap Moi | b. 2 September 1924, Sacho, Baringo, Kenya Colony, present-day Kenya Daniel arap Moi was the 2nd President of Kenya (22 August 1978 - 30 December 2002) and is currently the longest serving president in the country's history. He also held the role of 3rd Vice-President of Kenya (5 January 1957 - 22 August 1978) when he was elected to the presidency. |
| Daniel Bashiel Warner | b. Date unknown, Baltimore County, Maryland, United States, d. 1 December 1880, Liberia Daniel Bashiel Warner took over the mantle and became the 3rd President of Liberia (4 January 1864 - 6 January 1868) and is credited with writing the words to the Liberian national anthem. |
| Daniel Biyaoula, | b. 11 September 1953, Brazzaville, Congo Daniel Biyaoula is a Congolese writer (from the Republic of Congo) who earned the Literary Grand Prix of Black Africa in 1997 for his novel L'Impasse. |
| Daniel Edward Howard | b. 4 August 1861, Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, Liberia, d. 9 July 1935, Monrovia, Liberia Daniel Edward Howard was the President of Liberia (1 January 1912 - 5 January 1920) during the outbreak of World War I. Although Liberia was intended to stay as neutral, allegiances were sided towards the Allies. Germany sent a submarine to attack Monrovia over a dispute with a French wireless station and he was forced to declare war against Germany. |
| Daniel Ona Ondo | b. 10 July 1945, Oyem, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Gabon Daniel Ona Ondo is a Gabonese politician and held the role as the 9th Prime Minister of Gabon (27 January 2014 - 29 September 2016). He has held a number of roles within the cabinet including the Minister of Culture, Arts, Popular Education, Youth and Sports. |
| Daniel Teklehaimanot | b. 10 November 1988, Debarwa, Eritrea Daniel Teklehaimanot is a professional cyclist who, during the 2012 Olympics, became the first athlete to compete for Eritrea in a sport other than track and field. Riding for MTN-Qhubeka in 2015 he became one of the first two black Africans under African team to race in the Tour de France. |
| Danny Faure | b. 8 May 1962, Kiembe, Uganda Protectorate, present-day Uganda Danny Faure is the 4th President of Seychelles (16 October 2016 - present). A member of the People's Party, he was Minister of Finance under James Michel and worked on economic reforms to kick start the economy after economic stagnation in the 90s. |
| Daouda Malam Wanké | b. 6 May, year unknown, French West Africa, present-day Niger, d. 15 September 2004, Niamey, Niger Daouda Malam Wanké took over as 6th President of Niger (11 April 1999 - 22 December 1999) in the aftermath of Ibrahim Hassane Mayaki's death. He took over the transitional government and pledged, and succeeded, at holding elections later that year. |
| David Adjaye | b. 22 September 1966, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania David Adjaye is an architect and designer of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2007 and knighted in 2017 for his services in architecture. |
| David D. Kpormakpor | b. 28 September 1935, Bomi County, Liberia, d. 19 August 2010, New York City, United States David D. Kpormakpor was the first Chairman of the Council of State (7 March 1994 - 1 September 1995) that took governance over Liberia during the First Liberian Civil War. However, after a year of negotiations that got nowhere, the Council of State was disbanded and reformed in order to end the stalemate. |
| David Dacko | b. 24 March 1930, Lobaye, Mbaiki, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic, d. 20 November 2003, Yaoundé, Cameroon David Dacko was the 1st President of the Central African Republic (14 August 1960 - 1 January 1966 and 20 September 1979 - 1 September 1981), both before and after Jean-Bédel Bokassa declared himself as Emperor. Prior to this he had also been the Prime Minister for the Central African Republic (1 May 1959 - 14 August 1960). He was overthrown in a bloodless coup in 1981 by General André Kolingba. |
| David Goldblatt | b. 29 November 1930, Randfontein, South Africa, d. 25 June 2018 David Goldblatt was renowned for his portraits of his native South Africa, documenting the transition from its repressive Apartheid days to a modern liberal society. He has numerous publications to his name and an international reputation for his stunning photography. |
| David Oyelowo | b. 1 April 1976, Oxford, United Kingdom David Oyelowo is an actor who has featured in several films, including Queen of Katwe, The Butler and Selma. He is a three-time Black Reel Award winner and a three-time NAACP Image Award winner. |
| David Rubadiri | b. 19 July 1930, Liuli, Malawi David Rubadiri is ranked as one of Africa's most celebrated poets in the post-colonial era. He was Malawi's first ambassador to the USA and the United Nations. His only novel No Bridge Price is a critique of the Malawi regime under President Hastings Banda. |
| David Rudisha | b. 17 December 1988, Kilgoris, Kenya David Rudisha is a track and field athlete and current world record holder in the 800m with a time of 1:40:91. He has won gold for the 800m in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, in addition to winning gold in the 2011 and 2015 World Championships, and 2008 and 2010 African Championships. |
| Davido | b. 21 November 1991, Atlanta, United States of America Davido, born originally David Adedeji Adeleke in the United States, is a singer, songwriter and record producer. He has won seven Nigerian Entertainment Awards, five Headie Awards and a 2014 BET Award for Best International Act. |
| Dawda Jawara | b. 16 May 1924, Barajally, MacCarthy Island Division, British Gambia, present-day Gambia Dawda Jawara holds the title as the 1st President of Gambia (24 April 1970 - 22 July 1994) after his time as Prime Minister of Gambia (12 June 1962 - 24 April 1970) when the country gained its independence. He was overthrown in a coup d'état led by Yahya Jammeh. |
| Dawit L. Petros | b. Date unknown, Asmara, Eritrea Dawit L Petros is an artist, born in Eritrea, living and working in Chicago, Montreal and New York, working with installations, photography and research. |
| Delphine Diallo | b. 1977, Paris, France Delphine Diallo is a French and Senegalese artist who challenges traditional notions of gender and race through photography and mixed-media collages. |
| Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye | b. 31 December 1949, Bongor, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye was the Prime Minister of Chad (6 November 1993 - 8 April 1995 and 26 February 2007 - 16 April 2008) on two occasions. Prior to his political career he was a judge and had once sentenced Hissène Habré to death, only to later be a minister under his government later on. He has tried to run for the presidency but has not been successful. |
| Denis Mukwege | b. 1 March 1955, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo Denis Mukwege has been granted a plethora of international prizes for his work and research in the field of gynaecology, including the United Nations prize in the Field of Human Rights (2008) and the European Union's Sakharov Prize in 2014. He made Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People list in 2016. |
| Denis Sassou Nguesso | b. 23 November 1943, Edou, French Congo, present-day Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso is the current President of the Republic of the Congo (25 October 1997 - present) having held the role beforehand as well (8 February 1979 - 31 August 1992). He has come under scrutiny for what is deemed excessive spending, particularly when the country had been receiving foreign aid. |
| Dennis Kimetto | b. 22 January 1984, Kenya Dennis Kimetto is a Kenyan long-distance runner who currently holds the world record in the men's marathon of 2:02:57, set at the Berlin Marathon in 2014. |
| Deolinda Rodrigues | b. 10 February 1939, Catete, Angola, d. 2 March 1967, Kinhuzu, Democratic Republic of the Congo Deolinda Rodrigues, nicknamed 'Mother of the Revolution' was an Angolan nationalist. She was a member of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and co-founder of its women's wing. She was captured by a rival guerrilla group and executed |
| Desmond Tutu | b. 7 October 1931, Klerksdorp, South Africa Desmond Tutu is a veteran campaigner for human rights in South Africa. He was the first black man to hold either post, using his influential position to be an outspoken critic of the Apartheid regime. |
| Dhafer Youssef | b. 19 November 1967, Teboulba, Tunisia Dhafer Youssef is a Tunisian musician. He developed a passion for music from a young age, secretly listening to jazz during his time at Qur'anic school. He now works in a diverse range of styles, including Indian and Nordic music. |
| Di Bishop | b. Date unknown, Cape Town, South Africa Di Bishop was a South African political activist and was elected to the Provincial Council for the Progressive Federal Party whilst also simultaneously being involved with the Black Sash. She was dedicated to finding missing persons in squatter camps, often entering off-limits areas. She received numerous threats to her life over the years including being tear-gassed and her car being attacked and burnt out. |
| Dialiba Konaté | b. 1942, Senegal Dialiba Konaté is an author and illustrator of Soninke origin (an ethnic group found in eastern Senegal and its capital, Dakar). His works include 2005's The Story of Origins. |
| Didier Awadi, | b. 11 August 1969, Dakar, Senegal Didier Awadi was an early champion on the Senegalese Hip Hop scene of the 1980s and formed Positive Black Soul (PBS) in 1989 with fellow rapper Duggy Tee. They were chosen to tour France by French rapper MC Solaar. |
| Didier Drogba | b. 11 March 1978, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Didier Drogba is a professional footballer currently playing for the American club Phoenix Rising. He is the all-time top scorer for Côte d'Ivoire national team, and the highest-scoring foreign player in the history of English club, Chelsea. In 2007 he was appointed to the United Nation Development Program as a Goodwill Ambassador and in 2011 he joined the Truth, Reconciliation and Dialogue Commission as a representative to help return peace to Côte d'Ivoire. |
| Didier Ratsiraka | b. 4 November 1936, Vatomandry, French Madagascar, present-day Madagascar Didier Ratsiraka was the 2nd President of Madagascar (9 February 1997 - 6 May 2002). He was nicknamed the 'Red Admiral' for his socialist ideologies which he abandoned due to a poor economic climate. |
| Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge | b. 5 May 1946, Alombié, French Gabon, present-day Gabon Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge was the Vice-President of Gabon (May 1997 -16 October 2009) and assumed the role as acting president of Gabon (6 May 2009 - 10 June 2009) whilst Omar Bongo was hospitalised. When Ali Bongo Ondimba took to office he dismissed Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge. |
| Didouche Mourad | b. 13 July 1927, Algiers, Algeria, d. 18 January 1955, Condé-Smendou, Algeria, present-day Zighoud Youcef, Algeria Didouche Mourad was also known as si Abdelkader. He was one of the founding members of the Special Organization, a secret paramilitary organisation in Colonia Algeria. |
| Dieudo Hamadi | b. 22 February 1984, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo Dieudo Hamadi is a documentary filmmaker, director and writer. His films include Examen d'état, Atalaku and Congo in Four Acts. He is the recipient of the 2018 True Vision Award. |
| Dikembe Mutombo | b. 25 June 1966, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Dikembe Mutombo was a professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association for 18 seasons. He was a four time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, eight time NBA All Star and was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. |
| Dil Umezulike | b. 1960, Enugu, Nigeria Dilomprizulike, born Dil Humphrey-Umezulike, is a Nigerian contemporary artist working in sculpture, performance and painting who has adopted the moniker 'The Junkman from Africa'. |
| Dimi Mint Abba | b. 1958, Mauritania, d. 2011, Morocco Dimi Mint Abba was a performer and musician who won first prize in the Mauritanian Radio competition. Known as the 'Diva of the Desert' she was one of Mauritania's best-loved performers, and one of the few artists from that country to release to an internationally acclaimed album. |
| Dioncounda Traoré | b. 23 February 1942, Kati, French Sudan, present-day Mali Dioncounda Traoré was an acting president of Mali (12 April 2012 - 4 September 2013) following the 2012 Malian coup d'état and handover from Amadou Sanogo. |
| DJ Arafat | b. 26 January 1986, Abidjam, Côte d'Ivoire DJ Arafat or Arafat Muana is an ex-DJ who makes music of the Coupé-Décalé variety (a percussive style featuring African samples, deep bass and minimalist arrangements). |
| Djamila Bouhired | b. June 1935, Algiers, Algeria Djamila Bouhired is a nationalist who opposed French colonial rule in Algeria. As a student activist she joined the Algerian National Liberation Front, working as a liaison officer and personal assistant of the commander, Yacef Saadi. |
| Djibril Diop Mambéty | b. 23 January 1945, Gueule Tapée-Fass-Colobane, Senegal, d. 23 July 1998, Paris, France Djibril Diop Mambéty was a film director and actor known for his experimental cinematic style. |
| Djibril Tamsir Niane | b. 9 January 1932, Conakry, Guinea Djibril Tamsir Niane is an honorary professor at Howard University (Washington DC) and Tokyo University. He is renowned for introducing western scholars to the Epic of Sundiata, about the 13th century founder of the Mali Empire. |
| Djidingar Dono Ngardoum | b. 1928, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad, d. 19 February 2000, Chad Djidingar Dono Ngardoum was the 2nd Prime Minister of Chad (19 May 1982 - 19 June 1982). He was appointed by Hissène Habré, who had previously held the role as well as the presidency. |
| Djilatendo | b. 1890, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, d. 1957, Place unknown Djilatendo was a Congolese artist active in the earlier part of the 20th century. He was notable for watercolours featuring architectural motifs, rendered in a playful and colourful style. |
| Djimon Hounsou | b. 24 April 1964, Cotonou, Benin Djimon Hounsou is an actor and model. His films include Amistad, Gladiator, Blood Diamond and In America. He has received two Black Reel Awards, Two NAACP Awards and has been nominated for two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. |
| Djoueria Abdallah | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Djoueria Abdallah is a midwife from Comoros who has launched a political career and became the first female to join the Assembly of the Union of Comoros in 2004. |
| Doctor Khumalo | b. 26 June 1967, Soweto, South Africa Doctor Khumalo is best known for his midfield role with Kaizer Chiefs, as well as the South African national team whom he represented at the 1998 World Cup. As a star player for the Chiefs, he made almost 400 appearances. |
| Dolly Rathebe | b. 2 April 1928, Johannesburg, South Africa, d, 16 September 2004, Pretoria, South Africa Dolly Rathebe was a South African musician, often referred to as a 'Blues Queen'. She also appeared in films and later on worked in philanthropy. |
| Dominique Mbonyumutwa | b. January 1921, Gitaram, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Rwanda, d. 26 July 1986, Brussels, Belgium Dominique Mbonyumutwa was the President of Rwanda (28 January 1961 - 26 October 1961) after overthrowing the monarchy of King Kigali V Ndahindurwa and declaring Rwanda a republic. The emergence of the republic was, in part, triggered by a vicious attack on him by a group of Tutsi youth and caused the "social revolution" of 1959. After his stint as interim president he retained his presence in Rwandan politics by becoming the Vice President of the Rwandan Court of Appeals. |
| Dominique Zinkpè | b. 1969, Cotonou, Benin Dominique Zinkpè is one of the most recognisable contemporary artists to have emerged from Benin. His country's rich history is a key influence in his work, and many of his paintings have a surreal quality - loose figures seem to swim or are in conflict on the canvas. |
| Domitien Ndayizeye | b. 2 May 1951, Murango, Kayanza Province, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi Domitien Ndayizeye was the 8th President of Burundi (30 April 2003 - 26 August 2005), succeeding after serving as Vice-President (1 November 2001 - 30 April 2003) under Pierre Buyoya's presidency. He has worked alongside other presidents in the region to try and build links and a better relationship between the Hutu and Tutsi people. After his presidency he was arrested in 2006 on charges that he was part of an alleged coup plot, losing his immunity as a Senator. He was acquitted in 2007. He ran once more for presidency in 2010 but withdrew. |
| Domtila Chesang | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Domitila Chesang is a Kenyan woman who has become a figurehead in the campaign against female genital mutation. She has spoken out about the subject at the United Nations and has been honoured by the British monarchy for her work in the area. |
| Dora Akunyili | b. 14 July 1954, Markurdi, Benue State, Nigeria, d. 7 June 2014, India Dora Akunyili was a well-respected figure in Nigerian governance and commerce as the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and also the Nigerian Minister of Information and Communications. She is known for her fight against fake pharmaceuticals and food which was rife prior to her term. She won many awards, including a TIME magazine award. |
| Dorcus Inzikuru | b. 2 February 1982, Vurra, Arua District, Uganda Dorcus Inzikuru, sometimes spelt Docus, is an international athlete from Uganda. She has represented Uganda in both the World Championships, where she won Gold for her 3000m steeplechase and the Commonwealth Games in 2006, where she also won the Gold in the 300m steeplechase. |
| Dorothy Kashaija | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Dorothy Kashaija was an attendee and founding member at the first ever Pan-African Women's Organization (PAWO) in 1962 held in Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania. |
| Dorothy Masuka | b. 3 September 1935, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Dorothy Masuka is a South African jazz singer having come to acclaim by the time she was 16. She has sung for a number of high-profile people, including a song about Patrice Lumumba which led to her exile. |
| Dorothy Musuleng-Cooper | b. 2 April 1928, Johannesburg, South Africa, d. 30 June 2009, Monrovia, Liberia Dorothy Musuleng-Cooper was a Liberian politician who was often known as 'D-Mus'. She became the first woman to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Liberia. Prior to this was involved in the guerrilla movement of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia. |
| Dorothy Nyembe | b. 31 December 1931, Dundee, Natal Province, present-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, d. 17 December 1998, Umlazi, South Africa Dorothy Nyembe was a South African politician and activist. She was heavily involved in the anti-Apartheid movement and was often under banning orders or in prison during her life. Later on, she was elected to the National Assembly and won numerous prizes, specifically from the Soviet Union. |
| Dorothy Shanley | b. 1920, Place unknown, d.4 April 2001, Place unknown Dorothy Shanley was a South African activist who was held, along with a number of other women and her husband, in prison following the Treason Trial against the Apartheid regime. |
| Driss Chraïbi | b. 15 July 1926, El Jadida, Morocco, d. 1 April 2007, Crest, France Driss Chraïbi is a Moroccan novelist. His notable works include Butts (1955) and Inspector Ali (1991). He also wrote two children's books. |
| Driss El Khoury | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Driss El Khoury is an acclaimed novelist whose work often presents a strong depiction of everyday Moroccan life in urban settings. His novels include Beginnings (1980) and City of Dirt (1988). |
| Driss Jetou | b. 24 May 1945, El Jadida, French protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco Driss Jettou was the 13th Prime Minister of Morocco (9 October 2002 - 19 September 2007), a seasoned businessman he was able to lead the Moroccan coalition government to a ground-breaking free trade agreement with the United States. |
| Driss Ouadahi | b. 1959, Casablanca, Morocco Driss Ouadahi is a Moroccan artist whose work is of large-scale landscapes looking at the urban landscape with many of the elements of humanity removed. |
| Dulcie September | b. 20 August 1935, Athlone, South Africa, d. 29 March 1988, Paris, France Dulcie September was an outspoken opponent of the Apartheid system in South Africa, joining the African National Congress in 1976. She had been investigating arms trafficking when an assailant shot her five times from behind, killing her instantly, in 1988. |
| Dumile Feni | b. 21 May 1942, Worcester, South Africa, d. 1991, New York, United States of America Dumile Feni was a South African contemporary visual artist known for both his drawings, paintings and sculptures which often depicted the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa. |
E
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| E. C. Osondu | b. Date and year unknown, Nigeria E. C. Osondu is a Nigerian short story writer. One of his stories, Waiting won the 2009 Caine Prize for African Writing. His debut anthology Voices of America was published in 2010. |
| Ebrahim Hussein | b. 1943, Tanzania Ebrahim Hussein is a writer and playwright from Tanzania. His first play Kinjeketile (1969) was written in Swahili and is regarded as a landmark of Tanzanian theatre. It soon became part of the school curriculum. Other plays include Mashetani (1971) and Arusi (1980). |
| Eddah Gachukia | b. 13 July 1936, Kenya Eddah Gachukia is a Kenyan entrepreneur and educator who co-founded a renowned group of schools called the Riara Group of Schools. She is also on the board for a number of businesses and organisations, including Kenya Airways. |
| Eddie Kadi | b. 18 May 1983, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Eddie Kadi is a comedian and actor. He also served as a presenter on BBC 1Xtra, in addition to being a voiceover in the animated TV series Tinga Tinga Tales. |
| Edgar Lungu | b. 11 November 1956, Ndola, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia Edgar Lungu is the 6th President of Zambia (25 January 2015 - present) and appointed Zambia's first ever female vice-president, Inonge Wina. He also changed death sentences of inmates to life imprisonments and spoken out against overcrowding in Zambia's prisons. |
| Edgard Naccache | b. 15 December 1917, Tunis, Tunisia d. 27 March 2006, Paris, France Edgard Naccache was a Tunisian painter. Self-taught, he was inspired by the fertile imagination of childhood. His work was frequently displayed in arts magazines and exhibitions. |
| Edi Gathegi | b. 10 March 1979, Nairobi, Kenya Edi Gathegi is an actor who has appeared in television series including House, Family Tools and The Blacklist, and films such as Twilight and X-Men: First Class. |
| Edigold Monday | b. 1962, Uganda Edigold Monday comes from Uganda and is a well-known and respected businesswoman in the in the financial industry. She has held roles as the managing director for The Bank of Africa (Uganda) and also the role of CEO at the Crane Bank Rwanda. She is the first Ugandan woman to hold these roles. |
| Edith Lucie Bongo | b. 10 March 1964, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, d. 14 March 2009, Rabat, Morocco Edith Lucie Bongo was the First Lady of Gabon. Married to Omar Bongo she used her position, both politically and in her role as a doctor, to work with sufferers and the families of those affected by HIV/AIDS. |
| Edna Mgabaza | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Edna Mgabaza is a South African nurse, member of ANC in exile, founding member of the Pan-African Women's Organization. |
| Eduardo Mondlane | b. 20 June 1920, Nwajahani, Mandlakazi, Mozambique, d. 3 February 1969, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Eduardo Mondlane was the founding President of the Mozambican Liberation Front (FRELIMO) from 1962-1969. In addition to his political career, he was a respected academic, having attended educational establishments such as Oberlin, Northwester and Harvard. |
| Edward Akufo-Addo | b. 26 June 1906, Dodowa, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 17 July 1979, Accra, Ghana Edward Akufo-Addo was the 2nd President of Ghana (31 August 1970 - 13 January 1972) when he was deposed by a coup d'état on 13 January 1972. He was also a practicing lawyer and had been called to the Bar in the UK, as well as running his own private practice in Accra. |
| Edward James Roye | b. 3 February 1815, Newark, Ohio, United States, d. 11 February 1872, Liberia Edward James Royce was the 5th President of Liberia (3 January 1870 - 26 October 1871) and was also the first one to be overthrown. His death is shrouded in mystery with many believing he was assassinated and others that he drowned following an escape from prison. He had tried to extend his term in direct conflict with the constitution. |
| Edward Lekganyane | b. 1922, Place Unknown, d. 21 October 1967, Place Unknown Edward Lekganyane, popularly known as 'King Eddy,' was head of the Zion Christian Church. His charismatic sermons saw the membership rise to some 600,000 worshippers. He became one of the wealthiest individuals in Apartheid-era South Africa. |
| Edward Makuka Nkoloso | b. 1919, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia, d. 4 March 1989, Place Unknown Edward Makuka Nkoloso was a member of Zambia's resistance movement to colonial rule. He later founded the Zambia National Academy of Science, Space Research and Philosophy. |
| Edward Saidi Tingatinga | b. 1932, Namochelia, Tanzania, d. 1972, Tanzania Edward Saidi Tingatinga was an artist from rural Tanzania whose paintings made the most of available materials, sometimes recycled. He frequently used iconic African images, such as wildlife or savannah landscapes. |
| Edwin Barclay | b. 5 January 1882, Liberia, d. 6 November 1955, Liberia Edwin Barclay was the nephew of Arthur Barclay and followed in his footsteps by taking the role of 18th President of Liberia (3 December 1930 - 3 January 1944). Under his presidency he became an ally of the Unites States during World War II. |
| Efua Dorkenoo | b. 6 September 1949, Cape Coast, Ghana, d. 18 October 2014, London, United Kingdom Efua Dorkenoo, affectionately nicknamed 'Mama Efua', was a tireless campaigner against female genital mutilation, working on this issue globally for over 30 years. |
| Efua T. Sutherland | b. 27 June 1924, Cape Coast, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 2 January 1996, Accra, Ghana Efua T. Sutherland was a celebrated Ghanaian playwright, director, children's author, poet and Pan-African cultural activist who founded the Drama Studio in Accra and established the literary magazine Okyeame. An internationally renowned pioneer dramatist, she is best known for Foriwa, Edufa and The Marriage of Anansewa. |
| Ekila Liyonda | b. 16 October 1948, Leopoldville, present-day Kinshasa, Zaire, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo, d. 23 June 2006, Brussels, Belgium Ekila Liyonda was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zaire, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo, and ambassador to Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. She was the country's first female Foreign Minister. |
| El Anatsui | b. 1944, Anyako, Ghana El Anatsui is a Ghanaian contemporary artist who uses recycled materials to create large scale sculptures and assemblages to discuss consumption, cultural identity and impacts of colonialism. He received the Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2015 Venice Bienmale. |
| El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed | b. 1948, Place unknown, d. 9 June 1976, Inchiri Region, Mauritania El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed was the 1st President of the Sahrawi Republic (29 February 1976 - 9 June 1976). He was killed on the 9 June 1976 after getting shrapnel in the head. |
| Ela Gandhi | b. 1 July 1940, Durban, South Africa Ela Gandhi is a South African politician and activist for child and family welfare. The granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, she has dedicated her life and won numerous awards for her work in areas such as preventing domestic violence and the spread of peace. |
| Elgas | b. 1988, Saint-Louis, Senegal Elgas is a journalist and doctoral student at the University of Caen in Normandy. He grew up in Ziguinchor and was a Graduate of communication and political science. His research focuses on donation in Africa. In his writings, he strives to describe Africa without makeup and without complacency. |
| Elias Sime | b. 1968, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Elias Sime is an Ethiopian artist who creates intricate works, on a giant scale, using repurposed items such as circuit boards, wire and more. His work is a commentary on the waste that is left behind in Ethiopia by other cultures. |
| Elie Rajaonarison | b. 15 November 1951, Ambatondrazaka, Madagascar, d. 27 November 2010, Antananarivo, Madagascar Elie Rajaonarison was a prolific poet and a strong advocate for traditional Malagasy culture and the arts. In the 1990s he served as Secretary General to the Minister of Culture under President Albert Zafy |
| Elikia M'Bokolo | b. 23 December 1944, Leopoldville, present-day Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Elikia M'Bokolo is a Congolese historian specialising in the social, political and intellectual history of Africa. He has published numerous educational tracts and was awarded Knight of the Legion of Honor in 2012. |
| Elisabeth Domitien | b. 1925, Lobaye, Central African Republic, d. 26 April 2005, Place unknown Elisabeth Domitien was the Central African Republic's Prime Minister from 1975-76, the first and only woman to hold the office. |
| Élise Atangana | b. Date and year unknown Cameroon Élise Atangana is an independent curator and producer from Cameron. She is particularly interested in how physical and virtual mobility, including the movement of people, ideas and objects, affect daily lives. |
| Eliud Kipchoge | b. 5 November 1984, Kapsisiywa, Kenya Eliud Kipchoge is a Kenyan long-distance runner and 2016 Olympic gold medallist in the marathon. In 2017 he was a part of the Nike Breaking2 project and ran a 2:00:25 marathon on the Monza racetrack in Italy. |
| Elizabeth Abrahams | b. 19 September 1925, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa, d. 17 December 2008, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa Elizabeth Abrahams, also known as 'Nanna', was a trade unionist from South Africa. She rose through the ranks with people being banned from activism during Apartheid. She continuously involved herself in politics, even going so far as to being arrested and imprisoned on a number of occasions. She released a biography called Married to the Struggle. |
| Elizabeth Adekogbe | b. 1919, Ijebu-Ife, Southern Nigeria, present-day Nigeria, d. 1968, Ibadan, Nigeria Elizabeth Adekogbe was a politician and leader of the Women's Movement of Nigeria, a pressure group that changed its name to the National Council of Women Societies in 1954 and was a leading women's coalition in Nigeria. |
| Elizabeth Mafekeng | b. 18 September 1918, Tarkastad, Eastern Cape, South Africa, d. 28 May 2009, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa Elizabeth Mafekeng joined the trade union 1941, became a shop steward and then served, between 1954 and 1959 "as President of the African Food and Canning Workers Union (AFCWU) and branch secretary in Paarl." Mafekeng was known as 'Rocky' among the workers in Paarl. A striking woman, she always began "her speeches with a song or two, singing in a clear, rich and well-organised voice." Her speeches were "fiery, militant and witty." In order "to connect the workers" struggle for liberation to their struggle for better working conditions, she joined the Paarl branch of the African National Congress (ANC). |
| Elizabeth Maria Molteno | b. 24 September 1852, Beaufort West, Cape Colony, present-day South Africa, d. 25 August 1927, Trevone, Cornwall, United Kingdom Elizabeth Maria Molteno was a political activist who spoke out against the Boer War and was a founding member of the South Africa Conciliation Committee and organised many mass meetings to protest against the war. She was friends with many influential people such as Mahatma Gandhi and Emily Hobhouse and became a follower of the suffragette movement when she moved to the United Kingdom. |
| Elizabeth Mpagi Bahigeine | b. 1942, Uganda Protectorate, present-day Uganda Elizabeth Mpagi Bahigeine, sometimes known as Alice, was the Deputy Chief Justice of Uganda up until she retired in 2012 at age 70. She oversaw numerous proceedings, both as a lawyer and a judge, in her legal career including the dismissal of treason charges against Kizza Besigye and other accused individuals. |
| Elizabeth Muwanga | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Elizabeth Muwanga changed history when she became the first female police officer in Uganda in 1980. She has worked her way up and was instrumental in female only desks for victims of rape and abuse, increasing the number of female police officers within the force. |
| Ellen Hellmann | b. 25 August 1908, Johannesburg, South Africa, d. 6 November 1982, Johannesburg, South Africa Ellen Hellmann was a South African social anthropologist and social historian. She is credited with her work of documenting the conditions of the populous in inner-city areas, particularly within the black population. |
| Ellen Johnson Sirleaf | b. 29 October 1938, Monrovia, Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first elected female President of Liberia (16 January 2006 - 22 January 2018) as well as being the first elected female head of state in Africa. She has won many awards including the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. |
| Ellen Kuzwayo | b. 29 June 1914, Orange Free State, South Africa, d. 19 April 2006, Soweto, South Africa Ellen Kuzwato was a politician and political activist who served on the first post-Apartheid South African Parliament. She has written a number of books including her autobiography, Call Me Woman. |
| Elsa Joubert | b. 19 October 1922, Paarl, Western Cape Elsa Joubert is a Sestigers Afrikaans-language writer. She rose to prominence with her novel Die swerfjare van Poppie Nongena, which was translated into 13 languages. |
| Ely Ould Mohamed Vall | b. 1953, Nouakchott, French Mauritania, present-day Mauritania, d. 5 May 2017, Zouérat, Tiris Zemmour Region, Mauritania Ely Ould Mohamed Vall took the role as transitional leader of Mauritania as the Chairman of the Military Council for Justice and Democracy (3 August 2005 - 19 April 2007) following a military coup. He handed over power to a newly elected government in 2007. |
| Emad Moteab | b. 20 February 1983, Sharqia, Egypt Emad Moteab is a striker who has been capped over 70 times by Egypt. His formidable three-way attack formation with Mohamed Aboutrika and Mohamed Barakat at Al-Ahly is nicknamed the 'Bermuda Triangle'. |
| Emeka Okereke | b. 1980, Nigeria Emeka Okereke is a Nigerian visual artist and writer who lives and works between Lagos and Berlin. He has exhibited at arts festivals around the world. He employs photography, video, poetry and performative interventions in the exploration of the central theme of borders. |
| Émile Derlin Zinsou | b. 23 March 1918, Ouidah, Dahomey, present-day Benin, d. 28 July 2016, Cotonou, Benin Émile Derlin Zinsou was a politician and President of Dahomey, (17 July 1968 - 10 December 1969) present-day Benin, having been handed the position following Alphonse Alley's handover after an electoral boycott. Émile Derlin Zinsou then launched a number of charges against his predecessor, one of which caused another coup for his behaviour. His chief of staff, Maurice Kouandété, deposed him. |
| Emir Abd el-Kader | b. 6 September 1808, Guetna, Algeria, d. 26 May 1883, Damascus, Syria Emir Abd el-Kader led Algeria's struggle against French invasion in the 19th century. He was an Islamic scholar who inadvertently found himself spearheading a military campaign against the colonists. |
| Emma Mashinini | b. 21 August 1929, Rosettenville, Johannesburg, South Africa, d. 10 July 2017, Johannesburg, South Africa Emma Mashinini was a political figure and trade unionist in South Africa. She was arrested under the Terrorism Act and was held in solitary confinement and had her basic human rights removed. Her work highlighted and pushed forward not just trade unionists, but female unionists. |
| Emmanuel Amuneke | b. 25 December 1970, Eziobodo, Nigeria Emmanuel Amunike played as a left-winger for various clubs during his senior career in the 1990s, including Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona. Although his time was blighted with injuries, he did represent his country at the 1994 World Cup in the USA. |
| Emmanuel Bodjollé | b. 1928, Place unknown Emmanuel Bodjollé was part of the coup that overthrew the government of Sylvanus Olympio. As Chairman of the Insurrection Committee he, alongside eight others, were responsible for the murder of the president and installing Nicolas Grunitzky as the new leader of Togo. |
| Emmanuel Dongola | b. 1941, Republic of the Congo Emmanuel Dongala was Dean of Marien Ngouabi University in Brazzaville when war erupted in the Republic of Congo in 1997. He has also penned award-winning novels, including Johnny Mad Dog (2002), about child soldiers, that was adapted for a film, and Little Boys Come from the Stars. |
| Emmanuel Iduma | b. 1989, Nigeria Emmanuel Iduma is a respected Nigerian writer. He studied law before embarking on a literary career. His first novel Farad was published in 2012 and reproduced in the USA as The Sound of Things to Come. |
| Emmanuel Issoze-Ngondet | b. 2 April 1961, Makokou, Gabon Emmanuel Issoze-Ngondet is the current Prime Minister of Gabon (29 September 2016 - present). Before he assumed his role in Gabonese government, he had undertaken a career as a diplomat and was the Gabon's Permanent Representative to the United Nations for a period. |
| Emmanuel Jal | b. 1 January 1980, Tonj, Sudan, present-day South Sudan Emmanuel Jal was young when the Sudanese civil war broke out. He channelled his experiences into music, releasing albums mixing hip hop and African beats. His third album War Child featured a stellar line-up including Will Smith, Amy Winehouse and Eddy Grant. |
| Emmanuel Nadingar | b. 1951, Bebidja, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Emmanuel Nadingar served as the Prime Minister of Chad (5 March 2010 - 21 January 2013) and has often worked in the area of defence, holding the post of Minister of Defence, Veterans, and War Victims and speaking out about concerns with military unrest. His political part was the Patriotic Salvation Movement. |
| Emmerson Mnangagwa | b. 15 September 1942, Shabani, Southern Rhodesia, present- day Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa, known as 'The Crocodile', is the 3rd President of Zimbabwe. He was a guerrilla fighter in the Zimbabwe War of Independence, coming from Zambia where his parents had fled against persecution. After being sworn in as the new incumbent he has opened up to speak to the west again and inviting the UN, EU and Commonwealth to monitor the upcoming 2018 election. He has also expressed an interest in Zimbabwe re-joining the Commonwealth. |
| Emo de Medeiros | b. Date and year unknown, Benin Emo de Medeiros in known for his practice of orchestrating participatory experiences comprised of digital imaging, video, Near Field Communication, music, performance and installation. He has exhibited across the world. |
| Emperpor Menelik II | b. 17 August 1844, Angolalla, Shewa, present-day Ethiopia, d. 12 December 1913, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Emperpor Menelik II was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1889 until his death in 1913. He is particularly renown for leading an army against the Italians in the First Italo-Ethiopian War. |
| Empress Menen Asfaw | b. 25 March 1889, Wollo, present-day Amhara region, Ethiopia, d. 15 February 1962, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Empress Menen Asfaw, also known as Menen II, was the Empress of Ethiopia. Married to Haile Selassie, she was born into the nobility and was married twice before she wed Haile Selassie, though this often not reported. She used her position - both before and after the war - to found schools and children's homes. |
| Empress Taytu Betul | b. 1851, Semien, present-day Semien Gondar Zone, Ethiopia, d. 11 February 1918, Entoto, Shewa, present-day Ethiopia Empress Taytu Betul was a formidable queen and empress of Ethiopia. An astute diplomat, she proved to be a key figure in thwarting Italian imperialist designs on Ethiopia. Later, she and her husband Emperor Menelik II triumphed at the Battle of Adwa in 1896, the most significant victory of any African army battling European colonialism. |
| Empress Zewditu | b. 29 April 1876, Werreyimenu, Wollo, present-day Amhara region, Ethiopia, d. 2 April 1930, Place unknown Empress Zewditu was the Empress of Ethiopia, the final in her line of the House of Solomon before it was passed to Haile Selassie. Her official title given was 'Queen of Kings' and although in power at first, she was not allowed to exercise her regent powers and eventually handed the crown to her cousin. |
| Engelbert Mveng | b. 9 May 1930, Ebolowa, French Cameroun, present-day Cameroon, d. 23 April 1995, Yaoundé, Cameroon Engelbert Mveng was a Jesuit priest and writer on numerous subjects from Cameroon. He wrote a lot on the arts, theology and anthropology, as well as writing a number of articles and essays. He was murdered and it remains unsolved. |
| Engrácia dos Santos | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Engrácia dos Santos was one of five Angolan heroines who founded OMA in 1962. OMA was the largest political organisation in the MPLA (The peoples Movement for the Liberation of Angola) that works on mobilising, raising and educating women since the beginning of the national liberation struggle. |
| Ephraim Amu | b. 13 September 1899, Peki-Avetile, Gold Coast, d. 2 January 1995, Ghana Ephraim Amu was famous preacher and ethnomusicologist who composed patriotic songs, especially the Ashanti region of South Ghana's national anthem Yɛn Ara Asaase Ni (This is Our Native Land). |
| Eric Wainaina | b. 28 August 1973, Nairobi, Kenya Eric Wainaina is a singer and songwriter. He is a two-time Kora Award winner and was also appointed Ambassador for the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights for his commitment to fighting the abuses to justice through music. |
| Ernest Bai Koroma | b. 2 October 1953, Makeni, British Sierra Leone, present-day Sierra Leone Ernest Bai Koroma has held the post of President of Sierra Leone (17 September 2007 - present) since winning the 2007 election. There have been accusations of police brutality during his presidency and there have been a number of incidents of violence during elections. |
| Ernest Dükü | b. 1958, Bouake, Côte d'Ivoire Ernest Dükü is an artist who lives and works in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire and Paris, France. Although he started as an architect he moved to his preferred media of painting and sculpture. |
| Ernest Shonekan | b. 9 May 1936, Lagos, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria Ernest Shonekan has held both the office of President of Nigeria (26 August 1993 - 17 November 1993) and Prime Minister of Nigeria (4 January 1993 - 26 August 1993), having been made head of the transitional government. Tensions in the country were high at the time and he struggled to control the military which, after only three months, led to a military coup that overthrew him. |
| Ernesto Shikhani | b. 1934, Muvesha, Portuguese Mozambique, present-day Mozambique, d. 2010, Maputo, Mozambique Ernesto Shikhani was an artist from Mozambique. His work, often in primary colours, is filled with curious figures that resemble monsters. He also occasionally worked in sculpture and is revered as a founder of contemporary African art. |
| Es'kia Mphahlele | b. 17 December 1919, Pretoria, South Africa, d. 28 October 2008, Limpopo, South Africa Es'kida Mphahlele was a South African writer who wrote about and developed the concept of African humanism. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature for his work. He wrote books such as The African Image and Father Come Home, as well as his autobiographies Es'kia and Es'kia Continued. |
| Essam El-Hadary | b. 15 January 1973, Damietta, Egypt Essam El-Hadary is a goalkeeper who currently plays for Saudi professional side Al-Taawoun, as well as the Egyptian national team for whom he has received 156 caps. |
| Esteri Tebandeke | b. 16 May 1984, Kampala, Uganda Esteri Tebandeke is a Ugandan theatre and film actress. Her theatrical performances include Cooking Oil and Maria Kizito. Her film performances include Her Broken Shadow and Queen of Katwe. |
| Esther Franks | b. Date and year unknown, Zürich, Switzerland, d. 22 June 1972, Pretoria, South Africa Esther Franks was the first female ophthalmic surgeon in South Africa and is remembered for her pioneering work into blindness and its causes. She was named The Star Woman of the Year for her work with the black communities in rural areas. |
| Esther Kalenzi | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Esther Kalenzi is a Ugandan philanthropist and activist who has set up a charity to help orphans and disadvantaged children of Uganda. The charity 40 - 40 provides living accommodation and education to improve the lives and continue development in Uganda. |
| Esther Phiri | b. 14 June 1987, Zambia Esther Phiri is a Zambian boxer who became the world champion after defeating Beinda Laracuente of Puerto Rico. She has revolutionized female boxing in her home country. |
| Etta Wright | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Etta Wright was a Liberian politician, Secretary of Defence, founding member of the Pan-African Women's Organization. She served as assistant secretary minister of defence from 1946 to 1956. |
| Eugène Ébodé | b. 11 January 1972, Douala, Cameroon Eugène Ébodé is the recipient of various awards, including Knight in the Order of the Value of the Republic of Cameroon, he is a prolific writer from Cameroon. He received the Prix Eve Delacroix for his novel Silikani in 2007. |
| Euphrase Kezilahabi | b. 13 April 1944, Ukerewe, Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania Euphrase Kezilahabi is a novelist and poet from Tanzania. A writer in Swahili, he has delivered talks on subjects such as 'The Concept of the Hero in African Fiction.' His works include Rosa Mistika (1988) and Mzingile (1991). |
| Eva Habil | b. 1955, Komboha, Egypt Eva Habil is an Egyptian lawyer who holds the title as the first female mayor of Egypt. When she ran for office, she successfully defeated give other male candidates, including her own brother. |
| Evaristo Carvalho | b. 22 October 1941, Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe, present-day São Tomé and Príncipe Evaristo Carvalho is the 7th President (3 September 2016 - present) of São Tomé and Príncipe, and previously held the role of Prime Minister of the country twice (7 July 1994 - 25 October 1994 and 26 September 2001 - 28 March 2002). His election was well revered around the world as an example of democracy in action. |
| Evelyn Mansa Amarteifio | b. Date and year unknown, Accra, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 6 July 1997, Accra, Ghana Evelyn Mansa Amarteifio was known for her remarkable organisational skills and helped to establish the first national scale women's organisation in Ghana, the National Federation of Gold Coast Women (which later became the Ghana Assembly of Women). |
| Evodia Njah | b. Date and year unknown, Cameroon Evodia Njah is a Cameroonian Sightsavers volunteer who takes a census of her village to create the right numbers of treatments in the prevention of River Blindness. |
| Eyo Ita | b. 1903, Creek Town, Nigeria, d. 1972, Calabar, Nigeria Eyo Ita was a respected politician and educator that was responsible for founding the Nigerian Youth Movement. The movement is often credited as being the catalyst for Nigerian independence from British rule. |
| Ezzaki Badou | b. 2 April 1959, Sidi Kacem, Morocco Ezzaki Badou, also known as Zaki, is a retired Moroccan footballer and current football club manager. He played for the national team of Morocco and played from 1976 to 1993, when he became manager for FUS Rabat. |
F
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Faarax M. J. Cawl | b. 1937, Las Khorey, Somalia, d. 1991, Beledweyne, Somalia Faarax M.J. Cawl is the penname of Farah M. J. Awl, a Somali writer whose work was renowned for its vivid descriptions of Somali flora and fauna. He was the first novelist from his country to write in the nascent Latin script for the Somali language after this was formed in 1972. |
| Fabrice Monteiro | b. 1972, Belgium Fabrice Monteiro is a Belgian-Beninese visual artist, based in Senegal, who has visited some of the most polluted places in Africa and created images of a terrifying nature to highlight the plight of pollution in the modern day. |
| Fadhy Mtanga | b. 14 November 1981, Place Unknown Fadhy Mtanga is a Tanzanian creative writer, blogger, photographer, designer and social worker. His first Swahili novel, Huba, was published in 2014, followed by Fungate in 2017. |
| Fadika Kramo-Lanciné | b. 1948, Côte d'Ivoire Fadika Kramo-Lanciné is an Ivoirian film director, known for his movie Wariko, The Jackpot, a satire about a policeman who loses his lottery ticket. |
| Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon | b. 10 January 1994, Bomet, Kenya Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon is a track and field athlete who won a gold medal for Kenya in the 2016 Olympics with a world record time in the 1500 m of 3:56:41. |
| Faith Mwondha | b. 16 March 1964, Uganda Faith Mwondha is a Ugandan lawyer and judge. She founded a law firm, Mwondha & Co. Advocates and has held roles such as Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda and Inspector General of Government (IGG). |
| Falaba Issa Traoré | b. 1930, Bougouni, Mali, d. 8 August 2003, Rabat, Morocco Falaba Issa Traoré was a Malian writer, comedian and film director. From 1969 to 1973 he directed the Yankidi troupe for folklore and the dramatic arts. He studied cinema direction in Germany in 1973, returning to his native country in 1976 to direct the cinema division of the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture. As a comedian he has starred in various Malian films, as well as directing First Gleam of Hope in 1979. He was awarded the prix Afrique de Poésie de la Francophonie in 1972. |
| Fally Ipupa | b. 14 December 1977, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Fally Ipupa is a Congolese singer and songwriter. He was conductor of the orchestra for the Quartier Latin International. As a solo artist, he won two MTV African Music Awards and a 2013 Trace Award for Best African Artist. |
| Fanta Régina Nacro | b. 4 September 1962, Burkina Faso Fanta Régina Nacro is a film director from Burkina Faso. Her films Night of Truth (2004) and Some Morning (1991) drew her international attention. She is the first woman from her country to direct a feature film and is a founding member of the African Guild of Directors and Producers. |
| Faraji H. H. Katalambulla | b. 1942, Tanzania Faraji H. H. Katalambulla is a Tanzanian writer. Among his work is Simu ya Kifo (Death Call), a crime thriller. He was at the forefront of the resurgence of writing in Swahili in Tanzania after the mid-1960s. |
| Farhat Hached | b. 2 February 1914, El Abassia, Kerkennah Islands, Tunisia, d. 5 December 1952, near Radès, Tunisia Farhat Hached was a figurehead at the forefront of the Tunisia trade unions. He was unanimously elected as the first General Secretary of the UGTT, then later when tensions rose, he was considered the head of anti-colonial resistance. His assassination has often been attributed to 'La Main Rouge' terrorist organisation allegedly operated by the French government. |
| Fatima Hamroush | b. 14 February 1959, Benghazi, Libya Fatima Hamroush is a Libyan politician and doctor of ophthalmology. She openly opposed the Gaddafi regime and lived in Ireland from 1996. Following the 2011 revolution that deposed Gaddafi she raised the Libyan flag in Dublin city centre and, for a short time, was Minister for Health. |
| Fatima Meer | b. 12 August 1928, Durban, South Africa, d. 12 March 2010, Durban, South Africa Fatima Meer was a political activist, author and academic from South Africa. She organised night vigils and avoided an assassination attempt. She wrote numerous books, screenplays and also articles on human women's rights. She appeared on the Top 100 Great South Africans list. |
| Fatima Seedat | b. 14 October 1922, Cape Town, South Africa, d. 2003, Durban, South Africa Fatima Seedat was a member of the Communist Part of South Africa and was actively involved in the resistance against the Apartheid segregation laws. She was arrested following the passive resistance in Durban and the arrested again and sentenced to hard labour. She was involved in the 1956 Women's March. |
| Fatima Siad | b. 17 December 1986, Mogadishu, Somalia Fatima Siad experienced a traumatic childhood, suffering genital mutilation and the loss of her two sisters to Somali soldiers during the country's civil war. Her photoshoots have appeared across the globe, including Vogue, Cosmo Girl and Harper's Bazaar. |
| Fátima Veiga | b. 22 June 1957, Mindelo, Cape Verde Fátima Veiga was the foreign minister of Cape Verde from 2002-2004. She was the first female in Cape Verde's history to hold this role in office. |
| Fatimata M'Baye | b. 1957, Mauretania, present-day Algeria Fatimata M'Baye was forcibly married to a 45-year-old man at age 12 but fought for the right to attend school. After the association's report on the widespread use of slavery in Mauretania was aired on French TV, she was sentenced to 13 months in prison. |
| Fatou Bensouda | b. 31 January 1961, Banjul, Gambia Fatou Bensouda, originally from Gambia, has been the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor since 2012. A recipient of numerous awards, including 'African of the Year,' her career began with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, investigating crimes against humanity committed during Rwanda's 1994 genocide. |
| Fatou Diome | b. 1968, Niodior, Senegal Fatou Diome is a Senegalese writer best known for her 2001 novel The Belly of the Atlantic. Her work is inspired by the African migrant experience in France, and the relationship between France and the nations it once colonised. |
| Fatou Kandé Senghor | b. 9 January 1971, Dakar, Senegal Fatou Kandé Senghor is a multidisciplinary artist, photographer and filmmaker. Between 1998 and 2000 she was responsible for the visual and print monitoring, the content of the site and the publication of documents and project assistant for the cultural program at the Gorée Institute. |
| Fatou Keïta | b. 1965, Soubré, Côte d'Ivoire Fatou Keïta is an Ivorian writer of children's books and novels, having studied in the USA and England. She has won awards for her writing for children. Her debut novel Rebelle (1998) deals with female genital cutting. |
| Fatoumata Diabaté | b. 19 September 1980, Bamako, Mali Fatoumata Diabaté is Malian photographer. She has reported for World Press Photo, Oxfam, Rolex and was awarded the 2005 Afrique en Créations prize from the Institut Français for her work Tuareg. |
| Fatoumata Diawara | b. 1982, Côte d'Ivoire Fatoumata Diawara is a Malian musician, currently living in France. She has recorded with some iconic performers from Mali, such as Cheick Tidiane Seck and Oumou Sangare, as well as acclaimed American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater. |
| Faure Gnassingbé | b. 6 June 1966, Afagnan, Togo Faure Gnassingbé is the 4th President of Togo (4 May 2005 - present), he was sworn into office following the death of his father but was made to resign and then was re-elected on the 24 April 2005. He previously held the role of Minister of Equipment, Mines, Posts and Telecommunications and was his father's financial advisor. |
| Faustin Linyekula | b. 27 February 1974, Ubundu, Zaire, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo Faustin Linyekula is a dancer and choreographer of contemporary dance from present-day Democratic Republic of Congo. His works are structured along the lines of the dance form Ndombolo and its associated music and address "the legacy of decades of war, terror, fear and the collapse of the economy for himself, his family and his friends." |
| Faustin-Archange Touadéra | b. 21 April 1957, Bangui, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadéra is the 8th President of the Central African Republic (30 March 2016 - present) and prior to that held the role of Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (22 January 2008 - 17 January 2013). After he started his presidency, France removed their military intervention meaning he had to immediately replace and deal with security in the country's cities. |
| Fawzi Mellah | b. 1946, Damascus, Syria Fawzi Mellah is a writer and journalist born in Syria of Tunisian nationality. His novels include Elissa, la reine vagabonde and plays such as Néron ou les oiseaux. |
| Fayez al-Sarraj | b. 20 February 1960, Tripoli, Libya Fayez al-Sarraj is the current Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya (30 March 2016 - present) and is the son of someone considered to be one of the founders of modern Libya. Under his leadership Libya has struggled, with factions still apparent and the citizens struggling with internal inflation, corruption and smuggling. |
| Fela Kuti | b. 15 October 1938 Abeokuta, Nigeria, d. 2 August 1997, Lagos, Nigeria Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician, composer, activist and pioneer of the Afrobeat music genre. |
| Felix A. Chami | b. 1958, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania Felix Chami is a Tanzanian archaeologist who discovered artefacts that revealed ancient East African civilizations' integral involvement within the Indian Ocean trade. |
| Félix Couchoro | b. 30 January 1900, Ouidah, Dahomey, present-day Benin, d. 5 April 1968, Lomé, Togo Félix Couchoro was a writer, from present-day Benin, whose early work saw him brush with the law. He published serialised books in the newspaper Togo-Presse, beginning with Amour de féticheuse in 1941. |
| Félix Houphouët-Boigny | b. 18 October 1905, Yamoussoukro, French Côte d'Ivoire, present-day Côte d'Ivoire, d. 7 December 1993, Côte d'Ivoire Félix Houphouët-Boigny, also known as Papa Houphouët, was the 1st President of Côte d'Ivoire (3 November 1960 - 7 December 1993) and served for over 30 years, until his death. The country built close ties with France (he coined the term Françafrique but in a positive sense), who had previously colonised the country, and the country prospered financially. |
| Félix Malloum | b. 10 September 1932, Fort Archambault, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad, d. 12 June 2009, Paris, France, Félix Malloum was the 3rd President of Chad (15 April 1975 - 23 March 1979). He had previously been in prison on charges of conspiring against the then president, François Tombalbaye, but was released when there was a coup d'état against the government. In addition, he served as Prime Minister of Chad (15 April 1975 - 29 August 1978). He was forced to resign after he was unable to smooth over clashes with rebels from the north and went into exile. |
| Felix Mnthali | b. 1933, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe Felix Mnthali is a Malawian writer educated at the National University of Lesotho. His works include a book of poetry, When Sunset Comes to Sapitwa (1980), and a novel, My Dear Anniversary (1992). |
| Felwine Sarr | b. 11 September 1972, Sine Saloum, Senegal Felwine Sarr is a Senegalese writer and economics professor who has been awarded the Grand Prix of Literary Associations 2016 (Research Category) for his work Afrotopia. His novels include Dahij (2009). |
| Femi Kuti | b. 16 June 1962, London, United Kingdom Femi Kuti was born in London and raised in Lagos, the eldest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, and a grandchild of political campaigner Funmilayo Ransome Kuti. Keen to crossover different genres, he toured with rock band Jane's Addiction. |
| Femi Osofisan | b. 16 June 1946, Ogun State, Nigeria, Femi Osofisan is a Nigerian writer noted for Kolera Kolej (1975) and Once Upon Four Robbers (1991). He is currently Vice President (West Africa) of the Pan African Writers' Association. |
| Ferdinand Iveton | b. 12 January 1926, Algiers, Algeria, d. 11 February 1957, Algiers, Algeria Fernand Iveton was a supporter of the National Liberation Front in Algeria, a group committed to the overthrown of French colonialism. He was guillotined in Barberousse prison. |
| Ferdinand Oyono | b. 14 September 1929, Ebolowa, Cameroon, d. 10 June 2010, Yaoundé, Cameroon Ferdinand Oyono is a Cameroonian writer whose anti-colonialist novels are considered classics of 20th century African literature. His 1956 debut Une vie de boy (Houseboy) is regarded as particularly important. He was also Chairman of UNICEF from 1977-78. |
| Ferhat Abbas | b. 24 August 1899, Taher, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 24 December 1985, Algiers, Algeria Ferhat Abbas was an acting president of Algeria (25 September 1962 - 15 September 1963). Once pro French, Ferhat Abbas was opposed to violence but ultimately joined the Front de Libération Nationale (FLN) after the Algerian War of Independence began, acting as an intermediary. After independence, he found himself coming to blows with Ahmed Ben Bella, the new president, and was expelled from the FLN leading to two instances of house arrest. |
| Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos | b. 5 March 1950, Luanda, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, also known as Nandó, is an Angolan politician having held offices such as Prime Minster of Angola (6 December 2002 - 30 September 2008), the 1st Vice-President of Angola (18 February 2010 - 26 September 2012) and is the current President of the National Assembly of Angola (27 September 2012 - present). |
| Fernando José de França Dias Van-Dúnem | b. 24 August 1934, Luanda, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Fernando José de França Dias Van-Dúnem was the 2nd Prime Minister of Angola (3 June 1996 - 29 January 1999 and 3 June 1996 - 29 January 1999). In addition, he has also held the role of Vice-President of the African Union's Pan-African Parliament. |
| Fernando Pereira | b. 1963, Place unknown Fernando Pereira, also known as 'Cobo', led a coup and military junta in São Tomé and Príncipe against Fradique de Menezes government installing himself as president (16 July 2003 - 23 July 2003) for a week. The coup was deemed bloodless and he relinquished his power back to de Menezes government after an agreement. |
| Festus Mogae | b. 21 August 1939, Serowe, Bechuanaland Protectorate, present-day Botswana Festus Mogae was the 3rd President of Botswana (1 April 1998 - 1 April 2008) and was a member of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). During his presidency he swore to tackle poverty and unemployment, as well as working on stopping the spread of HIV-AIDS. He has won a number of awards such as 2008 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. |
| Festus Okotie-Eboh | b. 1919, Benin River, Nigeria, d. 15 January 1966, Lagos, Nigeria Festus Okotie-Eboh was a Nigerian politician and Minister of Finance under Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. He served in various capacities but when Nigeria was plunged into the chaos of a military coup in 1966, he was assassinated along with Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa. |
| Fidèle Moungar | b. 1948, Doba, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Fidèle Moungar served as Prime Minister of Chad (7 April 1993 - 28 October 1993) after being elected. He tried to speed up the process of changing the constitution to a multiparty system which caused friction between him and the president Idriss Déby. This caused the supporters of the president to call a censure motion which caused the removal of Moungar and his cabinet. |
| Filipe Nyusi | b. 9 February 1959, Mueda, Cabo Delgado, Portuguese Mozambique, present-day Mozambique Filipe Nyusi is the 4th President of Mozambique (15 January 2015 - present) having previously held the role of Minister of Defence. He has also held the role as President of a top Mozambique football club. |
| Filomena Mascarenhas Tipote | b. 1 March 1969, Guinea-Bissau Filomena Mscarenhas Tipote is a politician from Guinea-Bissau and has served under numerous roles in government such as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defence, of which she was the first female to serve in the role. |
| Finidi George | b. 15 April 1971, Port Harcourt, Nigeria Finidi George is a retired footballer who made a name for himself at Dutch club Ajax where he was a successful right winger. He was a leading member of an all-conquering team that won eight major titles, including the 1995 Champions League. |
| Flavia Tumusiime | b. 11 February 1989, Kampala, Uganda Flavia Tumusiime is a Ugandan television personality and actress who is considered one of the most influential women in Ugandan media. Starting on a children's show during her teens, she has since gone on to be a TV news anchor, author her own book, 30 Days of Flavia, and has presented Big Brother Africa. |
| Flaviana Matata | b. 9 June 1988, Shinyanga, Tanzania Flaviana Matata is a Tanzanian model and personality, who rose to fame having taken part in Miss Universe 2007. She also competed in the pageant with a shaved head, something quite unusual for the circuit. She has worked on campaigns for Topshop, Clarins and appeared in magazines such as Nylon, Grazia and Dazed & Confused. |
| Flora Gomes | b. 31 December 1949, Cadique, Guinea-Bissau Flora Gomes, originally from Guinea-Bissau, studied film at the Instituto Cubano del Arte y la Industria Cinematográficos in Havana, Cuba. Her first fiction film, Death Denied (1988) was filmed 14 years on from her country's independence. |
| Flora Mogano | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Flora Mogano is a philanthropist who runs a clinic, crèche and orphanage dealing with HIV/AIDS patients and their families called the Good Hope Home in Tembisa. |
| Flora Nwapa | b. 13 January 1931, Oguta, Nigeria, d. 16 October 1993, Enugu, Nigeria Flora Nwapa, often referred to as 'the mother of modern African literature', was the first female African novelist published in the English language in the UK. One of Africa's first women publishers, founding Tana Press, her acclaimed work includes the novels Women are Different and Efuru, and the short story anthology Wives at War and other stories. |
| Florence Barbara Ribeiro | b. 3 November 1933, South Africa, d. 1 December 1986, South Africa Florence Barbara Ribeiro was an activist and anti-apartheid campaigner. She attended the World Women's Conference in Central Africa and was inspired to collect and document evidence of atrocities of the Apartheid regime. They also offered refuge to those who had been victimised and became targets of the government, with their house burning down and a number of attempts on their family's lives. She and her husband were shot to death in the courtyard of their house in December of 1986, a crime which has since been attributed to agents of the state. |
| Florence Kasumba | b. 26 October 1976, Kampala, Uganda Florence Kasumba is an actress who began her career performing in musicals. She played Senator Acantha in Wonder Woman and the Wicked Witch of the East in the NBC television series Emerald City. |
| Florence Masebe | b. 14 November 1972, Limpopo, South Africa Florence Masembe is an actress who received an Africa Movie Academy Award for her role in Elelwani. She also stars in the television series Muvhango. |
| Florence Matomela | b. 1910, Place unknown, d. 1969, Place unknown Florence Matomela was a South African political activist and civil rights campaigner. She was involved in the Defiance Campaign and had her movements restricted on numerous occasions because of her activism. |
| Florence Mkhize | b. 1932, Natal, present-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, d. 10 July 1999, Place unknown Florence Mkhize, also known as 'Mama Flo', was a South African political figure heavily involved in the trade unions and anti-Apartheid activities. She was banned from political activity after a photo was taken of her burning her passbook, an image that is now revered as both historically important as well as an artistic image. She educated people who were refused education for political reasons and won numerous awards for her political work. |
| Florence Muranga | b. 1952, Kabuli Village, Mayuge District, Uganda Florence Muranga is a Ugandan scientist, specifically within the field of food biochemistry. Her research and actions have directly affected the economy in Uganda based on the commercialisation of Uganda's banana products. She is particularly interested in boosting the nutritional values of the matooke banana and has written numerous papers on the subject. |
| Florent Couao-Zotti | b. 1964, Pobè, Benin Florent Couao-Zotti writes comics, plays and short stories. He lives and works in Cotonou, Benin and is particularly fond of employing the short story as a form. |
| Folorunso Alakija | b. 15 July 1951, Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria Folorunso Alakija is a Nigerian businesswoman and entrepreneur who founded her own fashion company 'Supreme Stitches' which was able to excel thanks to the emergence of a new high-society class within Nigeria. She was worth around $2.1 billion in 2015 and has enterprises in printing and oil as well. |
| Fou Malade | b. 19 June 1974, Saint-Louis, Senegal Fou Malade, a Hip Hop exponent, has performed under various pseudonyms. One of these is 'Crazy Fool,' which he adopted to take a critical distance from Senegalese society. One of his songs from the album Tioukh Na Kaye was a hit right across Senegal in the summer of 2005. |
| Fouad Laroui | b. 12 August 1958, Oujda, Morocco Fouad Laroui is a Moroccan economist and writer. After studying in the Lycée Lyautey he joined the prestigious École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (Paris, France) and studied engineering. |
| Fouad Mebazaa | b. 15 June 1933 Tunis, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Fouad Mebazza was the 3rd President of Tunisia (15 January 2011 - 13 December 2011), after Ben Ali was exiled to Saudi Arabia following the protests and Tunisian revolution. |
| Fradique de Menezes | b. 21 March 1942, São Tomé, Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe, present-day São Tomé and Príncipe Fradique de Menezes was the 3rd President of São Tomé and Príncipe (3 September 2001 - 16 July 2003 and 23 July 2003 - 3 September 2011). During a visit to Nigeria there was a coup d'état against his government, led by Fernando Pereira, but was returned to office shortly after an agreement was made. There was another attempted coup against him in 2009, however security forces were able to identify and arrest a number of people in connection. |
| France-Albert René | b. 16 November 1934, Victoria, British Seychelles, present-day Seychelles France-Albert René was the 2nd President of Seychelles (5 June 1977 - 14 April 2004) after successfully ousting James Mancham whilst he held the role of Prime Minister. Known within his party and government as 'The Boss' and considered himself as an "Indian Ocean Socialist". He led the country as a single-party state and also managed to avoid a number of coups and planned invasions by those against him. Under his rule literacy, infant mortality and economic well-being all improved dramatically. |
| Frances Baard | b.1 October 1909, Beaconsfield, Kimberley, Cape Province, present-day Northern Cape, South Africa, d. 2 June 1997, Mabopane, Gauteng, South Africa Frances Baard was a South African political activist who was involved in drafting the Freedom Charter. She was implicated in the Treason Trial of 1956 and imprisoned twice for her involvement in political matters. |
| Francis Bebey | b. 15 July 1959, Douala, Cameroon, d. 28 May 2001, Paris, France Francis Bebey was a Cameroonian artist, musician, poet and writer. He specialised in makossa, classical guitar, jazz, pop and electronic sounds. His albums included World Music Guitar (1992) and Sourire De Lune (1996). |
| Francis Kéré | b. 1965, Gando, Burkina Faso Francis Kéré is an architect from Burkina Faso and founder of the Association Schulbausteine für Gando. He is known for his architectural projects in Gando as well as the Zhou Shan Harbour Development in China. He is the recipient of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture. |
| Francisca Nneka Okeke | b. 14 October 1956, Onitsha, Nigeria Francisca Nneka Okeke is a scientist and professor of Physics at the University of Nigeria. Her research focuses on the ionosphere to better understand effects of climate change. In 2013 she received the L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Award. |
| Francisca Pereira | b. 1942, Bolama, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea-Bissau Francisca Pereira joined the Guinea-Bissau Liberation Movement as a young woman. From 1967 she was deputy director of the Escola Piloto in Conakry, a training centre for Guinea-Bissauan child soldiers and war refugees. |
| Francisco Macías Nguema | b. 1 January 1924 Nsegayong, Rio Muni, Spanish Guinea, present-day Equatorial Guinea, d. 29 September 1979, Bioko, Equatorial Guinea Francisco Macías Nguema was 1st President of Equatorial Guinea (12 October 1968 - 3 August 1979) and his presidency was marred with numerous human rights violations including executing or exiling the educated and killing entire villages. It has been suggested he may have been a psychopath linked to the trauma of seeing his father punched to death by a Spanish administrator and his mother's subsequent suicide as a result. He was overthrown and executed. |
| Francisco Pascual Obama Asue | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Francisco Pascual Obama Asue is the 9th Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea (23 June 2016 - present). Other roles he has held within the government include Minister of Health and Social Welfare and Minister for Sports. |
| Francisco Vidal | b. 1978, Portugal Francisco Vidal is a visual artist who has made a name for himself by championing the Angolan art scene. His own work is extremely vivid and bright, and he works out of a former bomb factory in Lisbon. |
| Franck Lundangi | b. 1958, Angola Franck Lundangi is an Angolan former footballer and now works as an artist. He participated in the international exhibition, Africa Remix in 2004. |
| François Bozizé | b. 14 October 1946, Mouila, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Gabon François Bozizé was the 6th President of the Central African Republic (15 March 2003 - 24 March 2013) and came into power after taking it through a military coup in 2003. He had previously been the Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces and had quashed numerous coups against the then leader, Ange-Félix Patassé. |
| François Omam-Biyik | b. 21 May 1966, Sackbayene, Cameroon François Omam-Biyik is a former Cameroonian football player who played as a striker. He also has French nationality. He was one of the most important players of the Cameroonian national team in the 1990s, playing at the three World Cups in 1990, 1994 and 1998. |
| Frank Chipasula | b. 16 October 1949, Luanshaya, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia Frank Chipasula is a Malawian writer, editor and university professor. He received an honourable mention for the Noma Award, 1985, and was awarded the BBC Poetry Prize in 1989. |
| Fred Akuffo | b. 21 March 1937, Akropong, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 26 June 1979, Accra, Ghana Fred Akuffo was a Lieutenant General who was the 7th Head of State of Ghana (5 July 1978 - 4 June 1979) and supervised the changeover of traffic flow in Ghana from driving on the left to driving on the right as part of 'Operation Keep Right' which was affected on 4 August 1974. He was executed in 1979. |
| Fred Swaniker | b. 1976, Ghana Fred Swaniker is the Ghanaian founder of the African Leadership Academy, which aims to develop youth in ethical and entrepreneurial leadership in order to accelerate Africa's growth trajectory. |
| Frédéric Bamvuginyumvira | b. 24 June 1961, Place unknown Frédéric Bamvuginyumvira was the 1st Vice-President of Burundi (11 June 1998 - 1 November 2001). He was arrested in December 2013 whilst driving and accused of bribery to the police, all charges were dropped by the government. |
| Frédéric Bruly Bouabré | b. 1923, Zépréguhé, Côte d'Ivoire, d. 28 January 2014, Place unknown Frédéric Bruly Bouabré was among the first Ivorians to be educated by the French colonial government. He created a 448-letter, universal Bété syllabary, which he used to transcribe the oral tradition of his people, the Bétés. |
| Frédéric Kanoute | b. 2 September 1977, Sainte-Foy-les-Lyon, France Frédéric Kanouté is a retired Malian professional footballer who played as a striker for several top-tier clubs in Europe, enjoying his greatest success with La Liga side Sevilla FC. Kanouté was named the 2007 African Footballer of the Year. |
| Frederick Chiluba | b. 30 April 1943, Kitwe, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia, d. 18 June 2011, Lusaka Zambia Frederick Chiluba was the 2nd President of Zambia (2 November 1991 - 2 January 2002), he changed the constitution to prevent those with foreign parentage running for the presidency and turned around many of the socialist economic reforms that were put in place by his predecessor. He was accused of stealing millions from the country and siphoning it out to a British bank account. He was found guilty in a civil case in a London court. |
| Frene Ginwala | b. 25 April 1932, Johannesburg, South Africa Frene Ginwala is a journalist, politician and the former speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa. She used her anonymity to help leaders of the African National Congress (ANC) to escape following the Sharpeville massacre. |
| Fulbert Youlou | b. 19 July 1917, Madibou, French Congo, present-day Republic of the Congo, d. 6 May 1972 Madrid, Spain Fulbert Youlou became the 1st President of Republic of the Congo (15 August 1960 - 15 August 1963) following the country's independence. He resigned from power and was imprisoned at a military camp. |
| Fulu Mugovhani | b. 7 September 1989, Thohoyandou, South Africa Fulu Mugovhani is an actress who received a Golden Horn Award and an Africa Movie Academy Award for her role in the film Ayanda. |
| Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti | b. 25 October 1900, Abeokuta, Southern Nigeria, present-day Nigeria, d. 13 April 1978, Lagos, Nigeria Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was a women's right activist, teacher and political campaigner in Nigeria. Referred to as 'The Mother of Africa' and 'Lioness of Lisabi' due to her championing of Nigerian female rights she won the Lenin Peace Prize, let various trade unions and appointed to the native House of Chiefs. |
| Fuse ODG | b. 2 December 1988, London, United Kingdom Fuse Dog, born Nana Richard Abiona, is a recording artist. He has won two MOBO Awards and two Ghana Music Awards. |
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| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Gaafar Nimeiry | b. 1 January 1930, Wad Nubawi, Omdurman, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, present-day Sudan, d. 30 May 2009, Khartoum, Sudan Gaafar Nimeiry was the 4th President of Sudan (25 May 1969 - 6 April 1985) and 9th Prime Minister of Sudan (28 October 1969 - 11 August 1976). He overthrew the government of Ismail al-Azhari with a military coup. He considered himself to be a socialist however, later on he became an ally of the capitalist United States but implemented Sharia law throughout Sudan causing the Second Sudanese Civil War. |
| Gabriel Lisette | b. 2 April 1919, Portobelo, Panama, d. 3 March 2001, Port-de-Lanne, France Gabriel Lisette was a Chadian politician who rose to Vice-President and, eventually, President of Chad (1958-1959). His coalition government failed when the traditional African rulers of the country rescinded support of his government and a motion of no confidence was put through by his successors Gontchomé Sahoulba and Ahmed Koulamallah. |
| Gabriel Ramanantsoa | b. 13 April 1906, Antananarivo, French Madagascar, present-day Madagascar, d. 9 May 1979, Paris, France Gabriel Ramanantsoa was the President of Madagascar (11 October 1972 - 5 February 1975) and Prime Minister of Madagascar (18 May 1972 - 5 February 1975), having become Prime Minister following political unrest and later assuming the presidency when Philibert Tsiranana gave up power. |
| Gabriel Ruhumbika | b. 1938, Ukerewe Island, Tanzania Gabriel Ruhumbika is a Tanzanian novelist, short story writer, translator and academic. His first novel, Village in Uhuru, was published in 1969. He has written several subsequent novels in Swahili. |
| Gabriel Tiacoh | b. 9 February 1963, Côte d'Ivoire Gabriel Tiacoh (February 9, 1963 - April 2, 1992) was a sprinter from Côte d'Ivoire who specialised in the 400m. He is best known for winning his nation's first Olympic medal, in the 400m in 1984. |
| Gail Johnson | b. Date and year unknown, South Africa Gail Johnson is the adoptive foster mother of Nkosi Johnson, a young boy who lost his mother to HIV and was a sufferer himself. She has since set up Nkosi's Haven and offers holistic care and support for destitute HIV/AIDS infected mothers, children and the orphans of AIDS. |
| Gamal Abdel Nasser | b. 15 January 1918, Alexandria, Sultanate of Egypt, present-day Egypt, d. 28 September 1970, Cairo, Egypt Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the 2nd President of Egypt (23 June 1956 - 28 September 1970) and 31st Prime Minister of Egypt (25 February 1954 - 8 March 1954, 18 April 1954 - 29 September 1962 and 19 June 1967 - 28 September 1970). Under his presidency the Suez Crisis unfolded, and political relations broke down with the United Kingdom and other nations. A socialist pan-Africanist and pan-Arabist, Nasser seized control of the Suez Canal, which was then attacked by the Israelis, causing several breakdowns between nations, culminating in the United States getting involved. Nasser's government then nationalised the Suez Canal. |
| Gamal al-Ghitani | b. 9 May 1945, Gihena, Egypt, d. 18 October 2015, Cairo, Egypt Gamal al-Ghitani was an Egyptian author of historical and political novels and cultural and political commentaries and was the editor-in-chief of the literary periodical Akhbar Al-Adab (Cultural News) till 2011. |
| Gambo Sawaba | b. 15 February 1933, Zaria, Nigeria, d. October 2001, Place unknown Gambo Sawaba was a Nigerian politician and activist, born to migrant parents, she campaigned against under-age marriages and to institute a westernised style of schooling in the north of the country. She is deemed the voice of the women of northern Nigeria. |
| Gaositwe K. T. Chiepe | b. 20 October 1922, Botswana Gaositwe K. T. Chiepe was the first ever female member of the Botswana cabinet. She also served as ambassador to a number of high-profile nations such as West Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the European Economic Community. |
| Garretson W. Gibson | b. 20 May 1832, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, d. 26 April 1910 Monrovia, Liberia Garretson W. Gibson was the 14th President of Liberia (11 December 1900 - 4 January 1904) and the last to be born in the United States. He was a member of the True Whig party which was the only party to succeed in elections between 1878 and 1980. |
| Gaston Kaboré | b. 1951, Bobo-Dioulasso, Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Gaston Kaboré is a Burkinabé film director and an important figure in Burkina Faso's film industry. He has won awards for his films Wend Kuuni and Buud Yam. |
| Gaston Kelman | b. 1 September 1953, Douala, Cameroon Gaston Kelman entered seminary on September 15, 1965. Originally from Cameroon, he finally obtained a master's degree in literature in England. He is a regular speaker of the radio show Les Grandes Gueules on RMC. |
| Gaston-Paul Effa | b. 1965, Yaoundé, Cameroon Gaston-Paul Effa is a writer from Lorraine of Cameroonian origin, also a professor of philosophy. He is professor of philosophy at Lycée Mangin of Sarrebourg. |
| Gauz | b. 1971, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Gauz is the pen name of Armand Patrick Gbaka-Brédé, a photographer, writer, editor of a satirical Ivorian economic newspaper and the author of the novel Debout-Payé, published in 2014, Paris, by "Le Nouvel Attila". The book is the first recipient of a new award: "le prix des libraires" Joseph Gibert. |
| Gcina Mhlophe | b. 24 October 1958, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Gcina Mhlophe is a South African activist and creative, that has written and directed numerous books and films. Her main focus was against the Apartheid state and has also advocated her work to making books available to poor rural communities in South Africa. |
| Gebisa Ejeta | b. 1950, Wollonkomi, Ethiopia Gebisa Ejeta is a plant breeder and geneticist. In 2009 he received the World Food Prize for his contributions in the production of sorghum. |
| George Osodi | b. 1974, Lagos, Nigeria George Osodi is a Nigerian photographer and photojournalist. His images have been used internationally in titles such as the New York Times, The Guardian and Time Magazine. He has also won a number of awards, including the Fuji Africa Photojournalist of the Year award. |
| George Weah | b. 1 October 1966, Monrovia, Liberia George Weah took office as the President of Liberia (22 January 2008 - present) after a long career as a footballer, where he played for Chelsea and Manchester City. He slashed his presidential salary and has called to end a clause that restricts citizenship of the country based on the colour of a person's skin. |
| Georges Adéagbo | b. 1942, Benin Georges Adéagbo is a Beninese sculptor known for his work with found objects. A native of Cotonou, Adéagbo studied law in Abidjan before moving to France to continue his studies. He returned to Benin in 1971 upon the death of his father and began creating installations and environments in isolation from family and society. |
| Georges Momboye | b. 2 April 1968, Kouibly, Côte d'Ivoire Georges Momboye is an Ivorian dancer and choreographer working in Paris. He is considered one of the most representative artists in modern African dance. He has choreographed several international, award-winning dance shows. |
| Georges Ngal | b. 23 April 1933, Bandundu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo Georges Ngal studied theology and philosophy at the Jesuit Fathers Seminary in Mayidi. His thesis was published in 1994 by the Presence Africaine Paris edition under the title Aimé Césaire, a man in search of a fatherland. |
| Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi | b. 24 August 1960, Cape Town, South Africa Geraldine Fraser- Moleketi is a South African politician. She was sent into exile in 1980 for her political activities and became a part of the South African Communist Party's Central Committee, returning to South Africa when the party was unbanned. She was the Minister of Public Service and Administration for nice years. |
| Gérard Kango Ouédraogo | b. 19 September 1925, Ouagadougou, Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso, d. 1 July 2014, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Gérard Kango Ouédraogo served as Prime Minister of Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso (13 February 1971 - 8 February 1974). He was then President of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso (1978 - 25 November 1980). |
| Geremi | b. 20 December 1978, Bafoussam, Cameroon Geremi, is a Cameroonian former footballer. The most successful periods of his club career came at Real Madrid and Chelsea, winning two UEFA Champions League titles with the first and a full set of domestic honours with the latter. |
| Germaine Acogny | b. 1944, Benin Germaine Acogny is a Senegalese dancer and choreographer. She has been decorated by France and Senegal, including being an Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France, and a Knight of the National Order of the Lion. |
| Germano Almeida | b. 31 July 1945, Boa Vista, Cape Verde Germano Almeida is a Cape Verdean author and lawyer. He wrote the novel The Last Will and Testament of Senhor da Silva Araújo which was made into a film in 1997, directed by the Portuguese director Francisco Manso, winning the award at the Brazil's largest film festival, the Festival de Cinema de Gramado. |
| Gertrude Shope | b. 15 August 1925, Johannesburg, South Africa Gertrude Shope is a South African educator and previously president of the ANC's Women's League, a position she held until 1993. She then went on to become a member of parliament of South Africa and held the role within the Government of National Unity. |
| Ghada Amer | b. 1963, Cairo, Egypt Ghada Amer is a contemporary artist living and working in New York City. She emigrated from Egypt to France, aged 11, and was educated in Paris and Nice. Much of her work deals with issues of gender and sexuality. |
| Ghislane Guedira | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Ghislane Guedira is a Moroccan business and finance woman. Thanks to the funds raised, Ghislane Guedira, the only woman member of the management committee, allowed the group to implement its African development plan: the construction of a fertilizer plant in Jorf Lasfar, whose production will be entirely intended for Africa, and a project in partnership with Gabon, for an investment of 1.7 billion euros. |
| Gift Ngoepe | b. 18 January 1990, Pietersburg, South Africa Gift Ngoepe is a Major League Baseball (MLB) player for the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2017, while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, he was the first African-born player in MLB history. |
| Gilbert Diendéré | b. 1960, Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Gilbert Diendéré was temporarily head of state for Burkina Faso as Chairman of the National Council for Democracy of Burkina Faso (17 September 2015 - 23 September 2015) after the September 2015 coup d'état and was installed as the head of the military junta that lasted a week. Diendéré is also suspected in having a direct involvement in the 1987 coup that led to the death of Thomas Sankara. He handed power back and admitted that the coup was a waste of time and resources. |
| Gill Marcus | b. 10 August 1949, Johannesburg, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa Gill Marcus was the Governor of the South African Reserve Bank and the first woman to hold this position. She was an elected member of parliament and held the role of Deputy Minister of Finance under the leadership of Nelson Mandela. |
| Gilles Andriamahazo | b. 5 May 1919, Fort Dauphin, French Madagascar, present-day Madagascar, d. 13 September 1989, Antananarivo, Madagascar Gilles Andriamahazo was President of Madagascar (12 February 1975 - 15 June 1975) and a military general. He took the post of president following the assassination of Richard Ratsimandrava. |
| Girma Wolde-Giorgis | b. 28 December 1924, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Girma Wolde-Giorgis was the 2nd President of Ethiopia (8 October 2001 - 7 October 2013). Before his role as president, although it's a largely symbolic role, he was in the Ethiopian Air Force and a member of Ethiopian parliament. |
| Gisèle Rabesahala | b. 17 May 1929, Antananarivo, Madagascar, d. 27 June 2011, Place unknown Gisèle Rabesahala devoted her life to her country's independence and human rights. The first woman to hold a ministerial post in the Madagascar government, she is regarded as a pioneer in Malagasy politics. Remaining unmarried and without children, she stated wanted to serve her country rather than one person. |
| Giuma Ahmed Atigha | b. 1950, Place unknown Giuma Ahmed Atigha was the interim President of the General National Congress of Libya (28 May 2013 - 25 June 2013) after Mohammed Magariaf resigned. |
| Gloria Amon Nikoi | b. 1930, Ghana Gloria Amon Nikoi was the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ghana in 1979 and the first woman to hold this role. As well as her government career she worked as a diplomat, a role which complimented her late husband's roles as the Governor for the Bank of Ghana and Finance Minister. |
| Gloria Musu-Scott | b. Date unknown, Monrovia, Liberia Gloria Musu-Scott is a legal trained politician from Liberia. She served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for six years and also the chair for the Constitution Review Committee, her particular focus being on education of women and inclusiveness of females in politics. |
| Gnassingbé Eyadéma | b. 26 December 1935, Pya, French Togoland, present-day Togo (date disputed), d. 5 February 2005, near Tunis, Tunisia Gnassingbé Eyadéma was born Étienne Eyadéma and held the role of 3rd President of Togo (14 April 1967 - 5 February 2005) after seizing power from Nicolas Grunitzky. After nearly 10 years in the French army, he returned to Togo in 1962. He led successfully two military coups in 1963 and 1967. He became President of Togo shortly after the second one. Gnassingbé Eyadéma survived numerous assassination attempts and a plane crash. He led the country until his death in 2005 when the presidency was then handed to his son, Faure Gnassingbé. At the time of his death, Eyadéma was the longest-serving ruler in Africa. |
| Gnonnas Pedro | b. 10 January 1943, Lokossa, Benin, d. 2004, Cotonou, Benin Gnonnas Pedro, was a singer and musician from Lokossa, Benin. He is perhaps best known as the lead singer of Africando between 1995 and his death in 2004 but had been well known in his home country of Benin and beyond since the 1960s. |
| Godfrey Binaisa | b. 30 May 1920, Kampala, Uganda Protectorate, present-day Uganda, d. 5 August 2010, Kampala, Uganda Godfrey Binaisa was the 5th President of Uganda (20 June 1979 - 12 May 1980). He was appointed by National Consultative Commission. He was removed from office by the Military Commission. |
| Godfrey Chitalu | b. 22 October 1947, Luanshya, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia, d. 27 April 1993, Atlantic Ocean Godfrey Chitalu was a footballer who played as a forward. He is widely regarded as the greatest Zambian player of all time as he holds his national team's goal scoring record and was voted Zambian footballer of the year five times, as well as being selected by CAF as one of the best 200 African footballers of the past 50 years in 2006. |
| Godfried Donkor | b. 1964, Kumasi, Ghana Godfried Donkor is a Ghanaian artist who explores shared and conflicting issues between Europe and Africa, reflecting on slavery and other aspects of culture. He juxtaposes jarring sources, such as stock market figures from the Financial Times set against other elements of striking collages. |
| Gonçalo Mabunda | b. 1975, Maputo, Mozambique Gonçalo Mabunda is an artist who is interested in the collective memory of his country, Mozambique. |
| Gontchomé Sahoulba | b. 16 October 1909, Place unknown, d. 1963, Place unknown Gontchomé Sahoulba was a Chadian politician during the time of French colonial rule, speaking out in favour for autonomous governance. He joined politics in 1948 when political parties were officially accepted by the Chadian Democratic Union (UDT). When the coalition government headed by Lisette crumbled prior to full independence, Sahoulba succeeded as temporary President (1959), however he was voted out in a motion of no confidence in 1959. |
| Goodluck Jonathan | b. 20 November 1957, Ogbia, Bayelsa, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan has held office in Nigeria first as Vice-President (29 May 2007 - 5 May 2010) under Umaru Yar'Adua, and then as President of Nigeria (5 May 2010 - 29 May 2015) following the death of the incumbent. He lost the 2015 election and was the first to do so democratically. It is under his presidency that Boko Aram started multiplying attacks in Northern Nigeria leading to the 2014 striking abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok. Most of the girls have still not been found yet. In 2017 it was revealed that Goodluck had rejected British offer to rescue the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls. |
| Gouider Triki | b. 1949, Nabeul, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Gouider Triki is a Tunisian born painter and engraver. He studied at L'Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Tunis and his work presents a lot of symbology and signage from Islam and Berber tradition and history. |
| Goukouni Oueddei | b. 1944, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Goukouni Oueddei was the 6th President of Chad (3 September 1979 - 7 June 1982) and was son of Oueddei Kichidemi who was derde of the Teda. He was interim head of state and became the president of the Transitional Government of National Unity (GUNT). He was renowned for being close with Libya and Colonel Gaddafi. He, along with the government, were overthrown in 1982 and went into exile in Libya. |
| Govan Mbeki | b. 9 July 1910, Mpukane Location, Nqamakwe district, South Africa, d. 30 August 2001, South Africa Govan Mbeki was the longest-living senior member of the African National Congress and a one-time member of the Communists. He was sent to prison for 24 years as part of the Rivonia Trial. |
| Graça Machel | b. 17 October 1945, Incadine, Portuguese East Africa, present-day Mozambique Graça Machel is a Mozambican politician and humanitarian. She is the widow of both South African president Nelson Mandela and of Mozambican president Samora Machel. Machel is an international advocate for women's and children's rights and in 1997 was made an honorary British dame for her humanitarian work. |
| Grace Arach | b. Date and year unknown, Uganda Grace Arach is a former Ugandan child soldier who has become an icon for speaking out about the time she spent in conflict. As well as being trained to kill, she was kidnapped and conscripted at age 12, then forced into marriage with the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army. She spent time at the Child Solider Rehabilitation Centre where she met and worked with Australian singer Levi McGrath. |
| Grace Minor | b. 31 May 1942, Liberia Grace Minor is a politician from Liberia who has appeared on the United Nations Security Council's list of leaders who are banned from travelling outside of Liberia and her assets have been frozen. She held the role in the Senate, the only woman in government though later on she was wanted by the government for the illegal demolition of family homes and properties. |
| Grace Ogot | b. 15 May 1930, Asembo, Nyanza, Kenya, d. 18 March 2015, Nairobi, Kenya Grace Ogot was a nurse, journalist, politician, diplomat and author, credited as being the first Kenyan female writer to be published in English. One of the first members of parliament post-independence, her written work included the short story anthologies The Island of Tears and Land Without Thunders. |
| Grégoire Kayibanda | b. 1 May 1924, Tare, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Rwanda, d. 15 December 1976, Place unknown Grégoire Kayibanda was the 1st President of Rwanda (1 July 1962 - 5 July 1973), taking over from the interim presidency of Dominique Mbonyumutwa when he was democratically elected. As Rwanda was a colony of Belgium, Kayibanda created the Parmehutu or Party of the Hutu Emancipation Movement. An advocate of the 'Hutu emancipation' he authored a manifesto in 1957, entitled Bahutu Manifesto. In 1973 there was a military coup by the defence minister Major General Juvénal Habyarimana, and although it was deemed "bloodless", it is believed Kayibanda and his wife were starved to death whilst being held by the new government. |
| Gualberto do Rosário | b. 12 October 1950, Mindelo, Portuguese Cape Verde, present-day Cape Verde Gualberto do Rosário held the office of Prime Minister of Cape Verde (29 July 2000 - 1 February 2001) and is also a writer, writing a number of poems under pseudonyms as well as works of fiction. In addition, he was also Cape Verde's first Deputy Prime Minister under Carlos Veiga. |
| Guy Scott | b. 1 June 1944, Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia Guy Scott was an acting president of Zambia (29 October 2014 - 25 January 2015), handling the role after Sata's death. However when it came to the election because of his parentage, he was unable to run for the presidential race. |
| Gyude Bryant | b. 17 January 1949, Monrovia, Liberia, d. 16 April 2014, Monrovia, Liberia Gyude Bryant became Chairman of the Transitional Government of Liberia (14 October 2003 - 16 January 2006) after being 'voted in' by the representatives of the warring factions in the country, backed by the United Nations. He was later accused of embezzlement of funds however was acquitted of all charges in 2009. |
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| Habib Boularès | b. 29 July 1933, Tunis, Tunisia, d. 18 April 2014, Paris, France Habib Boularès was a Tunisian diplomat and politician. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia from 1990 to 1991, Minister of Defence for a brief period in 1991, and as President of the Chamber of Deputies of Tunisia from 1991 to 1997. |
| Habib Bourguiba | b. 3 August 1903, Monastir, Regency of Tunisia, present-day Tunisia, d. 6 April 2000, Monastir, Tunisia Habib Bourguiba was the 1st President of Tunisia (25 July 1957 - 7 November 1987) as well as holding roles such as Prime Minister (11 April 1956 - 25 July 1957) which was then abolished until 1987, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Defence. He negotiated independence for Tunisia from France in 1956. His regime soon turned to a twenty-year one party-state, supported by an increasing cult of personality. He proclaimed himself President for life in 1975. |
| Habib Essid | b. 1 June 1949, Sousse, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Habib Essid was the 22nd Prime Minister of Tunisia (6 February 2015 - 27 August 2016) and beforehand was Minister of the Interior (28 March 2011 - 24 December 2001) under Beji Caid Essebsi. He was also Executive Director for the International Olive Council. |
| Habib Koité | b. 27 January 1958, Thiès, Senegal Habib Koité is a Malian musician, singer, songwriter based in Mali. His band, Bamada, is a supergroup of West African musicians, which included Kélétigui Diabaté on balafon until his death in 2012. |
| Hadda Hazem | b. 1960, Guelma, Algeria Hadda Hazem is an Algerian journalist and director of the Algerian Arabic newspaper Al-Fadjr. In 2017 Hadda went on a hunger strike to protest against the withdrawal of state advertising from the Algerian daily newspaper. |
| Hadeel Ibrahim | b. September 1983, London, United Kingdom Hadeel Ibrahim is a Sudanese billionaire businessman. She serves on the board of directors of the Clinton Foundation, the Mary Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice and the Synergos Institute. |
| Hage Geingob | b. 2 August 1941, Otjiwarongo, South West Africa, present-day Namibia Hage Geingob is the 3rd President of Namibia (21 March 2015 - present), prior to his election he was also Prime Minister of Namibia twice (21 March 1990 - 28 August 2002 and 4 December 2012 - 20 March 2015). In 2015, he was conferred the Order of Well-wisher Mirabilis by Former President Hifikepunye Pohamba, after his inauguration as President. |
| Haile Gerima | b. 4 March 1946, Gondar, Ethiopia Haile Gerima is an Ethiopian filmmaker and member of the L.A. Rebellion film movement. His films include Sankofa in 1993 and Teza in 2009. |
| Hailemariam Desalegn | b. 19 July 1964, Boloso Sore, Ethiopian Empire, present-day Ethiopia Hailemariam Desalegn has held numerous roles within the Ethiopian government including Prime Minister of Ethiopia (20 August 2012 - 2 April 2018), some of which was as acting prime minister and as a caretaker. He was also Deputy Prime Minister for a time (1 September 2010 - 21 September 2012). He is the first individual in modern Ethiopia to step down rather than be overthrown or die in office. |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | b. 21 January 1963, Lagos, Nigeria Hakeem Olajuwon was a professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association from 1984-2002, playing for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He was a two-time NBA Champion, twelve-time NBA All Star and won a gold medal with the US Olympic team in 1996. He was also inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. |
| Hakim Bah | b. 1 September 1987, Mamou, Guinea Hakim Bah holds a degree in computer engineering but is better-known as an accomplished writer and playwright. In 2015, he received several prizes for his work End of Sweats. |
| Halida Boughriet | b. 1980, Lens, France Halida Boughriet is a French-Algerian artist who has exhibited across the world with shows such as Pandora's Box and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? |
| Halima Aden | b. 19 September 1997 Kenya Halima Aden is a Somali American fashion model. She is noted for being the first woman to wear a hijab in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant, where she was a semi-finalist. Following her participation in the pageant, Halima received national attention and was signed to IMG Models. |
| Hamada Madi | b. 1965, Mohéli, French Comoros, present-day Comoros Hamada Madi, also known as 'Boléro', has held the roles of interim president (21 January 2001 - 26 May 2001) and Prime Minister of the Comoros (29 November 2000 - 15 April 2002). Because of where he was born, he was unable to run for presidency but was kept on as a special advisor. He left Comoros in exile to France. |
| Hamani Diori | b. 6 June 1916, Soudouré, French West Africa, present-day Niger, d. 23 April 1989, Rabat, Morocco Hamani Diori was the 1st President of Niger (10 November 1960 - 15 April 1874) following the country gaining its independence. He banned all other political parties and eventually in 1974 he was deposed in a coup and placed in prison for six years and then spent seven under house arrest. |
| Hamid Bouhamidi | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. 8 October 1957, Algiers, Algeria Hamid Bouhamidi was a member of the National Liberation Front (FLN) during the Algerian War. His Islamic marriage was one of the first to be held in the open under the French rule. He, alongside Al La Pointe, was killed in a targeted French bombing whilst they were hiding out. |
| Hannah Kudjoe | b. December 1918, Busua, Accra, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 9 March 1986, Ghana Hannah Kudjoe, née Hannah Dadson, was a prominent activist for Ghanaian independence in the 1940s and 1950s. She was one of the first high-profile female nationalists in the movement and was the National Propaganda Secretary for the Convention People's Party. After independence in 1957 she founded the All-African Women's League. |
| Haroun Kabadi | b. 29 April 1949, Place unknown Haroun Kabadi was Prime Minister of Chad (June 2002 - June 2003) and has also held the office of President of the National Assembly of Chad. He has held a number of different roles within government such as Minister of State for Agriculture and Secretary-General of the Presidency. |
| Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula | b. 15 January 1916, Maala, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia, d. 8 October 1983, Place unknown Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula campaigned for independence of Zambia in what was known then as Northern Rhodesia. Working as a teacher he then was elected president of the Northern Rhodesian African Congress and imprisoned for handing out "subversive" literature. |
| Hassan al-Turabi | b. 1 February 1932, Kassala, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, present-day Sudan, d. 5 March 2016, Khartoum, Sudan Hassan al-Turabi was a Sudanese Islamic leader who brought sharia law into legal state in Sudan. Under his governance there were allegedly executions, torture, denials of free speech and many punishments that were arguably too severe for the crimes committed. |
| Hassan Gouled Aptidon | b. 15 October 1916, Garissa, British Somaliland, d. 21 November 2006, Djibouti City, Djibouti Hassan Gouled Aptidon was the 1st President of Djibouti (27 June 1977 - 8 May 1999) and changed the country into a one-party state in 1981. He received the Order of the Crown of the Realm in 1998 from Malaysia. |
| Hassan Sheikh Mohamud | b. 29 November 1955, Jalalaqsi, Italian Somaliland, present-day Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was the 8th President of Somalia (10 September 2012 - 16 February 2017). Mohamud, during the outbreak of civil war liaised with NGOs, UN bureaus and worked as an education officer for UNICEF. He founded the Peace and Development Party, which is he is the leader of and was representing when he was elected. He was named in TIME magazine's 2013 Time 100, a list of some of most influential people in the world. |
| Hassiba Ben Bouali | b. 18 January 1938, El-Asnam, Algeria, d. 8 October 1957, Algiers, Algeria Hassiba Ben Bouali was a prominent female militant in the war for Algerian Independence. She was killed, along with Ali La Pointed when French forces bombed their hiding place. |
| Hastings Banda | b. 15 February 1898, Kasungu, British Central Africa Protectorate, present-day Malawi, d. 25 November 1997, Johannesburg, South Africa Hastings Banda was the 1st President of Malawi (6 July 1966 - 24 May 1994) and prior to that Prime Minister of Malawi (6 July 1964 - 6 July 1966), gaining the post when the country was called Nyasaland. He changed the government to a one-party state and was declared President for Life in 1971. However, after increasing pressure both domestically and internationally, a referendum was called ending the one-party of system and was eventually defeated in elections. |
| Hatem El Mekki, | b. 16 May 1918, Batavia, present-day Jakarta, Dutch East Indies, present-day Indonesia, d. 23 September 2003, Carthage, Tunisia Hatem El Mekki was a prominent Tunisian painter. He was born in Batavia, Dutch East Indies. From 1957, his artwork appeared on a large number of postage stamps of Tunisia. El Mekki drawn the head of the coin used in Tunisia from 1988 to 1990. |
| Heba Y. Amin | b. 1980, Cairo, Egypt Heba Y. Amin is an Egyptian artist whose works are embedded in extensive research and interrogate the convergence of politics, technology, and urbanism. She is also one of the artists behind the subversive action on the set of the television series Homeland which received worldwide media attention. |
| Hedi Turki | b. 1922, Tunis, Tunisia Hedi Turki is considered the pioneer of abstract painting in Tunisia and has been an influential member of the School of Tunis was instrumental in the founding of the School of Tunis, the establishment of the National Union of plastic and graphic arts of Tunisia, and the General Union of Arab Plastic Artists. |
| Hélé Béji | b. 1948, Tunis, Tunisia Hélé Béji, daughter of Tunisian politician Mondher Ben Ammar, was born in Tunis. She passed her Agrégation de lettres modernes and went on to teach literature at the University of Tunis. She later joined UNESCO in Paris. In 1998, she founded the Collège international de Tunis. She has expressed a great admiration for the author Marcel Proust and his influence can be seen in her fiction. |
| Helen Oyeyemi | b. 10 December 1984, Ibadan, Nigeria Helen Oyeyemi is a Nigerian novelist and short story writer whose works include White is for Witching and Boy, Snow, Bird. |
| Helen Paul | b. 29 January 1978, Lagos, Nigeria Helen Paul is a Nigerian comedian, singer and actress. She hosts the radio show Comedy Drive Time with Tatafo, and in 2014 she opened the Helen Paul Theater and Film Academy. |
| Helen Suzman | b. 7 November 1917, Germiston, South Africa, d. 1 January 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa Helen Suzman was a South African politician who was vocally against the Apartheid government. She was elected into the House of Assembly however went on to leave her party, along with eleven other members to form the Progressive Party in 1959. She was actively against racial discrimination and worked to further women's rights. |
| Helena Ndume | b. Date and year unknown, Tsumeb, Namibia Helena Ndume is an ophthalmologist who has performed sight restoring surgery for over 30000 people for free, working with See International. She was awarded Grand Commander of the Order of Namibia, First Class, and in 2015 awarded the United Nations Nelson Mandela Prize. |
| Helon Habila | b. November 1967, Kaltungo, Nigeria Helon Habila is a Nigerian novelist and poet, whose writing has won many prizes, including the Caine Prize in 2001. He worked as a lecturer and journalist in Nigeria before moving in 2002 to England. |
| Hendrik Witbooi | b. 1830, Pella, Northern Cape, Cape Colony, present-day South Africa, d. 29 October 1905, Tses, near Vaalgras, Namibia Hendrik Witbooi is considered a national hero of Namibia, his face adorning the N$50, N$100 and N$200 banknotes. The sub-tribe he was chief of, Khowesin, was attacked by Germans with many killed. He fought a campaign against the Germans for two years until they came to a conditional surrender. Despite fighting alongside them later relations with the Germans broke down and he was killed in action fending them off. |
| Henri Konan Bédié | b. 5 May 1934, Dadiékro, French West Africa, present-day Côte d'Ivoire Henri Konan Bédié served as the 2nd President of Côte d'Ivoire (7 December 1993 - 24 December 1999) following the death of Félix Houphouët-Boigny. After the country gained its independence in 1960, he was the ambassador to the United States and Canada. He was overthrown in a military coup in 1999. |
| Henri Lopes | b. 12 September 1937, Léopoldville, Belgian Congo, present-day Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Henri Lopes is a Congolese writer, diplomat, and political figure. He was Prime Minister of Congo-Brazzaville from 1973 to 1975 and became the Congo-Brazzaville's Ambassador to France in 1998. |
| Henriette Diabaté | b. 13 March 1935, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Henriette Dagri Diabaté is an Ivorian politician and writer. She was Minister of Justice from 2003-05 and became Secretary-General of the RDR in 1999 and has been President of the RDR since 2017. |
| Henrique Rosa | b. 18 January 1946, Bafatá, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea-Bissau, d. 15 May 2013, Porto, Portugal Henrique Rosa took the role as acting President of Guinea-Bissau (28 September 2003 - 1 October 2005) and his main role was to reinstate democratic elections and return to the country running under a constitution. His presidency is noted with a return to a calmer period of time and the number of human rights violations dropping dramatically. |
| Henrique Teixeira de Sousa | b. 19 September 1919, São Lourenço, Fogo, Cape Verde, d. 3 March 2006, Oeiras, Portugal Teixeira de Sousa graduated in 1945 in Lisbon with a degree in Medicine, having attended in the following year the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Porto. Later on, he worked on the island of São Vicente, until he emigrated shortly before the independence of the archipelago from Portugal, and moved to Oeiras, Portugal. |
| Henry Munyaradzi | b. 1931, Chipuriro, Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 27 February 1998, Zimbabwe Henry Munyaradzi was a sculptor from Zimbabwe who was known often simply as Henry. He was part of the Shona sculpture movement. His work has been portrayed on stamps of Zimbabwe. |
| Henry Odera Oruka | b. 4 June 1944, Kenya, d. 9 December 1995, Nairobi, Kenya Henry Odera Oruka was a philosopher best known for the "Sage Philosophy": a project which attempted to preserve the knowledge of the indigenous thinkers in traditional African communities. |
| Henry Tayali | b. 22 November 1943, Serenje, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia, d. 22 July 1987, Aachen, Germany Henry Tayali was a multi-lingual Zambian fine artist, sculptor, printmaker, raconteur and lecturer. He has been described as Zambia's most famous painter, and most revered and pre-eminent artist. |
| Herbert Chitepo | b. 15 June 1923, Watsomba, Nyanga District, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 18 March 1975, Lusaka, Zambia Herbert Chitepo was the head of the Zimbabwe African National Union and was historic in becoming the first black citizen of Rhodesia to become a barrister. |
| Herbert Macaulay | b. 14 November 1864, Lagos, Nigeria, d. 7 May 1946, Lagos, Nigeria Herbert Macaulay was a Nigerian politician, engineer, architect, journalist and musician. He initially spoke out against the British rule of Nigeria and founded the Nigerian Daily News. |
| Hersheela Narsee | b. 23 March 1956, Durban, South Africa Hersheela Narsee is a South African scientist, researcher and educator. She was an activist during her time at university and was heavily involved in student politics, leading to a number of brushes with the law. She has also held roles within the Teachers' Association of South Africa and the South African Congress of Trade Unions. |
| Hery Rajaonarimampianina | b. 6 November 1958, Antananarivo, French Madagascar, present-day Madagascar Hery Rajaonarimampianina is the incumbent President of Madagascar (25 January 2014 - present) after running in 2013 and being sworn in in 2014. However, in 2015 the parliament tried to impeach him due to "alleged constitutional violations and general incompetence." However, it was refused. |
| Hicham Gardaf | b. 1989, Tangier, Morocco Hicham Gardaf is a photographer born and based in Tangier. His work addresses urban and suburban issues, particularly in the context of Morocco's rapidly changing landscape. |
| Hifikepunye Pohamba | b. 18 August 1935, Okanghudi, South West Africa, present-day Namibia Hifikepunye Pohamba was the 2nd President of Namibia (21 March 2005 - 21 March 2015), he was a founding member of the South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO) presently known as SWAPO Party of Namibia. He has a number of awards including the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership and the Omugulugwombashe Medal for Bravery and Long Service. |
| Hikmat Abu Zayd | b. Date and year unknown, Asyut Governorate, Egypt, d. 30 July 2011, Cairo, Egypt Hikmat Abu Zayd was the first ever female cabinet minister in Egypt, under the government of Gamal Abdel Nasser. She was the Minister of Social Affairs of the United Arab Republic and this was a job that traditionally, following her allocation, became female led. She was later charged, though acquitted, of high treason and terrorism. |
| Hilary R. W. Johnson | b. 1 June 1837, Monrovia, Liberia, d. 1901, Monrovia, Liberia Hilary R. W. Johnson was the 11th President of Liberia (7 January 1884 - 4 January 1892) and the first to be born in Liberia itself. He was supported by the then President of the United States, Grover Cleveland, but when requested for support during an internal uprising was refused held by the U.S. Secretary of State. |
| Hilia Barber | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Hilia Barber is a politician hailing from Guinea-Bissau. She has held roles in government since the 1980s, however was the first ever female Minister of Foreign Affairs for a short time in 1999. She worked with Israel during the Guinea-Bissau Civil War to gain humanitarian aid and has since been the ambassador to the country, as well as France. |
| Hilla Limann | b.12 December 1934, Gwollu, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 23 January 1998, Accra, Ghana Hilla Limann was President of Ghana's 3rd Republic (24 September 1979 - 31 December 1981). He was a member of the Constitution Commission which drafted the 1969 Constitution of Ghana. He was deposed by a coup led by Jerry Rawlings. |
| Himla Soodyall | b. 1963 Durban, South Africa Himla Soodyall is a human geneticist and Director of Human Genomic Diversity and Disease Research Unit at the National Health Laboratory Service and University of the Witwatersrand. Her research focuses on evolutionary genetics and In 1999, received the President's Award from South Africa's National Research Foundation. |
| Hissène Habré | b. 13 September 1942, Faya-Largeau, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Hissène Habré was the 7th President of Chad (7 June 1982 - 1 December 1990), coming into power when the government was overthrown in fighting in 1982. He had previously held roles as the 1st Prime Minister of Chad (29 August 1978 - 23 March 1979) and Minister of Defence. His one-party government was accused of many atrocities and had a secret police force named the Documentation and Security Directorate (DDS). Yet, the United States and France supported Habré, seeing him as a bulwark against the Gaddafi government in neighbouring Libya. He was deposed in 1992 and was sentenced by a Chadian court to death in absentia in 2008, while he was in exile in Senegal. In 2015-16 he was put on trial by the Extraordinary African Chambers finding him guilty of rape, sexual slavery and the ordering of the killing of 40,000 people during his time as president. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. |
| Holden Roberto | b. 12 January 1923, São Salvador, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 2 August 2007, Luanda, Angola Holden Roberto was founder and leader of the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA), the first of its kind which wanted the total independence from the Portuguese colonials. Jonas Savimbi was a member but left to start UNITA when they differed on their opinions. The FNLA failed in their attempts but later on went to win seats in parliament, though they never took these up. |
| Honoré Traoré | b. 28 September 1957, Dédougou, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Honoré Traoré was one of the two soldiers claiming to be the new head of state after Blaise Compaoré's resignation in the wake of the 2014 Burkinabé uprising. The military however declared Isaac Zida was the new head of state. |
| Hosni Mubarak | b. 4 May 1928, Kafr-El Meselha, Egypt Hosni Mubarak was the 4th President of Egypt (14 October 1981 - 11 February 2011) and also Prime Minister of Egypt (7 October 1981 - 2 January 1982), following a career in the Egyptian Air Force. He was in power when Egypt returned as a full member of the Arab League, having been suspended after the peace treaty with Israel under Anwar Sadat's presidency. He resigned from the presidency in 2011 after protests against him and his government erupted in Cairo. He was put on trial on charges of premeditated murder of peaceful protesters and corruption. Later he was acquitted of the murders but was charged and served time on corruption and embezzlement. |
| Hossam Hassan | b. 10 August 1966, Cairo, Egypt Hossam Hassan is a retired footballer who played as a striker. He was a prolific goal scorer and is regarded as one of the best players in African football history. |
| Houari Boumédiène | b. 23 August 1932, Héliopolis, Guelma Province, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 27 December 1978, Algiers, Algeria Houari Boumédiène, born Mohammed Boukharouba, was the 2nd President of Algeria (10 December 1976 - 27 December 1978) after ousting his predecessor Ahmed Ben Bella in a bloodless coup. He started a programme of state-driven industrialisation which led to a number of years of sharp economic growth. He died of a rare blood disease after being in a coma for over a month. |
| Howard Mwikuta | b. 1941, Ndola, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia, d. 1988, Place unknown Howard Mwikuta was a place kicker for the Dallas Cowboys in 1970 and the first African born player in the National Football League. |
| Hubert Maga | b. 10 August 1916, Parakou, Dahomey, present-day Benin, d. 8 May 2000, Cotonou, Benin Hubert Maga was both the President (1 August 1960 - 22 October 1963 and Premier (22 May 1959 - 1 August 1960) of Dahomey, present-day Benin. During his time the economy collapsed and by 1963 there were numerous riots and eventually a coup d'état. |
| Hubert Ogunde | b. 10 July 1960, Ososa, Ogun State, Nigeria, d. 4 April 1990, London, United Kingdom Hubert Ogunde was an actor and playwright who founded the Ogunde Theatre in 1945, the first contemporary theatrical company in Nigeria. During his career he wrote over 50 plays. |
| Huda Shaarawi | b. 23 June 1879, Place unknown, d. 12 December 1947, Place unknown Huda Shaarawi was a pioneer feminist leader and Egyptian nationalist. She helped to organize Mubarrat Muhammad Ali, a women's social service organization in 1909, and the Union of Educated Egyptian Women in 1914. She became the first president of the Egyptian Feminist Union in 1923; after returning from a women's suffrage congress in Rome she removed her face veil in public for the first time, a turning point in Egyptian feminist history. |
| Hugh Masekela | b. 4 April 1939, Witbank, South Africa, d. 23 January 2018, Johannesburg, South Africa Hugh Masekela is a musician, composer and singer. He is considered the father of South African Jazz. He is a three-time Grammy nominee and was also nominated for a Tony Award for Best Music Score for his work with the musical Sarafina. |
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| Ian Khama | b. 27 February 1953, Chertsey, United Kingdom Ian Khama was the 4th President of Botswana (1 April 2008 - 31 March 2018) and son of Seretse Khama, 1st President of Botswana. Under his presidency he set up the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS) which is the Botswana equivalent to the FBI. He stood against the Zimbabwean government by not recognising the government until Mugabe was made to resign. |
| Ian Smith | b. 8 April 1919, Selukwe, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 20 November 2007, Cape Town, South Africa Ian Smith was a politician, farmer and fighter who served as 8th Prime Minister of Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe (13 April 1964 - 1 June 1979). |
| Iba N'Diaye | b. 1928, Saint-Louis, Senegal, d. 5 October 2008, Paris, France Iba N'Diaye was a painter who utilized European modernist fine arts to depict his views of African realities. |
| Ibrahim Abboud | b. 26 October 1900, Suakin, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, present-day Sudan, d. 8 September 1983, Khartoum, Sudan Ibrahim Abboud was the 1st President of Sudan (18 November 1958 - 16 November 1964) and 4th Prime Minister of Sudan (18 November 1958 - 30 October 1964). He worked to settle Sudan's issues when he came to power. He suspended all other political parties and took steps with the cotton crops to encourage growth and solve financial issues by selling surplus. He was invited to the White House in 1961. |
| Ibrahim Ag Alhabib | b. 1960, Tessalit, Mali Ibrahim Ag Alhabib is a Malian musician and the founder of the Saharan music group Tinariwen. |
| Ibrahim al-Koni | b. 1948, Fezzan, present-day Libya Ibrahim al-Koni is a Libyan author who has been hailed a magical realist, Sufi fabulist and poetic novelist. |
| Ibrahim Babangida | b. 17 August 1941, Minna, Northern Region, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria Ibrahim Babangida was the 8th Head of State for Nigeria (27 August 1985 - 26 August 1993). His role at the head of the country came after he overthrew Muhammadu Buhari, after a long and careful approach by planting officers throughout Buhari's government. |
| Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara | b. 9 May 1949, Dogondoutchi, French West Africa, present-day Niger, d. 9 April 1999. Niamey, Niger Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara staged a coup and took office as the 5th President of Niger (27 January 1996 - 9 April 1999) having justified his actions because of a difficult political situation following the elections in 1995. He was killed in an ambushed attacked whilst trying to board a helicopter, though originally reported as an accident it was generally accepted that it was an assassination as details were released. |
| Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta | b. 29 January 1945, Koutiala, French Sudan, present-day Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta is the current President of Mali (4 September 2013 - present). Previously he was Prime Minister of Mali (4 February 1994 - 15 February 2000) and held the role as President of the National Assembly of Mali as well. |
| Ibrahim El-Salahi | b. 5 September 1930, Omdurman, Sudan Ibrahim El-Salahi is a painter and former politician. He is one of the foremost exponents of the hurufiyah art movement, which sought to combine traditional graphic forms into contemporary artworks with distinct Arab identity. |
| Ibrahima Aya | b. 10 October 1967, Goundam, Mali Ibrahima Aya is a Malian writer. Since July 2002, he has contributed monthly to the Malian daily L'Essor. |
| Ibrahima Ben Aziz Konaté | b. Date unknown, Côte d'Ivoire Ibrahima Ben Aziz Konaté is an Ivorian business leader and founder of Poultry d'Or. |
| Ibrahima Ly | b. 1936, Kayes, Mali, d. 1 February 1989, Place unknown Ibrahima Ly was a writer, politician and prominent Malian revolutionary, committed to fighting imperialism and colonialism. He wrote several books inculding Toiles d'araignées which was inspired by his experiences in prison. In the book he also denounces certain traditional practices (forced marriage, etc.) and the military regimes in power in black Africa (in Mali, in particular) in the 1970s. |
| Ida Mntwana | b. 1903, Place unknown, d. 1960, Place unknown Ida Mntwana first president of the African National Congress Women's League and a leader of many mass women's demonstrations from Western Native Township. She was one of the defendants in the 1956 Treason Trial. |
| Ida Victorine Ngampolo | b. 18 May 1942, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo Ida Victorine Ngampolo is a politician from the Republic of Congo, who has been awarded several honours for her service to the nation. |
| Idi Amin | b. Date and year unknown, Koboko, Uganda Protectorate, present-day Uganda, d. 16 August 2003, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Idi Amin was the 3rd President of Uganda (25 January 1971 - 11 April 1979). He launched a coup against Milton Obote after finding out he was due to be arrested for misappropriating army funds, declaring himself president a week after and holding a state funeral for Milton Obote's deposed predecessor, Mutesa II. During his years in power, Amin shifted from being a pro-western ruler - enjoying considerable Israeli support - to being backed by Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, Zaire's Mobutu Sese Seko, the Soviet Union, and East Germany. On 4 August 1972, Amin issued a decree ordering the expulsion of 60,000 Uganda Asians and seized their business and property. He was deposed in 1979 after his behaviour became unpredictable and the country started to fall into economic and diplomatic decline. |
| Idriss Déby | b. 18 June 1952, Berdoba, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Idriss Déby is the 8th President of Chad (2 December 1990 - present) having defeating Hissène Habré in a rebellion. He has since had numerous attempts at overthrowing his government. He oversaw the introduction of multiparty constitution and won the first post-independence election in 1996. He is currently the main French military ally in Africa, having supported with troops French military interventions in both Mali (2013) and CAR (2016). |
| Idrissa Ouédraogo | b. 21 January 1954, Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso, d. 18 February 2018, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Idrissa Ouédraogo was a filmmaker. His work often explored the conflict between rural and city life and tradition and modernity in his native Burkina Faso and elsewhere in Africa. |
| Ifeoma U. Anyaeji | b. Date and year unknown, Benin City, Nigeria Ifeoma U. Anyaeji is a Nigerian artist who holds degrees from schools in the United States and Nigeria. Particularly known for her sculpture, she uses discarded plastic bags and found objects, often using traditional braiding techniques to upcycle them. |
| Ifi Amadiume | b. 23 April 1947, Kaduna, Protectorate of Nigeria, present-day Nigeria Ifi Amadiume is a Nigerian anthropologist, poet and writer. She is considered a trailblazer of gender and feminist thought leadership and her writings, including Male Daughters, Female Husband, have opened up discussions and won numerous awards. |
| Ignatius Kutu Acheampong | b. 23 September 1931, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 26 June 1979, Accra, Ghana Ignatius Kutu Acheampong was the 6th Head of State of Ghana (13 January 1972 - 5 July 1978) having seized control following a bloodless coup as a General. He was court martialled and executed by firing squad on 26 June 1979 together with two other former Heads of State (Gen. Afrifa and Gen. Akuffo). |
| Ikililou Dhoinine | b. 14 August 1962, Djoièzi, French Comoros, present-day Comoros Ikililou Dhoinine was President of Comoros (26 May 2011 - 26 May 2016) having served as Vice-President of Comoros (2006 - 2011) beforehand. Originally a pharmacist, he launched the National Commission for the Prevention and Fight Against Corruption and the Regulatory Authority for Public Procurement. |
| Iman | b. 25 July 1955, Mogadishu, Somalia Iman is a Somalian fashion model, actress and entrepreneur. She is also a pioneer in the ethnic-cosmetics market and is noted for her philanthropy. |
| Imbarek Shamekh | b. 15 May 1952, Benghazi, Libya Imbarek Shamekh has held numerous roles in Libyan government. He was Secretary-General of General People's Congress of Libya, the Head of State (5 March 2009 - 26 January 2010) and both Deputy Prime Minister (2 March 2008 - 5 March 2009) and Prime Minister (1 March 2000 - 14 June 2003). He defected to Egypt during the 2011 Libyan Civil War. |
| Ingrid Jonker | b. 19 September 1933, Douglas, Kimberley, Cape Province, present-day Northern Cape, South Africa, d. 19 July 1965, Three Anchor Bay, Cape Town, South Africa Ingrid Jonker was a notable South African writer and poet, often compared to Sylvia Plath. She wrote poems in Afrikaans and was very outspoken against her father's stance in politics. She lived a very intense life, culminating in her suicide at the age of 32. |
| Ingrid Mwangi | b. 1975, Nairobi, Kenya Ingrid Mwangi is a Kenyan-German artist who is one half of artistic duo, Mwangi Hutter. Her work is multi-disciplinary with projects and work in photography, sculpture, installation and performance art. She is married to her artistic duo partner. |
| Inna Modja | b. 19 May 1984, Bamako, Mali Inna Modja is a Malian singer and model. She released her first album Everyday is a New World in 2009. |
| Intissar Belaïd | b. 1984, Kef, Tunisia Intissar Belaïd is a Tunisian artist and filmmaker. She attended university before completing her masters in Paris at the Sorbonne. She has won numerous awards including the Special Jury Prize at the International Student Film Festival in Morocco in 2010. |
| Irene Cohen de Brito Teixeira | b. 1939, Angola, d. 1967, Place unknown Irene Cohen de Brito Teixeira was an Angolan activist for national independence. |
| Isaach de Bankolé | b. 12 August 1957, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Isaach de Bankolé is an Ivorian actor who has appeared in over 50 films. |
| Isabelle Boni-Claverie | b. 27 February 1972, Tiassalé, Côte d'Ivoire Isabelle Boni-Claverie is an Ivorian author, screenwriter and film director. |
| Isaias Afwerki | b. 2 February 1946, Asmara, British Military Administration Eritrea, present-day Eritrea Isaias Afwerki is the 1st President of Eritrea (24 May 1993 - present) and has been the only incumbent since the country's independence in 1993. In 1993, following the 30-year independence struggle a referendum was held regarding independence by the United Nations and it was declared legally independent. |
| Isatou Njie-Saidy | b. 5 March 1952, Kuntaya, North Bank Division, Gambia Isatour Njie-Saidy is a Gambian politician and held the role as Vice-President of Gambia (20 March 1997 - 18 January 2017). Her rise to power in government was ground-breaking in the region of West Africa. |
| Ismaël Lô | b. 30 August 1956, Dogondoutchi, Niger Ismaël Lô is a musician and actor from Niger who plays the guitar and harmonica. |
| Ismaël Diabaté | b. Date unknown, Bamako, Mali Ismaël Diabaté is a Malian artist who uses techniques of his country in combination with natural elements such as mud and wood from native trees. |
| Ismail Al-Azhari | b. 20 October 1900, Omdurman, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, present-day Sudan, d. 26 August 1969, Khartoum, Sudan Ismail al-Azhari, also known as 'Saiyid', was the 3rd President of the Sudan (10 June 1965 - 5 July 1956) and the 1st Prime Minister of Sudan (6 January 1954 - 5 July 1956). Starting out as a mathematics teacher, he advocated to join Sudan with Egypt and strengthen the Nile Valley, however when he became Prime Minister and realising that most of the country did not share his vision he reversed his decision and declared Sudan to be independent. |
| Ismail El Gizouli | b. Date and year unknown, Sudan Ismail El Gizouli was a member and former acting chair of the United Nations Bureau of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). |
| Ismaïl Omar Guelleh | b. 27 November 1946, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh is the 2nd President of Djibouti (8 May 1999 - present) and is sometimes referred to as "IOG". His uncle was the 1st President of Djibouti and chose him to succeed him. He has been referred to as a dictator and has been criticised by human rights groups. |
| Ismaïla Samba Traoré | b. 25 April 1949, Bamako, Mali Ismaïla Samba Traoré is a Malian politician and a writer. In 2012, he became the president of PEN-Mali. |
| Issa Hayatou | b. 9 August 1949, Garoua, Cameroon Issa Hayatou is a former athlete and was the fifth president of the Confederation of African Football. |
| Issa Samb | b. 31 December 1945, Dakar, Senegal, d. 25 April 2017, Place unknown Issa Samb was a Senegalese painter, sculptor, performance artist, playwright and poet. |
| Iyinoluwa Aboyeji | b. 28 March 1991, Nigeria Iyinoluwa Aboyeji is the co-founder and managing director of Flutterwave, which provides banks, enterprises and entrepreneurs technology platforms to make and accept payments anywhere in Africa. He is also the co-founder of Andela, a company training African developers and hiring them out to global tech companies. |
J
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| J. B. Danquah | b. 18 December 1895, Kwahu, Ghana, d. 4 February 1965, Nasawam, Ghana J. B. Danquah was a statesman, pan-Africanist, scholar, lawyer and historian. He was one of the founding fathers of Ghana. |
| J. E. Casely Hayford | b. 29 September 1866, Cape Coast, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 11 August 1930, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana J. E. Casely Hayford, also known as the penname Ekra-Agiman, was a notable Ghanaian. He authored numerous books on legal commentary against British rule and was a strong advocate of African emancipation. In addition to this he was a notable politician and is credited as authoring one of the earliest works of pan-African fiction, Ethiopia Unbound. |
| J. M. Coetzee | b. 9 February 1949, Cape Town, South Africa J. M. Coetzee is a novelist, essayist, linguist and translator from South Africa. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2003. |
| J. P. Clark | b. 6 April 1935, Kiagbodyuo, Nigeria J. P. Clark is a Nigerian poet and playwright. Clark deals with themes, such as violence and protest, institutional corruption and European colonialism through a complex interweaving of indigenous African imagery. |
| J. R. Essomba | b. Date unknown, Cameroon J. R. Essomba is a Cameroonian writer. His work is set in post-colonial Africa and explores the consequences of the legacy left by colonial powers. His novels often tell the story of clandestine Afro European journeys of migrants seeking an alternative future. |
| J. Z. Moyo | b. 1927, Plumtree, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 22 January 1977, Place unknown J. Z. Moyo was founder of the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) and was killed by a letter bomb. |
| J.P. Mika | b. 1980, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo J.P. Mika is a Congolese artist who has had a range of styles over the years but has, since 2013, been known for his portraits. His work contains highly colourful backgrounds and retro imagery of important figures. |
| Jack Mapanje | b. 25 March 1944, Mangochi, Malawi Jack Mapanje is a writer and a poet. He was imprisoned in 1987 for his collection Of Chameleons and Gods, which indirectly criticized the administration of President Hastings Banda. |
| Jackie Appiah | b. 5 December 1983, Toronto, Canada Jackie Appiah is a Canadian-born actress who played in such films as The Perfect Picture. She has won several awards including two Africa Movie Academy Awards and three Ghana Movie Awards. |
| Jackie Arenstein | b. 6 June 1921, Place unknown Jackie Arenstein was a South African journalist, writer and activist who was a defendant in the 1956 Treason Trial. |
| Jackie Karuti | b. 1987, Nairobi, Kenya Jackie Karuti is an artist from Kenya who works with installation, video and performance to explore themes of death, sexuality, identity and urban culture. |
| Jacob Wilson Sey | b. 10 March 1832, Cape Coast, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 22 May 1902, Cape Coast, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana Jacob Wilson Sey was the one-time president and co-founder of the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society. He was once part of a delegation sent to England to speak directly with the British government. |
| Jacob Zuma | b. 12 April 1942, Nkandla, South Africa Jacob Zuma was the 4th President of South Africa (9 May 2009 - 14 February 2018) following his time as Deputy President of South Africa (14 June 1999 - 14 June 2005) under Thabo Mbeki, though he was dismissed due to his financial adviser's conduct. He resigned from office before a vote of no confidence was taken, and he has since been charged with numerous accusations of corruption and 700 counts of money laundering. |
| Jacqueline Mugo | b. Date unknown, Place unknown Jacqueline Mugo is the Executive Director at the Federation of Kenya Employers. |
| Jacques Doumro | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. 1975, Place unknown Jacque Doumro was a Chadian general during the Tombalbaye Regime. Doumro was General and Chief-of-Staff of the Chadian Armed Forces. He spoke out against President Tombalbaye in relation to modernisation of the army, gaining a political following, particularly from students. There were calls for him to replace the incumbent but was killed in a military coup against Tombalbaye. |
| Jaha Dukureh | b. ca. 1989, Gambia Jaha Dukureh is a women's rights activist and anti-female genital mutilation campaigner. She is the founder and executive director of Safe Hands for Girls. |
| Jakaya Kikwete | b. 7 October 1951, Msoga, Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania Jakaya Kikwete was the 4th President of Tanzania (21 December 2005 - 5 November 2015). In some of his other roles within government, such as his time at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he and his office were credited with being a huge part of bringing peace in the Great Lakes region. |
| Jalila Baccar | b. 23 November 1952, Tunis, Tunisia Jalila Baccar is a playwright, actress and director. In 1976, she co-founded the Nouveau Théâtre de Tunis. |
| Jamel Debbouze | b. 18 June 1975, Paris, France Jamel Debbouze is of Moroccan descent. His movie career has included Zonzon and the box-office smash Amelie. He co-produced Days of Glory, a tribute to French North African troops whose role in the Second World War has been largely forgotten. |
| James Mancham | b. 11 August 1939, Victoria, British Seychelles, present-day Seychelles, d. 8 January 2017, Glacis, Seychelles James Mancham was the 1st President of the Seychelles (29 June 1976 - 5 June 1977), elected to power as the leader of the Democratic Party, a party which he founded when heard that Britain was to give Seychelles independence. In addition to this he also served as the 1st Prime Minister of Seychelles (1 October 1975 - 28 June 1976) and is often cited as being responsible for encouraging tourism to Seychelles and building the airport. He was ousted by a coup in June 1977 by his Prime Minister France-Albert René. Mancham was also one of the recipients of the Gusi Peace Prize in 2011. |
| James Michel | b. 16 August 1944, Mahé, British Seychelles, present-day Seychelles James Michel was the 3rd President of Seychelles (16 April 2004 - 16 October 2016) having previously served as Vice-President under France-Albert René (August 1996 - 16 April 2004). He resigned from the post less than a year into his third term. |
| James Skivring Smith | b. 26 February 1825, Charleston, South Carolina, United States, d. 1892, Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, Liberia James Skivring Smith was the President of Liberia (4 November 1871 - 1 January 1872) however his presidency was so short that it's often not acknowledged at all in history books. |
| Janet Museveni | b. 24 June 1949, Ntungamo District, Western Uganda Janet Museveni is the First Lady of Uganda (29 January 1986 - present) and a politician. Having also served in the cabinet as the Minister of Education and Sports and Minister for Karamoja Affairs. She has also founded an organisation to help orphans in Uganda and has actively worked to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. |
| Jansie Lourens | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Jansie Lourens was the second white woman to be convicted during the Treason Trials in South Africa. She, along with her then fiancé Carl Niehaus, were found guilty of actions such as planting bombs and assisting people fleeing the country. |
| Jay-Jay Okocha | b. 14 August 1973, Enugu, Nigeria Jay-Jay Okocha is a former Nigerian footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. |
| Jean Alingué Bawoyeu | b. 18 August 1937, Fort-Lamy, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Jean Alingué Bawoyeu was Prime Minister of Chad (4 March 1991 - 20 May 1992) and is known as vieux sage or wise elder. His time in office he was given very little power and was replaced, turning him against the president. |
| Jean Depara | b. 1928, Angola, d. 1997, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Jean Depara was a photographer. In 1975, he became the official photographer to the National Assembly of Democratic Republic of the Congo. |
| Jean Manga-Onguene | b. 12 June 1946, Ngoulemekong, Cameroon Jean Manga-Onguene is a Cameroonian former footballer. He was the 1980 African Footballer of the Year. |
| Jean Pliya | b. 21 July 1931, Djougou, Benin, d. 14 May 2015, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Jean Pliya was a playwright and short story writer. His work often considers colonial history and issues of values. |
| Jean Ravelonarivo | b. 17 April 1959, Sakadomo, Madagascar Jean Ravelonarivo was the Prime Minister of Madagascar (17 January 2015 - 13 April 2016). Before his political career he served as a pilot and left office after the president named Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana in his role. |
| Jean Sinclair | b. 2 July 1908, Place unknown, d. 6 June 1996, Place unknown Jean Sinclair was one of the founding members of The Black Sash organisation in South Africa. The group was a non-violent white women's resistance organisation against the Apartheid government. Jean Sinclair led the organisation and received the Order of the Baobab in Silver for her work. |
| Jean-Baptiste Bagaza | b. 29 August 1946, Rutovu, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi, d. 4 May 2016, Brussels, Belgium Jean-Baptiste Bagaza was the 2nd President of Burundi (1 November 1976 - 3 September 1987) having taken power from Michel Micombero. He was a military dictator and was overthrown in a military coup d'état whilst in Canada. |
| Jean-Baptiste Hachème | b. 24 June 1929, Porto-Novo, Dahomey, present-day Benin, d. 3 May 1998, Cotonou, Benin Jean-Baptiste Hachème was president of Dahomey, present-day Benin, styled under the title Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee for one day (December 1967). He had a long military career but was dismissed from the military twice and later was accused of planning a coup in 1973 and imprisoned for 20 years of hard labour. |
| Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo | b. 30 June 1942, Kaya, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo was the President of Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso (9 November 1982 - 4 August 1983) after participating in the November 1982 coup d'état. Considered more ideologically moderate he was not the most popular choice and was eventually removed in another coup in August 1983 by Thomas Sankara. |
| Jean-Baptiste Tati Loutard | b. 15 December 1938, Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo, d. 4 July 2009, Paris, France Jean-Baptiste Tati Loutard was a politician and poet. He served as Minister of Higher Education and Minister of Arts and Culture and was Minister of Hydrocarbons in the government of Congo-Brazzaville from 1997 to 2009. |
| Jean-Bédel Bokassa | b. 22 February 1921, Bobangui, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic, d. 3 November 1996, Bangui, Central African Republic Jean-Bédel Bokassa started as the 2nd President of the Central African Republic (1 January 1966 - 4 December 1976) and then proclaimed himself as the Emperor of Central Africa (4 December 1976 - 21 September 1979). He wanted to raise the profile of Africa by assuming the monarchy, but many external nations considered him an eccentric. In 1973 he offered two diamonds to the French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, causing a major political scandal in the 5th French Republic. In 1979, French paratroopers deposed him and re-installed Dacko as president. While in exile in France, he was tried and sentenced to death in absentia. Upon his return to CAR, he was put on trial for treason and murder. He was also accused of cannibalism but cleared of charges. The death sentence was later commuted to life in solitary confinement, but he was finally freed a couple of years later. |
| Jean-Bosco Kamba | b. 1939, Democratic Republic of the Congo Jean-Bosco Kamba is an artist who paints bright and vibrant scenes of Congolese life. |
| Jean-Jacques Démafouth | b. 3 November 1959, Bangui, Central African Republic Jean-Jacques Démafouth held the office of Defence Minister under the presidency of Ange-Félix Patassé. When a coup was attempted on the president, and failed, Démafouth was arrested for conspiracy though he was acquitted in 2002. He fled to France and was named as a suspect in a murder case of presidential aides by the new president. He then ran for the presidency whilst in exile but was initially rejected due to discrepancies between his birth certificate and his criminal record. He was allowed to stand but was defeated. |
| Jean-Marie Teno | b. 14 May 1954, Bandjoun, Cameroon Jean-Marie Teno is a film director, editor and producer from Cameroon. |
| Jean-Paul Alata | b. 17 August 1924, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, d. 1978, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Jean-Paul Alata was a political prisoner in Guinea who wrote a book on his experiences. The book described in detail the brutal tortures and degrading practices that were routine in Camp Boiro. |
| Jean-Paul Ngoupandé | b. 6 December 1948, Dékoa, Kemo-Gribingui, Ubungi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic, d. 4 May 2014, Paris, France Jean-Paul Ngoupandé served as Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (6 June 1996 - 30 January 1997) and later ran for the presidency in 1999 and 2005. He founded and was president of this own political party the National Unity Party (PUN) and deemed himself to be the enemy of corruption. |
| Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa | b. Date unknown, Cameroon Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa is a film director and writer. He produced Cameroon's first full-length feature film, Muna-Moto, in 1975. |
| Jean-Pierre Thystère Tchicaya | b. 7 January 1936, Pointe-Noire, French Congo, present-day Republic of Congo, d. 20 June 2008, Paris, France Jean-Pierre Thystère Tchicaya was an acting head of state for the People's Republic of the Congo (5 February 1979 - 8 February 1979) and later on the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of the Congo (10 August 2002 - 2007). He later spoke out on the way elections had been conducted before his death in 2008. |
| Jean-Serge Bokassa | b. 25 February 1971, Bangui, Central African Republic Jean-Serge Bokassa is the son of Jean-Bédel Bokassa, who took the role as Emperor of the Central African Republic. Jean-Serge was styled as a prince initially but when his father was overthrown, he went into exile in Gabon. Later on, he became a politician and has held roles such as Minister of the Interior, Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture. He stood in the 2016 election as a presidential candidate but lost. |
| Jeanie Noel | b. Date and year unknown, Durban, South Africa Jeanie Noel is a South African activist and anti-Apartheid campaigner. Her family were forced out of their family home when the Group Areas act came into implementation and Jeanie shortly after became involved with the African National Congress. Through her work and resistance, she was incarcerated along with Winnie Mandela. |
| Jeanine Mabunda | b. Date unknown, Place unknown Jeanine Mabunda is a politician from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2012, she was appointed special advisor on the fight against sexual violence. |
| Jeanne Gervais | b. 6 June 1922, Grand-Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire, d. 9 December 2012, Place unknown Jeanne Gervais was a politician who was a long-time member of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire - African Democratic Rally. |
| Jeanne Martin Cissé | b. 6 April 1926, Kankan, Guinea, d. 21 February 2017, Maryland, United States Jeanne Martin Cissé was a teacher and nationalist politician from Guinea who served as ambassador to the United Nations in 1972 and was the first woman to serve as President of the United Nations Security Council. |
| Jeanne-Marie Ruth-Rolland | b. 17 June 1937, Bangassou, Ubangi Shari, present-day Central African Republic, d. 4 June 1995, Paris, France Jeanne-Marie Ruth-Rolland ran as a candidate in the 1993 Central African Republic general election, being the first woman in Africa to run for president. |
| Jeannette Balou-Tchichelle | b. 1947, Republic of the Congo, d. 2005, Place unknown Jeannette Balou-Tchichelle was a writer. In works such as her 1989 Coeur en exile (A Heart in Exile) she expresses a since of homesickness for her native country, the Republic of Congo. |
| Jelani Aliyu | b. 1966, Kaduna, Nigeria Jelani Aliyu is the designer of GM's electric Chevrolet Volt car, and the Director General of Nigeria's National Automotive Design and Development Council. |
| Jelili Atiku | b. 27 September 1968, Ejigbo, Nigeria Jelili Atiku is a contemporary artist who uses sculpture, performance and video to discuss African politics, human rights and social justice. In 2015 he received the Prince Claus Award. |
| Jellal Ben Abdallah | b. 26 May 1921, Tunis, Tunisia, d. 9 November 2017, Place unknown Jellal Ben Abdallah is an artist who painted scenes of daily life, still life and traditional crafts. |
| Jems Robert Koko Bi | b. 1966, Sifra, Côte d'Ivoire Jems Robert Koko Bi is an Ivorian sculptor who uses wood in his sculptures. His work also includes performances. |
| Jennifer Bash | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Jennifer Bash is a Tanzanian entrepreneur who has brought Tanzanian farmers and producers to the international market. Her company Alaska Tanzania helps with branding, image, business development and distribution. |
| Jennifer Musisi | b. c. 1960, Mukono District, Uganda Jennifer Musisi is a well-known member of the Ugandan civil service and practicing lawyer. She has held the role of the executive director of Kampala City Authority from 2011. |
| Jerry Rawlings | b. 22 June 1947, Accra, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana Jerry Rawlings, a Flight Lieutenant, retired from the military and set up the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He twice held the role of Head of State of Ghana (4 June 1979 - 24 September 1979 and 31 December 1981 - 7 January 1993) then as President of Ghana (7 January 1993 - 7 January 2001) first by a military coup, following which many people were purged. In 1994-96 he was Chairperson of ECOWAS. In October 2010, Rawlings was named African Union Envoy to Somalia. |
| Jewel Howard-Taylor | b. 17 January 1963, Zorzor, Lofa, Liberia Jewel Howard-Taylor is the Vice-President of Liberia (22 January 2018 - present), and former First Lady of Liberia. Her career background is in the financial industry and she has received criticism for her support of a bill which would have made homosexuality a crime punishable by death penalty. |
| Jo Thorpe | b. 1921, Fishoek, Cape Town, South Africa, d.18 February 1995, Place unknown Jo Thorpe was a South African who founded the African Arts Centre. Her interest in African crafts and art was a lifelong passion and helped her to assist the running of numerous workshops, exhibitions and classes. She won numerous awards for her work and authored a number of books. |
| Joachim Yhombi-Opango | b. 12 January 1939, Fort Rousset, present-day Owando, French Congo, present-day Republic of Congo Joachim Yhombi-Opango was the President of the People's Republic of the Congo (4 April 1977 - 5 February 1979) and was also the first military general in the Congo army. He later on went on to become Prime Minister for the Republic of the Congo (23 June 1993 - 27 August 1996) before heading into exile from 1997 to 2007. |
| Joan Hoskyn Davies | b. 2 December 1909, Robben Island, South Africa, d. Date unknown, Place unknown Joan Hoskyn Davies was the first woman to be an archivist and the first female head of an archives depot in South Africa, as until this point women had only been assistants. |
| Joanita Kawalya | b. 1 May 1967, Uganda Joanita Kawalya is a Ugandan musician and activist. Her father was also a well-known singer and following a career in teaching, she left to pursue music full time. She is a member of Afrigo Band and has supported a number of programmes including a mentorship programme and HIV/AIDS organisations. |
| João Bernardo Vieira | b. 27 April 1939, Bissau, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea-Bissau, d. 2 March 2009, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau João Bernardo Vieira took the post as 2nd President of Guinea-Bissau (1 October 2005 - 2 March 2009) but was killed whilst in office. After a bomb killed a political rival he was shot dead by a group of soldiers in retaliation. |
| João de Matos | b. 30 May 1955, Angola Province Portugal, present-day Angola, d. 4 November 2017, Spain João de Matos was a military general from Angola. He was in the Second Congo War fighting as a military general to support Joseph Kabila. |
| João Lourenço | b. 5 March 1954, Lobito, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola João Lourenço is the 3rd, and current, President of Angola (26 September 2017 - present). He was a member of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and held the role of Vice-President. His political career started as keeping morale high for guerrilla soldiers and later became Minister of Defence. |
| Joaquim Chissano | b. 22 October 1939, Gaza Province, Portuguese Mozambique, present-day Mozambique Joaquim Chissano was the 2nd President of Mozambique (6 November 1986 - 2 February 2005) and has also served as the Chairperson of the African Union (2003 - 2004). During his presidency Mozambique was in civil war which his government negotiated, and eventually ended, in 1992. From there the country recovered into a well-respected democracy. |
| Joe Modise | b. 23 May 1929, Doornfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa, d. 26 November 2001, Pretoria, South Africa Joe Modise was a South African politician and guerrilla fighter identified as being part of the Freedom Charter movement, however no charges were brought against him at the time. He was instrumental in the creation of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military arm of the African National Congress and became the first black Minister for Defence. |
| Joël Andrianomearisoa | b. 1977, Antananarivo, Madagascar Joël Andrianomearisoa is an artist from Madagascar that works in a number of different mediums with various materials. His main subject matter explores perceptions of reality and time. |
| Johanna Cornelius | b. 27 February 1912, Lichtenburg, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa, d. 21 June 1974, Johannesburg, South Africa Johanna Cornelius was a South African activist and trade unionist. She served as the president of the Afrikaner Garment Workers Union (GWU) and was involved in a strike in 1932 which led to her arrest. |
| Johanna Hendrina Scheepers | b. 1915, Place unknown, d. 1976, Place unknown Johanna Hendrina Scheepers, also known as Joey, was a South African trade unionist. She headed up a chapter of the Garment Workers' Union (GWU) and was involved in a number of industrial actions for her industry, as well as in support of others. She once chained herself to a fence in Johannesburg in protest of a contemporary being arrested and held. |
| John Atta Mills | b. 21 July 1944, Tarkwa, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 24 July 2012, Accra, Ghana John Atta Mills was elected to President of Ghana (7 January 2009 - 24 July 2012) and had also held the role of Vice-President of Ghana (7 January 1997 - 7 January 2001). He is the first Ghanaian head of state to die in office. |
| John Chilembwe | b. 1871, Nyasaland, present-day Malawi, d. 3 February 1915, present-day Malawi John Chilembwe was a Baptist pastor and educator. He was an early figure in the resistance to colonialism in Malawi. |
| John Dramani Mahama | b. 29 November 1958, Damongo, Ghana John Dramani Mahama was the President of Ghana (24 July 2012 - 7 January 2017) following the death of John Atta Mills. He is the first vice-president of Ghana to have ascended to the presidency. |
| John Garang | b. 23 June 1945, Twic, present-day South Sudan, d. 30 July 2005, New Cush, Sudan John Garang was a politician and leader. From 1983 to 2005 he led the Sudan People's Liberation Army during the Second Sudanese Civil War. |
| John Kani | b. 30 August 1943, New Brighton, Eastern Cape, South Africa John Kani is a director, actor and playwright. He co-wrote and acted in Sizwe Banzi Is Dead and The Island. He won Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Play for both productions. He was also in the film Black Panther. |
| John Kufuor | b. 8 December 1938, Kumasi, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana John Kufuor was the President of Ghana's 4th Republic (7 January 2001 - 7 January 2009). In 2001, his victory over John Evans Atta Mills after the end of Jerry Rawlings' second term in office marked the first peaceful democratic transition of power in Ghana since independence in 1957. |
| John Magufuli | b. 29 October 1959, Chato, Geita, Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania John Magufuli is the 5th President of Tanzania (5 November 2016 - present). Since his appointment he has run many initiatives to stop corruption and implementing measures for austerity. One major act was to cancel Independence Day celebrations in a bid to prevent the overly lavish spending, he also banned foreign travel for officials, first-class air tickets and reduced his own monthly salary from $15,000 to $4,000 per month. |
| John Mensah Sarbah | b. 3 June 1864, Anomabu, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 27 November 1910, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana John Mensah Sarbah was the first person from the Gold Coast to be called to the English bar. In addition, he helped to establish the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society, which became the main political organisation that led organised and sustained opposition against the colonial government, laying the foundation for Ghanaian independence. |
| John Ngu Foncha | b. 21 June 1916, Bamenda, Kamerun |
| John Obi Mikel | b. 22 April 1987, Jos, Nigeria John Obi Mikel is a footballer who plays for the national Nigerian team. |
| Johnny Paul Koroma | b. 9 May 1960, Tombodu, Kono District, British Sierra Leone, present-day Sierra Leone, d. 1 June 2003, Place unknown Johnny Paul Koroma held the rank of major in the Sierra Leone military and assumed the role of Head of State of Sierra Leone (25 May 1997 - 6 February 1998) following a military coup. He suspended the constitution, banned demonstrations and banned all political parties. He was declared dead on the 1 June 2003 however rumours still circulate that he is alive. |
| Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi | b. 3 March 1924 Umuahia, Abia State, Southern Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria, d. 29 July 1966, Lalupon, Oyo, Nigeria Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, was a Major-General in the Nigerian military and the first Nigerian Military Head of State (16 January 1966 - 19 July 1966). He seized power in the ensuing chaos following the 15 January 1966 military coup. He was assassinated in mysterious circumstances after counter coup erupted. |
| Jomo Kenyatta | b. 1897, Gatundu, British East Africa, present-day Kenya, d. 22 August 1978, Mombasa Coast, Kenya Jomo Kenyatta was the 1st President of Kenya (12 December 1964 - 22 August 1978) following its independence from the British. He was the first black head of state and also held the role of the 1st Prime Minister of Kenya (1 June 1963 - 12 December 1964) before the republic. |
| Jonas Gwangwa | b. 1937, Soweto, South Africa Jonas Gwangwa is a jazz musician, songwriter and producer. He has been an important figure in South African jazz for over 40 years. |
| Jonas Savimbi | b. 3 August 1934, Munhango, Bié, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 22 February 2002 Lucusse, Moxico Province, Angola Jonas Savimbi was the founder and leader of National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). UNITA waged a guerrilla war against the Portuguese and then People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) during the Angolan Civil War. His official title was the President and Supreme Commander of UNITA (1966 - 2002) and held the role until he was killed fighting government troops. |
| Jonathan Butler | b. 10 October 1961, Cape Town, South Africa Jonathan Butler is a South African singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music is often classified as R&B, jazz fusion or worship music. |
| Jorge Carlos Fonseca | b. 20 October 1950, Mindelo, Portuguese Cape Verde, present-day Cape Verde Jorge Carlos Fonseca is the 4th, and current, President of Cape Verde (9 September 2011). He is a lawyer, university professor and politician who has published a number of technical books on law as well as two books of poetry. |
| José Craveirinha | b. 28 May 1922, Maputo, Mozambique, d. 6 February 2003, Johannesburg, South Africa José Craveirinha is the pseudonym of José G. Vetrinhawas, a journalist, story writer and poet. Regarded as his country's greatest poet, his work addresses racism and colonial oppression. As a supporter of the anti-Portuguese FRELIMO during the colonial wars he was imprisoned in the 1960s. He was one of the African pioneers of the Négritude movement. |
| José Eduardo Agualusa | b. 13 December 1960, Huambo Province, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola José Eduardo Agualusa is an Angolan writer and journalist, specifically on the history of Angola. He has had some success having been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for his book 'A General Theory of Oblivion', based on occurrences in Angola on the eve of independence. |
| José Eduardo dos Santos | b. 28 August 1942, Luanda, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola José Eduardo dos Santos was the 2nd President of Angola (10 September 1979 - 26 September 2017), he initially rose as acting president following the death of Agostinho Neto and was then elected. During his presidency there was a struggle with National Union for the Total Integration of Angola (UNITA) which led to a 27-year civil war. He then received the majority vote in an election monitored by the United Nations, however UNITA refused to recognise the vote and it led to a three-day war and Halloween Massacre. |
| José Luandino Vieira | b. 1978, Portugal José Luandino Vieira is an Angolan author who has written novels and short stories mainly focused on the struggles and lives of the poorest in Angola. His strong views and expression on the subject led to him being imprisoned for eleven years. His most notable publication is Luuanda - Short Stories of Angola. |
| José Maria Neves | b. 28 March 1960, Santa Catarina, Portuguese Cape Verde, Portugal, present-day Cape Verde José Maria Neves was the Prime Minister of Cape Verde (1 February 2001 - 22 April 2016) and is so far the longest individual to serve in this post. He is known for establishing diplomatic relations with China and working with European Union. and is keen for Cape Verde to become a member of the EU. In addition to his political career, he has written a number of books and articles. |
| José Mário Vaz | b. 10 December 1957, Calequisse, Cacheu, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea-Bissau José Mário Vaz, popularly known as 'Jomav', is the incumbent President of Guinea-Bissau (23 June 2014 - present) and won the election with promises to reduce poverty and increasing of agricultural investment. |
| José Pedro de Morais | b. 20 December 1955, Silva Porto present-day Kuito, Bié Province, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola José Pedro de Morais was the Minister of Finance for Angola (December 2002 - October 2008) and has since been appointed Governor of the National Bank of Angola. |
| José Sayovo | b. 3 March 1973, Bié Province, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola José Sayovo is an Angolan Paralympian and the first two win a medal for the Republic of Angola at the Paralympic Games. He has won 4 gold medals, 3 silver and 1 bronze medals in athletics for the 100m, 200 and 400m sprints. |
| Joseph Arthur Ankrah | b. 18 August 1915, Accra, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 25 November 1992, Accra, Ghana Joseph Arthur Ankrah served as the first commander of the Army of Ghana, the Ghanaian Chief of the Defence Staff and from 1966 and 1969 as the 2nd President of Ghana (24 February 1966 - 2 April 1969). |
| Joseph Brahim Seid | b. 1927, N'Djamena, Chad, d. 1980, Place unknown Joseph Brahim Seid was a writer and politician. He is known for the works Au Tchad sous les étoiles (In Chad under the stars) and Un enfant du Tchad (A child of Chad), based on his own life. |
| Joseph Conombo | b. 9 February 1917, Kombissiri, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso, d. 20 December 2008, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Joseph Conombo was Prime Minister of Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso (7 July 1978 - 25 November 1980). With a medical background he served as the Director General for Public Health (1966 - 1968). His time as Prime Minister was ended when Saye Zerbo launch a military coup that overthrew Sangoulé Lamizana as president. |
| Joseph Djimrangar Dadnadji | b. 1954, Place unknown Joseph Djimrangar Dadnadji was the Prime Minister of Chad (21 January 2013 - 21 November 2013) for less than one year. He had held posts as Minister of Planning, Development and Cooperation, Minister of the Environment and Water, Technical Adviser to the President for Legal and Administrative Affairs and Human Rights, Secretary-General of the Presidency twice and Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency. |
| Joseph Faye | b. 1905, Sédhiou, Senegal Joseph Faye was a Senegalese Catholic priest who was the first African to be ordained in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. |
| Joseph James Cheeseman | b. 1843, Edina, Granda Bassa County, Liberia, d. 12 November 1896, Monrovia, Liberia Joseph James Cheeseman was the 12th President of Liberia (4 January 1892 - 12 November 1896) and was the first to die whilst in office. There were numerous struggles whilst he was in office involving the indigenous tribes from the area. |
| Joseph Jenkins Roberts | b. 15 March 1809, Norfolk, Virginia, United States, d. 24 February 1876, Monrovia, Liberia Joseph Jenkins Roberts was the 1st President of Liberia (3 January 1848 - January 1856 and 1 January 1872 - 3 January 1876) and was also the first black Governor in the Commonwealth. |
| Joseph Kabila | b. 4 June 1971, Fizi, Democratic Republic of the Congo Joseph Kabila is the current President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (26 January 2001 - present) and the son of Laurent-Désiré Kabila. Following his father's assassination, he inherited the presidency and was the first world leader to be born in 1970s. |
| Joseph Kasa-Vubu | b. Date and year unknown, Mayombe, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, d. 24 March 1969, Boma, Democratic Republic of the Congo Joseph Kasa-Vubu was the 1st President of the Republic of the Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, (1 July 1960 - 1 August 1964) working with Prime Minister Patrice Lumbaba when he first came to office. |
| Joseph Ki-Zerbo | b. 21 June 1922, Nayala, Burkina Faso, d. 4 December 2006, Burkina Faso Joseph Ki-Zerbo was a historian, politician and writer from Burkina Faso. He is recognized as one of Africa's foremost thinkers. |
| Joseph Saidu Momoh | b. 26 January 1937, Binkolo, Bombali District, British Sierra Leone, present-day Sierra Leone, d. 3 August 2003, Conakry, Guinea Joseph Saidu Momoh was the President of Sierra Leone (28 November 1985 - 29 April 1992) and had got to the rank of Major-General whilst in the Sierra Leone Military Forces. The economy suffered greatly under his leadership with the country unable to import fuel and gasoline leading to blackouts that went on for months. He was overthrown in a military coup. |
| Joseph Shabalala | b. 28 August 1941, Ladysmith, South Africa Joseph Shabalala is the founder and musical director of the South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. |
| Joseph William Swain de Graft-Johnson | b. 1860, Place unknown, d. 1928, Cape Coast, Ghana Joseph William Swain de Graft-Johnson was the popular name for Joseph William de Graft-Johnson, He was one of the founding members of Aborigines' Rights Protection Society, as well as a notable icon in Cape Coast civic affairs and a business owner. |
| Joseph Yodoyman | b. 1950, Place unknown, d. 22 November 1993, Place Unknown Joseph Yodoyman was the Prime Minister of Chad (20 May 1992 - 7 April 1993) but was ejected from his party the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (ANDD) and he founded a new party National Alliance for Democracy and Renewal. |
| Joseph-Antoine Bell | b. 8 October 1954, Mouandé, Cameroon Joseph-Antoine Bell is a former football goalkeeper. He represented his national team of Cameroon in three World Cups. |
| Josephine Agutu | b. Date unknown, Uganda Josephine Agutu is a gold miner from Uganda. However, her operation is used to empower women by creating an ethical source of gold for Fair Trade jewellery. Through her work she prevents the spread of child labour and the importance of avoiding highly toxic mercury to extract gold. |
| Josephine Finda Sellu | b. Date unknown, Sierra Leone Josephine Finda Sellu is the deputy nurse matron at the government hospital in Kenema, Sierra Leone. She is one of the two original nurses at the Ebola treatment center who has survived or not fled their post. |
| Josephine Kasya | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Josephine Kasya is the governor of Kanungu District and is the first Ugandan woman to head a district. She has promoted education of both parents and children in the district, as well as improved childcare and nutrition. |
| Josephine Ngale | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Josephine Ngale is a Cameroonian woman who created the Save The Children Alliance Orphanage and is also a UN peacekeeper against gender-based violence. Prior to her work she was a police inspector in the Cameroon police force. |
| Josephine Okot | b. 1970, Gulu, Uganda Josephine Okot is a Ugandan entrepreneur who founded, and is managing director, of Victoria Seeds. The thought process behind the company is to improve the quality of the seeds provided to farmers and thus prevent loss of crops. She has won a number of awards for the work she has done including the Yara Prize. |
| Joséphine Ouédraogo | b. 22 December 1949, Koudougou, Burkina Faso Joséphine Ouédraogo is a Burkinabé sociologist and politician. From 2014 to 2016 she was her country's Minister of Justice. |
| Joshua Nkomo | b. 19 June 1917, Semokwe Reserve, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 1 July 1999, Harare, Zimbabwe Joshua Nkomo was a politician who served as Vice President of Zimbabwe from 1987 to 1999. |
| Josiah Tshangana Gumede | b. 9 October 1867, Eastern Cape, present-day South Africa, d. 6 November 1946, South Africa Josiah Tshangana Gumede was a politician who became involved in the land struggles of Dinuzulu. He was a founding member of two important African organisations in colonial Natal, Funamalungelo and the Natal Native Congress. |
| Josiah Tungamirai | b. 8 October 1948, Gutu, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 25 August 2005, South Africa Josiah Tungamirai also known as 'Muzamani', was a fighter for the independence of Zimbabwe. He became commander of the Air Force and also served as Minister of State for Indigenization and Empowerment in Mugabe's government. |
| Josie Mpama | b. 1903, Potchefstroom, Transvaal, present-day North West Province, South Africa, d. 1979, place unknown Josie Mpama, sometimes known as 'Palmer', was a member of the Communist party of South Africa and was involved in numerous activities, including the Anti- Pass Campaign in the 1940s. She visited Moscow and gave evidence about the "factional struggle in the Communist party of South Africa." She was the common-law wife of Edwin Mofutsanyana. |
| Joy Kwesiga | b. 1943, Kabale, Uganda Joy Kwesiga is an activist from Uganda, who also works in academia focusing on gender. She is also the Vice-Chancellor of Kabale University. |
| Joyce Banda | b. 12 April 1950, Malemi, Nyasaland, present-day Malawi Joyce Banda was the President of Malawi (7 April 2012 - 31 May 2014) and a politician for a number of years. She was the first female Vice-President of Malawi, as well as first female president. Forbes magazine named her as the most powerful woman in Africa in their 2014 list. She also founded her own charitable organisation that puts Malawian orphans through education. |
| Julia Sebutinde | b. 28 February 1954, Kampala, Uganda Julia Sebutinde is a Ugandan judge and academic. She is currently in the International Court of Justice and has worked on a number of special commissions into corruption in the police and Ugandan Revenue authority. |
| Julie Mehretu | b. 1970, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Julie Mehretu is an Ethiopian artist. Her work conveys layering and compression of time, space and place with art historical references. |
| Julius Maada Bio | b. 12 May 1964, Tihun, Bonthe District, Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio overthrew Valentine Strasser to become the next head of state for Sierra Leone (16 January 1996 - 29 March 1996), having assisted in the 1992 coup and been Valentine Strasser's deputy. |
| Julius Nyerere | b. 13 April 1922, Butiama, Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania, d. 14 October 1999, London, United Kingdom Julius Nyerere was the 1st President of Tanzania (29 October 1964 - 5 November 1985), President of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar (26 April 1964 - 29 October 1964), President of Tanganyika (9 December 1962 - 26 April 1964), Prime Minister of Tanganyika (1 May 1961 - 22 January 1962) and Chief Minister of Tanganyika (2 September 1960 - 1 May 1961). His long political career was driven by a wish for independence and leanings towards socialism with programmes of forced collectivisation and villagization. He won the Lenin Peace Prize, Gandhi Peace Prize and Joliot-Curie Medal. Nyerere advocated for strict government control over popular culture in order to promote his vision of African pride and unity. Nyerere is still a controversial figure in Tanzania. |
| Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin | b. 16 January 1917, Abomey, Dahomey, present-day Benin, d. 8 March 2002, Cotonou, Benin Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin served as Prime Minister of Dahomey (25 January 1964 - 29 November 1965) when he then peacefully handed over the role to Christophe Soglo in what was an agreed rotation. |
| Juvénal Habyarimana | b. 8 March 1937, Gisenyi, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Rwanda, d. 6 April 1994, Kigali, Rwanda Juvénal Habyarimana was the 2nd President of Rwanda (5 July 1973 - 6 April 1994). Prior to his political career he was an army officer and was, at one point, the head of the national guard and police for the country. He led the coup against his predecessor saying he had failed to join warring factions within the country. He, alongside Cyprien Ntaryamira, the President of Burundi, and numerous other influential political figures were killed when his plane was shot down. Although the leader of the RPF, Paul Kagame, was fingered as the instigator of the attack it has never been conclusively proven. His assassination ignited ethnic tensions in the region and helped spark the Rwandan Genocide. |
K
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| K'naan | b. 1 February 1978, Mogadishu, Banaadir, Somalia K'naan, born Keinan Abdi Warsame, is a Somali-Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist. He rose to prominence with the success of his single Wavin' Flag, which was chosen as Coca-Cola's promotional anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. |
| Kachi A. Ozumba | b. Date unknown, Nigeria Kachi A. Ozumba is a novelist and short story writer from Nigeria. He was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize for a distinguished work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry, evoking the spirit of a place. |
| Kadara Enyeasi | b. Date unknown, Nigeria Kadara Enyeasi is a Kenyan photographer who is known for his self-portraits and for using his own body as a muse. |
| Kadiatou Konaté | b. Date unknown, Bamako, Mali Kadiatou Konaté is a Malian film director and screenwriter. Her most notable work is L'Enfant terrible, which is an animated short based on African myths. |
| Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo | b. 1953, Boussouma, Sanmatenga, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Kadré Désiré Ouedraogo held the office of Prime Minister of Burkina Faso (6 February 1996 - 7 November 2000). On his appointment he was not affiliated with a particular party and went onto hold office as the Minister of Finance and Ambassador to Belgium after his time as prime minister. |
| Kailash Purryag | b. 12 December 1947, Camp Fouquereaux, Mauritius Kailash Purryag was the 5th President of Mauritius (21 July 2012 - 29 May 2015). He had also held the office as Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius (22 December 1997 - 17 September 2000) and was a member of the Labour Party. |
| Kalusha Bwalya | b. 16 August 1963, Mufulira, Zambia Kalusha Bwalya is a former football player. He is Zambia's eighth most capped player and third on the list of all-time top goal scorers. |
| Kalzeubet Pahimi Deubet | b. 1 January 1957, Lac Léré, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Kalzeubet Pahimi Deubet was Prime Minister of Chad (21 November 2013 - 15 February 2016) during which Boko Haram attacked the Chadian shore of Lake Chad. This was following the country offering military support to Cameroon in the wake of the armed Islamist group. |
| Kamudzengerere, Admire | b. 1981, Harare, Zimbabwe Admire Kamudzengerere is a contemporary artist. His work addresses the political violence and upheaval in his home country, while tying into more universal themes, such as relationships, identity politics and displacement. |
| Kamwa, Daniel | b. 14 April 1943, Nkongsamba, Cameroon Daniel Kamwa studied in Paris before producing his debut film Boubou-cravate in 1973. His film Our Daughter was entered into the 12th Moscow International Film Festival. |
| Kamwathi, Peterson | b. 1980, Nairobi, Kenya Peterson Kamwathi is a Kenyan artist who in his work explores African culture and contemporary issues. |
| Kaoberdiano Dambará | b. 17 September 1937, Santiago, Cape Verde Kaoberdiano Dambará, born Felisberto Vieira Lopes, is a Cape Verdean poet known for his militant poetry regarding colonialism. |
| Karim Abdul Razak | b. 18 April 1956, Kumasi, Ghana Karim Abdul Razak is a football coach and former midfielder. He played for the Ghana national team, helping it win the 1978 African Cup of Nations. |
| Karl Offmann | b. 25 November 1940, Port Louis, British Mauritius, present-day Mauritius Karl Offmann was the 3rd President of Mauritius (25 February 2002 - 7 October 2003) and came to power after the previous two incumbents refused to sign a controversial anti-terrorism bill. He was also president of the National Assembly. |
| Kassé Mady Diabaté | b. 1949, Kéla, Mali, Kassé Mady Diabaté is a Malian singer who for half a century has been recognized as one of West Africa's finest singers. |
| Kassim Majaliwa | b. 22 December 1961, Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania Kassim Majaliwa is the Prime Minister of Tanzania (20 November 2015 - present) a role he was appointed by John Magufuli when he won the presidency. He is also the Member of Parliament for Ruangwa (November 2010 - present). |
| Kate Molale, | b. 2 January 1928, Place unknown, d. 9 May 1980, Tanzania Kate Molale was a South African political activist and, in particular, was known in the popular resistance in the enforced eviction of residents of Sophiatown. She was a key activist in getting support in reaction to the Anti-Pass Campaign of 1956. She died after injuries sustained in a road traffic collision. |
| Kateb Yacine | b. 6 August 1929, Constantine, Algeria, d. 28 October 1989, Grenoble, France Kateb Yacine was an Algerian writer notable for his novels and plays. He was also known for his advocacy of the Berber cause. |
| Katoucha Niane | b. 23 October 1960, Conakry, Guinea, d. 2 February 2008, Paris, France Katoucha Niane was a model from Guinea who worked with Thierry Mugler, Paco Rabanne and Christian Lacroix. |
| Kazadi Mwamba | b. 6 March 1947, Lubumbashi, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo Kazadi Mwamba was a goalkeeper who played for TP Mazembe and Zire. He was named Player of the Tournament when the Democratic Republic of the Congo won the 1968 African Cup of Nations. |
| Keïta Fodéba | b. 19 January 1921, Siguiri, Guinea, d. 27 May 1969, Camp Boro, Guinea Keïta Fodéba published the poetry collection Poèmes africains (1950), the novel Le Maître d'école (1952), and in 1957, Keïta wrote and staged the narrative poem African Dawn as a theatre-ballet based on the shooting by French troops of protesting Africans who had served in the French army during World War II. |
| Kelvin Doe | b. 26 October 1996, Freetown, Sierra Leone Kelvin Doe is a self-taught engineer and inventor, who used scrap metal to create generators, FM transmitters and batteries. At age 15, he became the youngest person to participate in the "Visiting Practitioner's Program" at MIT. |
| Kemi Adetiba | b. 8 January 1980, Lagos, Nigeria Kemi Adetiba is a filmmaker and music video director. Her 2016 film The Wedding Party became the highest grossing Nigerian film in history. |
| Ken Bugul | b. 1947, Ndoucoumane, Senegal Ken Bugul is the pen name of Senegalese Francophone novelist Mariètou Mbaye Biléoma. She was awarded the Grand Prix littéraire d'Afrique noire for her novel Riwan ou le Chemin de Sable in 2000. |
| Ken Saro-Wiwa | b. 10 October 1941, Bori, Nigeria, d. 10 November 1995, Nigeria Ken Saro-Wira was a Nigerian writer, television producer, environmental activist and winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize. |
| Kenenisa Bekele | b. 13 June 1982, Bekoji, Ethiopia Kenenisa Bekele is a long-distance runner who currently holds both the world and Olympic record in both the 10000m and 5000m race. He has won 23 gold medals including 3 Olympic golds. |
| Kenneth Kaunda | b. 28 April 1924, Chinsali, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia Kenneth Kaunda, also known as 'KK', was the 1st President of Zambia (24 October 1964 - 2 November 1991). When he came into power, he sought to improve the education system and created opportunities for free supplies so more students could go through education. He banned all other political parties in 1972 and in 1973 there was an economic crisis in Zambia due to an oil crisis. On 28 May 1975 was made Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry. |
| Kenza Farah | b. 8 July 1986, Béjaïa, Algeria Kenza Farah is a singer-songwriter. Her album Authentik achieved gold in its second week. |
| Kesaveloo Goonam | b. 1906, Durban, Natal, present-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa d. 1999, Place unknown Kesavaeloo Goonam was a doctor and anti-apartheid activist. A medical doctor she was known for assisting those with reproductive needs and was jailed for her work with Indian Passive Resistance Campaign. She released an autobiography detailing her life and activism called Coolie Doctor. |
| Kgalema Motlanthe | b. 19 July 1949, Boksburg, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa Kgalema Motlanthe was 3rd President of South Africa (25 September 2008 - 9 May 2009) and went on to be the Deputy President (9 May 2009 - 26 May 2014) following his presidency. He was a prominent member of the ANC's military wing, and an activist all of his life. |
| Khadja Nin | b. 27 June 1959, Ruandi-Urundi, present-day Burundi Khadja Nin is a Burundian singer and musician, having released numerous albums in Swahili, Kirundi and French. She is the daughter of a diplomat and is married to the motor racing driver Jacky Ickx. |
| Khady Sylla | b. 27 March 1963, Dakar, Senegal, d. 8 October 2013, Dakar, Senegal Khady Sylla was a Senegalese writer of two novels. She also wrote short works and was a filmmaker. |
| Khaled | b. 29 February 1960, Oran, Algeria Khaled is an Algerian musician who has achieved international success and performed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. His most well-known songs are C'est la vie and Didi. |
| Khaled Ben Slimane | b. 1951, Nabeul, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Khalen Ben Slimane is a Tunisian ceramicist and artist. He has worked with Joan Miró and has been exhibited alongside Picasso and Artigas. His ceramics in particular feature repetition of phrases and text of Sufi origin. |
| Khalifa al-Ghawi | b. 1964, Misurata, Libya Khalifa al-Ghawi was the Prime Minister of the National Salvation Government of Libya (31 March 2015 - 5 April 2016, 14 October 2016 - 16 March 2017) though this is often disputed by Abdullah al-Thani and Fayez al-Sarraj. The United Nations supported the opposing government led by Fayez al-Sarraj. |
| Khatri Addouh | b. 1954, Smara, Spanish Sahara, present-day Sahrawi Republic/Western Sahara Khatri Addouh was acting president for the Sahrawi Republic (31 May 2016 - 12 July 2016) and currently presides over the Sahrawi National Council (10 July 2010 - present) and is a lead negotiator for the Polisario Front. |
| Khoudia Diop | b. 31 December 1996, Senegal Khoudia Diop is a fashion model and actress. She featured in The Colored Girl Project, which led to her becoming popular on Instagram. |
| Kidum | b. 28 October 1974 Kinama, Burundi, Kidum is a musician from Burundi who performs throughout Africa. He was named Best Male Artist of East Africa at the 2012 Kora Awards. He has also been named as Ambassador for Peace. |
| King Idris I | b. 12 March 1889, Al-Jaghbub, Ottoman Cyrenaica, Libya, d. 25 May 1983, Cairo, Egypt King Idris I was King of Libya (24 December 1951 - 1 September 1969). When he came to power after Libya gaining its independence, he outlawed political parties and opened talks with the west. He was deposed a coup d'état by Muammar Gaddafi in 1969. |
| King Letsie III | b. 17 July 1963, Morija, Basutoland, present-day Lesotho King Letsie III is the reigning monarch of Lesotho (12 November 1990 - 25 January 1995 and 7 February 1996 - present) after taking the title when his father was forced into exile. He then returned the crown but again inherited the title following his father's death in a car crash. |
| King Mohammed V | b. 10 August 1909, Fes, Morocco, d. 26 February 1961, Rabat, Morocco King Mohammed V was both Sultan of Morocco (30 October 1955 - 14 August 1957) and King of Morocco (14 August 1957 - 26 February 1961) when he successfully negotiated independence for Morocco from France and Spain. He is known for blocking extradition orders to deport 250,000 Moroccan Jews during the holocaust and is respected for protecting their community. |
| King Mohammed VI | b. 21 August 1963, Rabat, Morocco King Mohammed VI is the reigning King of Morocco (23 July 1999 - present) having taken over the throne after the death of his father, King Hassan II. He is considered more liberal and has taken action creating a new Mudawana (family code) granting women more power. He also made the Berber language an official state language alongside Arabic. His regime has been accused of alleged corruption, a number of Mohammed VI's close political advisors having been named in WikiLeaks documents and the Panama papers. In 2017 Mohammed VI successfully led the country to re-join the African Union after it left the Union in 1984 over a row re the status of Western Sahara. He also announced a bid to join the West African regional organisation ECOWAS, which has been accepted in principle by the member states, although they requested a detailed report on the political and economic implications of this membership. |
| King Moshoeshoe II | b. 2 May 1938, Morija, Basutoland, present-day Lesotho, d. 15 January 1996, Maloti Mountains, Lesotho King Moshoeshoe II also known as Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho was the King of Lesotho (4 October 1966 - 15 January 1996). His reign was marred with conflict when he was suspended by the Prime Minister but later reinstated, and then deposed in 1990 again being reinstated. He was killed in a car crash in 1996. |
| King Mswati III | b. 19 April 1968, Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, Manzini, Swaziland, present-day eSwatini King Mswati III was born Prince Makhosetive, is the King of eSwatini (Ngwenyama or Ingwenyama in Swazi language). As part of the HIV and AIDS pandemic he used his power to decree a period of abstinence for Swazi maidens for five years. He changed the name of the country to eSwatini in April 2018. |
| King Muhammad VIII al-Amin | b. 4 September 1881, Carthage, Tunisia, d. 30 September 1962, Tunis, Tunisia King Muhammad VIII al-Amin also known as Lamine Bey who was the final Bey of Tunisia (15 May 1943 - 25 July 1957). He attempted to support the anti-colonial Tunisian national movement in opposition of the French, however with a number of setbacks and reforms toward the French government, his power was removed piece by piece leading to Tunisian independence. |
| King Mutesa II | b. 19 November 1924, Makindye, Uganda Protectorate, present-day Uganda, d. 21 November 1969, Rotherhithe, London, United Kingdom King Mutesa II was the 1st President of Uganda (9 October 1963 - 2 March 1966) and in addition was also the Kabaka of Uganda, or 'material king' (22 November 1939 - 21 November 1969). He was deposed and forced into exile in the United Kingdom after the Battle of Mengo Hill (1966). |
| King Mwambutsa IV | b. 6 May 1912, Nyabiyogi, Kingdom of Burundi, German East Africa, present-day Burundi, d. 26 March 1977, Geneva, Switzerland King Mwambutsa IV also known as Mwambutsa IV of Burundi, also known as King Mwambutsa IV Bangiricenge, was the King of Burundi (16 December 1915 - 8 July 1966). When the country received independence in 1962, he retained the role as head of state of Burundi however the 1965 coup d'état overthrew the monarchy, and he went into exile in the Republic of Congo and ended up in Switzerland. The monarchy was overthrown again after two following coup d'états, eventually leading the abolishment of the monarchy in 1966. |
| King Ntare V | b. 2 December 1947, Gitega, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi, d. 29 April 1972, Gitega, Burundi King Ntare V Ndizeye also known as Ntare V of Burundi, was the final king (mwami) of Burundi (8 July 1966 - 28 November 1966). He took the role on from his father who was living in exile in Switzerland after a coup. He then overthrew his own father and government before being deposed by Michel Micombero in a military coup. He left Burundi and went first to West Germany and then eventually Uganda. He returned to Burundi in March 1971 and the uprising began again. He was assassinated but the details of which have never been truly discovered. |
| King Sobhuza II | b. 22 July 1899, Zombodze, Swaziland, present-day eSwatini, d. 21 August 1982, Mbabane, Swaziland, present-day eSwatini King Sobhuza II, also known as 'Nkotfotjeni' or 'Stone Lizard', started as the Paramount Chief and became King of Swaziland, present-day eSwatini (10 December 1899 - 21 August 1982). Although he came to power when he was four months old, he wasn't coronated until he was 21. During his reign Swaziland gained its freedom from the United Kingdom in 1968, after spending many years of his reign liaising with the British Crown over lands and borders. He was initially the head of the country in a constitutional monarchy but dissolved parliament in 1973 returning to an absolute monarchy. Since then, the governance has changed to a system involving tribal councils called tinkhundla. |
| King Sunny Adé | b. 22 September 1946, Ondo State, Nigeria King Sunny Adé is a musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and an important figure in the West African musical style jùjú. |
| Kiripi Katembo | b. 20 June 1979, Zaire, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, d. 5 August 2015 Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kiripi Katembo was a photographer, documentary filmmaker and painter. His short films and photography focused on the daily lives of the people of Kinshasa. |
| Kisito Assangni | b. 1975, Lomé, Togo Kisito Assangni is a Togolese curator. His research focuses primarily on psycho-geography and the cultural impact of post-globalization. |
| Kitaw Ejigu | b. 25 February 1950, Bonga, Kaffa, Ethiopia, d. 13 January 2006, United States of America Kitaw Ejigu was one of Ethiopia's first aerospace scientists. He was a Chief of Spacecraft and Satellite Systems engineer at NASA. He is known for his innovative achievements in creations of the Global Positioning System (GPS) in addition to flight simulator creations. |
| Kléber Dadjo | b. 12 August 1914, Siou, French Togoland, present-day Togo, d. 23 September 1988, Togo Kléber Dadjo held the office of interim president of Togo (14 January 1967 - 14 April 1967) after Nicolas Grunitzky and his government were overthrown in a bloodless coup. Having held the rank of colonel and following the transition to the new president, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, he became Minister of Justice. |
| Kobina Seyki | b. 1 November 1892, Cape Coast, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 1956, Place unknown Kobina Sekyi was a notable Elmina-Cape Coast businessman and one-time President of the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society. He is often credited with his satirical comedy The Blinkards. |
| Koffi Kwahulé | b. 1956, Côte d'Ivoire Koffi Kwahulé is an Ivorian writer who has won the Prix Ahmadou Kourouma and the Grand Prix Ivoirien des Lettres. |
| Kofi Annan | b. 8 April 1938, Kumasi, present-day Ghana Kofi Annan is a diplomat, originally from Ghana, who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations. In 2001, he was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. |
| Kofi Yamgnane | b. 11 October 1945, Bassar Togo Kofi Yamgnane is a politician and engineer. He has campaigned on improving health in Togo. |
| Koibla Djimasta | b. 1950, Place unknown, d. 30 January 2007, Place unknown Koibla Djimasta held the post of Prime Minister of Chad (8 April 1995 - 17 May 1997) under the presidency of Idriss Déby. His appointment was confirmed by a vote with the transitional government after the previous prime minister was removed, allegedly for having designs on the presidency. |
| Kojo Botsio | b. 21 February 1916, Winneba, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 6 February 2001, Accra, Ghana Kojo Botsio was the first ever Minister of Education and Social Welfare for Ghana, in addition he was also Minister for Foreign Affairs twice. He was responsible for the Accelerated Education Development Plan in which all primary education was made fee-free and compulsory. |
| Kojo Tovalou Houénou | b. 25 April 1887, Porto-Novo, present-day Benin, d. 13 July 1936, Dakar, Senegal Kojo Tovalou Houénou, from present-day Benin, was a prominent African critic of the French colonial empire in Africa. |
| Kolo Touré | b. 19 March 1981, Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire Kolo Touré is an Ivorian former footballer and is currently a member of the coaching staff for the Côte d'Ivoire national team. |
| Komi Sélom Klassou | b. 10 February 1960, Notsé, Togoland, present-day Togo Komi Sélom Klassou is the Prime Minister of Togo (10 June 2015 - present). He has held roles as Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education and was th First Vice President of the National Assembly of Togo. |
| Komla Agbeli Gbedemah | b. 17 June 1913, Place unknown, d. 11 July 1998, Place unknown Komla Agbeli Gbedemah who was also known as Afro Gbede, was a Ghanaian politician who was the founder of the National Alliance of Liberals. He received a personal apology from the U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower after being refused service in a Delaware restaurant and was subsequently invited for breakfast at the White House. |
| Kossi Efoui | b. 1962, Anfoin, Togo Kossi Efoui is a writer, playwright and novelist. He published his first novel in 1997 and won the Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noir in 2001. |
| Koulsy Lamko | b. 1959, Dadouar, Chad Koulsy Lamko is a playwright, novelist, poet and university lecturer from Chad. He has won many prizes for his writing. |
| Koyo Kouoh | b. 1967, Cameroon Koyo Kouoh is a Cameroonian independent exhibition maker, cultural producer and the founding artistic director of RAW Material Company in Dakar. |
| Krim Belkacem | b. 14 September 1922, Tizi Ouzou, Algeria, d. 18 October 1970, Frankfurt, West Germany Krim Belkacem joined the underground Algerian People's Party after returning from fighting for the French in the Second World War. Having avoided two death sentences from French tribunals, during the Algerian War of Independence he became of the most important chiefs of the National Liberation Front (FLN), eventually becoming the Minister of Defence and Foreign Minster in the Algerian Republic. |
| Kudirat Abiola | b. 1951, Zaria, Nigeria, d. 9 June 1996, Lagos, Nigeria Kudriat Abiola was an entrepreneur and intended First Lady of Nigeria. Her husband was detained after he won the election and she was gunned down whilst in her car by a machine gun. |
| Kudzanai-Violet Hwami | b. 1993, Gutu, Zimbabwe Kudzanai-Violet Hwami is a Zimbabwean artist whose bright works depict futuristic scenes of African life. |
| Kumba Ialá | b. 15 March 1953, Bula, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea-Bissau, d. 4 April 2014, Bissau, Guinea Bissau Kumba Ialá, and later on Mohamed Ialá Embaló, was the 3rd President of Guinea-Bissau (17 February 2000 - 14 September 2003) and perpetrated a number of high-profile sackings and policy changes that involved numerous elections being postponed. In September 2003 there was a bloodless coup in the country that led to the eventual resignation of Kumba Ialá and a ban of participating in politics for five years. |
| Kura Shomali | b. 1979, Kananga, Democratic Republic of the Congo Kura Shomali is a Congolese artist who participated in the creation of the Eza Possibles group. He works predominantly on paper, combining bold charcoal, pen, gouache, ink, marker and collage to create unique textures. |
| Kwame Nkrumah | b. 21 September 1909, Nkroful, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 27 April 1972, Bucharest, Romania Kwame Nkrumah was the 1st President of Ghana (1 July 1960 - 24 February 1966) having already held roles as the 1st Prime Minister of Ghana (6 March 1957 - 1 July 1960) and under its pre-independence name, 1st Prime Minister of the Gold Coast (21 March 1952 - 6 March 1957). An influential advocate of Pan-Africanism, Nkrumah was a founding member of the Organization of African Unity and winner of the Lenin Peace Prize in 1962. He was deposed in 1966 and lived the rest of his life in Sékou Touré's Guinea, of which he was named honorary co-president. |
| Kwatsi Alibaruho | b. 6 May 1972, Illinois, USA Kwatsi Alibaruho is the first black Mission Control Flight Director at NASA. He was also appointed Vice President of program management for the Eaton's Aerospace Group. |
| Kwaw Ansah | b. 1941, Agona Swedru, Ghana Kwaw Ansah is an award-winning Ghanaian filmmaker. His first feature, Love Brewed in the African Pot, earned immediate popular and critical acclaim throughout English-speaking Africa. |
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| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Laetitia Kikonyogo | b. 2 September 1950, Uganda, d. 23 November 2017, Mulago, Kampala, Uganda, Laetitia Kikonyogo was a Ugandan lawyer and judge. She held the role of Deputy Chief Justice of Uganda and was called to the Bar in the United Kingdom as well. |
| Lakhdar Belloumi | b. 29 December 1958, Mascara, Algeria Lakhdar Belloumi is a former football player and manager. He is widely considered one of the best Algerian football players of all time. |
| Lakin Ogunbanwo | b. 1987, Nigeria Lakin Ogunbanwo is a Nigerian photographer who found his calling to art whilst studying law in the United Kingdom. His work is often described as almost erotic and has featured in places such as the New York Times and i-D magazine. |
| Lamine Senghor | b. 15 September 1889, Joal, Senegal, 25 November 1927, Fréjus, France Lamine Senghor was a political activist who was committed to an independent Senegal. |
| Lamees el Hadidi | b. 8 November 1963, Cairo, Egypt Lamis el Hadidi is a journalist and broadcast presenter. She is also the chief executive officer of the Al Alam Al Youm newspaper. |
| Lansana Conté | b. 30 November 1934, Dubréka, French Guinea, present-day Guinea, d. 22 December 2008, Conakry, Guinea Lansana Conté was the 2nd President of Guinea (5 April 1984 - 22 December 2008) he led a military coup that toppled the government before they chose their candidate to be the unopposed runner in the election. |
| Larbi Ben M'hidi | b. 1923, Aïn M'lila, Algeria, d. 4 March 1957, Algiers, Algeria Larbi Ben M'hidi, who was also known as Si Larbi or Ben M'hidi, was one of the founding members of the National Liberation Front (FLN). A strict Muslim, he became involved with the underground Algerian People's Party and was involved with numerous accounts of dissidence and rioting. He was arrested and held, holding up against interrogation and was finally executed, though this was only admitted to in 2000. |
| Lassy Mbouity | b. 15 October 1988, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo Lassy Mbouity is a Congolese writer who writes using the penname Lassy Bouity. He was one of the most popular community leaders in Africa and Republic of the Congo for organizing campaigns for young people across Africa. |
| Latifa | b. 14 February 1961, Manouba, Tunisia Latifa is a Tunisian pop singer who has had huge success throughout the Arab world. |
| Lauren | b. 19 January 1977, Kribi, Cameroon Lauren is a retired footballer who played as a right back for the Cameroonian national team. |
| Laurent Gbagbo | b. 31 May 1945, Gagnoa, French Côte d'Ivoire, present-day Côte d'Ivoire Laurent Gbagbo, the 4th President of Côte d'Ivoire (26 October 2000 - 4 December 2010/11 April 2011 disputed as Gbagbo was in custody from December) following the downfall of Robert Guéï. In 2010 Alassane Ouattara won the presidential elections but Gbagbo refused to leave power. He was ultimately arrested and is currently being tried at the International Criminal Court in The Hague for 'crimes against humanity'. He has denied all charges. |
| Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya | b. 7 October 1939, Mongobele, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya is a religious figure as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kinshasa and primate of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a position placed upon him in by the Pope in 2007. He has been tipped as a successor to the current Pope Benedict XVI. |
| Laurent Pokou | b. 10 August 1947, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, d. 13 November 2016, Abdijan, Côte d'Ivoire Laurent Pokou was a footballer, who was part of the Côte d'Ivoire national team. He was twice the highest goal scorer of the Africa Cup of Nations. |
| Laurent-Désiré Kabila | b. 27 November 1939, Moba, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, d. 16 January 2001, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Laurent-Désiré Kabila was the 3rd President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (17 May 1997 - 16 January 2001) and was a known revolutionary prior to his presidency. He was assassinated in 2001 by one of his bodyguards. |
| Lauretta Ngcobo | b. 13 September 1931, Ixpo, Natal Province, present-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, d. 3 November 2015, Johannesburg, South Africa Laurreta Ngcobo was a South African writer. Her writing was considered quite controversial by the government of South Africa at the time as it was heavily influenced by the experiences of oppression of black African women during the Apartheid. Her most famous book, And They Didn't Die, has been critically acclaimed as well as her collected works on exiled women, and a children's book she wrote. |
| Lawrence Lemaoana | b. 1982, Johannesburg, South Africa Lawrence Lemoana is an artist who produces graphic fabric works that critically engage with mass media in present-day South Africa. |
| Lebohang Kganye | b. 1990, Katelhong, South Africa Lebohang Kganye is an artist and photographer who has had several exhibitions in South Africa. |
| Legesse Wolde-Yohannes | b. Date and year unknown, Ethiopia, d. 1997, Place unknown Legesse Wolde-Yohannes was a horticultural scientist and was co-awarded the 1989 Right Livelihood Award for his work and discoveries on how to prevent the parasitic disease Bilharzia. |
| Legson Kayira | b. 1942, Mpale, present-day Malawi, d. 14 October 2012, London, United Kingdom Legson Kayira was a novelist. His early works focused on Malawi's rural life, while his later writings satirised the Hastings Banda regime. |
| Legwaila Joseph Legwaila | b. 2 February 1937, Bechuanaland Protectorate, present-day Botswana Legwaila Joseph Legwaila is a politician from Botswana and has held a number of important diplomatic roles in his time in government. He has worked alongside countries such as Cuba as ambassador (1981 - 2001) and Consul General in Jamaica. He has also held the title of Vice-President of the United Nations General Assembly. |
| Leila Abouzeid | b. 1950, El Ksiba, Morocco Leila Abouzeid is an author. She writes in Arabic and was the first female Moroccan writer of literature to have her works published as an English-language translation. |
| Leila Lopes | b. 26 February 1986, Benguela, Angola Leila Lopes was crowned Miss Universe in 2011. Born in Angola she studied business management at the University of Suffolk, where she entered and won Miss Angola UK in 2010. She currently works in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS. |
| Leleti Khumalo | b. 30 March 1970, KwaMashu, South Africa Leleti Khumalo is a South African actress who starred in the Broadway production and film Sarafina!, and films such as Hotel Rwanda, Yesterday and Winnie Mandela. |
| Léon M'ba | b. 9 February 1902, Libreville, French Gabon, present-day Gabon, d. 27 November 1967, Paris, France Léon M'ba was the 1st Prime Minister of Gabon (21 May 1957 - 21 February 1961) during the provisional government and then the 1st President of Gabon (12 February 1961-28 November 1967) of Gabon. He became ill during his term and the constitution was amended in order to appoint a successor in the event of ill health or his death. |
| Leonel Mário d'Alva | b. 1935, São Tomé Island, Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe, present-day São Tomé and Príncipe Leonel Mário d'Alva was Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe (21 December 1974 - 12 July 1975), up to the period of time where the country was given independence from Portugal. After his time as Prime Minister he has also held positions as foreign minister, acting president (4 March 1991 - 3 April 1991) and National Assembly President. |
| Léonora Miano | b. 12 March 1973, Douala, Cameroon Léonora Miano is an author from Cameroon who has won several literary awards for her work. |
| Léopold Sédar Senghor | b. 9 October 1906, Joal, French Senegal, present-day Senegal, d. 20 December 2001, Verson, France Léopold Sédar Senghor took to office as the 1st President of Senegal (6 September 1960 - 31 December 1980) and was also known as a poet and cultural theorist. He co-founded with Aimé Césaire the Négritude movement. Ideologically a socialist, as President of Senegal he nonetheless favoured the maintenance of close ties with France and the western world. He is revered as one of the most important African intellectuals of the 20th century. He was the first African to be elected at the Académie française (1983). |
| Lesliana Pereira | b. 9 October 1987, Soyo, Angola Lesliana Pereira is an actress and model. In 2007 she was crowned Miss Angola and competed in the 2008 Miss Universe Pageant. She won an Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Njinga: Queen of Angola. |
| Letta Mbulu | b. 23 August 1942, Soweto, South Africa Letta Mbulu is a South African jazz singer who found fame in the United States. She left South African due to the Apartheid and achieved success with her voice appearing in programmes and films such as Roots, The Color Purple and A Warm December. |
| Levy Mwanawasa | b. 3 September 1948, Mufulira, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia, d. 19 August 2008, Paris, France Levy Mwanawasa was the 3rd President of Zambia (2 January 2002 - 19 August 2008). Having started his career as a lawyer he then went on to win the 2001 election and the 2006 elections. In his presidency there was a lot of foreign investment due to his commitment to anti-corruption and driving tourism. |
| Leymah Gbowee | b. 1 February 1972, Monrovia, Liberia Leymah Gbowee is a Nobel Peace Prize winner from Liberia. She received the award in 2011 for her work with the women's peace movement that brought an end to the Second Liberian Civil War and helped to get in a new democratically elected government. She is involved in many undertakings including Trauma Healing and also produced a documentary film, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which won best documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2008. |
| Liamine Zéroual | b. 3 July 1941, Batna, French Algeria, present-day Algeria Liamine Zéroual was acting president of Algeria (30 January 1994 - 16 November 1995) before being formally elected as the 4th President of Algeria (16 November 1995 - 27 April 1999). He was the president during the hijacking of Air France Flight 8969, in which three civilians were murdered. He was urged to run for the 2009 presidency but released a statement saying he would not, but also openly criticising President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. |
| Libar M. Fofana | b. 1959, Conakry, Guinea Libar M. Fofana is a writer who has published several books, exploring themes of kinship. |
| Lillian Ngoyi | b. 25 September 1911, Pretoria, South Africa, d. 13 March 1980, Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa Lilian Ngoyi was a South African, anti-Apartheid activist. A member of the African National of Congress (ANC), she was elected as president of the ANC Women's League. When the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) was formed in 1954, she became one of its national vice-presidents, and in 1956 she was elected president. |
| Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza | b. 1961, Iganga District, Uganda Lilian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza is a judge and lawyer from Uganda. Since 2015 she has served as Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda and prior to this she sat on the Ugandan Court of Appeal. |
| Linah Mohohlo | b. 13 February 1952, Botswana Linah Mohohlo is a banker who was the Governor of the Bank of Botswana from 1999-2016. She is a member of the Commission for Africa. |
| Linda Komape | b. 1949, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa Linda Komape is a South African trade unionist who started out in the Metal and Allied Workers Union, moving on to founding the Transport and General Workers Union. |
| Lindiwe Sisulu | b. 10 May 1954, Johannesburg, South Africa Lindiwe Sisulu is a South African politician and daughter of Albertine Sisulu. She has served as a South African member of parliament since 1994 and is a member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC). Before she became an MP, she was detained for her activities against the Apartheid government and specialised in intelligence gathering for the ANC. |
| Lindokuhle Nkosi | b. Date unknown, South Africa Lindokuhle Nkosi is a writer and curator from South Africa whose textual work often merges with installation and performance. She has curated exhibitions and projects at galleries and in the public space. |
| Lionel Zinsou | b. 23 October 1953, Paris, France Lionel Zinsou is a French-Beninese economist and investment banker who was Prime Minister of Benin from 2015 to 2016. Since June 2017, he has been the president of Terra Nova, a centre-left French think tank. |
| Liya Kebede | b. 1 March 1978, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Liya Kebede is a supermodel and actress. She has modelled for Gucci, Vogue and Estée Lauder, and starred in the film Desert Flower. She also appointed the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and founded the Liya Kebede Foundation, whose mission is to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality in Ethiopia and around the world. |
| Lol Mahamat Choua | b. 1939, Mao, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Lol Mahamat Choua was the 5th President of Chad (29 April 1979 - 21 August 1979) for four months during the First Chadian Civil War. |
| Lopo do Nascimento | b. 10 July 1942, Luanda, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Lopo do Nascimento was the first Prime Minister of Angola (11 November 1975 - 9 December 1978), having also served as Secretary-General of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). |
| Lorcardia Ndandarika | b. 1945, Bindura, Zimbabwe Locardia Ndandarika is a sculptor from Zimbabwe. She has exhibited and held workshops in the United States, the Netherlands, South Africa and New Zealand since 1997. |
| Lotfi Bouchnak | b. 18 January 1952, Tunis, Tunisia Lotfi Bouchnak is a singer, oud player, composer and public figure. He is considered one of the best tenors in the Middle East, North Africa and the Arab world. |
| Louis Lansana Beavogui | b. 28 December 1923, Macenta, French Guinea, present-day Guinea, d. 19 August 1984, Conakry, Guinea Louis Lansana Beavogui held the role of Prime Minister of Guinea (26 April 1972 - 3 April 1984), and then became interim President of Guinea (26 March 1984 - 3 April 1984) before Lansana Conté assumed power in a military coup. |
| Louise Mushikiwabo | b. 22 May 1961, Kigali, Rwanda Louise Mushikiwabo is a politician who has served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in Rwanda since 2009. |
| Louise Vale | b. Date unknown, Place unknown Louise Vale is a South African figure who is the director for the Association of Independent Publishers. She has dedicated much of her life to the research and development of education for all and has been called a "lifelong rescuer of NGOs and communities in crisis". |
| Loyiso Gola | b. 16 May 1983, Gugulethu, South Africa Loyiso Gola is a stand-up comedian. He is the co-creator and anchor of the late-night satirical news television series Late Nite News with Loyiso Gola. |
| Luc-Adolphe Tiao | b. 2 June 1954, Tenkodogo, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Luc-Adolphe Tiao held the office of Prime Minister of Burkina Faso (18 April 2011 - 30 October 2014). Originally training to be a priest, his left-wing views were at odds with the church and went on to be a journalist, renowned for being open with reporting. He was appointed the role of prime minister by in the light of protests by students, military and the police. He resigned on the 27 December 2012 but was reappointed on the 31 December 2012. He fled to exile in Cote d'Ivoire but returned to Burkina Faso and was arrested on murderer charges relating to suppressing protests. |
| Lucas Radebe | b. 12 April 1969, Soweto, South Africa Lucas Radebe is a former footballer who played primarily as a centre-back. He was captain of the South African national team. |
| Lucrecia Paim | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Lucrecia Palm was one of five Angolan heroines who founded OMA in 1962. OMA was the largest political organisation in the MPLA (The peoples Movement for the Liberation of Angola) that works on mobilising, raising and educating women since the beginning of the national liberation struggle. |
| Lucy Lameck | b. 1932, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, d. 21 March 1993, Tanzania Lucy Lameck was a politician and was the first woman to hold a ministerial post in government in Tanzania. She is considered a role model for women, in particular female politicians, within Tanzania. |
| Lucy Mugoni | b. Date unknown, Place unknown Lucy Mugoni is a Malawian administrator who works on a project called Malawi Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (MWASH). Her supervision allows clean water to be distributed to a wide range of families in Malawi. |
| Luís Bernardo Honwana | b. 1942, present-day Maputo, Mozambique Luís Bernardo Honwana is an author. He has published a single book, Nós Matámos o Cão-Tinhoso (1964) which has been hugely influential and can be considered the touchstone of the contemporary Mozambican narrative. |
| Luís Cabral | b. 11 April 1931, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea-Bissau, d. 30 May 2009, Torres Vedras, Portugal Luís Cabral was the 1st President of Guinea-Bissau (24 September 1973 - 14 November 1980) and was instrumental in the liberation war of the country. He is the half-brother of Amílcar Cabral. As the President of Guinea-Bissau, his authoritarian single-party regime was severely repressive. He was overthrown in a bloodless coup after six years in power and never participated in politics again. |
| Luísa Dias Diogo | b. 11 April 1958, Magoé, Mozambique Luísa Dias Diogo was the first female Prime Minister of Mozambique (17 February 2004 - 16 January 2010), before which she was appointed to the United Nations Commission on the Private Sector and Development. |
| Lungiswa Gqunta | b. 1990, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Lungiswa Gqunta, a South African, graduated with a BTech Degree in Fine Art in 2012. In 2014, selected works from The Home of Residue were exhibited in Greatest Hits 2014: The Domestic Odyssey, curated by Mathew Blackman at The AVA Gallery, Cape Town. |
| Lupita Nyong'o | b. 1 March 1983, Mexico Lupita Nyong'o is an actress, playing in several films including 12 Years a Slave, Queen of Katwe and Black Panther. She was the first Kenyan to win an Academy Award. |
| Lutchmee Marie | b. 1923, Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Lutchmee Marie, also known as Aunty Doris, was an activist and had dalliances with the South African Communist Party and many friends within the United Democratic Front. Her son was a trade unionist and activist and led to her being harassed. She became involved with the Ratepayers' Association of Merebank and worked to improve living conditions in terms of the state of the roads and the general environmental factors. |
| Lydia Forson | b. 24 October 1984, Mankessim, Ghana Lydia Forson is an actress, writer and producer, playing in such films as Scorned and The Perfect Picture. She also received an African Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. |
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| Name | Details |
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| M. G. Vassanji | b. 30 May 1950, Kenya M. G. Vassanji is a Kenyan novelist and editor. His work explores themes of migration, diaspora, citizenship, gender and ethnicity. |
| M'Balia Camara | b. 1929, Posséah, Guinea, d. 18 February 1955, Guinea M'Balia Camara was an independence activist. She is still honoured in Guinea for her militant activism. |
| M'hamed Issiakhem | b. 17 June 1928, Tizi Ouzou, Algeria, d. 1 December 1985, Algiers, Algeria M'hamed Issiakhem was an artist who was one of the founders of the modern Algerian painting. |
| Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya | b. 28 November 1941, Atar, French Mauritania, present-day Mauritania Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya was the 5th President of Mauritania (12 December 1984 - 3 August 2005) and had been the prime minister of the country as well (25 April 1981 - 8 March 1984). He was overthrown whilst overseas in 2005, the military dictatorship that took control promising to hold democratic elections after two years. |
| Maati Bouabid | b. 11 November 1927, Casablanca, French Protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco, d. 1 November 1996, Rabat, Morocco Maati Bouabid was the 9th Prime Minister of Morocco (22 March 1979 - 30 November 1983), he was from the Constitutional Union party which is a liberal conservative party with close links to the monarchy. |
| Mabel Balfour | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. Date unknown, Place unknown Mabel Balfour was a South African trade unionist and anti-Apartheid activist. She was arrested and tried under the 1956 Treason Trials and was further arrested and fined for activities, and even put under house arrest. |
| Mabel Dove-Danquah | b. 1905, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 1984, Ghana Mabel Dove-Danquah was a trailblazing feminist, journalist, writer and political activist, and known as one of the earliest women working in these creative fields in West Africa. Entering politics prior to Ghana's independence, she was the first woman to be elected to any African legislative assembly. Her bibliography included The Adventures of the Black Girl in her Search for Mr. Shaw, a satire of George Bernard Shaw. |
| Macky Sall | b. 11 December 1961, Fatick, Senegal Macky Sall won the 2012 election defeating Abdoulaye Wade to become the 4th President of Senegal (2 April 2012 - present). He has since reversed the change to the constitution meaning that presidents can only run for two terms, a maximum of five years, however The Constitutional Council refused to apply the ruling to Macky Sall. |
| Madina Nalwanga | b. 2000, Kampala, Uganda Madina Nalwanga is an actress, playing the lead role in the award-winning film, Queen of Katwe. |
| Maggie Kigozi | b. 5 July 1950, Fort Portal, Uganda Maggie Kigozi is a medical doctor from Uganda and also works as a consultant to the United National Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the executive director for the Uganda Investment Authority. She is also the president of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women. |
| Mahamadou Cissé | b. 1951, Kayes, Mali Mahamadou Cissé is a Malian filmmaker, known for his films Yalema, Yalema II, Yalema III and Falato. |
| Mahamadou Diarra | b. 18 May 1981, Bamako Mali Mahamadou Diarra is a former footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He was captain of the Malian national team. |
| Mahamadou Issoufou | b. 1951, Dandaji, French West Africa, present-day Niger Mahamadou Issoufou is the current President of Niger (7 April 2001 - present). He had already led the country in the role of Prime Minister (17 April 1993 - 28 September 1994) and had run in every presidential election since 1993. |
| Mahamane Ousmane | b. 20 January 1950, Zinder, French West Africa, present-day Niger Mahamane Ousmane was the 4th President of Niger (16 April 1993 - 27 January 1996) having been the first to be democratically elected. He was ousted in a military coup by Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara but has continued to run for presidency in every election since. |
| Mahamat Kamoun | b. 13 November 1961, N'Délé, Central African Republic Mahamat Kamoun is a Central African politician who was the Prime Minister of the Central African Republic in an interim capacity (10 August 2014 - 2 April 2016). He was the country's first Muslim Prime Minister. |
| Mahamat-Saleh Haroun | b. 1961, Abéché, Chad Mahamat-Saleh Haroun is a film director. His feature film A Screaming Man won the Jury Prize at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, making him the first Chadian director to enter, as well as win, an award in the main Cannes competition. |
| Mahawa Bangoura Camara | b. 13 March 1927, Conakry, Guinea Mahawa Bangoura Camara is a Guinean politician, diplomat and representative of Guinea at the United Nations. She has also held the role of ambassador to the United States and was the first ever female Foreign Minister of Guinea. |
| Mahfoud Ali Beiba | b. 1953, El Aaiún, Spanish Sahara, present-day Sahrawi Republic/Western Sahara, d. 2 July 2010, Tindouf province, Algeria Mahfoud Ali Beiba Hammad Dueihi was acting president of the Sahrawi Republic (10 June 1976 - 30 August 1976). He was a co-founder of the Polisario Front and died whilst in exile in a refugee camp. |
| Mahjoub Sharif | b. 1 January 1948, Musalamiyya, Sudan, d. 2 April 2014, Omdurman, Sudan Mahjoub Sharif was a Sudanese poet, teacher and activist. He was known for his colloquial poetry and his public engagement, both committed to further the causes of democracy, freedom, general well-being and national identity. |
| Mahmood Mamdani | b. 23 April 1946, Mumbai, India Mahmood Mamdani is a Ugandan academic, author and political commentator. He specialises in the study of African and international politics, colonialism and post‐colonialism, and the politics of knowledge production. |
| Mahmoud Abdou Zouber | b. Date unknown, Mali Mahmoud Abdou Zouber is a historian from Mali. He works for the preservation, restoration and inventory of manuscripts (texts produced between the 12th and 18th centuries) of Timbuktu. |
| Mahmoud Ahmed | b. 18 May 1941, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Mahmoud Ahmed is an Ethiopian singer of Gurage ancestry. He gained great popularity in Ethiopia in the 1970s and among the Ethiopian diaspora in the 1980s, before rising to international fame with African music fans in Europe and the Americas. |
| Mahmoud El Khatib | b. 30 October 1954, El Dakahila, Egypt Mahmoud El Khatib is a former Egyptian football player and the 18th and current President of Al Ahly Sporting Club. He is widely regarded as one of the best players in African history. |
| Maigari Bello Bouba | b. 1947, Baschéo, British Cameroons, present-day Cameroon Maigari Bello Bouba is a Cameroonian politician who was the 2nd Prime Minister of Cameroon (6 November 1982 - 22 August 1983). There was an expectation he would run for the presidency however he did not participate in the race; he was then placed as Minister of State for Tourism and Leisure. |
| Majid Michel | b. 20 September 1980, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana Majid Michel is an actor who was nominated over six times for an Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor. In 2012 he received the Best Actor for his role in Somewhere in Africa. |
| Makhaya Ntini | b. 6 July 1977, Mdingi, South Africa Makhaya Ntini was the first black player to play for the South African cricket team. He received the South African Silver Order of Ikhamanga. |
| Malala Andrialavidrazana | b. 1971, Madagascar Malala Andrialavidrazana is a Malagasy visual artist specialising in work that involves cross-cultural iconography. She has received a number of awards including the HSBC Prize for Photography. |
| Malam Bacai Sanhá | b. 5 May 1947, Quinara Region, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea-Bissau, d. 9 January 2012, Paris, France Malam Bacai Sanhá was the 4th President of Guinea-Bissau (8 September 2009 - 9 January 2012) and promised on his election that he would investigate the murders of João Bernardo Vieira and Batista Tagme Na Waie. He died due to complications brought on by diabetes. |
| Malangatana Ngwenya | b. 6 June 1936, Matalana, Mozambique, d. 5 January 2011, Matosinhos, Portugal Malangatana Ngwenya was a painter and poet. His work was shown throughout Africa and is in the collection of the National Museum of African Art in Washington D.C. |
| Malek Bennabi | b. 1 January 1905, Constantine, Algeria, d. 31 October 1973, Algiers, Algeria Malek Bennabi was an Algerian writer and philosopher who wrote about human society. He is mostly known for the concept of "coloniability". |
| Malick Sidibé | b. 1936, Soloba, Mali, d. 14 April 2016, Bamako, Mali Malick Sidibé was a photographer noted for his black and white studies of popular culture in the 1960s in Bamako |
| Malouma | b. 1 October 1960, Mederdra, Mauritania Malouma is a singer, songwriter and politician. Her first song Habibi Habeytou harshly criticized the way in which women were treated by their husbands. |
| Mama Beshenga | b. 1936, Place unknown, d. Date unknown, Place unknown Mama Beshinga was a political activist that when Apartheid government introduced the active Law Amendment Act, moving black people to reserves, Mama resisted, organised and demonstrated. She encouraged the women to fight. |
| Mama Keïta | b. 1956, Dakar, Senegal Mama Keïta is a Senegalese filmmaker. He has directed and produced a documentary and several long feature films. |
| Mamadou Dia | b. 18 July 1910, Kombolé, present-day Senegal, d. 25 January 2009, Dakar, Senegal Mamadou Dia was a politician who served as the first Prime Minister of Senegal (18 May 1957 - 18 December 1962) but was forced to resign when it emerged he had allegedly plotted a coup. |
| Mamadou Tandja | b. 1938, Maïné-Soroa, French West Africa, present-day Niger Mamadou Tandja was President of Niger (22 December 1999 - 18 February 2010) following the elections that were arranged by the transitional government. He attempted to tweak the constitution in order to remain in power longer than was constitutionally allowed causing a crisis and leading to him being overthrown by the military. |
| Mamadou Touré | b. Date unknown, Guinea Mamadou Touré is a film director and screenwriter from Guinea. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of African cinema. |
| Mamadu Ture Kuruma | b. 26 April 1947, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea-Bissau Mamadu Ture Kuruma, also known as 'N'Krumah', was a major general in the Guinea-Bissau army that took power following a coup against acting President Raimundo Pereira. His role as Chairman of the Military Command of Guinea-Bissau (12 April 2012 - 11 May 2012). He was banned from travelling by the UN Security council after handing over the presidency to Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo. |
| Mamady Youla | b. 1961, Conakry, Guinea Mamady Youla was the Prime Minister of Guinea (29 December 2015 - 24 May 2018) and a notable managing director of Guinea Alumina Corporation. |
| Mame Madior Boye | b. 1940, Senegal Mame Madior Boye was Prime Minister of Senegal from 2001 to 2002. She was the first female holder of this position. |
| Mamphela Ramphele | b. 28 December 1947, Bochum District, Northern Transvaal present-day Limpopo, South Africa Mamphela Ramphele is a politician, medical doctor and ex-managing director of the World Bank from South Africa. She was involved within the political sphere against the Apartheid government and was once voted 55th in the 100 Greatest South Africans. |
| Manel Filali | b. 11 December 1981, Hussein Dey, Algeria Manel Filali is a member of the Algerian pop group Milk & Honey. |
| Maniben Sita | b. 1926, Pretoria, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa Maniben Sita was an anti-apartheid activist and daughter of the artist Nana Sita. Her work has particularly focused on the role of the Indian community within the struggles in South Africa. She told the High Commissioner of India to South Africa that the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi should be provided to all schoolchildren in South Africa. |
| Manouchka Kelly Labouba | b. Date and year unknown, Gabon Manouchka Kelly Labouba is a director and writer, best known for directing the short film Le Divorce in 2008, which made her the first woman in Gabon cinema history to direct a fictional film. |
| Manthia Diawara | b. 19 December 1953, Bamako, Mali Manthia Diawara is a writer, filmmaker, cultural theorist, scholar and art historian. He is Director of the Institute of Afro-American Affairs at New York University. |
| Manu Dibango | b. 12 December 1933, Douala, French Cameroon, present-day Cameroon Manu Dibango is a singer, songwriter and saxophonist. He is best known for his 1972 song Soul Makossa, often cited as one of the first disco records, and sampled by Michael Jackson and Rihanna. |
| Manuel de Novas | b. 24 February 1938, Santo Antão, Cape Verde, d. 28 September 2009, Place unknown Manuel de Novas was a Cape Verdean poet and composer, whose music is known all over the world. |
| Manuel Lopes | b. 23 December 1907, São Vicente, Cape Verde, d. 25 January 2005, Lisbon, Portugal Manuel Lopes was a novelist, poet and essayist. He was one of the founders of the journal Claridad, which contributed to the rise in Cape Verdean literature. |
| Manuel Pinto da Costa | b. 5 August 1937, Água Grande District, Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe, present-day São Tomé and Príncipe Manuel Pinto da Costa was the 1st President of President of São Tomé and Príncipe, a position he has held twice (12 July 1975 - 4 March 1991 and 3 September 2001 - 3 September 2016). Initially he ran as the candidate for Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party (MLSTP/PSD) and then as an independent candidate in 2011. |
| Manuel Quintas de Almeida | b. 1957, Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe, present-day São Tomé and Príncipe, d. 26 December 2006, São Tomé and Príncipe Manuel Quintas de Almeida was president of São Tomé and Príncipe (15 August 1995 - 21 August 1995) for six days after launching a military coup against the incumbent Miguel Trovoada. However, he made an agreement and surrendered power back to Miguel Trovoada and his government. |
| Manuel Rui | b. 4 November 1941, Huambo Province, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Manuel Rui is an Angolan writer. He is famed for writing poetry, romances, short stories and plays. His general themes are post-independent Angola, dashed with humour and irony about the events that unfolded. He helped to establish the Angolan Writers' Union and also penned the lyrics for the national anthem of Angola. |
| Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo | b. 25 March 1958, Bissau, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea-Bissau Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo was head of the transitional government following the coup against Raimundo Pereira. He held the role of acting President of Guinea-Bissau (11 May 2012 - 23 June 2014) but had also run in the 2012 elections which had been disbanded as part of the uprising. |
| Manuel Vicente | b. 15 May 1956, Luanda, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Manuel Vicente was the 2nd Vice-President of Angola (26 September 2012 - 26 September 2017) and a renowned international businessman. A member of people's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and has participated in international summits, including the United States - African Leaders Summit held by Barack Obama and at the General Assembly of the United Nations. |
| Manute Bol | b. 16 October 1962, Turalei, Sudan, d. 19 June 2010, Charlottesville, United States of America Manute Bol was a professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association for 10 years. At 7' 7 he was the tallest player in NBA history. He established the Ring True Foundation to raise resources for Sudanese refugees, as well as participating in a three-week Sudan Freedom Walk to raise awareness of the genocide in Darfur. |
| Manyazewal Endeshaw | b. Date and year unknown, Ethiopia Manyazewal Endeshaw is an Ethiopian writer known for his plays The Father and The Guest. |
| Marc Ravalomanana | b. 12 December 1949, Imerinkasinina, French Madagascar, present-day Madagascar Marc Ravalomanana was the 4th President of Madagascar (6 May 2002 - 17 March 2009) and stood for the I Love Madagascar party. He had previously been the mayor of the capital Antananarivo. |
| Marc-Vivien Foé | b. 1 May 1975, Yaoundé, Cameroon, d. 26 June 2003, Lyon, France Marc-Vivien Foé was a footballer who played as a midfielder. |
| Marcel Desailly | b. 7 September 1968, Accra, Ghana Marcel Desailly is a former Ghanaian footballer who played as a centre-back or defensive midfielder. |
| Marcelino dos Santos | b. 20 May 1929, Lumbo, Mozambique Marcelino dos Santos is a poet famous for his revolutionary and political actions. He is known for his Marxist-Leninist views and published poetry under the pseudonyms Kalungano and Lilinho Micaia. |
| Marcia Kure | b. 1970, Kano, Nigeria Marcia Kure is a Nigerian artist with a keen awareness of modern artistic forms. Her recent works in drawing, photomontage and sculpture imagine alternative worlds as a critical response to postcolonialism. |
| Marcolino Moco | b. 19 July 1953, Chitue, Ekunha, Huambo Province, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Marcolino Moco was the 3rd Prime Minister of Angola (2 December 1992 - 3 June 1996). A member of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). He was fired from the role by the president José Eduardo dos Santos, along with the whole government, in a power move. |
| Margaret Ekpo | b. 27 June 1914, Creek Town, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria, d. 21 September 2006, Nigeria Margaret Ekpo was a feminist, women's rights activist, social mobiliser and pioneering female politician who established the Aba Township Women's Association in 1954 to oppose discrimination. In 1961 she won a seat in the Eastern Regional House of Assembly. |
| Margaret Kenyatta | b. 16 February 1928, Nairobi, Kenya, d. 5 April 2017, Nairobi, Kenya Margaret Kenyatta was a Kenyan politician. She served as the Mayor of Nairobi from 1970 to 1976 and as Kenya's Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1976 to 1986. |
| Margaret Mncadi | b. Date and year unknown, Eastern Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa, d. Date unknown, Place unknown Margaret Mncadi was a physician and anti-Apartheid activist. She became Vice President of the ANC Women's League in Natal. Mncadi was named in the Treason Trial, although not prosecuted. In 1960 she went into exile. There is a street named after her in Durban. |
| Margaret Mungherera | b. 25 October 1957, Jinja, Uganda, d. 4 February 2017, Chennai, India Margaret Mungherera was a psychiatrist and served as the president of the Ugandan Medical Association for five terms and president of the World Medical Association from 2013-2014. |
| Margaret Sentamu-Masagazi | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Margaret Sentamu-Masagazi is the Executive Director of Uganda's Media Women's Association (UMWA). She has worked in many areas of the media, particularly to the empowerment and benefit of gender equality. She has always worked as a lecturer on journalism at the Uganda Management Institute and multiple news agencies as an editor and reporter. |
| Margaret Singana | b. 1 January 1938, Queenstown, South Africa, d. 22 April 2000, Queenstown, South Africa Margaret Singana, also known as 'Lady Africa', was a famous South African musician. She was particularly famous in the 1970s but had a stroke towards the end of the decade. She was able to return to fame though and one of her songs, Shaka Zulu achieved a number one spot internationally. |
| Margareth Baloi | b. 8 August 1936, Shem Fort, Dunn, South Africa, d. 2001, place unknown Margareth Baloi was a member of the African National Congress (ANC) and was involved in reintroducing Bantustan back in into South Africa. |
| Marguerite Abouet | b. 1971, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Marguerite Abouet is a writer, scriptwriter and director. She is known for the comic strip Aya de Yopougon. |
| Maria das Neves | b. 1958, São Tomé and Príncipe Maria das Neves is a former Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe. She was a key figure in the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe-Social Democratic Party and became the first female head of government in the country. |
| Maria do Carmo Silveira | b. 14 February 1961, São Tomé and Príncipe Maria do Carmo Silveira is a former Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe who served from 8 June 2005 to 21 April 2006. |
| Maria Judith Santos | b. Date unknown, Place unknown, d. 1 November 2015, Lisbon Portugal Maria Judith Santos was one of the founders of the women's wing of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola. |
| Maria Kiwanuka | b. 12 May 1955, Kampala, Uganda Maria Kiwanuka is a politician from Uganda, as well as a well-respected economist. She is a senior advisor in financial matters to the president and has also held roles as the managing director of Radio One and Radio Two in Uganda. |
| Maria Mambo Café | b. 6 February 1945, Cabinda Province, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 1 December 2013, Lisbon, Portugal Maria Mambo Café was a prominent Angolan economist and the Governor of Cabinda (1990 -1991), where she was from. She was the first woman in Angola to be promoted to a cabinet position. |
| Maria Ndlovu | b. Date and year unknown, Zimbabwe Maria Ndlovu is a spokesperson and public speaker for Transnet. A rape survivor and a person living with HIV, she discovered that she had contracted HIV when applying for a business loan. She counsels rape survivors and those suffering with HIV/AIDS in an attempt to end the stigma attached to sufferers. |
| Mariam Aladji Boni Diallo | b. 1952, Nikki, Dahomey, present-day Benin Mariam Aladji Boni Diallo is a Beninese politician. Of the roles she has held in the government of Benin her notable position was the Foreign Minister of Benin (2006 - 2007) and as a diplomatic advisor to the president. |
| Mariam Doumbia | b. 15 April 1958, Bamako, French West Africa, present-day Mali Mariam Doumbia is the vocalist for the Malian musical duo, Amadou & Mariam. Mariam lost her sight following a case of measles at 5 years old. |
| Mariama Bâ | b. 17 April 1929, Dakar, Senegal, d. 17 August 1981, Place unknown Mariama Bâ was a Senegalese author and teacher. She wrote the novels So Long A Letter and La fonction politique des littératures Africaines écrites (The Political Function of African Written Literatures). She was the recipient of the first Noma Award for Publishing in Africa. |
| Marie-Claire Kuja | b. Date unknown, Place unknown Marie-Claire Kuja is a Cameroonian journalist, activist and the founder of the KujaPads Initiative which brings basic sanitary products to those in rural areas. She is committed to the empowerment of women and runs a number of workshops as well as writing for a number of magazines, online zines and authoring books. |
| Marie-Joséphe Zani-Fé Touam-Bona | b. 12 September 1933, Ippy, present-day Ouaka, Central African Republic, d. 7 December 2001, Paris, France Marie-Joséphe Zani-Fé Touam-Bona was a politician in the Central African Republic, and the first woman to be in the country's government. She was involved in the government of David Dacko and remained in government after Jean-Bédel Bokassa took over power. He appointed her to cabinet, and she looked after a number of areas during her time. She later ran again in the 1993 general election and won her seat. She died whilst in office. |
| Marie-Madeleine Mborantsuo | b. 18 April 1955, Franceville, Gabon Marie-Madeleine Mborantsuo is a Gabonese magistrate. She has been President of the Constitutional Court since 1991. |
| Marien Ngouabi | b. 31 December 1938, Ombellé, Cuvette, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Republic of the Congo, d. 18 March 1977, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo Marien Ngouabi was the President of the People's Republic of the Congo (1 January 1969 - 18 March 1977). He changed the name of the country to the People's Republic of the Congo, aligning it with other Marxist-Leninist states and signed an economic aid pact with the Soviet Union. He was assassinated in 1977. |
| Mário Pinto de Andrade | b. 21 August 1928, Golungo Alto, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 26. August 1990, London, United Kingdom Mário Pinto de Andrade was a poet and politician from Angola who was particularly famous for his anti-colonial poetry. He founded a number of parties including the Angolan Communist Party and the Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), serving as president as did his brother. |
| Marlene Steyn | b. 1989, Cape Town, South Africa Marlene Steyn is a South African artist. Her first solo exhibition was called How Cannibals Cuddle and was held in South London. She works in a number of mediums and sometimes works in bronze and ceramics as well as her painting. |
| Marouba Fall | b. 21 December 1950, Dakar, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Marouba Fall is a Senegalese playwright and writer. His work reflects social issues and he often speaks on the subject. Additionally, he also created a publishing house, Ruba Éditions, to showcase work from talented emerging writers. |
| Martam Mohamed | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Martam Mohamed was a delegate of the first Conference of African Women in 1962 and is considered to be one of the founding members of the Pan-African Women's Organisation. She attended the summit on behalf of Zanzibar. |
| Martha Karua | b. 22 September 1957, Kirinyaga County, Kenya Martha Karua is a Kenyan politician who served as the MP for the Gichugu constituency and is an advocate for the High Court of Kenya. In her legal career she was appointed a magistrate at 24 and has specialised in the development of family law, and in human rights cases during uncertain times. She ran for the presidency of Kenya but had to give her parliament seat up to run. |
| Martha Mayisela | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Martha Mayisela attended the 1962 Conference of African Women and was a founding member of the Pan-African Women's Organisation. She went to the event as a representative of the Pan Africain Congress from South Africa. |
| Martha Mohlakoane | b. 1906, Place unknown, d. Date unknown, Place unknown Martha Mohlakoane joined the African National Congress in 1939 and was one of the leaders of the Orange Free State women in the Anti-Pass Campaign. |
| Martin Ziguélé | b. 12 February 1957, Paoua, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic Martin Ziguélé took the role of Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (1 April 2001 - 15 March 2003) when he was appointed by Ange-Félix Patassé. He later on attempted to run for the presidency in 2005 but was barred by a court, but then reinstated. He has since run for the 2015 presidential election placing fourth. |
| Martine Coffi-Studer | b. 30 January 1961, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Martine Coffi-Studer is an Ivorian businesswoman and politician. She founded Océan Ogilvy, an agency specialising in advertising, promotion and marketing across the African continent. In addition to her success in business she was also the Minister Delegate for Communication in between 2006 and 2007. |
| Marwa Amri | b. 8 January 1989, Tunis, Tunisia Marwa Amri won a bronze medal during the 2016 Olympics, becoming the first African to ever win a medal in women's Olympic wrestling. |
| Mary Benson | b. 8 December 1919, Pretoria, South Africa, d. 19 June 2000, London, United Kingdom Mary Benson was an activist and author affiliated with the anti-Apartheid movement of South Africa. She was involved in many notable events, including running the funding for those on the Treason Trial and assisted Nelson Mandela with escape from South Africa in 1962. She wrote a biography on Mandela, which was banned under the South African apartheid regime. |
| Mary Goitsemang Ranta | b. 1922, South Africa Mary Goitsemang Ranta was a trade unionist and activist in South Africa. She was a member of the Garment Workers' Union, Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) and the African National Congress Women's league. She was heavily involved in the anti-pass protests, in which she was arrested and charged. The charged against her were dropped in December 1957. |
| Mary Jepkosgei Keitany | b. 18 January 1982, Kabarnet, Kenya Mary Jepkosgei Keitany is a Kenyan long-distance runner and current world record holder in the women's marathon of 2:17:01, set at the 2017 London Marathon. |
| Mary Malahlela | b. 2 May 1916, Pietersburg, South Africa, d. 8 May 1981, Johannesburg, South Africa Mary Malahlela was a South African medical doctor, the first black female to become one in South Africa. S,he also founded the Young Women's Christian Association. In addition to her trailblazing medical career, she was also an active member of the anti-Apartheid movement. |
| Mary Mangwiza Manyusa | b. Date unknown, Place unknown Mary Mangwiza Manyusa was a deputy chief of police in Malawi and founder of Mother Mary's Children's Centre. The centre looks after orphans, street children and also poor children in the district providing free meals and support. |
| Mary Mc Critty-Fisko | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Mary Mc Critty-Fisko was a Liberian delegate to the Conference of African Women held in 1962. She was, along with two other delegates from Liberia, among the founding members of the Pan-African Women's Organisation. |
| Mary Mcdee | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Mary Mcdee is listed as one of the founding members of the Pan-African Women's Organisation and was a representative from Tanzania, at the 1962 Conference of African Women. |
| Mary Okwakol | b. 1951, Iganga District, Uganda Mary Okwakol is a zoologist and professor from Uganda. As well as holding the role of Vice-Chancellor of Busitema University, she also undertakes work supporting organisations that look to empower and support women and girls, specifically the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE). |
| Mary Sibande | b. 1982, Baberton, South Africa Mary Sibande is a multi-disciplinary artist from South Africa. She explores the nature and ownership of the black female body in modern South African society with works in ceramics, photography and visual artistry. |
| Massa Makan Diabaté | b. 1938, Kita, French Sudan, present-day Mali, d. 27 January 1988, Bamako Mali, Massa Makan Diabaté was a Malian writer and historian. His work included a number of collections of songs, Janjon et autres chants populaires du Mali (Janjon and other popular songs of Mali) and books that depicted Malian folktales in the French language. |
| Massiré Tounkara | b. 2 March 1979, Kéniéba, Mali Massiré Tounkara is a Malian cartoonist and writer. He has written a number of BDs (comic books) including some with a science-fiction theme, but also a number on Malian politics. |
| Mathieu Kérékou | b. 2 September 1933, Kouarfa, French Dahomey, present-day Benin, d. 14 October 2015, Cotonou, Benin Mathieu Kérékou served as the 4th and 6th President of Benin (26 October 1972 - 4 April 1991 and 4 April 1996 - 6 April 2006). He came to power following a military coup and until he was stripped of his powers, led the country for 19 years. He was later re-elected for two terms and considered his political leanings at Marxist-Leninist. |
| Maurice Kouandété | b. 22 September 1932, Dahomey, present-day Benin, d. 7 April 2003, Natitingou, Benin Maurice Kouandété held the role of President of Dahomey (10 December 1969 - 13 December 1969 and 17 December 1967 - 19 December 1967), present-day Benin, on two occasions following him leading military coups on both occasions. He then attempted a third coup in 1972 but was unable to gain power. He was arrested and tried, receiving the death penalty but was pardoned when Mathieu Kérékou seized power in 1972. |
| Maurice Mbikayi | b. Date and year unknown, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo Maurice Mbikayi is an artist from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was a finalist in the Luxembourg Art Prize and is a member of the Africa South Art Initiative. |
| Maurice Yaméogo | b. 31 December 1921, Koudougou, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso, d. 15 September 1993, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Maurice Yaméogo held the office as the 1st President of Upper Volta (5 August 1960 - 3 January 1966), in what is present-day Burkina Faso. He was victim to numerous protests and unrest which led to his resignation which he made over the radio. |
| Mauro Pinto | b. 1974, Maputo, Mozambique Mauro Pinto is a Mozambican photographer. Working out of Maputo, he spent the 1990s learning in South Africa at the Monitor International School and an internship with José Machato. He is a renowned photojournalist, and his contrast tweaked portraits and group shots are a accurate and beautiful account of modern day Mozambique. |
| May Balisidya | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown May Balisidya is a Tanzanian writer known for her work in Swahili. From 1977 to 1987, she was a lecturer in the Kiswahili department of the University of Dar es Salaam and in 1971, she was elected to the Swahili National Council of Tanzania; she served two terms as vice-chairman of the council. |
| Mbarek Bekkay | b. 18 April 1907, Berkane, Morocco, d. 12 April 1961, Rabat, Morocco Mbarek Bekkay was the 1st Prime Minister for Morocco (7 December 1955 - 15 April 1958). In addition to his political career, he had held a career in the military and held the rank of colonel in the French army. |
| Mbarka Bouaida | b. 1975, Laqssabi, Morocco Mbarka Bouadia is a Moroccan politician and has held important government roles such as Minister-Delegate of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. She attended, and led, a delegation to the White House in 2015. |
| MC Solaar | b. 5 March 1969, Dakar, Senegal MC Solaar, born Claude M'Barali, is a Senegalese-Chadian rap artist who has received international acclaim, including in English speaking countries. One of his songs, La Belle et Le Bad Boy, appeared in American TV shows such as Sex & The City and The Hills. |
| Med Hondo | b. 4 May 1936, Atar, Mauritania Med Hondo is a director, film producer and screenwriter from Mauritania. He directed films including Soleil O and Les 'bicots-Nègres' vos voisins. |
| Mega Mingiedi Tunga | b. 1976, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Mega Mingiedi Tunga is an artist from the Democratic Republic of Congo who is sensitive to the environment around him and works on the urban environment, on imaginary cities and maps, producing drawings, collages and installations. He is a member of the Eza-POSSIBLES, a group of artists whose aim is to bring contemporary art closer to the day-to-day existence of the people of Kinshasa. |
| Mekatilili Wa Menza | b. 1860, Mutsara wa Tsatsu, Bamba, Kilifi County, Kenya, d. 1914, Magarini, Malindi District, Kenya Mekatilili Wa Menza led the Giriama people in a rebellion against the British Colonial administration in Kenya from 1913-14. Arrested by the British in 1913, she was reputed to have escaped prison and walked over 1,000 kilometers to return home. |
| Melaku Worede | b. 1936, Ethiopia Melaku Worede is a horticultural scientist and influential in seed conservation in Ethiopia. He was the first Chair of the African Committee for Plant and Genetic Resources and has served as Chair of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's Commission on Plant Genetic Resources. He is currently a Board member of the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) and the Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI). He was co-awarded the 1989 Right Livelihood Award. |
| Melchior Ndadaye | b. 28 March 1953, Murama, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi, d. 21 October 1993, Bujumbura, Burundi Melchior Ndadaye was the 4th President of Burundi (10 July 1993 - 21 October 1993) and was the first democratically elected to the position. He created a more balanced non-ethnic government, made up of equal Hutu and Tutsi ethnicities but was assassinated during a failed military coup. His assassination triggered like-for-like massacres between the ethnicities and led to a decade long Burundi Civil War. |
| Meles Zenawi | b. 9 May 1955, Adwa, Ethiopia, d. 20 August 2012, Brussels, Belgium Meles Zenawi was an acting president of Ethiopia (28 May 1991 - 22 August 1995) and then the 10th Prime Minister of Ethiopia (23 August 1995 - 20 August 2012) until his death. He took the role of acting presidency following the seizure of government from the Communist-led People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. |
| Merhawi Kudus | b. 23 January 1994, Asmara, Eritrea Merhawi Kudus is a professional cyclist from Eritrea. Riding for MTN-Qhubeka in 2015, he became one of the first two Black Africans under African team to race in the Tour de France. |
| Meschac Gaba | b. 1961, Cotonou, Benin Meschac Gaba is a Beninese conceptual artist based in Rotterdam and Cotonou. His installations of everyday objects whimsically juxtapose African and Western cultural identities and commerce. |
| Messali Hadj | b. 16 May 1898, Tiemcen, Algeria, d. 3 June 1974, Paris, France Messali Hadj was an Algerian politician aligned with extremely nationalist views. He was a founding member of Étoile nord-africaine, Parti du peuple algérien and the Mouvement pour le triomphe des libertés démocratiques. He has been referred to as the father of Algerian nationalism by academics. |
| Mgeni Saidi | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Mgeni Saidi attended the founding of the Pan-African Women's Organisation as a delegate of the Conference of African Women. She was from the country hosting the event, Tanzania. |
| MHD | b. 10 September 1994, La Roche-sur-Yong, Vendée, France MHD is a French rapper who is credited as one of the early adopters of the Afro Trap sound, sometimes referred to as Afro Bashment. |
| Mia Couto | b. 5 July 1955, Beira, Mozambique Mia Couto is one of Mozambique's most important writers, his works published in over 20 languages. His first novel Terra Sonâmbula (Sleepwalking Land) was named of the best 12 African books of the 20th century at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair. |
| Mialitiana Clerc | b. 16 November 2001, Ambohitrimanjaka, Madagascar Mialitiana Clerc was an Alpine skier during the 2018 Winter Olympics, becoming Madagascar's first female Winter Olympic athlete. |
| Michael Essien | b. 3 December 1992, Accra, Ghana Michael Essien is a Ghanaian footballer who has played in the French and English premier leagues. He is nicknamed 'The Bison' and played for Ghana's national football team. |
| Michael Sata | b. 6 July 1937, Mpika, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia, d. 28 October 2014, London, United Kingdom Michael Sata was the 5th President of Zambia (23 September 2011 - 28 October 2014), often referred to as 'King Cobra', ran for presidency four times before winning. He is famed for denouncing the Chinese involvement in Africa and criticised their actions at not giving as much as they took from the country. |
| Michael Tsegaye | b. 1975, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Michael Tsegaye is a photographer and artist from Ethiopia. He won first prize in 2011 at the European Union-African Union Professional Photography Competition and his work documents life in Ethiopia, as well as a archive of his travels around the world. |
| Michel Djotodia | b. 1949, Vakaga, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic Michel Djotodia was the 7th President of the Central African Republic (24 March 2013 - 10 January 2014) but was only sworn in five months after seizing power of the capital in coup. He stated his intention was to hold elections, in which he wouldn't stand, but violence erupted, and he was forced into resigning before this could happen. |
| Michel Kafando | b. 18 August 1942, Ouagadougou, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Michel Kafando was a transitional president of Burkina Faso (23 September 2015 - 29 December 2015) following the uprising in 2015. He was temporarily ousted in the September 2015 coup but returned to his position within a week. He handed the presidency to Roch Marc Christian Kaboré after the November 2015 general election. |
| Michel Micombero | b. 26 August 1940, Rutovu, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi, d. 16 July 1983, Mogadishu, Somalia Michel Micombero was the 1st President of Burundi (28 November 1966 - 1 November 1976) and 8th Prime Minister of Burundi (11 July 1966 - 26 November 1966) prior to that when he led two coup d'états against the monarchy. His governance was a one-party state and considered a military dictator. He was president during government-backed genocide of the Hutu people. He was ousted in a coup d'état by Jean-Baptiste Bagaza. |
| Mifta al-Usta Umar | b. 1935 Derna, Derna District, Italian Libya, present-day Libya, d. 22 March 2010, Libya Mifta al-Usta Umar was officially Libya's Head of State (15 February 1984 - 7 October 1990) however Gaddafi still had total overriding authority. |
| Miftah Muhammed K'eba | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Miftah Muhammed K'eba was the Secretary General of the General People's Congress of Libya (3 March 2008 - 5 March 2009), this role was a head of state role and he also held the role of Secretary of Justice for Libya in the 80s. |
| Miguel Trovoada | b. 27 December 1936, São Tomé, Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe, present-day São Tomé and Príncipe Miguel Trovoada was the 2nd President of São Tomé and Príncipe (3 April 1991 - 3 September 2001) and also held the role of Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe (12 July 1975 - 9 April 1979). Although he was the second president, he was the first to be elected in a multiparty election and went on to be re-elected by the people in 1996. His government was overthrown by a military coup for six days in 1995. |
| Milton Margai | b. 7 December 1895, Gbangbatoke, Moyamba District, British Sierra Leone, present-day Sierra Leone, d. 28 April 1964, Freetown, Sierra Leone Milton Margain was the 1st Prime Minister of Sierra Leone (14 August 1958 - 28 April 1964) and was the head of state that oversaw the country's independence in 1961. In addition, he was a member of the Privy Council and had received a knighthood in 1959. |
| Milton Obote | b.28 December 1925, Apac District, Uganda Protectorate, present-day Uganda, d. 10 October 2005, Johannesburg, South Africa Milton Obote was the 2nd President of Uganda (15 April 1966 - 25 January 1971 and 17 December 1980 - 27 July 1985), he was also the 2nd Prime Minister of Uganda (30 April 1962 - 15 April 1966). Obote was accused of a plot to smuggle gold with a commander of the Ugandan armed forces. When the government called for him to be investigated, he suspended the constitution and declared himself president, attacking the then president Mutesa's palace and sending him fleeing into exile. When an assassination attempt was made on him in 1969, he banned all rival political parties and making him absolute ruler. He was overthrown in 1971 whilst overseas. He was then re-elected in 1980 and accusations of rigging led to a guerrilla war and his launch of Operation Bonanza. He was eventually deposed again in 1985 by his own military commanders. |
| Mimi Cherono Ng'ok | b. 1983, Nairobi, Kenya Mimi Cherono Ng'ok is a Kenyan photographer who uses her work as a way of depicting her experiences of displacement and identity from her time spent in Kenya and South Africa. She won the PhotoAfrica Award in 2010. |
| Miria Matembe | b. 28 August 1953, Place unknown Miria Matembe is a Ugandan activist who is known for her fight for gender equality and attempts to rid corruption from Ugandan governance and daily life. She has won numerous awards including the Women Heroine Award, one of 100 awarded in New York City. |
| Miria Obote | b. 16 July 1936, Kawempe, Uganda Miria Obote is a Ugandan politician and former First Lady of Uganda. She ran for the presidency in 2006, after being elected the candidate by the Uganda People's Congress. She had only recently returned to the country having spent 20 years in exile in Zambia following the deposing, and later death, of her husband Milton Obote. |
| Miriam Makeba | b. 4 March 1932, Johannesburg, South Africa, d. 9 November 2008, Castel Volturno, Italy Miriam Makeba was an ethno-jazz singer and political activist. She changed nationality a number of times to Guinean and Algerian, however she was a vocal anti-Apartheid activist. She was also a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations for their Food and Agricultural Organisation. |
| Miriem Bensalah-Chaqroun | b. 14 November 1982, Casablanca, Morocco Miriem Bensalah-Chaqroun is a Moroccan business personality and international figure in the economic community. As well as the president of the General Confederation of Enterprises of Morocco, she is often referred to in lists of most influential businesswomen in the Middle East and Africa. |
| Mo Farah | b. 23 March 1983, Mogadishu, Somalia Mo Farah is a Somali-born, UK-naturalised, track and field athlete who won gold medals in both the 5000m and the 10000m in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. Great Britain's most decorated track athlete in history, he received the Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2013. |
| Mo Ibrahim | b. 3 May 1946, Sudan Mo Ibrahim is a Sudanese billionaire communications entrepreneur and engineer. He was founder of the telecommunications company Celtel and established the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to encourage better governance throughout Africa. |
| Mobutu Sese Seko | b. 14 October 1930, Lisala, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, d. 7 September 1997, Rabat, Morocco Mobutu Sese Seko, born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (24 November 1965 - 16 May 1997) though he renamed the country Zaire in 1971. He established a one-party state effectively leading a military dictatorship. |
| Mode Muntu | b. 1940, Lubumbashi, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo, d. 1985, Place unknown Mode Muntu was a Congolese artist whose works depict simple figures with patterned backgrounds depict scenes from his experiences. His works are almost exclusively of rural life and society. |
| Modibo Keita | b. 4 June 1915, Bamako Coura, Upper Senegal and Niger, present-day Mali, d. 16 May 1977, Bamako, Mali Modibo Keita was the 1st President of Mali (20 November 1960 - 19 November 1968). A Pan-Africanist, with the President of Senegal Senghor, they formed the Mali Federation consisted of French Sudan and Senegal. General Moussa Traoré overthrew Modibo Keïta in a military coup d'état in 1968 and sent him to prison in the northern Malian town of Kidal. |
| Modibo Sounkalo Keita | b. 1948, French Sudan, present-day Mali Modibo Sounkalo Keita is a Malian writer and journalist. His novels are mainly crime fiction written in French about African cases. |
| Moffat Takadiwa | b. 1983, Karoi, Zimbabwe Moffat Takadiwa is a Zimbabwean artist specialising in mosaic-like sculptures made from recycled found objects. Using items such as bottle caps and computer keys he creates unique pieces as a comment on post-colonialism and the environment. |
| Mohamed Abdelaziz | b. 17 August 1947, Marrakesh, French Protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco, d. 31 May 2016, Tindouf, Algeria Mohamed Abdelaziz was the 2nd President of the Sahwari Republic (30 August 1976 - 31 May 2016). His allegiance was a secular nationalist and openly condemned terrorism. |
| Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed | b. 11 March 1962, Mogadishu, Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed is the 9th President of Somalia (16 February 2017 - present), is also known as 'Farmajo' from the Italian name for cheese. His family are strongly political, with both parents actively connected to the Somali Youth League (SYL). He was appointed 14th Prime Minister of Somalia (14 October 2010 - 19 June 2011) but had to resign due to political tensions and for what he believed was for the best of the Somali people". He ran for president in 2012 but was eliminated early on, he then ran again in 2017 and was successful calling on those who worked with al Qaeda, al Shabaab and IS (Islamic State) to surrender. |
| Mohamed Aboutrika | b. 7 November 1978, Nahia, Giza, Egypt Mohamed Aboutrika, also known as 'El Magico', is an Egyptian footballer and is deemed as one of the best African footballers ever. As well as his club career he also played for the Egyptian national team who won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2008, scoring the winning goal. |
| Mohamed Abu al-Qasim al-Zwai | b. 14 May 1952, Libya Mohamed Abu al-Qasim al-Zwai was the Secretary General of General People's Congress of Libya (26 January 2010 - 23 August 2011) during the Libyan Civil War. He was taken into custody in by the National Transitional Council of Libya (NTC) in the September of 2011. |
| Mohamed Ag Erless | b. 1954, French Sudan, present-day Mali Mohamed Ag Erless is a social scientist from Mali. He is also the director of the cultural mission of Kidal-Es Souk and has written a number of books on topics such as pregnancy, childbirth and maternal health. |
| Mohamed Bacar | b. 5 May 1962, Barakani, Anjouan, French Comoros, present-day Comoros Mohamed Bacar was President of Anjouan (March 2002 - March 2008) following a coup. He ran for office following the overthrowing of the governance, however he was accused of fixing the results but was then eventually deposed when Anjouan was invaded by a joint effort between the other Comoros islands and the African Union. |
| Mohamed Barakat | b. 7 September 1976, Cairo, Egypt Mohamed Barakat was an Egyptian professional footballer. He played for the national team of Egypt for nine years and had the nickname 'The Mercurial'. |
| Mohamed Benhima | b. 25 June 1924, Safi, French protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco, d. 23 November 1992, Rabat, Morocco Mohamed Benhima was the 5th Prime Minister of Morocco (7 July 1967 - 6 October 1969). In addition to his time as Prime Minister he also served as Minister of Education and the Minister of the Interior. |
| Mohamed Berrada | b. 1938, Rabat, Morocco Mohamed Berrada is a famous novelist from Morocco. His work, written in Arabic, includes books Al-Daw al-harīb (Fleeting Light) and Dirāsāt fī al-qiṣṣah al-ʻArabiyah : Waqāʼiʻ nadwat Miknās (Bayrūt : Muʼassasat al-Abḥāth al-ʻArabiyah). |
| Mohamed Boudiaf | b. 23 June 1919, Ouled Madhi, M'Sila Province, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 29 June 1992, Annaba, Algeria Mohamed Boudiaf, also known as Si Tayeb el Watani, held the role of Chairman of the High Council of State (16 January 1992 - 29 June 1992), which during a period of military intervention was head of state for Algeria. He was assassinated by his bodyguard live on national television. |
| Mohamed Camara | b. 1959, Conakry, Guinea Mohamed Camara is a well-known film director and actor from Guinea. He is particularly known for his film Dakan, which has been deemed the first Black African film on homosexuality. He has also covered other taboo subjects in his work such as child suicide and incest. |
| Mohamed Choukri | b. 15 July 1935, Ayt Chiker, Morocco, d. 15 November 2003, Rabat, Morocco Mohamed Choukri was a Moroccan writer who came to literary and international regard for his autobiography. The book, al-Kubz al-Hafi (For Bread Alone), has been critically received for its storytelling of "human desperation" as described by Tennessee Williams. |
| Mohamed Diagabaté | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Mohamed Diagabaté is a Malian artist. His work has appeared in other countries, such as Nigeria, at the 2016 ART X Lagos. |
| Mohamed ElBaradei | b. 17 June 1942, Cairo, Egypt Mohamed ElBaradei was Vice-President of Egypt (14 July 2013 - 14 August 2013) during the interim following a coup d'état in Egypt. He was a joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 for his part in preventing nuclear energy being weaponised. |
| Mohamed Hassanein Heikal | b. 23 September 1923, Cairo, Egypt, d. 17 February 2016, Cairo, Egypt Mohamed Hassanein Heikal was an Egyptian journalist and editor. In addition to his writing, he also ghost-wrote President Nasser's speeches. |
| Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla | b. 11 April 1931, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea-Bissau Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidallah was the head of state as the 4th Chairman of the Military Council for Justice and Democracy (4 January 1980 - 12 December 1984) and 3rd Prime Minister of Mauritania (31 May 1979 - 12 December 1980). He implemented Islamic sharia law but also abolished slavery in November 1981. |
| Mohamed Lekleti | b. 1965, Taza, Morocco Mohamed Lekleti is a Moroccan artist. With his large-scale drawings and mixed-media work, he offers subverts the canon of Western art history. |
| Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Louly | b. 1 January 1943, Tidjikja, Tagant Region, French Mauritania, present-day Mauritania Mohamed Mahomoud Ould Louly held the rank of Lieutenant colonel in the Mauritanian Army and held office as head of state for Mauritania (3 June 1979 - 4 January 1980) under the role of Chairman of the Military Committee for National Salvation. |
| Mohamed Mbougar Sarr | b. 1990, Dakar, Senegal Mohamed Mbougar Sarr is a Senegalese author whose book Terre Ceninte (Earth Girdle) won the French Voices Award for literature, as well as a number of other awards. |
| Mohamed Morsi | b. 8 August 1951, El Adwah, Sharqia Governorate, Egypt Mohamed Morsi was the 5th President of Egypt (30 June 2012 - 3 July 2013) and changed the constitution temporarily giving him absolute power over law in the country. Morsi was removed from office in the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état after the June 2013 Egyptian protests where millions of Egyptians called for his immediate resignation. He was put on trial for inciting murder of his opposition and leaking state secrets, he was found guilty and given the death sentence but that has since been overturned. He was still in prison as of March 2018. |
| Mohamed Osman Baloola | b. 14 April 1981, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Mohamed Osman Baloola is a scientist, engineer and invented a remote monitoring and control system for diabetes patients via mobile phone. |
| Mohamed Osman Jawari | b. 7 December 1945, Afgooye, Italian Somaliland, present-day Somalia Mohamed Osman Jawari was an acting president of Somalia (28 August 2012 - 16 September 2012) whilst they elected a new leader. He is currently the 10th Speaker of Somali Parliament (28 August 2012 - present). |
| Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz | b. 20 December 1956, Akjoujt, French Mauritania, present-day Mauritania Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is the current President of Mauritania (5 August 2009 - present) and has been actively involved in, and led, at least two coups. He held the role as an interim before resigning and then running in the 2009 election which he won to become the current incumbent. |
| Mohamed Salah Ben Mrad | b. 1881, Medina of Tunis, French Protectorate of Tunisia, present-day Tunisia, d. 6 February 1979, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia Mohamed Salah Ben Mrad was a Tunisian journalist and academic. His works were often religiously related and in 1931 he published Mourning on Haddad's Women. This was a response to a book published a year prior by Tahar Haddad, objecting to and criticising Haddad's suggestion that rights for women should be expanded in society. |
| Mohamed Siad Barre | b. 6 October 1919, Shilabo, Ethiopia, d. 2 January 1995, Lagos, Nigeria Mohamed Siad Barre was 3rd President of Somalia (21 October 1969 - 26 January 1991), a role he gained after launching a coup d'état and installing a military junta. A socialist, he made almost all industry nationalised and enforced a new writing system for the Somali language. |
| Mohamed Tahar Fergani | b. 9 May 1928, Constantine, Algeria, d. 7 December 2016, Paris, France Mohamed Tahar Fergani was a popular Algerian singer and musician. He was known for his role within the genre of Malouf music. In addition to singing, he played the violin and was often referred to as the Nightingale of Constantine. |
| Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim | b. 20 February 1936, Grand Comore, French Comoros, present-day Comoros, d. 6 November 1998, Moroni, Comoros Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim was a President of the Comoros (25 March 1996 - 6 November 1998) and held numerous roles including Prime Minister (7 January 1992 - 15 July 1992) and assumed the role of acting president in 1995 (2 October 1995 - 5 October 1995). He died whilst in office, of natural causes, after returning from a trip to Turkey. |
| Mohamed Temam | b. 23 February 1915, Algiers, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 15 July 1988, Algiers, Algeria Mohamed Temam was an Algerian painter who was a specialist in the genre of miniature painting and illuminating manuscripts. |
| Mohamed Yusuf al-Magariaf | b. 1940, Benghazi, Italian Libya, present-day Libya Mohamed Yusuf al-Magariaf was the President of the General National Congress of Libya (9 August 2012 - 28 May 2013). He was sent into exile and spent nearly 30 years in the United States. He resigned from his role in March 2013. |
| Mohamed Zafzaf | b. 1945, Souk Larbaa El Gharb, Morocco, d. 13 July 2001, Casablanca, Morocco Mohamed Zafzaf was a Moroccan writer whose work is considered some of the most important in contemporary Moroccan literature. His books such as The Woman, A Night in Casablanca and Monarch of the Square, are now being translated into other languages for their striking and shocking content. |
| Mohammed al-Mokhtar Soussi | b. 1900, Morocco, d. 1963, Rabat, Morocco Mohammed al-Mokhtar Soussi was a writer and politician who was particularly influential in the run-up to Morocco's independence from France. He held the office of Minister of Religious Affairs from 1956 to 1963. |
| Mohammed Ali Salim | b. 1935, Place unknown Mohammed Ali Salim was the acting President of the General National Congress of Libya (8 August 2012 - 9 August 2012) for one day as he was the oldest member of the government. |
| Mohammed Ben Brahim | b. 1897, Morocco, d. 1955, Marrakesh, Morocco Mohammed Ben Brahim was a Moroccan poet. His poetry was so well regarded he wrote for the Sultan of Morocco and his poems are still used in contemporary Moroccan society. |
| Mohammed Dib | b. 21 July 1920, Tlemcen, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 2 May 2003, La Cell-Saint-Cloud, France Mohammed Dib was an Algerian author who wrote in the French language. He wrote several novels, children's books and poems. He was an advocate of Algerian independence and this is noted in his books of fiction. |
| Mohammed Dionne | b. 22 September 1959, Gossas, French Sudan, present-day Senegal Mohammed Dionne is the Prime Minister of Senegal (6 July 2014 - present) and has worked as an adviser to the President Macky Sall. He has worked in finance at a West African Bank and headed up the Economic Office in the Senegalese Embassy in France. |
| Mohammed El Amin | b. 1943, Wad Medani. French West Africa, present day Sudan Mohammed el Amin is a Sudanese folk-hero known for his majestic voice and superb oud playing. He is also a brilliant composer and arranger. He began learning the oud at the age of 11 and wrote his first compositions aged 20 and went on to become honorary president of the Sudanese Artists' and Composers' Society. A critic of the military regimes, he was jailed by Nimeiri's regime in the 1970s. |
| Mohammed Karim Lamrani | b. 1 May 1919, Fes, French protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco Mohammed Karim Lamrani has served as Prime Minister of Morocco on three separate occasions (6 August 1971 - 2 November 1972, 30 November 1983 - 30 September 1986 and 11 August 1992 - 25 May 1994). The last government he led was a caretaker government and he is a renowned businessman, serving as an economic advisor to the governments of Morocco. |
| Mohammed Khadda | b. 14 March 1930, Mostaganem, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 4 May 1991, Algiers, Algeria Mohammed Khadda was an Algerian artist and writer. His work reflected both traditional Arabic calligraphy and cubism and the influence made him one of the most known and respected contemporary painter and sculptors in Algeria. |
| Mohammed Naguib | b. 19 February 1901, Khartoum, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, present-day Sudan, d. 28 August 1984, Cairo, Egypt Mohammed Naguib was the 1st President of Egypt (18 June 1953 - 14 November 1954) and also 30th Prime Minister of Egypt (8 March 1954 - 18 April 1954). He assumed the role after the Revolution of 1952, which abolished the Egyptian and Sudanese monarchies and created the Republic of Egypt. |
| Mohammed Racim | b. 24 June 1896, Algiers, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 30 March 1975, Algiers, Algeria Mohammed Racim was an artist from Algeria. His work depicts a past he had imagined, prior to the French colonisation of the country. His work in miniature led him to founding the Algerian school of miniature painting. |
| Mohammed Wardi | b. 19 July 1932, Saward, French West Africa, present-day Sudan, d. 18 February 2012, Khartoum, Sudan Mohammed Wardi was a musician from Sudan who was well loved and respected. Towards the end of his life a fan donated their kidney to try and save his life. He was a musician and singer, specialising in playing the oud and tanbur. |
| Mohau Modisakeng | b. 1986, Soweto, South Africa Mohau Modisakeng is a South African artist whose works are about the bringing together of communities and people in post-colonial Africa. His artworks are mainly sculptures but has also been known to do performance art. |
| Moke | b. 1950, Ibe, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, d. 2001, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Moke was a visual artist from the Democratic Republic of the Congo whose work often led to him being referred to as a "painter reporter". His bright scenes depicted images and situations from daily life. |
| Mokgweetsi Masisi | b. 1963, Moshupa, Bechuanaland Protectorate, present-day Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi is 5th President of Botswana (1 April 2018 - present) following the resignation of Ian Khama. He is only the third head of state to not be from the Khama family and trained as a teacher and education officer for the United Nations. |
| Mokhtar Ould Daddah | b. 25 December 1924, Boutilimit, French Mauritania, present-day Mauritania, d. 14 October 2003, Paris, France Moktar Ould Daddah was the 1st President of Mauritania (28 November 1960 - 10 July 1978) when his country gained its independence from France. He also held the role of 1st Prime Minister of Mauritania (29 November 1960 - 20 August 1961). He was in office for almost 17 years before he was toppled in a military coup and exiled to Paris for the remainder of his life. |
| Mokobé | b. 24 May 1976, Vitry-sur-Seine, France Mokobé is a French-Malian rapper, musician and actor. He is known for his music as part of rap group 113 as well as his solo work such as Africa Forever. |
| Molara Ogundipe-Leslie | b. 1940, Lagos, Nigeria Molara Ogundipe-Leslie is a Nigerian poet, editor and feminist scholar. Her works include Re-Creating Ourselves: African Women and Critical Transformation and Sew the Old Days and Other Poems. |
| Molly Blackburn | b. 11 November 1930, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, d. 28 December 1985, Humansdorp, South Africa Molly Blackburn was a civil rights campaigner, anti-Apartheid activist and politician who was a member of the Progressive Federal Party. She joined the Black Sash in 1955 but left for what she considered their "inactivity" but later returned in 1982. She was killed in a car accident in 1986. |
| Mompati Merafhe | b. 6 June 1936, Serowe, Bechuanaland Protectorate, present-day Botswana, d. 7 January 2015, Gaborone, Botswana Mompati Merafhe was the 6th Vice-President of Botswana (1 April 2008 - 31 July 2012) under the presidency of Ian Khama. He was given Botswana's greatest honour in 2011, Naledi ya Botswana. |
| Moncef Ben Amor | b. 27 May 1943, Tunis, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia, d. 19 July 1990, Place unknown Moncef Ben Amor was an artist who is known as the 'Tormented Painter'. His work was particularly evocative of his feelings towards equality and justice. He never stuck to one style of art however many of his works are jarring and of death. |
| Moncef Ghachem | b. 29 July 1946, Mahdia, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Moncef Ghachem is a Tunisian poetry writer who has also dabbled in journalism. His work includes publications such as One Hundred Thousand Birds and Cap Africa. |
| Moncef Marzouki | b. 7 July 1945, Grombalia, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Moncef Marzouki was the 4th President of Tunisia (13 December 2011 - 31 December 2014). He spent some time as a teenager in Morocco, as his father was a supporter of Salah Ben Youssef. He was elected by Constituent Assembly of Tunisia as interim president. He was able to lift the state of emergency that had been in place since 2011 in March 2014. |
| Mongane Wally Serote | b. 8 May 1944, Johannesburg, South Africa Mongane Wally Serote is a poet, writer and activist from South Africa. He is known for his involvement with the anti-Apartheid movement and was detained by the government for his membership to the African National Congress (ANC). His novels and poems include A Tough Tale and Scatter the Ashes and Go. |
| Mongezi Ncaphayi | b. 1983, Benoni, Eastern Gauteng, South Africa Mongezi Ncaphayi is a South African artist who works in mixed media, creating amalgams of modern art with traditional methods. He has won a number of awards including the ABSA L'Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award. |
| Mongo Beti | b. 30 June 1932, Akométan, French Cameroun, present-day Cameroon, d. 8 October 2001, Yaoundé, Cameroon Mongo Beti was a Cameroonian writer. His work was used as a way of expressing his dislike of colonisation and pushing for independence. However, he was also known to criticise the independent government, however this was largely attributed to his keenness for an autonomous Africa to succeed. |
| Monica Arac de Nyeko | b. 1979, Kitgum, Uganda Monica Arac de Nyeko is a writer from Uganda. Her work has received critical acclaim, in particular her novel Strange Fruit, an account of child soldiers. |
| Monica Musonda | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Monica Musonda is an entrepreneur businesswoman from Zambia. Her company, Java Foods, specialises in making convenient, but nutritious foods that are cheap enough to afford for young people. She has been listed as one of Forbes most powerful women in Africa two years running (2013 & 2014). |
| Monsengo Shula | b. 1959, Niokoi, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo Monsengo Shula is an artist from the Democratic Republic of Congo. His work started after apprenticing for his uncle, the artist Moke. His work is themed with modern days issues with his hyper bright colours making them seem other-worldly and far from reality. |
| Mor Faye | b. 26 March 1947, Dakar, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 6 November 1984, Dakar, Senegal Mor Faye was a painter from Senegal who was part of a movement that started at the independence of Senegal called The School of Dakar. A prolific artist he painted over 800 paintings in his lifetime. |
| Moro Naba Kougri | b. 1930, Place unknown, d. 8 December 1982, Ouagadougou, Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Moro Naba Kougri was a ruler and king of the Mossi people in present-day Burkina Faso. He reigned under his official title of Mogho Naba of Ouagadougou between 1957 to 1982. |
| Mory Kanté | b. 29 March 1950, Albadaria, French Guinea, present-day Guinea Mory Kanté is a Guinean musician and singer who is known for playing the kora harp. He reached international chart success with his single Yé ké yé ké in the 1980s, the single also sold over a million copies and was the first African single in history to do so. |
| Mosadi Seboko | b. 7 June 1950, Ramotswa, Botswana Mosadi Seboko is the kgosikgolo (hereditary leader) of the Balete people in Botswana, she is also the first female to hold this role in Botswana. Her leadership has been remarkably different from previous, she argued that she should be the kgosikgolo based on birth order and not gender, she has also spoken out about the HIV/AIDS issues in the country. |
| Moses Blah | b. 18 April 1947, Toweh Town, Nimba County, Liberia, d. 1 April 2013, Monrovia, Liberia Moses Blah served for two months as President of Liberia (11 August 2003 - 14 October 2003) after Charles Taylor's resignation. He was originally a mechanic and was famed for asking the rebels to come and negotiate at his own house. |
| Moses Isegawa | b. 10 August 1963, Kampala, Uganda Moses Isegawa is an author. He has written novels set against the political turmoil of Uganda. |
| Mostefa Ben Boulaïd | b. 5 February 1917, Arris, Algeria, d. 22 March 1956, Arris, Algeria Mostefa Ben Boulaïd was an Algerian revolutionary leader against the French authorities. Considered to be "the father of the Algerian revolution", he was a member of the 'Committee of the Six', all insurgent leaders and during the Algerian war was responsible for an area which suffered against the heavily armed French. |
| Mounia Meslem | b. 24 June 1961, Tébessa, Algeria Mounia Meslem is an Algerian politician and holds the role of Minister of National Solidarity, the Family and Women Affairs in Algerian government. She caused controversy in 2016 stating that "women who are married do not need a monthly wage to live, of course, as they live off their husband's salaries." in order to raise funds for public spending. |
| Mounir Fatmi | b. 1970, Tangier, Morocco Mounir Fatmi is a Moroccan artist who lives and works in Paris. Much of his work is a direct response to the horror of the September 11 terror attacks on New York. |
| Moussa Ag Assarid | b. Date and year unknown, Sahara Desert, exact place unknown Moussa Ag Assarid is a writer originally from Mali. A member of the Tuareg nomads he moved to the city of Angers in France and wrote a book chronicling his life and experiences. |
| Moussa Dadis Camara | b. 1 January 1964, Koure, Guinea Moussa Dadis Camara, now known as Moïse Dadis Camara, assumed power as the President of Guinea (24 December 2008 - 3 December 2009) following the death of Lansana Conté. A captain in the Guinean army under his presidency the 28 September atrocity occurred in 2009 where there were numerous clashes of extreme violence and gang rape, killing 157 and injuring 1,200. He was shot in December 2009 in an attempted assassination. In 2010 Camara was flown to Burkina Faso where he has since remained in exile. |
| Moussa Diagana | b. 1946, M'Bout, Mauritania, d. 5 January 2018, Place unknown Moussa Diagana was a writer from Mauritania known for his play The Legend of Wagadu as Seen by Sia Yatabere. |
| Moussa Faki | b. 21 June 1960, Biltine, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Moussa Faki was Prime Minister of Chad (24 June 2003 - 4 February 2005). He also held posts as Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chair of the African Union Commission. |
| Moussa Kalapo | b. 1983, Bamako, Mali Moussa Kalapo is a photojournalist who has carried out work for several NGOs. He was the winner of the 2nd Innovation Prize at the 3rd edition of Quinzaine de la Photographie in Benin in 2016 for his series "Modern Slavery''. |
| Moussa Konaté | b. 3 April 1993, Mbour, Senegal Moussa Konaté is a footballer from Senegal who has played as a forward for clubs such as Amiens and Krasnodar, as well as the Senegal national team. |
| Moussa Sene Absa | b. 1958, Tableau Ferraille, Dakar, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Moussa Sene Absa is a Senegalese film director as well as a visual artist and songwriter. His painting is known for being bright and colourful and has exhibited across the world. His filmography spans 30 years and includes films such as Tableau Ferraille and Yoole. |
| Moussa Touré | b. 1958, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Moussa Touré is a film maker and director from Senegal. His first feature length film, Toubab Bi, was about the lives of Senegalese immigrants living in Paris. |
| Moussa Traoré | b. 25 September 1936, Kayes, French Sudan, present-day Mali Moussa Traoré was 2nd President of Mali (19 November 1968 - 26 March 1991). He overthrew Modibi Keïta whilst acting as a lieutenant in the Malian army. He was overthrown in a coup and condemned to death twice but received pardons both times. |
| Moustapha Alassane | b. 1942, N'Dougo, French Niger, present-day Niger, d. 17 March 2015, Ouagadougou Burkina Faso Moustapha Alassane was a film director from Niger who began making films in 1962. One of Africa's earliest directors he was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour at Cannes Film Festival in 2007. |
| Moustapha Dimé | b. 1952, Louga, Senegal, d. 1998, Saint-Louis, Senegal Moustapha Dimé was a Senegalese artist and sculptor. His works include sculptures such as Woman with a Long Neck and La Grande Danse. |
| Mpule Kwelagobe | b. 14 November 1979, Gaborone, Botswana Mpule Kwelagobe is a businesswoman and former beauty pageant winner, having won the titles of Miss Botswana in 1997 and later on Miss Universe in 1999. She has worked as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations tackling HIV/AIDS and has won numerous awards including being selected as a Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLT). |
| Msim Abarahamani | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Msim Abarahamani was from Zanzibar and attended the Conference of African Women. She is listed in books as one of the founding members of the Pan-African Women's Organisation. |
| Muammar Gaddafi | b. 1942, Qasr Abu Hadi, Italian Libya, present-day Libya, d. 20 October 2011, Sirte, Libya Colonel Gaddafi was the popular name for Muammar Gaddafi, he was the self-styled Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution of Libya (1 September 1969 - 20 October 2011), as well as taking on a number of other roles such as Prime Minister of Libya ( 16 January 1970 - 16 July 1972), Chairperson of the African Union (2 February 2009 - 31 January 2010), amongst others. Taking power from Idris, the king of Libya, in a bloodless coup, Gaddafi retained control of the oil rich Libya for many decades. In the West, Gaddafi was strongly associated with terrorism in the 1980s, accused of supporting armed groups including FARC in Colombia and the IRA in Northern Ireland. On the African continent he would be increasingly seen as a Pan-Africanist leader and admired for his opposition to the West. On 19 March 2011, a multi-state NATO-led coalition began a military intervention in Libya in support for anti-Gaddafi militia in the wake of the Arab Spring. He was killed by a Misrata militia in October 2011. |
| Mũchiri Njenga | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Mũchiri Njenga is a film maker from Kenya whose film Beyond A Craft was shortlisted in Vision Fund's short film contest. He is also the director at Studio Ang and has created films such as Kichwateli. |
| Muhammad az-Zanati | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Muhammad az-Zanati was, under Gaddafi's leadership, the Libyan Head of State (18 November - 3 March 2008). |
| Muhammad az-Zaruq Rajab | b. 1940, Italian Libya, present-day Libya Muhammad az-Zaruq Rajab held the post of Prime Minister (16 February 1984 - 3 March 1986), he also held posts as the Governor of the Central Bank of Libya (4 January 1987 - 6 October 1990 and 2 April - August 2011) and Secretary-General of the General People's Congress (7 January 1981 - 15 February 1984). |
| Muhammad Husayn Haykal | b. 1888, Mansoura, Ad Daqahliyah, Egypt, d. 8 December 1956, Cairo, Egypt Muhammad Husayn Haykal was an Egyptian writer and journalist who became a politician. He held the role as Minister of Education for the Egyptian government and Minister of State for the Interior Ministry. |
| Muhammadu Buhari | b. 17 December 1942, Daura, Northern Region, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari is the current President of Nigeria (29 May 2015 - present) and has also served as the Head of State (31 December 1983 - 27 August 1985) following a military coup that overthrew Shehu Shagari's government in 1983. |
| Muhammed Said Abdulla | b. 25 April 1918, Makunduchi, Zanzibar, d. March 1991, Place unknown Muhammed Said Abdalla is a Tanzanian author who wrote in the Swahili language. With his books such as Kisima cha Giningi and Mwana wa Yungi Hulewa his works of detective fiction were ground-breaking at the time as most Swahili literature was folktale narrative. |
| Muhammed Saleh Farsy | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Muhammed Saleh Farsy was a writer in Swahili literature whose work is considered as ethnographic. He wrote books such as Kurwa na Doto - maelezo ya makazi katika kijiji cha Unguja. |
| Mulatu Teshome | b. 1 January 1955, Arjo, Ethiopia Mulatu Teshome is the President of Ethiopia (7 October 2013 - present). He had been a member of the cabinet as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development back in the early 2000s and was an ambassador to numerous countries before his appointment to the presidency. |
| Murtala Mohammed | b. 8 November 1938, Kano City, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria, d. 13 February 1976, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria Murtala Mohammed was the 4th Head of State of Nigeria (20 July 1975 - 13 February 1976) and was assassinated whilst travelling by car in what was an attempted coup by Lt. Col Buka Suka Dimka. |
| Musa N. Nxumalo | b. 1986, Soweto, South Africa Musa N. Nxumalo is a contemporary photographer and artist from South Africa. His photography captures elements of youth culture in South Africa. He has appeared in international press for his work in magazines and publications such as Dazed Digital and LensCulture. |
| Muse Hassan Sheikh Sayid Abdulle | b. 25 December 1940, Raas Cabaad, Italian Somaliland, present-day Somalia Muse Hassan Sheikh Sayid Abdulle was an acting president of Somalia (20 August 2012 - 28 August 2012) and current Ambassador to Italy (20 June 2013 - present). He was a member of the Somali National Army for over 30 years, rising through the ranks to become a Brigadier General. |
| Mussie Zerai | b. 1975, Asmara, Eritrea Mussie Zerai is a Roman Catholic priest from Eritrea. He has worked in Italy with refugees who have fled across the Mediterranean Sea during the European Migrant Crisis. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015 however in 2017 he was investigated by the Italian police for aiding and abetting illegal immigrants. |
| Mustafa Abdul Jalil | b. 1952, Bayda, Libya Mustafa Abdul Jalil who was the transitional head of state as the Chairman of the National Transitional Council of Libya (5 March 2011 - 8 August 2012) during and after the Libyan Civil War. He had previously served as Minister of Justice under Gaddafi. Prior to his political career he was a judge and had previously tried to reform Libya's criminal code and had spoken out against Gaddafi publicly before the war. |
| Mustafa Ould Salek | b. 1936, Kiffa, Assaba Region, French Mauritania, present-day Mauritania, d. 18 December 2012, Paris, France Mustafa Ould Salek was the head of state of Mauritania (10 July 1978 - 3 June 1979) under the role as Chairman of the Military Committee for National Recovery following the ousting of Mokhtar Ould Daddah. He was seen to be very pro-French and keen to keep allegiances with Morocco. |
| Mustapha Hadji | b. 16 November 1971, Ifrane Atlas-Saghir, Morocco Mustapha Hadji is a Moroccan ex-footballer who is now the assistant manager for the Moroccan national team. He has played for a number of clubs including Aston Villa and Nancy. |
| Mustapha Tlili | b. 17 October 1937, Fériana, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia, d. 20 October 2017, Place unknown Mustapha Tlili was a Tunisian writer who also worked for the United Nations. He wrote a number of books such as La bruit dort and Gloire des sables. |
| Muthoni wa Kirima | b. 1931, Kenya Muthoni wa Kirima was a top-ranking member of the Land Freedom Army (Mau Mau), Kenya's liberation movement in the final days of British colonial rule. She was the only female fighter to attain the rank of field-marshal. She served as a councilor in 1990 and was awarded the Head of State Commendation by President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2014. |
| Mwai Kibaki | b. 15 November 1931, Gatuyaini, Kenya Colony, present-day Kenya Mwai Kibaki was the 3rd President of Kenya (30 December 2002 - 9 April 2013) and had also been the Vice-President of Kenya in the 70s and 80s (14 October 1978 - 24 March 1988). |
| Mwenze Kibwanga | b. July 1925, Kilmba, Katanga, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo, d. 1999, Lumbumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo Mwenze Kibwanga was an artist from the Democratic Republic of Congo who specialised in a style of indigenous art. He painted in oils and some of his work is held in the Rockefeller Museum in New York City. |
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| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| N'Garta Tombalbaye | b. 15 June 1918, Moyen-Chari, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad, d. 13 April 1975 N'Djamena, Chad, N'Garta Tombalbaye, also known as François Tombalbaye, was the 1st President of Chad (11 August 1960 - 13 April 1975) and Colonial Prime Minister of Chad (26 March 1959 - 11 August 1960), and was the first head of government when Chad when it gained its independence. He was killed by soldiers and buried in Faya during a military coup d'état during a severe drought across Africa. |
| Nabil Karoui | b. 1 August 1963, Bizerte, Tunisia Nabil Karoui is a businessman and one of the main actors in the Tunisian advertising world. He is head of Karoui & Karoui World and Nessma TV. |
| Nadia Kaabi-Linke | b. 1978, Tunis, Tunisia Nadia Kaabi-Linke is a Tunisian visual artist best known for her conceptual art and 2011 sculpture Flying Carpets. |
| Nadia Labidi | b. 18 July 1954, Aïn Madhi, Algeria Nadia Labidi is an Algerian film producer and director, as well as a politician. She has directed and produced at least four French films, a mixture of documentary and feature films. She also served as the Minister of Culture for Algeria between 2014 and 2015. |
| Nadine Gordimer | b. 20 November 1923, Springs, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa, d. 13 July 2014, Johannesburg, South Africa Nadine Gordimer was a writer from South Africa and political activist. She received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991 specifically for her work around race issues and moral issues regarding the Apartheid regime. She wrote books such as Burger's Daughter and July's People. |
| Naguib Mahfouz | b. 16 November 1971, Ifrane Atlas-Saghir, Morocco, d. 30 August 2006, Cairo, Egypt Naguib Mahfouz was an Egyptian writer and novelist who was renowned for his work in existentialism. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988 and his work has been adapted into a number of films, both in Egypt and the international market. |
| Nakhane Touré | b. 3 February 1988, Alice, South Africa Nakhane Touré is a singer from South Africa who is an icon for his openness about his sexuality. He has released a number of albums including Brave Confusion and The Laughing Son. |
| Naledi Pandor | b. 7 December 1953, Durban, Natal, present-day Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa Naledi Pandor was elected to the first democratically elected South African parliament after the Apartheid in 1994. The daughter and granddaughter of well-respected anti-Apartheid activists, she converted to Islam after marrying. She is the current Minister for Higher Education and Training. |
| Namirembe Bitamazire | b. 17 July 1941, Central Region, Uganda Namirembe Bitamazire is a Ugandan politician with a background in academia. She has held the role as a member of the Ugandan parliament between 2001 and 2011 and has also held the role of Chancellor of the Uganda Management Institute. |
| Nana Akufo-Addo | b. 29 March 1944 Accra, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo is the President of Ghana (7 January 2017 - present) and son of Edward Akufo-Addo, a previous president of the country. He has also been the Attorney General and Minister for Foreign Affairs. |
| Nancy Kacungira | b. 11 October 1986, Tanzania Nancy Kacungira is a Ugandan journalist, news anchor and television personality. She has won numerous awards for her journalism and became the presenter of BBC World News' Focus on Africa in 2017. |
| Naomi Wanjiku Gakunga | b. 1960, Kikuyu, Kenya Naomi Wanjiku Gakunga, originally from Kenya, creates sculptural works made from textured sheet metal and steel wire. A range of supplementary materials are occasionally incorporated in innovative ways. |
| Nashwa Eassa | b. 1980, Omdurman, Sudan Nashwa Eassa is a nano-particle physicist and Assistant Professor of Physics at Al-Neenain University in Khartoum. She founded the non-governmental organisation Sudanese Women in Sciences in 2013 and is a member of Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World's South African Institute of Physics. |
| Nassour Guelendouksia Ouaido | b. 1947, Gounou, Gaya, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Nassour Guelendouksia Ouaido was a Prime Minster of Chad (17 May 1997 - 13 December 1999). He was a member of the Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) party, the party of president Idriss Déby. He was appointed after predecessor Koibla Djimasta's government resigned. He was eventually replaced as well, in part due to a failure to stop an insurgency by another minister and also due to issues with an oilfield project. |
| Nawal El Moutawakel | b. 15 April 1962, Casablanca, Morocco Nawal El Moutawakel is an ex-athlete from Morocco who is known for winning the 400 metres hurdles in the 1984 Olympics. Following her athletic career she was also the Minister of Sports in the Moroccan cabinet. |
| Nawal El Saadawi | b. 27 October 1931, Kafr Tahal, Egypt Nawal El Saadawi is a writer and doctor from Egypt. She is particularly known for her feminist work and her anti-female genital mutilation stance. She has been described as "the Simone de Beauvoir of the Arab World". |
| Ndary Lo | b. 1961, Tivaouane, Senegal, d. 8 June 2017, Lyon, France Ndary Lo was a Senegalese artist who was best known for his cast sculptures of willowy trees and lithe bodies. |
| Ndikhumbule Ngqinambi | b. 1977, Cape Town, South Africa Ndikhumbule Ngqinambi is a South African artist who depicts landscapes that comment on the colonisation of Africa. Highly political his images are of a somewhat surrealist form. |
| Negasso Gidada | b. 3 September 1943, Dembidolo, Ethiopia Negasso Gidada was the 1st President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (22 August 1995 - 8 October 2001) and he left office when his term expired. He then went on to become a Member of the House of Peoples' Representatives for Dembidolo. |
| Nehanda Nyakasikana | b. c.1840, Place unknown, d. 1898, Place unknown Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana was a female spiritualist leader from Mashonaland in present-day Zimbabwe and a key leader in the First Chimurenga (war of liberation) against British colonial settlers in 1896-97. She was considered to be the female incarnation of the oracle spirit Nehanda. After being captured by the British she predicted her spirit would lead the Second Chimurenga. Executed in 1898, she inspired freedom fighters in the 1960s and 1970s. |
| Neide Van-Dúnem | b. 4 July 1986, Luanda, Angola Neide Van-Dúnem is an Angolan singer, songwriter and actress. She has appeared in a television soap Sede de Viver and has released a number of albums, reaching number two on the MTV Africa Video Chart. |
| Neill Blomkamp | b. 17 September 1979, Johannesburg, South Africa Neill Blomkamp is a film director from South Africa who lives and works in Canada. He co-wrote and directed District 9 which won critical international acclaim and was also nominated for an Academy Awards. He also went onto co-write and direct Elysium and Chappie. |
| Nelson Makamo | b. 1982, Modimolle, South Africa Nelson Makamo is a South African artist known for his vibrant portraits set in African urbanised landscapes. |
| Nelson Mandela | b. 18 July 1918, Mvezo, South Africa, d. 5 December 2013, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa Nelson Mandela was the 1st President of South Africa (10 May 1994 - 16 June 1999) and was a prominent figurehead in the South African anti-apartheid movement. He was incarcerated for many years for his political activities and when the Apartheid government was ousted in democratic elections, he became the first black head of state. |
| Nengi Omuku | b. 1987, Delta State, Nigeria Nengi Omuku is a Nigerian artist whose art is vibrant, bright and representative of the human figure. She has won the British Council CHOGM award and the Nancy Balfour Art Scholarship. |
| Nesbert Mukomberanwa | b. 1969, Buhera, Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe Nesbert Mukomberanwa is a Zimbabwean sculptor who comes from a large family of sculptors and artists. He teaches sculpture to young people in his village of Dema. |
| Newton Aduaka | b. 1966, Ogidi, Anambra, Nigeria Newton Aduaka is an England-based, Nigerian-born filmmaker, winner of Best Director at the Pan African Film Festival. |
| Ngoma | b. Date and year unknown, Limbe, Cameroon Ngoma, born as Atanga Schneider Ngomah, is a Cameroonian Hip-Hop artist and rapper. He is unusual as he raps in four different languages including Ngemba. |
| Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala | b. 13 June 1954, Ogwashi Ukwu, Nigeria Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a Nigerian economist who was the first black female to hold the role of Managing Director of the World Bank. In addition, she is also is a Nigerian politician and was the first ever female Minister for Finance. |
| Ngozi Onwumere | b. 23 January 1992, Mesquite, United States of America Ngozi Onwumereis is a track and field athlete and member of the first Nigerian bobsled team, competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics. |
| Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o | b. 5 January 1938, Kamirithu, Kenya Ngūgī wa Thiong'o is the author of Weep Not, Child and Decolonize the Mind. Formerly writing in English, he now writes in the Kenyan language, Gikuyu. A recipient of the 1973 Lotus Prize for Literature, he was Booker-shortlisted in 2009. |
| Nhlanhla Nciza | b. 15 March 1978, Schweizer-Reneke, South Africa Nhlanhla Nciza is a singer, songwriter and member of the group Mafikizolo. Mafikizolo won ten South African Music Awards including Album of the Year in 2014. |
| Nialé Kaba | b. 1962, Bouko, Côte d'Ivoire Nialé Kaba is the Minister of Planning and Development in Côte d'Ivoire. She was the first woman to hold the position of Minister of the Economy and Finance. |
| Nicéphore Soglo | b. 29 November 1934 Lomé, French Togoland, present-day Togo Nicéphore Soglo was the 5th President of Benin (4 April 1991 - 4 April 1996), following the country becoming a democracy. He is the cousin of Christophe Soglo who also took the presidency of the country. |
| Nicholas Mukomberanwa | b. 1940, Buhera, Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 12 November 2000, Harare, Zimbabwe Nicholas Mukomberanwa was a prolific Zimbabwean sculptor and patriarch of the Mukomberanwa family of sculptors. He is considered to be one of Zimbabwe's most famous and renowned artists. |
| Nicolas Grunitzky | b. 5 April 1913, Atakpamé, French Togoland, present-day Togo, d. 27 September 1969, Paris, France Nicolas Grunitzky was installed as the 2nd President of Togo (13 January 1963 - 13 January 1967) following the coup against Sylvanus Olympio. Before Togo received its independence, he also held office as the Prime Minister (12 September 1956 - 16 May 1958). He himself was overthrown in a coup, that was bloodless, and died following complications received from a car accident. |
| Nicolas Tiangaye | b. 13 September 1956, Bocaranga, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic Nicolas Tiangaye was the Prime Minister of Central African Republic (17 January 2013 - 10 January 2014) and ran as an independent politician. He started his career out as a lawyer and has represented both Jean-Bédel Bokassa and François Bozizé at their trials. |
| Nidhal Chamekh | b. 1985, Dahmani, Tunisia Nidhal Chamekh is a Tunisian artist and researcher who specialises in recording history through art. Coming from a family of activists, his work conveys incidents and situations mainly in pencil drawings filled with detail. |
| Nise Malange | b. 1960, Cape Town, South Africa Nise Malange is a scriptwriter and trade union activist from South Africa. Her career is vast and has worked on many projects, in particular working with young people and children who are victims of domestic violence. She currently runs the BAT Centre Trust in Durban and is dedicated to helping women and children, specifically refugees and street children. |
| Nito Alves | b. 1945, Bengo Province, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. June 1977, Luanda, Angola Nito Alves was an Angolan politician who served as Interior Minister of Angola during its independence from Portugal in 1975. He was a supporter of the Soviet Union and was expelled from the MPLA in 1977. Following this he, and his supporters, broke into a prison and hijacked a radio station in an attempted coup. He was shot dead and a purge followed with thousands killed. |
| NiyiOlagunju | b. 1981, Sagamu, Nigeria Niyi Olagunju is a Nigerian artist who takes everyday objects and reinterprets them into unusual and unexpected forms. Some of his works are created from items such as pallets for his Structures of Trade exhibition, and hand gilded copper for his piece for the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation auction in 2017. |
| Nja Mahdaoui | b. 1937, Tunis, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Nja Mahdaoui is a Tunisian artist who uses traditional Arabic calligraphy as an art form. He has won many awards including the UNESCO Crafts Prize for the Arab States and has exhibited all over the world. |
| Njoki Ndung'u | b. 20 September 1965, Kenya Njoki Ndung'u is a Kenyan lawyer and judge, specifically as an Associate Justice in the Supreme Court of Kenya. Of much of her work she has contributed heavily to the passing of the Sexual Offences Act of 2006 in a bid to curb rising sexual assaults and rapes in the country. |
| Nkem Owoh | b. 7 February 1958, Udi, Nigeria Nkem Owoh is a Nigerian actor and comedian who played in films including Things Fall Apart, Stronger than Pain and Ghana Must Go. In 2008 he received the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. |
| Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma | b. 27 January 1949, Natal, present-day KwaZulu-Natal South Africa Nkosazana Diamini-Zuma is a South African politician and ex-wife of former president of South Africa Jacob Zuma. She is currently the Minister for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and has held roles as Minister of Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs and Health in the past. |
| Nnamdi Azikiwe | b. 16 November 1904, Zungeru, Northern Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria, d. 11 May 1996, Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria Nnamdi Azikiwe served as the 1st President of Nigeria (1 October 1963 - 16 January 1966), holding the presidency throughout the Nigerian First Republic. He was deposed in a military coup in January 1966 but managed to avoid death unlike many other of the country's leaders. |
| Nnedi Okorafor | b. 8 April 1974, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States Nnedi Okrafor is a Nigerian-American writer who writes novels and shorts stories for adults and children. She is particularly known for her work in the fantasy and science fiction genres. She has won numerous awards and has also published essays regarding racism, following her receipt of the World Fantasy Award which is a statuette of H. P. Lovecraft, a known racist. |
| Nnenna Okore | b. 1975, Australia Nnenna Okore is an artist who works both in Nigeria and the United States. Her largely abstract sculptures are inspired by textures, colors and forms within her immediate milieu. |
| Nocky Djedanoum | b. 10 July 1959, French Chad, present-day Chad Nocky Djedanoum is a Chadian writer and artist director of Fest'Africa, a Black African literature festival in France. |
| Noëlla Coursaris Musunka | b. 25 December 1982, Democratic Republic of the Congo Noëlla Coursaris Musunka is an international fashion model and philanthropist. In 2007 she founded Malaika, a nonprofit grassroots organization that empowers Congolese girls and their communities through education and health programs. |
| Noerine Kaleeba | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Noerine Kaleeba is a physiotherapist from Uganda who helped to establish The AIDS Support Organisation following the death of her husband who had contracted the illness through his work. |
| Noni Jabavu | b. 20 August 1919, Middledrift, Eastern Cape, South Africa, d. 19 June 2008, East London, South Africa Noni Jabavu was a South African writer, journalist and intellectual. She was the first African woman to be editor of The Strand Magazine and is renowned for her books Drawn in Colour and The Ochre People. |
| Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita | b. 22 March 1960, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita is a businesswoman from South Africa. She worked in the United States and South Africa with IBM and then went onto work in areas such as steel, finance and mining. |
| Nontsizi Mgqwetho | b. Date unknown, Place unknown, d. Date unknown, Place unknown Nontsizi Mgqwetho was a poet from South Africa who wrote specifically in isiXhosa language. Her poetry is a great indicator and descriptor of life in the city as a Christian black woman of her time and has often been deemed controversial for its honest content. Not much is known about her and her life, she vanished after 1929. |
| Norbert Ilunga | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Norbert Ilunga is an artist who specialty is in traditional style African art. He paints with oil on paper and his work has appeared in Foundation Cartier pour l'art contemporain in Paris. |
| Norbert Zongo | b. 31 July 1949, Koudougou region, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso, d. 13 December 1998, Ziro Province, Burkina Faso Norbert Zongo, also known as Henri Segbo as his pen name, was an investigative journalist from Burkina Faso. His newspaper printed reports he published detailing corruption and extortion of the government of Blaise Compaoré and he was assassinated following an investigation into murder of a driver who worked for a family member of the president. |
| Norma Kitson | b. 18 August 1933, Berea, Durban, South African, d. 12 June 2002, Harare, Zimbabwe Norma Kitson was a political activist, most notable in her actions pertaining to South African's Apartheid. She joined the South African Communist Party in the 1950s but was exiled after her husband was jailed and fought for the cause from London where she would often protest outside South Africa House. |
| Noureddine Naybet | b. 10 February 1970, Casablanca Morocco Noureddine Naybet is a footballer who played for a number of Moroccan and international teams. He finished his career playing at Tottenham Hotspur and for the Moroccan national team. |
| Nouri Abusahmain | b. 1956, Zuwarah, Libya Nouri Abusahmain was the President of the General National Congress of Libya (25 June 2013 - 4 August 2014 and 4 August 2014 - 5 April 2016). Under his leadership the GNC imposed sharia law in the country. There was also gender segregation and compulsory hijab was enforced at Libyan universities from 2014. |
| Nouria Benghabrit-Remaoun | b. 5 March 1952, Oujda, Morocco Nouria Benghabrit-Remaoun is an Algerian politician and sociologist. She is currently the Minister for National Education and was the director of the National Centre of Research in Social and Cultural Anthropology and also worked with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. |
| Nouria Yamina Zerhouni | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Nouria Yamina Zerhouni is an Algerian politician and has held the title of the Governor of Boumerdès Province and the Minister of Tourism. |
| NoViolet Bulawayo | b. 10 December 1981, Tsholotsho, Zimbabwe NoViolet Bulawayo is a Zimbabwean author and Stenger Fellow at Stanford University. Her publications include We Need New Names and in 2011 received the Caine Prize for African Writing. |
| Ntlhoi Motsamai | b. 1963, Ha Pofoli, Lesotho Ntlhoi Motsamai is a Lesotho politician and teacher. She became Lesotho's first female Speaker of the National Assembly, a position she has held twice. |
| Nuno da Costa | b. 10 February 1991, Praia, Cape Verde Nuno da Costa is a football player. He has played for his national football team, Cape Verde. |
| Nunu Ntshingila-Njeke | b. 1964, Soweto, South Africa Nunu Ntshingila-Njeke was the former chairwoman of Ogilvy and Mather and communications director of Nike South Africa. She is the current head of Facebook Africa and was inducted into the Loeries Hall of Fame in 2016 - the first woman to receive this honour. |
| Nuruddin Farah | b. 24 November 1945, Baidoa, Italian Somaliland, present-day Somalia Nuruddin Farah is a prolific writer from Somalia who has written plays for stage and radio, short stories and essays. He has been nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature several times. His novels include From A Crooked Rib (1970) and Hiding in Plain Sight (2014). |
| Nwando Achebe | b. 7 March 1979, Enugu, Nigeria Nwando Achebe is a historian and the Jack Margaret Endowed Professor of History at Michigan State University. Her publications include The Female King of Colonial Nigeria: Ahebi Ugbabe and Women and Gender in Africa. |
| Nwankwo Kanu | b. 1 August 1976, Imo, Nigeria Nwankwo Kanu is a retired footballer who played as a forward. He was a member of the Nigerian national team. |
| Nwanyeruwa | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Nwanyeruwa, sometimes known as Madame Nwanyeruwa, is a cultural icon and instigated a war against the British in West Africa. Entitled the Women's War, Nwanyeruwa called an uprising following a change in the system of taxation. |
O
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Obafemi Awolowo | b. 6 March 1909, Ikenne, Nigeria, d. 9 May 1987, Ikenne, Nigeria Obafemi Awolowo was a notable Nigerian nationalist and politician. Once the Premier of Western Nigeria, he was heavily involved in Nigeria's independence movement. He is often cited as being responsible for much of modern-day Nigeria's legislation. |
| Obioma Nnaemeka | b. 28 October 1948, Agulu, Nigeria Obioma Nnaemeka, from Nigeria, is the Chancellor's Distinguished Professor of French, Women's and Africana Studies at Indiana University. She is President of the Association of African Women Scholars. |
| Obiora Udechukwu | b. 1946, Onitsha, British Nigeria, present-day Nigeria Obiora Udechukwu was a Nigerian poet and artist. Among many of his achievements he has served on the editorial board of Okike: African Journal of New Writing and was a highly regarded member of the Nsukka School. |
| Odartey Lamptey | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. 28 February 1948, Accra, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana Odartey Lamptey was a military private shot dead by Major Imray alongside two other veterans. They were taking a petition to Sir Gerald Creasy, Governor of the Gold Coast at the time. |
| Odile Gakire Katese | b. Date and year unknown, Democratic Republic of Congo Odile Gakire Katese is a playwright and director. She is the creator of Ingoma Nshya, Rwanda's first women's drumming company as well as Amizero Dance Kompagnie, Rwanda's first professional contemporary dance company. |
| Okot p'Bitek | b. 7 June 1931, Gulu, Northern Region, Uganda Protectorate, present-day Uganda, d. 20 July 1982, Kampala, Uganda Okot p'Bitek was a Ugandan poet who wrote in Acholi, but also self-translated much of his work. His most celebrated work was a length poem from the perspective of a rural African wife whose husband has relocated them to the city and westernising their life. Song of Lawino was then followed up with Song of Ocol, the husband's response. |
| Okwui Enwezor | b. 23 October 1963, Calabar, Nigeria, d. 15 March 2019, Munich Germany Okwui Enwezor was a Nigerian curator, art critic, writer and scholar. He was the director of the Haus der Kunst in Munich, Germany and was the first African Director of the Venice Bienalle in 2015. |
| Ola Rotimi | b. 13 April 1938, Sapele, Delta State, Nigeria, d. 18 August 2000, Ife, Nigeria Ola Rotimi was a playwright and theatre director. His plays include If: A Tragedy of the Ruled and The Gods Are Not To Blame. |
| Olalekan Jeyifous | b. 1977, Lomé, Togo Olalekan Jeyifous is a Togolese artist who explores the concept of 'Urban Africa' in a multi-form environment. |
| Oliver Hermanus | b. 1983, Cape Town, South Africa Oliver Hermanus is a South African film director and writer. His work has achieved critical acclaim winning the Queer Palm Award at Cannes. His films include Shirley Adams, Beauty (Skoonheid) and The Endless River. |
| Oliver Mtukudzi | b. 22 September 1952, Salisbury, present-day Harare, Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe Oliver Mtukudzi is a musician and human rights activist from Zimbabwe. As well as his solo career he was also a member of Wagon Wheels and South African supergroup, Mahube. He is particularly known for his human rights work and has taken on the role as the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Southern Africa Region. |
| Oliver Tambo | b. 27 October 1917, Nkantolo, Bizana, South Africa, d. 24 April 1993, Johannesburg, South Africa Oliver Tambo, along with Nelson Mandela, opened the first black law firm in South Africa. He was a key anti-Apartheid politician and served as President of the African National Congress. |
| Olivia Wawire | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Olivia Wawire is a Superintendent of Police in Uganda and has also worked with the Fire Brigade as the only female as Community Liaison Officer, in Child and Family Protection Unit, among other deployments. |
| Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana | b. 21 June 1964, Nosy Be, Madagascar Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana became Prime Minister of Madagascar (13 April 2016 - 6 June 2018) after he was named by the president, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, to replace Jean Ravelonarivo. He announced his resignation in June 2018. |
| Olu Oguibe | b. 14 October 1964, Aba, Nigeria Olu Oguibe is an art historian, art curator and professor of Art and African American Studies at the University of Connecticut. He is also a senior fellow of the Vera List Center for Art and Politics at the New School, New York City, and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. His published works include The Culture Game, Uzo Egonu and Cross/ing: Time.Space.Movement |
| Oluchi Onweagba | b. 1 August 1980, Lagos, Nigeria Oluchi Onweagba is a Nigerian model who has modelled and been on the catwalk for many international names such as Christian Dior, Nina Ricci and GAP. She is also a volunteer for an NGO called LEAP Africa and NIPRO. |
| Olumide Onadipe | b. 1982, Lagos, Nigeria Olumide Onadipe is a contemporary Nigerian visual artist. He has had a number of solo exhibitions including Connecting the Dots in Lagos with over 40 upcycled plastics and other materials. |
| Olusegun Obasanjo | b. 5 March 1937, Abeokuta, Western Region, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Ogun, Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo has held the role of Head of State as military leader (13 February 1976 - 30 September 1979) and President of Nigeria (29 May 1999 - 29 May 2007). He was responsible for the handover of to a democratically elected, civilian, government following numerous coups. |
| Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke | b. 19 June 1960, Mogadishu, British Somaliland, present-day Somalia Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke was the Prime Minister of Somalia (14 February 2009 - 21 September 2010, 24 December 2014 - 1 March 2017) with an interim role as Somalia's Ambassador to the United States. He holds Canadian citizenship as well as Somalian. |
| Omar al-Bashir | b. 1 January 1944, Hosh Bannaga, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, present-day Sudan Omar al-Bashir is the 7th President of Sudan (30 June 1989 - present), a position he gained by instigating a bloodless coup against the coalition government. He has since been re-elected and was rumoured to have links with Osama Bin Laden. In March 2009, al-Bashir became the first sitting president to be indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), for alleged mass killing, rape, and pillage against civilians in Darfur. He has not been arrested yet. In 2012 he suggested the creation of an African space agency. After more than 19 years conflict between Northern Sudan and Southern Sudan, driven by a struggle between the Sudan People's Liberation Army and al-Bashir's government, the parties involved signed a peace agreement in 2005, granting autonomy to South Sudan for 6 years, following which South Sudan became independent upon a referendum. |
| Omar Bey | b. 1973, Tunis, Tunisia Omar Bey is a Tunisian artist whose works reflect the changes and his own experiences in Tunisia. He paints as well as using found objects to make works of mixed-media and collage. |
| Omar Blondin Diop | b. 18 September 1946, Niamey, Niger, d. 11 May 1973, Gorée Island, Senegal Omar Blondin Diop was an activist who was affiliated with the Young Marxist-Leninist Movement of Senegal. He was charged and detained under accusations of terrorism and espionage in 1972 and sent to Gorée Island prison where he died. |
| Omar Bongo | b. 30 December 1935, Lewai, present-day Bongoville, French Gabon, present-day Gabon, d. 8 June 2009, Barcelona, Spain Omar Bongo held the role of 2nd President of Gabon (2 December 1967 - 8 June 2009) for 42 years. Up until 1990 Gabon was a single-party governance but he was forced to change it to a multi-party democracy after increasing external pressure. Bongo was a central pillar of Françafrique. Following his death, his son Ali Bongo—who had long been assigned key ministerial responsibilities by his father—was elected to succeed him in August 2009. |
| Omar Pene | b. 1956, Dakar, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Omar Pene is a Senegalese musician and composer. He is known both for his solo work but also as the lead singer for the band Super Diamano. The band's music was particularly known for its political lyrics dealing with the issues faced by those living in Dakar. |
| Omar Victor Diop | b. 1980, Dakar, Senegal Omar Victor Diop is a fashion photographer and artist from Senegal. As well as his photography he also does styling, costume design and creative writing. |
| Ophelia Hoff Saytumah | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Ophelia Hoff Saytumah is a Liberian politician who previously held the role of Mayor of Monrovia, the country's capital city. Prior to her political career she worked within the travel industry and has since moved into petrochemicals. |
| Orie Rogo Manduli | b. Date unknown, Place unknown Orie Rogo Manduli is the first female head of the Kenya Non Governmental Organisation council (NGO council). Starting out as a beauty pageant queen she is now known for her striking, and rather large, headwear and trailblazer of African fashion. |
| Orlanda Amarílis | b. 8 October 1924, Assomada, Santa Catarina, Cape Verde Orlanda Amarílis is a writer from Cape Verde, particularly revered for her writing revolving around women's writing and the Cape Verdean diaspora. She has written a number of books including collections of short stories and children's books. |
| Ory Okolloh | b. 1977, Kenya Orly Okolloh is an activist, blogger and lawyer from Kenya. She is behind a number of websites including helping to co-found Ushahidi, a site that collected and reported eyewitness statements of violence during the 2007 presidential election disputes. She also runs Mzalendo and Kenyan Pundit, a parliamentary watchdog site and her own persona blog. |
| Osborne Macharia | b. Date and year unknown, Nairobi, Kenya Osborne Macharia is a self-taught photographer whose work in the commercial and advertising sector has drawn praise and critical acclaim. Working with brands such as Coca Cola, Absolut Vodka and Mercedes and is well known for his images of Afrofuturism. |
| Oscar Kilima | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Oscar Kilima is a Congolese artist who attended the Elisabethville School. His work takes traditional African art and mixes it with a contemporary twist, placing him alongside other artists such as Norbert Ilunga and Pilipili Mulongoy. |
| Osita Iheme | b. 20 February 1982, Mbaitoli, Imo, Nigeria Osita Iheme is a Nigerian actor and played in films such as Aki na Ukwa. In 2007 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the African Movie Academy Awards and was awarded Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2011. |
| Ouattara Watts | b. 1957, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Outtara Watts is a painter from Côte d'Ivoire whose work as a contemporary artist falls into the school of abstract art. He has exhibited consistently, both in solo shows and group shows, from 1986. |
| Oumar Ly | b. 1943, Podor, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 29 February 2016, Podor, Senegal Oumar Ly was a Senegalese photographer who started his work when Senegalese people required their portraits to be taken for their identity cards. From here his black and white portraits shots, a collection that is in excess of over 5,000, depict rural West African people in a way like no other has managed to. |
| Oumar Ndao | b. 1957, Place unknown, d. 11 May 1973, Gorée Island, Senegal Oumar Ndao was a Senegalese screenwriter and film director. He was the Director of Culture and Tourism for Dakar and created a festival called Le Ribidion, celebrating art and culture in the city of Dakar. |
| Oumou Sangaré | b. 25 February 1968, Bamako, Mali Oumou Sangaré, often referred to as the 'Songbird of Wassoulou', is a Malian singer and musician. Her music is reflective and often talks about freedom, particularly freedom of who to love and who to marry. She has won a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. |
| Oumou Sy | b. 1952, Podor, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Oumou Sy is a fashion designer frequently referred to as 'Senegal's Queen of Couture'. She often designs wardrobes for singers from Senegal such as Baabar Maal. |
| Ousmane Diarra | b. 30 September 1966, Dakar, Senegal Ousmane Diarra is a Malian sprinter and Olympian. He sprinted short distances ranging from 60 metres to 200 metres. |
| Ousmane Sembène | b. 1 January 1923, Ziguinchor, Senegal, d. 9 June 2007, Dakar, Senegal, Sembène Ousmane was a film director, producer and writer. In 2005, he received National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Foreign Language Film for the film Moolaadé and the 1988 Venice Film Festival Silver Lion for Camp de Thiaroye. |
| Ousmane Socé | b. 31 October 1911, Rufisque, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 27 October 1973, Dakar, Senegal Ousmane Socé was a Senegalese politician and writer. A member of the Négritude Movement, he wrote a number of books including Karim, a Senegalese Novel and Mirages de Paris. His political career led to him becoming ambassador to the United States and the United Nations delegate for Senegal. |
| Ousmane Sow | b. 10 October 1935, Dakar, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 1 December 2016, Dakar, Senegal Ousmane Sow was a sculptor from Senegal. His work was of large sculptures of people, particularly those of various cultures such as the Maasai, Zuus, Fulani and Peul. |
| Ousmane William Mbaye | b. 1952, Paris, France Ousmane William Mbaye is a French Senegalese film director and son of a well-known Senegalese writer. His film credits include Président Dia and Dial Diali. |
| Owanto | b. 13 December 1953, Paris, France Owanto is an artist who spent much of her life in Gabon. Her work has straddled a number of styles including pop and minimal, and works in painting, video, sculpture and photography. |
| Oyèrónkẹ́ Oyěwùmí | b. Date and year unknown, Nigeria Oyèrónkẹ́ Oyěwùmí is a Nigerian feminist scholar and professor of Sociology at Stony Brook University. Her publications include The Invention of Women and Gender Epistemologies in Africa: Gendering Traditions, Spaces, Social Institutions and Identities. |
| Ozwald Boateng | b. 28 February 1967, London, United Kingdom Ozwald Boateng is a men's fashion designer, tailor and former Creative Director of Givenchy. He was the first African designer to have a shop on London's historic Savile Row. In 2006 he was awarded The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE). |
P
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Paa Grant | b. 15 August 1878, Beyin, present-day Ghana, d. 30 October 1956, Axim, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana Paa Grant was the popular name for George Alfred Grant, a founder and the first president of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) in 1947. He was also one of Ghana's Founding Fathers. |
| Pabé Mongo | b. 6 June 1948, Pabé Mongo, French Cameroun, present-day Cameroon Pabé Mongo was the pen name of Pascal Bekolo, a Cameroonian writer. He has a large body of work including stories, plays and essays. His work includes Le roi des manchots and Nos ancêtres les baobabs. |
| Pakalitha Mosisili | b. 14 March 1945, Waterfall, Basutoland, present-day Lesotho Pakalitha Mosisili is a politician who held the office as Prime Minister of Lesotho (17 March 2015 - 16 June 2017) after forming a coalition government following a snap election in 2015. |
| Pamela Mbabazi | b. 6 April 1969, Mbara, Uganda Pamela Mbabzi is a Ugandan academic and dean of the Faculty of Development Studies at Mbarara University. She has studied a range of disciplines including economics and political science, as well as development planning. |
| Papa Bouba Diop | b. 28 January 1978, Dakar, Senegal Papa Bouba Diop is a retired Senegalese footballer. His preferred position was defensive midfield but could also play as a centre-back, where he previously played at French club Lens. His nickname is "The Wardrobe", given to him by Fulham fans, due to his height. |
| Papa Mfumu'eto 1er | b. 1963, Matadi, Bas-Congo, present-day Kongo Central, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo Papa Mfumu'Eto 1er, born Jaspe Saphir Mfumu'Eto, is a painter and creator of comics and graphic novels. His comics are in the language of Kinois and were political and critical of the Mobutu government. |
| Papa Wemba | b. 14 June 1949, Lubefu, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, d. 24 April 2016, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Papa Wemba, born Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, was a singer, musician who was labelled the 'King of Rumba Rock'. He was a member of the band Zaiko Langa Langa, in addition to creating the groups Isifi Lokole, Yoka Lokole and Viva la Musica. He is also known for his contributions to the La Sape fashion movement. |
| Paramanga Ernest Yonli | b. 31 December 1956, Tansarga, Tapoa Province, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Paramanga Ernest Yonli was a Prime Minister of Burkina Faso (6 November 2000 - 3 June 2007) and then went on to be the Burkinabe Ambassador to the United States (23 January 2008 - 2 September 2011). His legacy from office is that of innovation and the fundamental values of Burkinabé society. |
| Pascal Baba Couloubaly | b. 1951, Dioïla, French Sudan, present-day Mali, d. 23 July 2008, Tunis, Tunisia Pascal Baba Couloubaly was a Malian writer, politician and anthropologist. He specialised in the Bambara culture and wrote two novels, The Fears of a World and Mamari, Bambara. |
| Pascal Lissouba | b. 15 November 1931, Tsinguidi, French Congo, present-day Republic of Congo Pascal Lissoub was the first democratically elected President of the Republic of the Congo (31 August 1992 - 25 October 1997) following years of coups and ousted governments. He played a key role in the decolonization of Chad but was overthrown in 1997 by Denis Sassou Nguesso. |
| Pascal Yoadimnadji | b. 1950, Béboto, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad, d. 23 February 2007, Paris, France Pascal Yoadimnadji became Prime Minister of Chad (3 February 2005 - 23 February 2007) and the same year announced that anybody who had been in the government of Hissène Habré would be removed from office. He extended a state of emergency due to violent skirmishes in Eastern Chad. |
| Pascaline Bongo Ondimba | b. 10 April 1956, Franceville, Gabon Pascaline Bongo Ondimba is a politician from Gabon. Her background, in particular her family, is very political with her father being a president of Gabon. He gave her the role of Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1991 - 1994. She has had numerous relationships, including with Bob Marley. |
| Pashukeni Shoombe | b. 12 December 1936, Ohangwena Region, Namibia Pashukeni Shoombe is politician and teacher from Namibia. Her political views led her into exile where she assisted other exiles in Angola. She was a member of the 2nd National Assembly. |
| Pasteur Bizimungu | b. 1950, Gisenyi, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Rwanda Pasteur Bizimungu was the 3rd President of Rwanda (19 July 1994 - 23 March 2000), he joined the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) in 1990 after his brother was murdered. After Habyarimana's death and subsequent 100-day genocide, the RPF eventually took control of the country and he was made president, with Paul Kagame as vice president. He and Kagame ended up in conflict and eventually, in 2000, he resigned from office. He went on to create a new political party for Democratic Renewal (PDR), however this was outlawed by government and ended up being placed under house arrest. In 2004 he was sentenced for 15 years but was given a pardon on the 6 April 2007. |
| Pat Horn | b. 1951, Pretoria, South Africa Pat Horn has worked for a number of trade unions and established the Self-Employed Women's Union (SEWU) in South Africa and also StreetNet International which assists street vendors. |
| Pathy Tshindele | b. 1976, Kinshasa, Zaire, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo Pathy Tshindele is a Congolese artist who works in a number of different materials and mediums. In 2003, working with a collective, Eza Possibles, he and his contemporaries reclaimed and reimagined a number of wrecked cars from the city of Kinshasa in a project entitled Kinshasa Wenze Wenze. |
| Patience Dabany | b. 22 January 1944, Brazzaville, French Congo, present-day Republic of Congo Patience Dabany, also known as Josephine Bongo, is a Gabonese political figure and musician. As well as holding the role as the First Lady of Gabon (27 November 1967 - 1986) and the mother of the current president of Gabon, she pursued a successful musical career following the divorce from her husband in 1986. She toured with James Brown before his death. |
| Patrice Lumumba | b. 2 July 1925, Katakokombe, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, d. 17 January 1961, Élisabethville, Katanga, present-day Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo Patrice Lumumba was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo (24 June 1960 - 5 September 1960) after the country gained their independence. |
| Patrice Talon | b. 1 May 1958, Ouidah, Dahomey, present-day Benin Patrice Talon is the 8th President of Benin (6 April 2016) and ran as an independent candidate in the March 2016 election. He has tried to change policy to limit the amount of time a president can serve as a single five-year term. He lost a vote that would have put it to referendum but took the defeat and said that he respected it due to his commitment to democracy. |
| Patricia Jobodwana | b. Date unknown, Place unknown Patricia Jobodwana holds the title of not only being the first black woman to graduate from a South African university, but also the youngest beginning her studies in 1955 at the age of 14. |
| Patrick Attipoe | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. 28 February 1948, Accra, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana Corporal Patrick Attipoe was part of a contingent to present a petition to Sir Gerald Creasy who was Governor of the Gold Coast at the time, he was shot alongside two other veterans by Major Imray. |
| Patrick Awuah Jr. | b. 1965, Accra, Ghana Patrick Awuah Jr. is an engineer and founder Ashesi University: a university offering degrees in Business Administration, Management Information Systems and Engineering. He was awarded the Order of the Volta in 2008 and a MacArthur Award in 2015. |
| Patrick M'Boma | b. 15 November 1970, Douala, Cameroon Patrick M'Boma is a Cameroonian footballer who played internationally and for the national team for his career. He played for Paris SG and Tokyo Verdy and also holds the record for the highest number of goals scored for Cameroon. |
| Patrick Ntsoelengoe | b. 26 February 1952, Randfontein, South Africa, d. 8 May 2006, Lenasia, Gauteng, South Africa Patrick Ntsoelengoe, also known as 'Ace', was a professional footballer from South Africa. He played for the South Africa in the 1970s and played for a number of North American clubs in his career. |
| Patrick Vieira | b. 23 June 1976, Dakar, Senegal Patrick Vieira is a football team manager and ex-footballer from Senegal. He was heavily involved in the English Premier League and played over 100 times for France's national team. He has managed Manchester City Reserves and New York City and had been tipped to replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. |
| Paul Ahyi | b. 15 January 1930, British Togoland, present-day Togo, d. 4 January 2010, Lomé, Togo Paul Ahyi was a Togolese artist who, among many other accomplishments, was the designer of the flag of Togo. He is also well known for the scale of his pieces, with many being extremely large. One of his reliefs is at the United Nations in New York City. |
| Paul Biya | b. 13 February 1933, Mvomeka'a, French Cameroon, present-day Cameroon Paul Biya is the 2nd President of Cameroon (6 November 1982 - present) and was 1st Prime Minister of Cameroon (30 June 1975 - 6 November 1982) and introduced multi-party politics in the 1990s. He is at present (April 2018) the longest serving ruler in Sub-Saharan Africa. |
| Paul Kaba Thieba | b. 28 July 1959, Bobo-Dioulasso, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Paul Kaba Thieba rose to office as Prime Minister of Burkina Faso (13 January 2016 - present) on the appointment of Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. He had previously worked in finance at the Central Bank of Western African States and West African Monetary Union. During his time Al Qaeda attacked Hotel Splendid in Ouagadougou in January 2016. |
| Paul Kagame | b. 23 October 1957, Tambwe, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Rwanda Paul Kagame is the 4th President of Rwanda (22 April 2000 - present), having taken over when his predecessor Pasteur Bizimungu resigned. He was involved with a number of conflicts including the Ugandan Bush War and the Rwandan Civil War. During the Rwandan genocide he warned that the civil war would resume if the murders did not cease and led the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) army to take over the country in July 1994, assuming his role as vice-president of the country. After standing in as interim president, he was voted in by a vote led by government ministers and national assembly due to the nature of the situation. He has since then been re-elected numerous times and changed policy in the country so there is no limit to his term. Under his presidency Rwanda has experienced an economic miracle. Kagame is extremely popular in Rwanda. Yet human rights groups accuse him of political repression. Kagame has accused France of aiding the genocidaires in 1994, while France defended its interventions in Rwanda. Kagame sought membership of the Commonwealth of Nations, which was granted in 2009. Kagame was sworn in as Chairperson of the African Union on 28 January 2018. |
| Paul Onditi | b. 1980, Kenya Paul Onditi is a Kenyan artist based in Nairobi. His works are normally on digital polyester inkjet plate and show scenes, figures and cities in chaotic colour splashes and patches. |
| Paul Tergat | b. 17 June 1969, Riwo, Baringo District, Kenya Paul Tergat is a long-distance runner and Olympian from Kenya. He won two silver medals for the 10,000 metres at the Atlanta and Sydney games. |
| Paul Tiyambe Zeleza | b. 1955, Salisbury, present-day Harare, Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe Paul Tiyambe Zeleza is a Malawian writer, blogger and historian. Attributed to be one of the most notable authorities on African economic history, he has written award winning books on the subject. He is also a blogger for his site, The Zeleza Post, and has written a number of books of fiction. |
| Paul-Émile de Souza | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. 17 June 1999, Benin Paul-Émile de Souza served as the Chairman of the Directory of Dahomey, present-day Benin (13 December 1968 - 7 May 1970) which was the head of state of Dahomey, present-day Benin, following Maurice Kouandété overthrowing Émile Derlin Zinsou. An election was held on the 28 March 1970 but was plagued with violence. |
| Paulin J. Hountondji | b. 11 April 1942, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Paulin J. Hountondji is an Ivorian philosopher, politician and academic. He is currently director of the African Centre for Advanced Studies in Porto-Novo in Benin |
| Paulin Soumanou Vieyra | b. 31 January 1925, Porto-Novo, French Dahomey, present-day Benin, d. 4 November 1987, Paris, France Paulin Soumanou Vieyra was a film director from Benin, naturalised in Senegal and then later France. His filmography spans almost 30 years and all his films are based upon Africa and African culture. He was director of the first Francophone African film, Afrique sur Seine. |
| Pauline Clark | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Pauline Clark was a Ghanaian activist who was heavily involved in the formation of the Union of African Women and the Pan-African Women's' Organisation. |
| Paulino Vieira | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Paulino Vieira is a Cape Verdean musician who came to notability in the 1970s. When a ship container filled with electronic keyboards and synthesizers washed up in Cape Verde, the instruments were distributed to the schools. This led to a rise in electronic music of which, Paulino Vieira was one of the brightest talents. |
| Paulo Flores | b. 1 July 1972, Luanda, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Paulo Flores is an Angolan musician who sings against corruption and the hardships of Angolan life. Born during the Angolan War of Independence he has released 16 albums of Semba style music. |
| Paulo Kassoma | b. 6 June 1951, Luanda, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Paulo Kassoma was the 5th Prime Minister of Angola (20 September 2008 - 5 February 2010) and also the final one as a change of constitution abolished the position. He has then served as the President of the National Assembly of Angola (9 February 2010 - 27 September 2012). |
| Paulo Lukamba | b. 13 May 1954, Huambo Province, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Paulo Lukamba led UNITA from 3 March 2002, after the death of António Dembo, until the leadership election in 2003. He led the negotiations that ended the Angolan Civil War. |
| Paulo Muwanga | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. 1 April 1991, Kampala, Uganda Paulo Muwanga was the 6th President of Uganda (12 May 1980 - 22 May 1980) for 10 days. He also held office as the 4th Vice President of Uganda (December 1980 - July 1985) and 3rd Prime Minister of Uganda (1 August 1985 - 25 August 1985) for 25 days. |
| Paulo Teixeira Jorge | b. Date and year unknown, Benguela, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 26 June 2010, Luanda, Angola Paulo Teixeira Jorge was a Foreign Minister of Angola and the president of the National Assembly of Angola. He was one of the earliest leaders in the struggle for independence against the Portuguese. |
| Pedro Pires | b. 29 April 1934, Fogo, Portuguese Cape Verde, present-day Cape Verde Pedro Pires was the 3rd President of Cape Verde (22 March 2001 - 9 September 2011) and also held the role of Prime Minister of Cape Verde (8 July 1975 - 4 April 1991), gaining the role just three days after Cape Verde's independence from Portugal. |
| Peju Alatise | b. 1975, Lagos, Nigeria Peju Alatise is a Nigerian artist, poet, writer and a fellow at the National Museum of African Art, part of the Smithsonian Institution. Her work was exhibited at Venice Biennale's 57th edition, themed Viva Arte Viva (Long Live Art). |
| Penda Mbow | b. 1955, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Penda Mbow is a politician and historian from Senegal. Serving as the Minister of Culture for a number of months in 2001, she has focused her work and historical studies on African intellectuals as well as Islamic gender studies. She was also the recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship to Michigan State University. |
| Penina Muhando | b. 1948, Berega, Tanganyika Territory, present-day Tanzania Penina Muhando, is a playwright and theorist, specialising in Swahili-language works. She, along with a number of other notable African playwrights, pioneered the Theatre for Development. This initiative uses plays and acting to help those who are cast out and marginalised, to express their thoughts and share wider issues with their communities. |
| Penny Siopis | b. 5 February 1953, Vryburg, Northern Cape Province, South Africa Penny Siopis is an artist from South Africa. Her works are eclectic and eccentric with Pinky Pinky, a collective visualisation of a South African creature of legend, as well as her later Shame paintings. |
| Pepetela | b. 29 October 1941, Benguela, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Pepetela is the pen name of Artur Carlos Maurício Pestana dos Santos, a famous writer of fiction from Angola. He was a member of the MPLA during the guerrilla independence war. His writing is primarily focused on the political history of Angola, particularly the 20th century. He has won awards for his work including the Camões Prize in 1997 and Prince Claus Award in 1999. |
| Peter Abrahams | b. 3 March 1919, Vrededorp, South Africa, d. 18 January 2017, Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica Peter Abrahams was a South African writer and journalist who moved to Jamaica. He published a number of political works both as a journalist and as a novelist. His book Mine Boy was a very early example of the issue of racism that many dealt with on a daily basis in the Apartheid South Africa. He was murdered at the age of 97. |
| Peter Mutharika | b. 18 July 1940, Chisoko, Thyolo, Nyasaland, present-day Malawi Peter Mutharika is the President of Malawi (31 May 2014 - present). His presidency was questioned when accusations that he had taken United States citizenship were made, however it was ascertained he was not a US citizen but held a Green Card. |
| Philémon Yang | b. 14 June 1947, Jikejem-Oku, British Cameroons, present-day Cameroon Philémon Yang is the current Prime Minister of Cameroon (30 June 2009 - present) under the presidency of Paul Biya. Between the years of 1984 and 2004 he was the Ambassador of Cameroon to Canada. |
| Philibert Tsiranana | b. 18 October 1912, Ambarikorano, French Madagascar, present-day Madagascar, d. 16 April 1978, Antananarivo, Madagascar Philibert Tsiranana was the 1st President of Madagascar (1 May 1959 - 11 October 1972) following on from his time as Prime Minister of Madagascar (14 October 1958 - 1 May 1959). A socialist, initially the reforms he made were positive, but he started to become under more scrutiny as the changes were not enough for long-term gains. He also banned the wearing of miniskirts which was in conflict with their push on tourism. |
| Philip Emeagwali | b. 23 August 1954, Akure, Nigeria Philip Emeagwali emulated bees' construction of honeycomb to invent one of the world's fastest computers, which can perform 3.1 billion calculations per second. In 1989 he received the Gordon Bell Prize computation. His computers are used in oil fields, to forecast weather and to predict the effects of global warming. |
| Philomène Bassek | b. 1957, Dschang, French Cameroun, present-day Cameroon Philomène Bassek is a Francophone writer from Cameroon. She wrote and published the book La tache de sang (The Stain of Blood) and taught philosophy. |
| Pholile Mpofu | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Pholile Mpofu is the first black female dermatologist in South Africa. Her practice was to help those who felt that they would be able to speak to a black doctor and their skin issues would be understood and treated more effectively as a result. |
| Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka | b. 3 November 1955, Transkei, South Africa Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is a politician hailing from South Africa and a United Nations official. She has held the role of Deputy President of South Africa (22 June 2005 - 23 September 2008) and is currently the Under-Secretary-General-of the United National and the Executive Director of UN Women (13 August 2013 - present). |
| Phyllis Naidoo | b. 15 January 1928, Estcourt, Natal, present-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, d. 13 February 2013, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Phyllis Naidoo was a prominent anti-Apartheid activist who started her career as a tuberculosis nurse before rebelling against her conservative upbringing and became heavily involved in the struggle for freedom. She was banned and put under house arrest, told to flee but refused and trained to become a lawyer. |
| Pierre Buyoya | b. 24 November 1949, Rutovu, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi Pierre Buyoya is the 3rd President of Burundi (9 September 1987 - 10 July 1993 and 25 July 1996 - 30 April 2003) having ruled Burundi twice since seizing power from Jean-Baptiste Bagaza in a military coup. His agenda was to put an end to the divide between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnicities of the country and to bring the country through liberalisation. However, this led to tensions and a Hutu uprising in 1988, resulting in 20,000 deaths. He appointed a commission in the aftermath which created a constitution for a non-ethnic government, created using democratic elections he lost to Melchior Ndadaye. He returned to power with another military coup after Melchior Ndadaye was assassinated by the military and the Burundi Civil War began. |
| Pierre Goudiaby Atepa | b. 30 June 1947, Baïla, Senegal Pierre Goudiaby Atepa from Senegal, is one of Africa's most respected and successful architects. His company, Atepa Group, is responsible for some of the most innovative buildings in Senegal. His West Africa Central Bank in Dakar is modelled on the baobab tree, where elders in his culture gather for discussions. |
| Pierre Nkurunziza | b. 18 December 1963, Bujumbura, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi Pierre Nkurunziza is the 9th President of Burundi (26 August 2005 - present) having served a controversial three terms. There was an attempted coup in 2015 by Godefroid Niyombare which was unsuccessful and led to over 400,000 Burundians leaving the country and the independent media being complete shutdown. He has won numerous awards and honours, including a peace award from a United Nations Commission on Peace Consolidation in Burundi. |
| Pilipili Mulongoy | b. 1914, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo, d. 2007, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo Pilipili Mulongoy was a Congolese artist who was a member of the Elisabethville School. He was also a member of the l'Atelier de l'Art "Le Hangar"and his work has appeared all over the world. |
| Platnumz Diamond | b. 2 October 1989, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Diamond Platnumz, born Naseeb Abdul Juma, is a recording artist and dancer. He has won 17 Tanzanian Music Awards, two MTV Europe Awards and a MTV African Award for Best Live Act. |
| Pompílio Gemuce | b. 1963, Zambézia, Mozambique Pompílio Gemuce, originally from Mozambique, has an artistic ethos that is primarily a therapeutic one. He uses a diverse range of media to meditate on the essences of human compassion and expression. He studied Mural Paintings at Kiev Academy of Fine Arts, Ukraine and Cultural Management at Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, graduating in 2001. |
| Ponatshego Kedikilwe | b. 7 July 1938, Bechuanaland Protectorate, present-day Botswana Ponatshego Kedkilwe was the 7th Vice-President of Botswana (31 July 2012 - 12 November 2014) under the presidency of Ian Khama. He has worked as the minister of Minerals, Energy, and Water Resources. He was first elected to the National Assembly as the Member of Parliament for Mmadinare in 1984. |
| Presley Chweneyagae | b. 1984, Soweto, South Africa Presley Chweneyagae is an actor who won both a Golden Horn Award and Black Movie Award for his role in the film Tsotsi. |
| Pricilia Nguman | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Pricilia Nguman was a member of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and attended the 1962 Conference of African Women. She, along with a number of others, is considered as a founding member of the Pan-African Women's Organisation. |
| Prince Louis Rwagasore | b. 10 January 1932, Ibwami, Gitega, Kingdom of Burundi, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi, d. 13 October 1961, Usumbura, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi Prince Louis Rwagasore was the Crown Prince Louis Rwagasore, or Crown Prince of Burundi. In addition to his royal title, he was also a politician and served as prime minister of the kingdom. He was an outspoken nationalist and anti-colonialist. He was assassinated whilst eating at a hotel by a Greek national. |
| Prince Twins Seven-Seven | b. 3 May 1944, Ogidi, North Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria, d. 16 June 2011, Ibadan, Nigeria Prince Twins Seven-Seven, born Olaniyi Osuntoki, was a Nigerian artist from the Oshogbo School. Starting as a singer and dancer he became an artist drawing inspiration from Yoruba myths and legends. |
| Princess Elizabeth Bagaya | b. 1936, Uganda Princess Elizabeth Bagaya is a princess, model, lawyer and diplomat. She was called to the English bar and later on became Minister of Foreign Affairs after General Amin overthrew the government that had disbanded her monarchy. She then escaped the country again but was able to return and become ambassador to the United States. |
| Proscovia Nalweyiso | b. June 1954, Uganda Proscovia Nalweyiso is a Ugandan military official and the first female Major General in the Ugandan army. Joining the army in 1982 she has worked her way up the ranks to achieve the highest post held by a female within the military of the country. She currently acts as an advisor on defence to the government. |
| Putuse Appolus | b. 23 September 1930, Transkei, Eastern Cape, South Africa, d. 1986, Place unknown Putuse Appolus was a nurse and midwife who was known as the wife, and great supporter, of her husband Emil Appollus. She assisted a number of black individuals who were injured in the December shootings, this triggered a deportation order when she clashed with her superiors. She eventually became a member of SWAPO and helped to assist many during the Apartheid in South Africa and Namibia. |
Q
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Queen 'Mamohato Bereng Seeiso | b. 28 April 1941, Tebang, Maefeteng, Lesotho, d. September 2003, Mantsonyane, Thaba-Tseka, Lesotho Queen 'Mamohato Bereng Seeiso was the queen of Lesotho and was often referred to as 'Mother of the Nation'. She spent most of her life undertaking charity work and improving education and conditions for vulnerable children in the country. |
| Queen Sylvia Nagginda | b. 9 November 1964, London, United Kingdom Queen Sylvia Nagginda is the monarch of a historic tribe within Uganda. She is well educated and has used her position to develop women's rights, education for children (specifically for young girls). She has also worked on immunisation campaigns and with HIV/AIDS sufferers. |
| Quett Masire | b. 23 July 1925, Kanye, Bechuanaland Protectorate, present-day Botswana, d. 22 June 2017, Gaborone, Botswana Quett Masire was the 2nd President of Botswana (13 July 1980 - 31 March 1998), a teacher he had excelled in schooling and received a scholarship to study at university. Helping to establish the Botswana Democratic Party, he served as Vice-President of Botswana (30 September 1966 - 13 July 1980) when Seretse Khama the president died automatically making him leader. He was voted in secretly a few days later. His plane was shot at accidently by the Angolan Air Force but he and all aboard survived with injuries. |
R
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Rabah Bitat | b. 19 December 1925, Aïn Kerma, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 10 April 2000, Paris, France Rabah Bitat was the interim president of Algeria (27 December 1978 - 9 February 1979) after the death of Houari Boumédiènne. He had originally been a supporter of socialist driven Ahmed Ben Bella before rescinding his support. Under the installed government of Houari Boumédiènne he looked after transport. |
| Rabah Madjer | b. 15 December 1958, Hussein Dey, French Algeria, present-day Algeria Rabah Madjer is an ex-footballer from Algeria, who currently (2018) manages the national Algerian team. He played for Algeria's national team for 19 years and was the nation's top goal scorer. |
| Rachel Mwanza | b. 1997, Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo Rachel Mwanza is an actress who has appeared in films including War Witch and Kinshasa Kids. Prior to being cast in War Watch she was living on the streets in Kinshasa. She won Best Actress at the 1st Canadian Screen Awards in 2012. |
| Rachid Mekhloufi | b. 12 August 1936 in Sétif, French Algeria, present-day Algeria Rachid Mekhloufi is an Algerian former striker, ex-manager and coach for the Algerian national football team. He played for the national team of Algeria, France and the FLN team, which was an amalgamation of French and Algerian players. |
| Rachid Mimouni | b. 20 November 1945, Boudouaou, French Algeria, present-day Algeria, d. 12 February 1995, Paris, France Rachid Mimouni was an Algerian writer and human rights activist. His work was controversial and led to him receiving threats from Islamic militants because of his criticism and comments on an Islamic movement being archaic. He wrote many books including Une paix à vivre and Tombéza. |
| Rachid Yazami | b. 15 April 1953, Fez, Morocco Rachid Yazami is a Moroccan scientist and invented the lithium graphite anode, now used in commercial Li-ion batteries. |
| Radhia Haddad | b 17 March 1922, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia, d. October 2003, Carthage, Tunisia Radhia Haddad is a Tunisian figure known for her feminist activism and was the chair of the National Union of Women of Tunisia. She started her career having been forced out of school by her parents at the age of 12 because she was female. She studied Arabic language courses from home and learned from her brother, Hassib Ben Ammar, who became a politician and human rights activist. She holds the title as one of the first women in Africa to be elected to a role. |
| Rafael Marques | b. 31 August 1971, Luanda, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Rafael Marques was imprisoned for an article he wrote in 1999 called the The Lipstick of Dictatorship accusing President Dos Santos of being a dictator and various corruption and other violations. He was arrested for defamation and held until the United Nations Human Rights Committee took up his case and in 2005 ruled that Angola had violated his human rights. He has gone on to win numerous awards for courage and runs Maka Angola a news website dedicated to fighting corruption. |
| Rahima Moosa | b. 14 October 1922, The Strand, Cape Town, South Africa, d. 29 May 1993, Place unknown Rahima Moosa was a South African activist known particularly for her role in the Anti-Pass uprising of woman in South Africa on 9 August 1956. There is a hospital named in her honour. |
| Raimundo Pereira | b. 28 August 1956, Quinara Region, Portuguese Guinea, Guinea-Bissau Raimundo Pereira was acting President of Guinea (9 January 2012 - 12 April 2012 and 3 March 2009 - 8 September 2009) twice after João Bernardo Vieira was assassinated and after Malam Bacai Sanhá required medical attention and died. He was forced out of office in a coup d'état. |
| Rama Thiaw | b. 30 April 1978, Nouakchott, Mauritania Rama Thiaw is a Senegalese-Mauritanian filmmaker and screenwriter. She has directed two well-known documentaries Boul Fallé, la Voie de la lutte and The Revolution Won't Be Televised. |
| Rama Yade | b. 13 December 1976, Ouakam, Dakar, Senegal Rama Yade is a French politician, originally from Senegal. She has held a number of high-profile offices including Secretary State for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights and Ambassador of France to UNESCO. She is currently the Regional Advisor for Île-de-France. |
| Raphaël Kalela | b. 10 February 1970, Casablanca, Morocco Raphaël Kalela was an artist whose work was closely aligned with traditional art of the Congo. His work was exhibited in the Beauté Congo - 1926-2015 - Congo Kitoko, held by the Foundation Cartier pour l'art contemporain in Paris. |
| Ras Bath | b. 17 September 1973, Place unknown Ras Bath is a Malian figure who is known for his controversial and passionate work. He has been arrested and sentenced with incitement of troops disobedience. Working on the radio and social media, his influence has caused a number of demonstrations and skirmishes. |
| Rashidi Yekini | b. 23 October 1963, Kaduna, Nigeria, d. 4 May 2012, Ibadan, Nigeria Rashidi Yekini was a Nigerian footballer. He played for the Nigerian national team for 14 years as well as a number of clubs both in Nigeria and internationally. He received the title of African Footballer of the Year in 1993. |
| Rawya Attiya | b. 19 April 1926, Giza Governorate, Egypt Rawya Attiya was an Egyptian woman who was the first female parliamentarian in the Arab world. Ateya was also the first woman to be commissioned as an officer in the Liberation Army. She trained woman during the Suez conflict to be nurses and also spent time as a teacher and a journalist. |
| Raymond Mhlaba | b. 12 February 1920, Mazoka, Fort Beaufort district, Eastern Cape, South Africa, d. 20 February 2005, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Raymond Mhlaba was leader of the African National Congress (ANC). Part of the Rivonia Trial, Mhlaba spent 25 years of his life in prison for his actions in relation to anti-Apartheid. After his release from prison, he went onto gain posts such as the High Commissioner to Uganda and Rwanda. |
| Rebecca Dedei Ayitey | b. 1923, Place unknown, d. 22 June 1961, Place unknown Rebecca Dedei Ayitey was known as Queen of the Flour Sellers, a Ghanaian entrepreneur who succeeded in business that she was able to finance the Convention People's Party. Her political allegiances however were her undoing, and it is alleged she was poisoned whilst at a party. |
| Rebecca Enonchong | b. 1967, Cameroon Rebecca Enonchong, from Cameroon, is the founder and CEO of IT service management company AppsTech, and the founder and Chairperson of the Africa Technology Forum, a non-profit dedicated to helping technology start-ups in Africa. She was named a Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLT) by the World Economic Forum and Forbes named her one of the top 10 female founders to watch in Africa. |
| Rebecca Kadaga | b. 24 May 1956, Kamuli, Uganda Rebecca Kadaga is a politician and lawyer from Uganda. She has two roles within the government both as Member of Parliament for the Kamuli District and as the first female to be elected Speaker. She has been criticised for her pushing of the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill which was passed in 2014 but has been deemed invalid. |
| Régina Yaou | b. 1955, Dabou, Côte d'Ivoire, d. 4 November 2017, Place unknown Regina Yaou was an Ivorian writer who won the 2014 Excellence Award from the president of Côte d'Ivoire. She wrote 35 books over a 50-year career including La Révolte d'Affiba and Les Germes de la mort. |
| Reinata Sadimba | b. 1945, Homba, Portuguese Mozambique Reinata Sadimba is a famous sculptor and ceramist from Mozambique. A lot of her work represents the role of women and she came out of her retirement specifically for an exhibition to show how far the women of Mozambique had developed in that time. |
| Rema Namakula | b. 24 April 1991, Uganda Rema Namakula is a Ugandan musician who started off singing in karaoke. She has had a lot of success and released her own solo album whilst providing back-up vocals for Bebe Cool. |
| Renée Mboya | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Renée Mboya is a Kenyan writer, filmmaker and curator. Her particular focus is the use of autobiography to correct incorrect relaying of historical events and representation. She is also a writer and journalist with her work and interviews appearing on sites such as I've Been Working on Some MAGIC. |
| Richard Ratsimandrava | b. 21 March 1931, Antananarivo, French Madagascar, present-day Madagascar, d. 11 February 1975, Antananarivo, Madagascar Richard Ratsimandrava was the President of Madagascar (5 February 1975 - 11 February 1975) for six days before being assassinated. He was shot when driving home and his death almost sparked civil war in 1975. |
| Richard Rive | b. 1 March 1931, Cape Town, South Africa, d. 4 June 1989, Cape Town, South Africa Richard Rive was a writer from South Africa. Starting in short stories, some of his most well-known works were Emergency, based on events surrounding the Sharpeville massacre and Buckingham Palace District Six, which was turned into a musical by a Cape Town production. |
| Richardene Kloppers | b. 5 January 1926, Keetmanshoop, Namibia, d. 16 May 2009, Place unknown Richardene Kloppers was the first qualified black female teacher in Namibia and the first one to start a multi-racial school in the Apartheid era. |
| Rigobert Nimi | b. 1965, Tshiela, Bas-Congo, present day Kongo Central, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo Rigobert Nimi is a artist and sculptor from the Democratic Republic of Congo who creates extremely detailed and precise statuettes from rescued materials. |
| Rigobert Song | b. 1 July 1976, Nkenglicock, Cameroon Rigobert Song is a Cameroonian ex-footballer. He played for a number of well-known clubs including Liverpool and Lens, as well as spending 17 years on the Cameroon national team. |
| Rikki Ililonga | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Rikki Ililonga is a Zambian musician and member of Musi-o-Tunya whose work and music has been accredited to the genre of Zamrock, a psychedelic rock and funk heavily influenced by traditional African music. |
| Robert Guéï | b. 16 March 1941, Kabakouma, Man, French Côte d'Ivoire, present-day Côte d'Ivoire, d. 19 September 2002, Cocody, Côte d'Ivoire Robert Guéï took over the governance of Côte d'Ivoire after military coup, although he did not instigate the coup. He was first the President of the National Public Salvation Committee and then took the role as 3rd President of Côte d'Ivoire (24 December 1999 - 26 October 2000). He was killed within the first hours of the civil war that started in 2002. |
| Robert Mugabe | b. 21 February 1924, Kutama, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe was the 2nd President of Zimbabwe (31 December 1987 - 21 November 2017) and previously Prime Minister of Zimbabwe (18 April 1980 - 31 December 1987). A revolutionary, Robert Mugabe fought against the British colonies and has his ideologies in Marxism. He called for an independent, black-led state. He was ousted from power with a coup, this was swiftly followed with a motion to impeach and hold a no confidence vote, but Robert Mugabe resigned. By the twenty-first century, Mugabe was regarded as one of the world's most controversial political leaders. |
| Robert Serumaga | b. 1939, Buganda, Uganda, d. 1980, Nairobi, Kenya Robert Serumaga is a playwright and writer. His plays include Majangwa: A Promise of Rains and has written the novel Return to the Shadows. |
| Robert Sobukwe | b. 5 December 1924, Graaff-Reinet, Cape Province, Union of South Africa, d. 27 February 1978, Kimberley, Cape Province, South Africa Robert Sobukwe, also known as 'Prof', was a South African dissident that was, at one point, considered so dangerous the Apartheid government created the 'Sobukwe clause' to prevent his release from prison. He led a march against the implementation of the Pass Law which ended in bloodshed and he was convicted of incitement. He lived out his days in exile. |
| Roch Marc Christian Kaboré | b. 25 April 1957, Ouagadougou, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Roch Marc Christian Kaboré is the President of Burkina Faso (29 December 2015) having won the general election held in November 2015 in the first round. He is the first non-interim president in 49 years without any connections to the military, since coming to power he personally took charge of defence and veteran affairs until February 2017. In addition to his presidency, he was the 2nd Prime Minister of Burkina Faso (22 March 1994 - 6 February 1996). |
| Rocha Chimerah | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Rocha Chimerah is a writer from Kenya. He received the 2000 Noma Award for Ufundishaji wa Fasihi: Nadharia na Mbinu. He is Professor of Swahili and former chair of the Dept. of Languages and Linguistics at Egerton University. |
| Roger Milla | b. 20 May 1952, Yaoundé, Cameroon Roger Milla played in three World Cups for the Cameroon national team, and at age 42 during the 1994 World Cup, he became the oldest scorer in World Cup history. He is a two-time African Footballer of the Year and received the Golden Foot Legends Award in 2014. |
| Roger Nikiéma | b. 1935, Place unknown Roger Nikiéma is a Burkinabé writer whose book Dessein contraire was one of the first to be published in the 1960s. He also worked in radio, both domestically and internationally, and in newspapers. |
| Rokhaya Diallo | b. 10 April 1978, Paris, France Rokahya Diallo is a journalist, activist and filmmaker from France. She specifically focuses on equality issues, particularly on race and sexuality. |
| Rokia Traoré | b. 26 January 1974, Kati, Mali Rokia Traoré is a Malian singer and musician. She has achieved international acclaim with her music and has played WOMAD as well as winning a number of awards. |
| Roland T. Dempster | b. 1910, Tosoh, Liberia, d. 1965, Place unknown Roland T. Dempster was a Liberian writer and poet. Some of his notable works include The Mystic Reformation of Gondolia and the poem Africa's Plea. |
| Romaine Ekouya Poaty | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Romaine Ekouya Poaty was a founding member of the Pan African Women's Organisation. She was a representative from the Congo, she was honoured on African Women's Day 2013 along with other founding members. |
| Romuald Hazoumè | b. 1962, Porto-Novo, Benin Romuald Hazoumè's astute and sardonically political oeuvre is realised in a diverse range of media, including multi-media installation, sculpture, video, photography and painting. |
| Rose Francine Rogombé | b. 20 September 1942, Lambaréné, French Gabon, present-day Gabon, d. 10 April 2015, Paris, France Rose Francine Rogombé took over as acting president of Gabon (10 June 2009 - 16 October 2009) following the death of Omar Bongo. As the President of the Senate, the role automatically put her into succession. She was the first female head of state until she passed over power to Ali Bongo Ondimba after he was elected. She distributed 23,000 toys in the area of her birth to children as a belated Christmas gesture. |
| Rose Lokissim | b. c.1955, Chad, d. 15 May 1986, Chad Rose Lokissim was an elite female soldier and opponent of Hissène Habré, the dictator who ruled Chad from 1982-90. Imprisoned by the regime's secret police in 1984 she was tortured for eight months, although she managed to record and smuggle out prisoners' names and accounts of abuses committed by the guards. She was executed in 1986. In 2015 a documentary film was made about Lokissim, entitled Talking about Rose (director Isabel Coixet). |
| Rotimi Fani-Kayode | b. 20 April 1955, Lagos, Nigeria, d. 21 December 1989, London, United Kingdom Rotimi Fani-Kayode was a photographer originally from Nigeria. His work was particularly notable for stylised portraits that were themed on sexuality, race and culture. |
| Ruben Um Nyobè | b. 1913, Song Mpeck, Kamerun, present-day Cameroon, d. 13 September 1958, Boumnyébel, French Cameroun, present-day Cameroon Ruben Um Nyobé was an activist and anti-colonialist leader. He was killed by the French army for his founding and involvement with the Cameroon's People Union. |
| Ruhakana Rugunda | b. 7 November 1947, Kabale, Uganda Protectorate, present-day Uganda Ruhakana Rugunda is the 10th Prime Minister of Uganda (18 September 2014 - present) and has been in the cabinet since 1986. He also held the post of Permanent Representative to the United Nations for two years. |
| Rupiah Banda | b. 13 February 1937, Gwanda, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe Rupiah Banda was the 4th President of Zambia (19 August 2008 - 23 September 2011), having initially assumed the role after his predecessor Mwanawasa's ill health. His legacy was promoting Zambia to the wider world, trying to drive economic growth and development and encouraging trade with other countries. |
| Ruth First | b. 4 May 1925, Johannesburg, South Africa, d. 17 August 1982, Maputo, Mozambique Ruth First was an outspoken critic of the Apartheid government of South Africa, a reputed scholar she was a key defendant in the Treason Trial and was listed and banned by the government. She was killed in an assassination by letter bomb in Mozambique. |
| Ruth Mompati | b. 14 September 1925, Khanyisa, South Africa, d. 12 May 2015, Cape Town, South Africa Ruth Mompati was a South African teacher and politician. In 1954, she was a founding member of the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW). In 1954 she joined the African National Congress (ANC) and was elected to the National Executive Committee of the Women's League. She was elected as a member of parliament in the first democratic election in 1994. Following her career in parliament she was appointed ambassador to Switzerland from 1996 to 2000. |
| Ruth Neto | b. Date and year unknown, Portuguese Angola Ruth Neto, sometimes known as Maria Ruth Neto, served on the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA-PT) Central Committee and as secretary-general of the Pan African Women's Organisation (PAWO) during the struggle for Angola's independence. |
| Ruth Perry | b. 16 July 1939, Grand Cape Mount, Liberia, d. 8 January 2017, Columbus, Ohio, United States Ruth Perry held the role of Chairman of the Council of State of Liberia (3 September 1996 - 2 August 1997) and was the first female leader of Liberia, and also of modern Africa. It was on notice of her appointment that the warring factions of the country agreed peace. |
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| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Saad Zaghloul | b. July 1859, Ibyana, Kafr el-Sheikh Governorate, Eyalet of Egypt, d. 23 August 1927, Cairo, Kingdom of Egypt Saad Zaghloul was an Egyptian revolutionary nationalist and statesman and served as the 17th Prime Minister of Egypt (6 January 1924 to 24 November 1924). Prior to this his actions led him to be exiled to Malta by the British government. This then led to a series of events that led to the Egyptian Revolution of 1919. |
| Saadeeddine Othmani | b. 16 January 1956, Inezgane, French protectorate in Morocco, present-day Morocco Saadeddine Othmani is the 16th Prime Minister of Morocco (5 April 2017 - present) and a Doctor of Medicine. He has written numerous books on psychology and Islamic law, worked in magazines. He was appointed Prime minister by King Mohammed VI. |
| Saadi Yacef | b. 20 January 1928, Algiers, Algeria Saadi Yacef is currently a Senator in the Algeria's Council of Nation. Prior to this he was a member of the Algerian People's Party, the National Liberation Front (FLN) and a member of the Organisation Secrete which rose from the Special Organisation being split up. In addition, he is also a writer and film producer of a film based on the experiences of battle. |
| Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila | b. 12 October 1967, Otamanzi, South West Africa, present-day Namibia Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila is the 4th Prime Minister of Namibia (21 March 2015 - present) and is the first female to serve in the role. She was exiled with SWAPO as a teenager and lived for a time in the United States. |
| Sabelo Mlangeni | b. 1980, Driefontein, South Africa Sabelo Mlangeni is a South African photographer. A street photographer, in his series Invisible Women he would go out into the streets of Johannesburg at night and snap photos of the women sweeping the streets. |
| Sabrina Simader | b. 13 April 1998, Kenya Sabrina Simader was an Alpine skier during the 2018 Winter Olympics, becoming Kenya's first female Winter Olympic athlete. |
| Sadikou Oukpedjo | b. 1975, Kétao, Togo Sadikou Oukpedjo is a Togolese artist who has travelled and portrayed life from around West Africa. Some of his work includes the Book of the dead, portraits drawn in old books found in an old Dakar courthouse. |
| Sadok Gmech | b. 1940, Tunis, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Sadok Gmech is a Tunisian artist whose work represents national wealth. His images are bright and colourful and filled with images of people. |
| Safaa Erruas | b. 1976, Tétouan, Morocco Safaa Erruas is a Moroccan artist whose work is characterized by the use of the colour white. This is because it symbolises absence, transparency and fragility, allowing the artist the space to communicate. |
| Safaa Mazirh | b. 1989, Rabat, Morocco Safaa Mazirh is a Moroccan artist and photographer who is particularly drawn to images of movement and dancers. Through her work she has exhibited across the world in places such as Dakar and Paris. |
| Safi Faye | b. 22 November 1943, Dakar, Senegal Safi Faye is a film director. Her 1975 film Kaddu Beykat (Letter from My Village) was the first feature film made by a Sub-Saharan African woman to be commercially distributed. |
| Safia Hachicha | b. 1978, Tunisia Safia Hachicha is a Tunisian businesswoman who holds the role of general manager at PGI Holdings. For her work in finance, she has been named as part of a list of influential young Africans who will play a large role in development of the continent. |
| Said Ahmed Mohamed | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Said Ahmed Mohamed is a reputed writer in the Swahili language. He wrote a number of books such as Asali Chungu (Bitter Honey) and Duniani Kuna Watu. He also held the role as professor of African Literature in a German university. |
| Said Djinnit | b. 7 June 1954, French Algeria, present-day Algeria Said Djinnit is an Algerian diplomat and member of the United Nations. His role at the United Nations is that as the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for the Great Lakes region in Africa. He has held involvement in a number of peace processes across the continent. |
| Saïd Mohamed Cheikh | b. 1 July 1904, Mitsamiouli, Grande Comore, French Comoros, present-day Comoros, d. 16 March 1970, Antanarivo, Madagascar Saïd Mohamed Cheikh was the head of state for Comoros (1962 - 16 March 1970) and was a representative at the United Nations General Assembly in 1954, prior to Comoros' independence. |
| Said Mohamed Djohar | b. 22 August 1918, Majunga, French Madagascar, present-day Madagascar, d. 22 February 2006, Moroni, Comoros Said Mohamed Djohar was President of the Comoros (27 November 1989 - March 1996) as the head of the provisional government. He was the half-brother of Ali Soilih, another president of Comoros. |
| Said Mohamed Jaffar | b. 14 April 1918, French Comoros, present-day Comoros, d. 22 October 1993, Place unknown Said Mohamed Jaffar was the 2nd President of Comoros (August 1975 - January 1976) until he handed over the role of government to Ali Soilih. |
| Saïda Karim Lamrani | b. 30 August 1946, Fez, Morocco Saïda Karim Lamrani is a Moroccan lawyer and daughter of a former Prime Minister of Morocco. In addition to her legal career, she has sat on a number of boards for companies such as SMEIA and Holding Safari Sofipar. |
| Salah Ben Youssef | b. 11 October 1907, Maghraoua, Djerba, Tunisia, d. 12 August 1961, Frankfurt, West Germany Salah Ben Youssef was a politician and key leader in the Tunisian national movement. He was sentenced to death and escaped into exile through numerous countries, before being assassinated in a hotel in Frankfurt. |
| Salah El Mahdi | b. 9 February 1925, Tunis, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia, d. 12 September 2014, Tunis, Tunisia Salah El Mahdi was a celebrated Tunisian musician and flautist. Over his career he composed almost 600 songs, many of which were blends of traditional and contemporary, eastern and western sounds. |
| Salah Hassan | b. 1964, Khartoum, Sudan Salah Hassan is Director of the African Studies and Research Center and Professor of Art History at Cornell University. He is the founder of Nka: Journal of Contemporary African Art. |
| Salah Jahin | b. 25 December 1930, Cairo, Egypt, d. 21 April 1986, Cairo, Egypt Salah Jahin was an Egyptian musician, cartoonist and poet. Working as a cartoonist he became editor-in-chief for a magazine Sabah el-Khai and worked on Al-Ahram, he later on went to write a number of plays for the puppet theatre. His influence heavily developed colloquial Egyptian poetry. |
| Salawa Abeni | b. 5 May 1961, Epe, Lagos State, Nigeria Salawa Abeni is a Nigerian musician whose style is called waka. Her career has spanned numerous decades and many albums. |
| Salif Keïta | b. 8 December 1946, Bamako, French Sudan, present-day Mali Salif Keïta, also known as Keita, is a Malian footballer who played the position of striker during his career. As well as a nine-year career on the Mali national team he played for clubs such as Marseille and New England Tea Men, as well as Real Bamako. |
| Salmon, Barkire | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Barkire Salmon was one of the women who founded the Pan-American Women's Organisation. She along with Dante Aminata came from Niger. |
| Salomon Tandeng Muna | b. 1912, Place unknown, d. 22 January 2002, Douala, Cameroon Salomon Tandeng Muna was Prime Minister of West Cameroon (11 January 1968 - 2 June 1972) and Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Cameroon (1970 - 1972). He was heavily involved in Scouting and received the Bronze Wolf distinction from the World Scout Committee in 1981. |
| Salou Djibo | b. 15 April 1965, Namaro, Niger Salou Djibo led the military coup that overthrew his predecessor Mamadou Tandja and became the Chairman of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy of Niger, assuming the role as head of state (19 February 2010 - 7 April 2011). The government announced they wanted to make Niger "a model of democracy and good governance." |
| Salva Kirr Mayardit | b. 13 September 1951, Bahr el Ghazal, Sudan, present-day South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayard is the 1st President of South Sudan (9 July 2011 - present) following its independence in a referendum. During its trial five-year autonomy before independence, he held the role of First Vice President of South Sudan (2005 - 2011. |
| Salviano de Jesus Sequeira | b. 31 December 1945, Place unknown Salviano de Jesus Sequeira is the Minister of National Defence in Angola (October 2017 - present) and had a long military career, attaining the rank of General, in Angola prior to his appointment by president João Lourenço. |
| Sam Nujoma | b. 12 May 1929, Ongandjera, Ovamboland, South West Africa, present-day Okahao, Namibia Sam Nujoma was the 1st President of Namibia (21 March 1990 - 21 March 2005) and is one of the founding members of the South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO) presently known as SWAPO Party of Namibia. In addition to his political experience, he launched a guerrilla war against the Apartheid government of South Africa by forming the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN). He is renowned for his policy of "national reconciliation" which involved the bringing together and mediating between the different groups of ethnicities and races within Namibia. He has received multiple honours and awards for his outstanding leadership including the Lenin Peace Prize, Indira Gandhi Peace Prize, and the Ho Chi Minh Peace Prize. |
| Samantha Paxinos | b. 25 February 1988, Gaborone, Botswana Samantha Paxinos is a famous swimmer from Botswana. She has competed in the 2008 Olympics, specialising in sprint freestyling and carried the nations flag during the opening ceremony. |
| Samba Félix Ndiaye | b. 6 March 1945, Darak, French West Africa, present-day Senegal, d. 6 November 2009, Dakar, Senegal Samba Félix Ndiaye was a documentary maker from Senegal. With a career spanning 30 years he released documentaries such as La Santé and Un fleuve dans la tête. |
| Samba Yonga | b. Date and year unknown, Lusaka, Zambia Sama Yonga is a renowned Zambian media personality and journalist. She runs her own media consultancy, Ku-Atenga Media and was editor for Big Issue in Zambia. |
| Sami Tchak | b. 1960, Bowounda, Togo Sami Tchak is a Francophone writer from Togo. His novels and essays include works such as Hermina, Femme infidèle and La sexualité féminine en Afrique. |
| Samia Nkrumah | b. 23 June 1960, Place unknown Samia Nkrumah was the daughter of Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana following independence in 1957. A former bank clerk and journalist, she entered Ghanaian politics, becoming chairperson of the Convention People's Party. She was elected to parliament as the MP for the Jomoro constituency at her first attempt. |
| Samir Amin | b. 3 September 1931, Cairo, Egypt Samir Amin is a French-Egyptian economist who has leanings of socialism, particularly towards Marxism and later on Maoism. He has published numerous economic articles and won the Ibn Rushd Prize for Freedom of Thought. |
| Sammy Baloji | b. 29 December 1978, Lumbumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo Sammy Baloji is a Congolese photographer and artist. His work has appeared in several solo exhibitions and is a mixture themes such as ethnographic exploitation and modern urbanism. |
| Sammy Kuffour | b.3 September 1976, Kumasi, Ghana Sammy Kuffour is a retired professional footballer from Ghana. Playing as a defender he was in Ghana's national team for 13 years and played for clubs such as Ajax and Bayern Munich. |
| Samora Machel | b. 29 September 1933, Gaza Province, Portuguese Mozambique, present-day Mozambique, d. 19 October 1986, Mbuzini, Lebombo Mountains, South Africa Samora Machel was the 1st President of Mozambique (25 June 1975 - 19 October 1986) following the independence of Mozambique from Portuguese rule. He was a committed socialist and was killed when his plane crashed. |
| Samori Ture | b. 1830, Manyambaladugu, present-day Guinea, d. 2 June 1900, Gabon Samori Ture gave up his independence to save his mother after she was captured during skirmishes. He then created a personal army and was instrumental in resisting the French forces for 17 years, as well as becoming renowned for his war strategies. |
| Samuel Doe | b. 6 May 1951, Tuzon, Liberia, d. 9 September 1990, Monrovia, Liberia Samuel Doe became the President of Liberia (12 April 1980 - 9 September 1990) following a bloody coup where the incumbent, William R. Tolbert Jr. was assassinated. The first Liberian president of indigenous origins. Under his presidency a civil war broke out in 1989 and he was captured and executed. |
| Samuel Eto'o | b. 10 March 1981, Douala, Cameroon Samuel Eto'o is the most decorated African professional footballer having won African Player of the Year a record four times. As a member of the Cameroonian national team, he won gold in the 2000 Olympics and in 2015 he received the Golden Foot Award. |
| Samuel Fosso | b. 17 July 1962, Kumba, Cameroon Samuel Fosso is a Cameroon-born, Nigerian photographer who has spent most of his career in the Central African Republic. He has received numerous awards for his work, most recently the 2010 1st Prize in Visual Arts Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds. |
| Samy Badibanga | b. 12 September 1962, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Samy Badibanga Ntita is a Congolese politician and Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (17 November 2016 - 18 May 2017). He resigned following the election of a new president who wanted to put a member of the opposition party into the role. |
| Sane Thérèse Cavalho | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Sane Thérèse Cavalho was an early member and founder of the Pan-African Women's Organisation and representative from Senegal. |
| Sangoulé Lamizana | b. 31 January 1916, Dianra, Tougan, present-day Burkina Faso, d. 26 May 2005, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Sangoulé Lamizana was the 2nd President of Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso (3 January 1966 - 25 November 1980) and also held the role of Prime Minister (8 February 1974 - 7 July 1978). His presidency was in the wake of Upper Volta gaining complete independence from the French Union. He came to power after protestors sought and achieved the resignation of Maurice Yaméogo and installed him as leader. As a general he was the head of a "provisional military government" until the new constitution was finalised. There was a five-year drought that caused economic and domestic issues leading to Lamizana using military intervention again and dissolving the parliament. He was overthrown in a bloodless military coup in November 1980. |
| Sani Abacha | b. 20 September 1943, Kano, Northern Region, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria, d. 8 June 1998, Abuja, Nigeria Sani Abacha was a general in the Nigerian military and seized power to become Head of State of Nigeria (17 November 1993 - 8 June 1998). He was accused of numerous human rights abuses and corruption and died whilst in office, with many declaring he died of poison rather than natural causes. |
| Sankie Maimo | b. 1930, Place unknown, d. 4 September 2013, Place unknown Sankie Maimo was a writer from Cameroon who was the first to publish a Cameroonian fiction book in the English language. First published in 1959 he went on to publish a number of books in English including a children's book, Adventuring with Jaja. |
| Sara Menker | b. 14 November 1982, Ethiopia Sara Menker is a data analyst, founder and CEO of Gro Intelligence, a technology company that uses data analysis to help create a more productive global agriculture industry. |
| Sarah Carneson | b. 1916, Johannesburg, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa, d. 30 October 2015, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa Sarah Carneson was a trade unionist and worked at the League Against Fascism and War. She was active in numerous trade unions before receiving a ban and her husband was put on trial during the Rivonia Treason Trials. |
| Sarah Ladipo Manyika | b. 7 March 1968, Nigeria Sarah Ladipo Manyika is a British-Nigerian writer who writes short stories and essays, amongst other works. Her books include In Dependence and Like A Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun. |
| Sarah Nyendwoha Ntiro | b. Date unknown, Hoima, Uganda Sarah Nyendwoha Ntiro is a Ugandan academic that was the first Central and Eastern African woman to gain a degree from Oxford University. She fought against the sexism in education having been told to go to where 'female' courses were taught. She achieved qualifications in History, Geography, English and Latin. |
| Sathima Bea Benjamin | b. 17 October 1936, Claremont, Cape Town, South Africa, d. 20 August 2013, Cape Town, South Africa Sathima Bea Benjamin was a South African musician and singer. She left South Africa following the Sharpeville Massacre and ended up meeting, and working with, musical legends such as Duke Ellington, John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk. |
| Saye Zerbo | b. 27 August 1932, Tougan, Sourou Province, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso, d. 19 September 2013, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Saye Zerbo held the office of President of Upper Volta (25 November 1980 - 7 November 1982) having overthrown Sangoulé Lamizana who although had originally taken the country by coup, had been re-elected democratically. Saye Zerbo was in turn overthrown by Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo in 1982. |
| Sefi Atta | b. 1964, Lagos, Nigeria Sefi Atta is a Nigerian playwright and author. She wrote the novel Swallow and the stage play The Naming Ceremony. She was the 2006 recipient of the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa. |
| Segun Odegbami | b. 27 August 1952, Lagos, Nigeria Segun Odegbami is a Nigerian footballer nicknamed 'Mathematical' for his precise style of play and running down the touchline with the ball. He is regarded as one of the greatest Nigerian players of all-time. |
| Sékéné Mody Cissoko | b. 1932, Kayes Region, French Sudan, present-day Mali, d. 17 May 2012, Bamako, Mali Sékéné Mody Cissoko was a historian who specialised in the events of his home country, Mali. He was the first president of the Association of African Historians and founded his own political party. |
| Sékouba Bambino | b. 1964, Guinea Sékouba Bambino is a musician and song writer from Guinea. Born from a long line of griots he started his music career at the age of 8. He started a solo career in 1991 and has recorded in the Bambara and Malinke languages. |
| Sékouba Konaté | b. 6 June 1964, Conakry, Guinea Sékouba Konaté is a Brigadier General in the Guinean army and held the role as acting President of Guinea (3 December 2009 - 21 December 2010) after the attempted assassination of Moussa Dadis Camara. He is nicknamed "El Tigre" for his military record and arranged democratic elections in 2010. |
| Selly Raby Kane | b. Date and year unknown, Dakar, Senegal Selly Raby Kane is a Senegalese fashion designer and a member of an up-and-coming movement of Senegalese creatives. She uses an eclectic mix of traditional West African fabrics with things such as PVC and fake hair for her work. |
| Selma Elloumi Rekik | b. 5 June 1956, Tunis, Tunisia Selma Elloumi Rekik is a Tunisian businesswoman and politician. A member of Nidaa Tounes and the Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, she had to deal with the fall-out from the 2015 Sousse attack and how that affected tourism. |
| Seni Awa Camara | b. ca. 1945, Bignona, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Seni Awa Camara is a Senegalese sculptor. Her work is extremely personal and often exhibited her works around her house. She has appeared in a number of exhibitions, including 100% Africa at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. |
| Seretse Khama | b. 1 July 1921, Serowe, Bechuanaland, present-day Botswana, d. 13 July 1980, Gaborone, Botswana Seretse Khama was born into the royal bloodline of the Bamangwato people. He married a British woman named Ruth Williams alarming both the Union of South Africa and the elders of his tribe with their interracial marriage. They were exiled but by the time Botswana gained its independence they had returned as private citizens, and then automatically became its first President (30 September 1966 - 13 July 1980). |
| Serge Attukwei Clottey | b. 1985, Accra, Ghana Serge Attukwei Clottey is an artist whose work is inspired by the potency of everyday objects. His Sex and Politics series ran in parallel with campaigning for Ghana's presidential elections of 2016, highlighting the abuse of power among the political elite. |
| Serge Ibaka | b. 18 September 1989, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo Serge Ibaka is a professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association. He was a two-time NBA Blocks leader and won a silver medal playing for Spain in the 2012 Olympics. |
| Sethembile Msezane | b. 1991, KwaZulu-Natal, Johannesburg, South Africa Sethembile Msezane is a South African artist known for her living sculpture works and public performance practice. Extremely political her works such as Chapungu- The Day Rhodes Fell and The Charter express her frustrations of being born in the 90s but not feeling free. |
| Seun Adigun | b. 3 January 1987, Illinois, United States of America Seun Adigun is a track and field athlete. She is founder of the first Nigerian bobsled team and competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics. |
| Seun Kuti | b.11 January 1983, Lagos, Nigeria Seun Kuti is a saxophonist and singer from Nigeria. His father and brother are also accomplished musicians of the Afrobeat genre. He is also very politically motivated and took part in the Occupy Nigeria protests. |
| Seydou Badian Kouyaté | b. 1928, Bamako, French Sudan, present-day Mali Seydou Badian Kouyaté is a politician and writer from Mali. He wrote the words for Mali's national anthem and was a member of the cabinet before the 1968 coup. He has written a number of books such as Noces sacrées and Le Sang des masques. |
| Seydou Camara | b.1983, Mali Seydou Camara is a Malian photographer whose works have appeared in international publications such as Libération and Internazionale. His particular focus is on portraits of Malians who have albinism in the series Bibiana. |
| Seydou Keita | b. 16 January 1980, Bamako, Mali Seydou Keita is a Malian footballer who plays in a number of positions. Playing for international clubs such as Lens, Barcelona and Marseille, Keita represented Mali on the national team for over 102 matches. |
| Seyi Oyesola | b. Date and year unknown, Nigeria Seyi Oyesola is a medical doctor and co-inventor of CompactOR, a solar-powered portable operating theatre known as the "hospital in a box". This revolutionary device includes a defibrillator, EKG monitoring, suction, an anaesthetic machine, and surgical lighting. The award-winning invention was launched in 2007 and is used in rural areas of Africa. |
| Seyni Kountché | b. 1 July 1931, Fandou, French West Africa, present-day Niger, d. 10 November 1987, Paris, France Seyni Kountché held the title as the 2nd President of Niger (17 April 1974 - 10 November 1987) having overthrown Hamani Diori in a coup. He held the role as a military head of state. He suspended the constitution, dissolved the assembly and banned all political parties though he did free political prisoners and end exile for many. |
| Shaaban Robert | b.1 January 1909, Tanga, German East Africa, present-day Tanzania, d. 20 June 1962, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Shaaban Robert was a poet and author from Tanzania. His works were created as a representation and preservation of Tanzanian verse traditions, written in Swahili. He has been referred to both as the 'Father of Swahili' and 'Poet Laureate of Swahili'. |
| Shafi Adam Shafi | b. 1940, Zanzibar Shafi Adam Shafi is a novelist from Zanzibar who has written a number of works, specifically in the romantic and historic genre. His book Haini is specifically about political prisoners and his autobiography Mbali na Nyumbani. |
| Shailja Patel | b. Date and year unknown, Nairobi, Kenya Shailija Patel is a performance artist, poet, playwright and author of Migritude. She is also the founder of Kenyans for Peace, Truth and Justice. |
| Shannon-Ogbnai Abeda | b. 15 May 1996, Fort McMurray, Canada Shannon-Ogbani Abeda became Eritrea's first Winter Olympic athlete, competing in alpine skiing during the 2018 Winter Olympics. |
| Shanti Naidoo | b. 6 March 1935, Pretoria, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa Shanti Naidoo, sometimes called Shanthie or Shanti, is a South African anti-Apartheid activist and member of the African National Congress. Her parents, Ama and Thambi Naidoo, were well known activists. Shanthivathie Naidoo was banned for five years and was arrested for breaking the order in 1965. A subsequent ban and an arrest led to her being put in solitary confinement and tortured, despite this she still refused to give evidence against her fellow activists. |
| Sharif Sheikh Ahmed | b. 25 July 1965, Mahaday, Middle Shebelle, Somalia Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was the 7th President of Somalia (31 January 2009 - 20 August 2012). A well-known civil and political activist, he was also Chairman of the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia and Commander in Chief of the Islamic Courts Union. Sheikh Sharif is beneficiary of the former-Presidents-In-Residence fellowship initiated by Boston University in Massachusetts, USA. |
| Sheebah Karungi | b. 11 November 1989, Kampala, Uganda Sheebah Karungi is a recording artist and actress. She is a two-time Uganda Entertainment Awards winner and a four-time Zzinna Awards winner. Her film performances include Queen of Katwe. |
| Sheena Duncan | b. 7 December 1932, Johannesburg, South Africa, d. 4 May 2010, Johannesburg, South Africa Sheena Duncan was a writer and activist heavily involved in the anti-Apartheid movement of South Africa. Through her work and writings, she was awarded the Liberal Prize for Freedom and numerous other awards from the Anglican Church of South Africa. |
| Shehu Shagari | b. 25 February 1925, Shagari, Sokoto State, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria Shehu Shagari was the first democratically elected President of Nigeria (1 October 1979 - 31 December 1983) following the handover from a military led government. There were many accusations of corruption, particularly regarding his election to second term in 1983. He was overthrown in a military coup in December 1983. |
| Sheikh Mukhtar Mohamed Hussein | b. 1912, Xuddur, Bakool, Italian Somaliland, present-day Somalia, d. 12 June 2012, Nairobi, Kenya Sheikh Mukhtar Mohamed Hussein was an interim president of Somalia (15 October 1969 - 21 October 1969) after the assassination of Abdirashid Ali Shermarke. He was placed under house arrest in 1969 after the 1969 Somali coup d'état. |
| Sheila Weinberg | b. 1 October 1945, Johannesburg, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa, d. 11 November 2004, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa Sheila Weinberg was a South African activist, trade union member and member of the South African Communist Party. Specifically, when she was arrested and held in 1964, she was South Africa's youngest detainee at just 17. Her mother was also held at the same time. |
| Sherif Ismail | b. 6 July 1955, Cairo, Egypt Sherif Ismail was the Prime Minister for Egypt (19 September 2015 - 7 June 2018), a role he stepped into after serving as Minister of Petroleum for two years. He is an independent candidate with no political party ties. |
| Siaka Stevens | b. 24 August 1905, Moyamba, British Sierra Leone, present-day Sierra Leoned. 29 May 1988, Freetown, Sierra Leone Siaka Stevens was the 2nd President of Sierra Leone (21 April 1971 - 28 November 1985) and had his presidency marred by numerous scandals and accusations of fraud. There were also a number of high-profile murders. easons for the Sierra Leone Civil War have been largely blamed on the way he mismanaged the economy. |
| Sibusiso Nyembezi | b. 1919, Babanango, South Africa, d. 2000, Place unknown Sibusiso Nyembezi was a South African author and part of the African Renaissance. As a Zulu novelist, he wrote books such as Mntanami! Mntanami! and Ubudoda abukhulelwa. |
| Sidi Alamine Ag Doho | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Sidi Alamine Ag Doho is a Malian writer who has written accounts of nomadic wanderings and traditions of the Tuareg people. He runs a school in a village called Tarkint in Mali. |
| Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi | b. 1938, Aleg, Brakna, French Mauritania, present-day Mauritania Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi held the office of President of Mauritania (19 April 2007 - 6 August 2008) having won the presidential election in 2007. He was taken out of office by a coup and seized by the Presidential Security Battalion. |
| Simidele Adeagbo | b. 29 July 1981, Ontario, Canada Simidele Adeagbo was a skeleton racer for Nigeria's 2018 Winter Olympic team. She was not only Africa's first female skeleton racer, but the first black female athlete in the sport. |
| Simon Gikandi | b. 30 September 1956, Nyeri, Kenya Simon Gikandi is Robert Schirmer Professor of English at Princeton University where he is affiliated with the Departments of Comparative Literature and African American Studies and the Program in African Studies. He is the co-editor of The Cambridge History of African and Caribbean Literature and the author of Writing in Limbo: Modernism and Caribbean Literature. |
| Simon Kapwepwe | b. 12 April 1922, Chinsali, Northern Rhodesia, present-day Zambia, d. 26 January 1980, Chinsali, Zambia Simon Kapwepwe was the second vice-president of Zambia. He fought alongside Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia's first president, for independence from colonial rule. |
| Simon Narcisse Bozanga | b. 26 December 1942, Bangassou, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic, d. 7 June 2010, Amiens, France Simon Narcisse Bozanga was Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (4 April 1981 - 1 September 1981) but lost the position when the government was overthrown by a military coup led by General André Kolingba. |
| Simon Njami | b. 1962 Lausanne, Switzerland Simon Njami is a writer and art critic. Founder of the Revue Noir, a publication dedicated specifically to contemporary African art, he has also written a number of novels such as African Gigolo, Les Clandestins and worked on a number of films. |
| Simplice Sarandji | b. 4 April 1955, Baoro, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Central African Republic Simplice Sarandji is the current Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (2 April 2016 - present). He previously acted as the chief of staff for Prime Minister Faustin-Archange Touadera, and the campaign manager during Touadera's successful Presidential campaign. |
| Sindiwe Magona | b. 27 August 1943, Transkei, South Africa Sindiwe Magona is a South African writer who has published autobiographies and short story collections. She also worked for the United Nations in various capacities, retiring in 2003. |
| Sirr Al-Khatim Al-Khalifa | b. 1 January 1919, Ed Dueim, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, present-day Sudan, d. 18 February 2006, Sudan Sirr Al-Khatim Al-Khalifa was the 5th Prime Minister of Sudan (30 October 1964 - 2 June 1965). He is well remembered for his huge leaps in education and later became Minister of Education. |
| Sister Bernard Ncube | b. 1932, Johannesburg, South Africa, d. 31 August 2012, Edenvale, South Africa Sister Bernard Ncube was an anti-Apartheid activist, mayor, member of parliament and Catholic nun. She was arrested a lot for her anti-apartheid activities and was often at odds with her church because she was more liberal than their usual dogma. |
| Sittou Rashadat Mohamed | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Sittou Rashadat Mohamed was the first female parliamentarian in the Comoros. She held the role of Minister of Social Affairs and Labour. |
| Slimen El Kamel | b. 1983, Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia Slimen El Kamel is a Tunisian artist. He holds a masters in painting and a PhD from Institut Supérieur des Beaux-Arts de Tunis. He is strongly influenced by the rural background of his youth, especially folk traditions. |
| Smockey | b. 24 October 1971, Republic of Upper Volta, present day Burkina Faso Smockey, born Serge Bambara, is a hip hop artist, actor and political activist. In 2013 he co-founded Le Balai Citoyen, a grassroots political movement, together with the reggae musician Sams'K Le Jah. The movement participated in the 2014 Burkinabé uprising, a wave of protests which forced President Compaoré to resign and flee the country. |
| Sœur Gertrude Mathutha | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Sœur Gertrude Mathutha was a founding member of the Pan-African Women's Organisation and attended the 1962 African Women's Conference as a delegate from the South Africa Pan African Congress. |
| Sokari Douglas Camp | b. 1958, Buguma, Nigeria Sokari Douglas Camp is a Nigerian-born, London-based artist who has had exhibitions all over the world and was the recipient of a bursary from the Henry Moore Foundation. She was honoured as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2005 Birthday Honours list. |
| Sokey Edorh | b. 1955, Tsévié, Togoland, present-day Togo Sokey Edorh is a Togolese artist whose work reflects the political changes and events, as well as much of Togolese tradition. His work is filled with signs, symbols and stories from various tribes, as well as making use of the red clay as a material when painting |
| Sol Plaatje | b. 9 October 1876, Orange Free State, present-day Free State Province, South Africa, d. 19 June 1932, Soweto, South Africa Sol Plaatje was a writer, linguist and notable South African intellectual. He founded the South African Native National Congress and his writings included books such as The Boer War Diary of Sol T. Plaatje and Native Life in South Africa: Before and Since the European War and the Boer Rebellion. |
| Solomon Mujuru | b. 5 May 1945, Enkeldoorn, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 15 August 2011, Alamein Farm, Beatrice, Zimbabwe Solomon Mujuru, also known as Rex Nhongo, was a General and heavily involved in the Rhodesian Bush War. He was considered a formidable challenger against Mugabe in party meetings with Mugabe. He was detained under house arrest after accusations he planned to overthrow Mugabe. His death in a house fire is often viewed with suspicion. |
| Soly Cissé | b. 1969, Dakar, Senegal Soly Cissé is a Senegalese artist who has exhibited in London, Viterbo in Italy, and Cape Town in South Africa. His work is characterized by bold and imaginative colours and textures. |
| Sonia Bunting | b. 9 December 1922, Johannesburg, South Africa, d. 24 March 2001, Cape Town, South Africa Sonia Bunting was a South African journalist who was instrumental in the struggle against the Apartheid government of South Africa. As one of the activists charged in the Treason Trials and having been detained following the Sharpeville shootings, she and her husband moved to the United Kingdom and helped to organise in support of those on the Rivonia Trials. She ran the South African Communist party (SACP)'s journal and office. |
| Sonia M'barek | b. 1969, Sfax, Tunisia Sonia M'barek is a Tunisian singer who sings Arabic classical music. She has released six albums and was the first female director of the Festival de la Chanson Tunisienne. |
| Sophia Deku | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Sophia Deku was an attendee from Ghana to the Conference of African Women. She along with many other women were the founding members of the Pan-African Women's Organisation. |
| Sophia Oboshie Doku | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Sophia Oboshie Doku, a trained teacher, was an activist during Ghana's struggle for independence. She became one of the first female parliamentarians in the First Parliament of the First Republic of Ghana after independence in 1957, serving under Ghana's first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. |
| Sophia Williams-De Bruyn | b. 1938, Villageboard, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Sophia Williams-De Bruyn was an anti-Apartheid activist from South Africa. She was a founding member of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) as well as the last living leader of the Women's March. |
| Sory Camara | b. 1939, Gueckedou, French Guinea, present day Guinea Sory Camara was a social and cultural anthropologist and academic from Guinea. He was particularly known for his work with the griots of Malinke. |
| Sory Sanlé | b. 1943, Nianiagara, Republic of Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Sory Sanlé is a photographer from Burkina Faso who took a number of portraits of individuals and created a number of music album covers for West African artists. He was brought to attention when a French record producer found his work. |
| Sotigui Kouyaté | b. 19 July 1936, Bamako, French Sudan, present-day Mali, d. 17 April 2010, Paris, France Sotigui Kouyaté was an actor who was one of the first to come from Burkina Faso, where he was adopted to as a young child. As well as his work in theatre and film he was also a footballer from the Burkina Faso football team. |
| Souad Massi | b. 23 August 1972, Algiers, Algeria Souad Massi is an Algerian singer and guitarist who sings in the Berber language, as well as mixing in other languages and dialects. She has covered a number of genres in her career including political music as well as Portuguese Fado, Rock and Country. |
| Souéloum Diagho | b. Date and year unknown, Mali Souéloum Diagho is a poet originally from Mali. A member of the nomadic Tuareg people he has written books such as Poésies touareg : le chant des saisons (Tuareg poetry: Song of the seasons) which contains 175 traditional poems, many of which are rich in descriptive adjectives. |
| Souleymane Cissé | b. 21 April 1940, Bamako, French Sudan, present-day Mali Souleymane Cissé is a Malian film director whose work has appeared at the Cannes Film Festival a number of times and was in the running for the Palm d'Or. His work includes a film in the Bambara language which was banned and caused Souleymane Cissé to be imprisoned for the French funding. |
| Souleymane Faye | b. 1951, Dakar, French West Africa, present-day Senegal Souleymane Faye is a Senegalese professor of linguistics, journalist and an author in the Serer and Cangin languages. |
| Souleymane Koly | b. 18 August 1944, N'Zérékoré, French Guinea, present-day Guinea, d. 1 August 2014, Conakry, Guinea Souleymane Koly was a famous choreographer, director and producer from Guinea. After moving to Côte d'Ivoire, he set up the Kotéba Group of Abidjan and the "3 Go" group. |
| Soungalo Malé | b. 1920, Ségou, French Sudan, present-day Mali, d. 2002, Mali Soungalo Malé was a photographer from Mali who specialised in photographing rural life in the country. Moving throughout rural villages he captured images of daily life from places such as markets and festivals. |
| Sourou-Migan Apithy | b. 8 April 1913, Porto-Novo, Dahomey, present-day Benin, d. 3 December 1989, Paris, France Sourou-Migan Apithy was handed the office of President of Dahomey (25 January 1964 - 27 November 1965) he was then overthrown. He eventually went into exile in France for the remainder of his life. |
| Sow Aissata Coulibaly | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Sow Aissata Coulibaly was a member of the Malian delegation to the Conference of African Women in 1962. She is considered to be one of the founding members of the Pan-African Women's Organisation. |
| Sow Nima | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Sow Nima was a founding member of the Pan-African Women's Organisation following her attendance in Dar es Salaam for the Conference of African Women with others from Guinea. |
| Specioza Kazibwe | b. 1 July 1954, Iganga, Uganda Specioza Kazibwe is a Ugandan politician and held the role of Vice-President of Uganda between 1994 and 2003. She also a trained surgeon and the United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. |
| Stella Arach-Amoko | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Stella Arach-Amoko is a prominent judge in Uganda. Having held roles as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda and High Court judge. |
| Stephen Allen Benson | b. 21 May 1816, Cambridge, Maryland, United States, d. 24 January 1865, Grand Bassa Country, Liberia Stephen Allen Benson served as the Vice-President of Liberia (2 January 1854 - 7 January 1856) and then beat the incumbent, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, in the presidential election making him the 2nd President of Liberia (7 January 1856 - 4 January 1864). He successfully achieved recognition of the country by Belgium, the Unites States and numerous other European countries. |
| Steve Bandoma | b. 1981, Kinshasa, Zaire, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo Steve Bandoma is an artist from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Following his graduation from the Kinshasa Academy of Fine Arts he moved to South Africa. He uses recycled found objects and imagery from magazines and advertising. |
| Steve Biko | b. 18 December 1946, Ginsberg, South Africa, d. 12 September 1977, Pretoria, South Africa Steve Biko was a South African anti-Apartheid activist who was a member of the Black Consciousness Movement. He was arrested following a banning order and was beaten to death by state security officers. |
| Sufi Abu Taleb | b. 27 January 1925, Tameyya, Egypt, d. 21 February 2008, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Sufi Abu Taleb was the acting president of Egypt (6 October 1981 - 14 October 1981) following the assassination of Anwar Sadat. He wasn't considered to be a serious candidate and stood aside after eight days for Hosni Mubarak, who was the Vice-President. |
| Suleiman Mohamed Mohamed | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Mohamed Suleiman Mohamed is an author from Zanzibar who has written books such as Kiu and Nyota ya Rehema. His texts are part of the curriculum in Kenya. |
| Sunjata Koly | b. 1971, Parus, France Sunjata Koly is a French-Guinean writer, musician and filmmaker. He has released a number of films and documentaries such as Gaou and wrote novels such as Kalashnikov Blues. |
| Susan Muwonge | b. 1977, Uganda Susan Muwonge is a Ugandan racing driver and also known as 'Super Lady'. She won the 2011 National Rally Championship after starting her racing career in 2005. A heavily male dominated field, she has taken the world of racing by storm. |
| Susan Waffa-Ogoo | b. 4 October 1960, Banjul, Gambia Susan Waffa-Ogoo has held a number of roles in Gambian government and international diplomacy. She was Foreign Minister and the United Nations representative for Gambia before she was removed from the post following some issues with the U.S. Department of State. |
| Susanna Al-Hassan | b. 27 November 1927, Tamale, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 17 January 1997, Place unknown Susanna Al-Hassan was an author and politician who became the first woman to be appointed to ministerial posts in the Ghanaian government after independence, serving as Deputy Minister of Education from 1961-63. As Minister of Social Affairs from 1963-66 she was involved in combatting prostitution in northern Ghana. Previously a headmistress, she published children's books such as Issa and Amina. |
| Susanna Helena Kok | b. 4 July 1911, Brandfort, Orange Free State, present-day Free State, South Africa, d. 4 November 1985, Pretoria, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa Susanna Helena Kok was a medical missionary and having worked extensively with leprosy patients discovered a new skin disease called Mkar. Her work and publications dispelled many of the myths regarding leprosy and led to the treatment and advancement against the disease. |
| Syda Bbumba | b. 7 January 1952, Nakaseke, Uganda Syda Bbumba is a Ugandan financier and accountant who has also worked as a Ugandan politician. Having worked for a number of years for the Uganda Development Bank she was then elected to the parliament and has since held a number of ministerial roles. |
| Syl Cheney-Coker | b. 28 June 1945, Freetown, Sierra Leone Syl Cheney-Coker is a writer, poet and journalist. He has developed a global sense of literary history, introducing styles from French and Latin American literatures to his native Sierra Leone. Notable publications include The Blood in the Desert's Eyes: Poems and The Last Harmattan of Alusine Dunbar (both 1990). |
| Sylvain Bemba | b. 17 February 1934, Sibiti, French Congo, present-day Republic of the Congo, d. 8 July 1995, Paris, France Sylvain Bemba was a writer and journalist from the Republic of Congo. He wrote a number of novels such as Léopolis and plays including Tarentelle noire et diable blanc. |
| Sylvanus Olympio | b. September 6, 1902, Lomé, Togoland, present-day Togo, d. January 13, 1963 Lomé, Togo Sylvanus Olympio was the Prime Minister (27 April 1960 - 12 April 1961) and then the 1st President of Togo (27 April 1960 - 13 January 1963). He promoted close links between Togo, Britain and the US but was assassinated in 1963 during a coup d'état. |
| Sylvestre Kaballa | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Sylvestre Kaballa is a Congolese artist whose work appeared in a retrospective exhibition dedicated to artists from the Democratic Republic of Congo. His work portrays bright colours and birds from the Congolese landscape. |
| Sylvestre Ntibantunganya | b. 8 May 1956, Gishubi, Gitega, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi Sylvestre Ntibantunganya was the 6th President of Burundi (6 April 1994 - 25 July 1996) and came into power after Cyprien Ntaryamira was killed in an assassination on the Rwandan president. He was deposed by Pierre Buyoya, the previous president in a military coup in 1996. |
| Sylvia Owori | b. 1976, Uganda Sylvia Owori is a Ugandan entrepreneur and fashion designer. Her fashion company has provided costumes and outfits for a number of high-profile television shows and films, including the Last King of Scotland. She also owns her own modelling agency, magazine and created the Miss Uganda Beauty Pageant. |
| Sylvia Tamale | b. 1967, Uganda Sylvia Tamale is an internationally acclaimed Ugandan human rights activist and academic, specialising in gender equality and law. She was the first ever female dean for the Law department at Makerere University in Uganda. She is also the recipient of the Fulbright-MacArthur Scholarship for studying at Harvard. |
| Sylvie Kinigi | b. 1952, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Burundi Sylvie Kinigi was acting president of Burundi (27 October 1993 - 5 February 1994) and Prime Minister of Burundi (10 July 1993 - 7 February 1994), the first and only female to hold these positions. When Melchior Ndadaye was assassinated, she took refuge in the French embassy and was able to survive the violence, bringing together a group of ministers build an interim government. Parliament elected Cyprien Ntaryamira as the new president in January 1994, a Hutu. Kinigi respected the election of Cyprien Ntaryamira but resigned as prime minister and left the country. |
T
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| T. M. Aluko | b. 14 July 1918, Ilesha, Protectorate of Southern Nigeria, present-day Nigeria, d. 1 May 2010, Lagos, Nigeria T. M. Aluko was a Nigerian writer who wrote a number of prolific novels. His books included One Man, One Matchet and Kinsman and Foreman. His works were a tongue-in-cheek satirical look at a developing Africa. |
| Tadjidine Ben Said Massounde | b. 1933, Anjouan, French Comoros, d. 29 February 2004, Place unknown Tadjidine Ben Said Massounde was an interim president of the Comoros (6 November 1998 - 30 April 1999) following the death of Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim, but was overthrown by military coup. He had also held the office of Prime Minister (27 March 1996 - 27 December 1996). |
| Tahar Bekri | b. 7 July 1951, Gabès, Tunisia Tahar Bekri is a Tunisian poet who has written, and contributed to, a number of poetry anthologies and collections. He has also written a number of books of literary criticism, focusing on writers and poets from places such as Algerian, Tunisia and Morocco. |
| Tahar Ben Jelloun | b. 1 December 1944, Fes, French Protectorate of Morocco, present-day Morocco Tahar Ben Jelloun is a Moroccan author who writes in French. Shortlisted for the Nobel Prize for literature his books, including The Sand Child and The Blinding Absence of Light, have received international acclaim. |
| Tahar Djaout | b. 11 January 1954, Oulkhou, French Algeria, present-day Algeria d. 2 June 1993, Algiers, Algeria Tahar Djaout was a writer, journalist and poet from Algeria. His secular views were not well regarded by some and led to his assassination by the Armed Islamic Group. |
| Tahir Carl Karmali | b. 1987, Nairobi, Kenya Tahir Carl Karmali is a Kenyan visual artist who uses photography and digital mediums. His interests lie in narrating outlier communities. |
| Tahirou Congacou | b. 1911, Djougou, Dahomey, present-day Benin. d. 15 June 1993, Cotonou, Benin Tahirou Congacou held the role of President of Dahomey (29 November 1965 - 22 December 1965) following a coup by Christophe Soglo. However, when Tahirou Congacou was unable to deliver on the promise of setting a new election Christophe Soglo stepped in and assumed the presidency. |
| Taiye Idahor | b. 1984, Lagos, Nigeria Taiye Idahor is a Nigerian artist who specialises in sculpture. Her work explores identity politics, using hair as a vehicle for this exploration. |
| Taiye Selasi | b. 2 November 1979, London, United Kingdom Taiye Selasi was named one of Granta's 20 Best Young British Writers in 2013. The following year she was added to the Hay Festival's Africa 39 (a list of 39 Sub-Saharan African writers under the age of 40 "with the potential and talent to define trends in African literature.") Her works include the novel Ghana Must Go and the short story anthology The Sex Lives of African Girls. |
| Tamsir Dia | b. 1950, Bamako, French Sudan, present-day Mali Tamsir Dia is a Malian painter who lives and works in Côte d'Ivoire. He has exhibited, both solo and as a group, across the world in places such as Limoges and Darkar. His work draws heavily from traditional African patterns and imagery. |
| Tandi Mayisela | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Tandi Mayisela was a member of the Pan Africain Congress from South Africa who attended the Conference of African Women. These women went onto create the Pan-African Women's Organisation. |
| Tanella Boni | b. 1954, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Tanella Boni is an Ivorian writer, poet and novelist. She has written a number of books, poems and essays such as Grains de sable and Ma peau est fenêtre d'avenir. |
| Tapfuma Gutsa | b. 1956, Salisbury, present-day Harare, Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe Tapfuma Gutsa is a painter and teacher from Zimbabwe. Working in abstract forms with natural materials he creates sculptures that draw inspiration and reverence for the history of enslavement. His work has appeared across the world. |
| Tarak Dhiab | b. 15 January 1954, Tunis, French Tunisia Tarak Dhiab is a Tunisian former football player and played for the Tunisian national team for 11 years. Following his career as a midfielder he went on to become the Tunisian Minister of Youth and Sports. |
| Tayeb Salih | b. 12 July 1929, Al Dabbah, Sudan, d. 18 February 2009, London, United Kingdom Tayeb Salih was a writer whose works include the novel Season of Migration to the North. |
| Tebello Nyokong | b. 20 October 1951, Lesotho Tebello Nyokong is a chemist from Lesotho known for her pioneering research in nanotechnology and photo-dynamic therapy, an alternative cancer treatment method to chemotherapy. She received the bronze Order of Mapungubwe (OMB), the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science and in 2013 the National Research Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award. |
| Teddy Afro | b. 14 July 1976, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Tewodros Kassahun, also known as Teddy Afro, is an Ethiopian recording artist whose 2005 album Yasteseryal sold over one million copies. His album titled Ethiopia reached the Billboard World Album Charts in 2017. |
| Teddy Osei | b. 17 December 1937, Kumasi, Ghana Teddy Osei is a musician and saxophone player from Ghana, who is best known as the leader of the Afro-pop band Osibisa, founded in 1969. |
| Tegla Loroupe | b. 9 May 1973, Kutomwony, Kenya Tegla Loroupe is a Kenyan athlete and the first African woman to win the New York Marathon. Using her fame as a decorated long-distance runner she set up the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation and devotes her life to humanitarian work. |
| Teju Cole | b. 27 June 1975, Michigan, United States of America Obayemi Babajide Adetokunbo Onafuwa, also known as Teju Cole, is an African American writer, photographer and art historian whose publications include Every Day is for the Thief and Open City. In 2015, he received the Windham-Campbell Literature Prize for Fiction. |
| Temitayo Ogunbiyi | b. 1984, Rochester, New York Temitayo Ogunbiyi is an artist from the United States who currently works out of Lagos. She has held a number of solo exhibitions, including one of her earliest at Princeton University. She works in mixed mediums, merging digital imagery with textiles, acrylics and other materials. |
| Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo | b. 5 June 1942, Acoacán, Spanish Guinea, present-day Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is the 2nd President of Equatorial Guinea (3 August 1979 - present) having ousted his uncle from office in a military coup. He has the right to rule by decree which means that the governance is, in effect, a dictatorship. His son Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, known as 'Teodorin', is at the centre of the French case of "ill-gotten goods". His trial in France is ongoing. |
| Teresa Afonso | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Teresa Afonso was one of five Angolan heroines who founded OMA in 1962. OMA was the largest political organisation in the MPLA (The Peoples Movement for the Liberation of Angola) that works on mobilising, raising and educating women since the beginning of the national liberation struggle. |
| Tertius Zongo | b. 18 May 1957, Koudougou, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Tertius Zongo was Prime Minister for Burkina Faso (11 June 2007 - 18 April 2011) and also held a number of financial roles at the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Islamic Bank of Development. |
| Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher | b. 19 February 1940, Adwa, Ethiopia Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher is an environmental scientist and the General Manager of the Environmental Protection Authority of Ethiopia. He was awarded the 2000 Right Livelihood Award and 2006 Champions of the Earth for his work on safeguarding biodiversity. |
| Thabiso Sekgala | b. 1981, Johannesburg, South Africa, d. 15 October 2014, Place unknown Thabiso Sekgala was a photographer from South Africa who works, mainly in portraits, were centred around feelings of abandonment and the human experience. He committed suicide at age 33. |
| Thabo Mbeki | b. 18 June 1942, Mbewuleni, Cape Province, present-day Eastern Cape, South Africa Thabo Mbeki was the 2nd President of South Africa (16 June 1999 - 24 September 2008) and was the Deputy President of South Africa (10 May 1994 - 14 June 1999) under the presidency of Nelson Mandela. He was responsible for a growth in the economy and an increase in employment opportunities, however his presidency was also overshadowed by some outspoken ideas on the HIV/AIDS situation and some corruption charges of some of his government. |
| Thameur Mejri | b. 1982, Tunis, Tunisia Thameur Mejri is a Tunisian painter who currently lives and works in Nabeul, Tunisia. Some of exhibitions include Disaster pieces and Male (God) scarecrow. |
| Thandi Klaasen | b. 27 September 1931, Sophiatown, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa, d. 15 January 2017, Place unknown Thandi Klaasen was a South African jazz musician and received international praise and acclaim for her work. She received the lifetime achievement award for her services to the industry at the South African Music Awards in 2006. |
| Thandi Modise | b. 25 December 1959, Huhudi township, Vryburg, North West Province, South Africa Thandi Modise is the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (21 May 20014 - present) and was also the Premier of the North West of South Africa (19 November 2010 - 20 May 2014). A South African politician she was the first woman to be imprisoned in 1979 for receiving military training in Angola and underground work against the government of the time. |
| Thayanayagie Pillay | b. 15 August 1908, South Africa, d. 19 December 1991 Thayanayagie Pillay, a member of the well-known South African activist family the Naidoos, is most often remembered as the political activist who voluntarily provided breakfast and lunch to a 156 Treason Trialists every day for a period of four years. She was arrested at 80 years old continuing to protest. |
| Thebe Medupe | b. 1973, South Africa Thebe Medupe is an astrophysicist and founding director of Astronomy Africa. He is also the associate producer of Cosmic Africa, a feature documentary about traditional African astronomy released in 2002. |
| Thelma Gutsche | b. 7 January 1915, Somerset West, Cape Province, South Africa, d. 5 November 1984, Montagu, Western Cape, South Africa Thelma Gutsche was a filmmaker and historian from South Africa. She created documentaries chronicling World War II and its aftermath and later on went to write books on historical events and historical figures. She is often referred to as one of the most gifted cinema historians. |
| Themba Ndaba | b. 14 February 1965, Soweto, South Africa Themba Ndaba is an actor who won both an Africa Academy Award and a Golden Horn Award for Best Actor for his role in the film Hopeville. |
| Thengiwe Virginia Lesabe | d. Date and year unknown, Place unknown, d. 11 February 2011, Place unknown Thengiwe Virginia Lesabe was a distinguished liberation fighter for Zapu, an educationist, mother and farmer. |
| Theo Kgosinkwe | b. 15 August 1973, Kagiso, South Africa Theo Kgosinkwe is a South African singer, songwriter and member of the group Mafikizolo. Mafikizolo won ten South African Music Awards including Album of the Year in 2014. |
| Théodore Sindikubwabo | b. 1928, Butare, Ruanda-Urundi, present-day Rwanda, d. 1998, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo Théodore Sindikubwabo was the interim president of Rwanda (9 April 1994 - 19 July 1994) during the 100 days of genocide in Rwanda. He was installed into the post after the assassination of Juvénal Habyarimana, and although he was head of state during the atrocities there are many theories it is believed that he was a puppet of a group of military officers. He made an infamous speech regarding the murder of Tutsis, that criticised those not "working" as a euphemism for the killings. He was overthrown by the Rwandese Patriotic Front and fled into exile in Zaire, present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he died without receiving any charges. |
| Theodosia Okoh | b.13 June 1922, Effiduase, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 19 April 2015, Tema, Ghana Theodosia Okoh was a Ghanaian politician and artist. Following the independence of Ghana from Britain a new flag was required and Theodosia Okoh's design was the one that was selected. The three colours were to represent Ghana's diverse geography and the emancipation. She was an avid fan of sports, particularly hockey. |
| Théophile Abega | b. 9 July 1954, Nkomo, French Cameroun, present-day Cameroon, d. 15 November 2012, Yaoundé, Cameroon Théophile Abega was a footballer from Cameroon who was nicknamed 'The Doctor. His club career included time a Toulouse and he played in the 1982 World Cup and African Nations Cup, which the team won. |
| Theresa Kachindamoto | b. Date unknown, Malawi Theresa Kachindamoto is the Inkosi (paramount Chief) of the Dedza District within Malawi. Since she was assigned the role, she has made it her work to annul child marriages and stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. Her changes to customary laws have assisted with an increase of children remaining in education and her methods are being replicated by the United Nations and UNICEF in other rural areas. |
| Theresa Tagoe | b. December 13, 1943, Place unknown, d. 25 November 2010, Accra, Ghana Theresa Tagoe was a Ghanaian female politician who served as the deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister and deputy Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines under President Kufuor. A national women's organiser for the New Patriotic Party and a lifelong member of the Council for Women World Leaders, she was also known for starting charities for orphans and street girls. |
| Thérèse Kuoh-Moukouri | b. 7 February 1938, Yaoundé, French Cameroun, present-day Cameroon Thérèse Kuoh-Moukouri is a feminist author from Cameroon. She wrote a number of French language novels, her best known Rencontres essentials, which was the first novel published by an African francophone female. |
| Thiat | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Thiat is a Senegalese rapper who is a founding member of the group Y'en a Marre (Fed Up). The group, made up of rappers and journalists from Senegal was created in an attempt to mobilise the young people of the country to vote and comment on, in their opinion, ineffectiveness of the government. |
| Thierno Abdourahmane Bah | b. 1916, Labé, French Guinea, present-day Guinea, d. 22 September 2013, Labé, Guinea Thierno Abdourahmane Bah was a poet, writer, religious and political individual from Guinea. A member of the Fula culture and son of a respected author, he is noted for his works in Fouta and his political activities. He also held the role of Imam at a number of notable mosques. |
| Thierno Seydou Sall | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Thierno Seydou Sall is a Senegalese poet who is working with an organisation called Ashoka's Changemakers, is looking at developing a new method of social communications that is rooted in the oral tradition of African culture. Having published works in both French and Wolof, he is using modern technology and platforms to spread the traditions of Africa. |
| Thierry Oussou | b. 1988, Allada, Benin Thierry Oussou is a Beninese artist who works in acrylics, collage and pencil with dark black backgrounds. His series, The Traces, always include a figure of a burnt mask symbolically reflecting the political landscape of Benin at the time. |
| Thillaiyadi Valliammai | b. 22 February 1898, Johannesburg, South Africa, d. 22 February 1914, South Africa Thillaiyadi Valliammai was a young South African Tamil woman who was involved in devising non-violent methods against the Apartheid government. Having worked closely with Mahatma Gandhi, she travelled with her mother to speak out regarding changes to the law that affected inheritance tax and marriages that were conducted out of the country, and by ethnicity. She was arrested and imprisoned and died shortly after her release. |
| Thione Seck | b. 11 December 1953, Ségou, Mali Thione Seck is a singer from Senegal. He is particularly known for his music of the mbalakh genre and has been a member of bands such as Orchestre Baobab and Raam Daan. |
| Thomas Boni Yayi | b. 1 July 1951, Tchaourou, Dahomey, present-day Benin Thomas Boni Yayi, sometimes known as Yayi Boni, held the role as the 7th President of Benin (6 April 2006 - 6 April 2016). Several attempts were made on his life including an ambush on his convoy and allegedly that his medicine was spiked with a toxic substance. |
| Thomas Mapfumo | b. 3 July 1945, Mazowe, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe Thomas Mapfumo is a musician from Zimbabwe who created a separate genre called Chimurenga after he introduced Shona music and language into his compositions. Known as the 'Lion of Zimbabwe', he has been an outspoken critic of Robert Mugabe and was imprisoned whilst the country was still Rhodesia. |
| Thomas N'Kono | b. 20 July 1956, Dizangué, French Cameroun, present-day Cameroon Thomas N'Kono is a former footballer from Cameroon. Playing as a goalkeeper for clubs and his national team, he took part in both the World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations. He was one arrested for using "black magic" before the African Cup of Nations. |
| Thomas R. Odhiambo | b. 4 February 1931, Nyanza Province, Kenya, d. 26 May 2003, Nairobi, Kenya Thomas R. Odhiambo is an entomologist and environmental activist. He founded the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, an international insect research centre renowned for giving African farmers low-cost solutions for pest control and developing solutions to increase food production and improve health in rural communities. |
| Thomas Sankara | b. 21 December 1949, Yako, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso, d. 15 October 1987, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Thomas Sankara was President of Burkina Faso (4 August 1983 - 15 October 1987) and is often referred to as 'Africa's Che Guevara'. He came to power in the 1983 coup with the aim of eliminating corruption and ridding the country of ties with the French colonial power that still remained dominant. He renamed the country to Burkina Faso. His policies involved preventing famine, promoting literacy and vaccinating against disease. He also outlawed female genital mutilation, forced marriages, polygamy and promoted women to high offices in the government. He also banned free press and unions. He was assassinated in October 1987 by an armed group in a coup d'état organised by his former colleague Blaise Compaoré. In 2015, his family finally succeeded in convincing the government to re-open the assassination case and to verify his remains. |
| Thomas Tlou | b. 1 June 1932, Gwanda, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 28 June 2012, Place unknown Thomas Tlou was a Motswana academic that once represented Botswana at the United Nations. He received Botswana Presidential Order of Honour and was made a Chevalier dans L'Ordre des Palmes académiques by France. |
| Thuli Madonsela | b. 28 September 1962, Johannesburg, South Africa Thuli Madonsela is a politician and the Public Protector of South Africa (19 October 2009 - 14 October 2016). A member of the African National Congress, she was involved in putting together the final constitution for South Africa. She has won many awards including South African of the Year from the ANN7 in 2014. |
| Tiemoko Garan Kouyaté | b. 27 April 1902, Ségou, French Sudan, present-day Mali, d. 1942, Fort Montluçon, France Tiemoko Garan Kouyaté was a labour organiser and propogandist from present-day Mali. As a highly political person he ran a number of communist newspapers but was ejected from the French Communist Party. He was executed by Nazis in 1942. |
| Tierno Monénembo | b. 1947, Porédaka, French Guinea, present-day Guinea Tierno Monénembo is a Guinean writer and scientist, specialising in biochemistry. His novels deal with the subject of African intellectuals who have been exiled to France and deals with other diasporas. He openly criticised the 2008 coup in Guinea by writing a piece in the French newspaper, Le Monde. |
| Tiken Jah Fakoly | b. 23 June 1968, Odienné, Côte d'Ivoire Tiken Jah Fakoly is a reggae singer from Côte d'Ivoire. His music is known for being political and has commented that he wants to "wake up consciences". He lives in Mali after his political views sent him into exile from his home country. |
| Tim Biakabutuka | b. 24 January 1974, Kinsaha, Democratic Republic of the Congo Tim Biakabutuka, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was a running back for the University of Michigan, having the second highest single-game performance in Michigan's History. In 1996 was the eighth overall pick in the first round of the NFL draft to the Carolina Panthers. |
| Timothée Malendoma | b. 1935, Dékoa, Kemo-Gribingui, Ubangi-Shari, present-day Central African Republic, d. 12 December 2010, Bangui, Central African Republic Timothée Malendoma was a politician that held the role of Prime Minister of Central African Republic (4 December 1992 - 26 February 1993) under the presidency of André Kolingba. He had also held roles in the government under Jean-Bédel Bokassa and David Dacko in which he tried to prevent diamond smuggling but was removed from the post. |
| Tirunesh Dibaba | b. 1 June 1985, Bekoji, Ethiopia Tirunesh Dibaba is an Ethiopian long-distance runner and track and field athlete. She has 14 gold medals, 3 of which are Olympic golds, and is the current world record holder for the outdoor 5000m race. |
| Titica | b. 26 June 1987, Luanda, Angola Titica is an Angolan singer and dancer of the kudoro genre. She is particularly known for her work as a goodwill ambassador for UNAIDS as a notable trans performer. |
| Titina Silà | b. 1943, Guinea-Bissau, d. 30 December 1973, Farim River, Guinea-Bissau Titina Silà joined Guinea-Bissau's freedom fighters, the PAIGC, in the 1960s. She was killed by Portuguese colonial troops during a skirmish. |
| Tom Ilube | b. July 1963, Isleworth, United Kingdom Tom Ilube is a tech entrepreneur and founder of the African Gifted Foundation, an education charity focused on science and technology in Africa. He additionally launched the African Science Academy, Africa's first all-girls science and maths academy. |
| Tom Mboya | b. 15 August 1930, Kilima Mbogo, Kenya Colony, d. 5 July 1969, Nairobi, Kenya Tom Mboya was one of the founding fathers of the Republic of Kenya. In addition, he was also a trade unionist, education advocate and served as a Cabinet Minister amongst many other accolades. He spoke out frequently to promote Kenya's independence from British rule and worked with John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to create opportunities for African students in US colleges. |
| Tom Saater | b. 1985, Nigeria Tom Saater is a Nigerian photographer who began his career asking tourists if he could snap images with their camera and asking them to send them off. He reached out to Time Out magazine when they launched in Nigeria and has since become a world-renowned photojournalist and filmmaker. |
| Toumani Diabaté | b. 10 August 1965, Bamako, Mali Toumani Diabaté is a Malian musician who plays the kora. Coming from a line of musicians, 70 according to oral tradition, he has worked with other genres such as jazz, blues and introduced the kora into the compositions. |
| Touria El Glaoui | b. 1974, Casablanca, Morocco Touria El Glaoui is a businesswoman from Morocco who has been credited with her work towards the African art industry. She created and launched the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, started in London in 2013. It has since grown to be an annual event with fairs in London, New York and Marrakech. |
| Toyin Saraki | b. 6 September 1964, Lagos, Nigeria Toyin Saraki is a healthcare philanthropist and the Founder-President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa. Through partnerships and policy advocacy, she develops strategies and creates recourses to improve reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health in Nigeria. |
| Tracey Rose | b. 1974, Durban, South Africa Tracey Rose is a South African artist who lives and works in Johannesburg. Rose is best known for her performances, video installations, and photographs. |
| Traore Aissata Berthe | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Traore Aissata Berthe was an attendee at the Conference of African Women from Mali. She is listed as a founding member of the Pan-African Women's Organisation. |
| Trevor Noah | b. 20 February 1984, Johannesburg, South Africa Trevor Noah is a comedian, writer and television personality. He has won two NAACP Image Awards for his book Born a Crime, in addition to a Primetime Emmy Award for hosting The Daily Show on Comedy Central. |
| Trineke Weijdema | b. Date unknown, Place unknown Trineke Weijdema was an activist who, along with a number of others, formed the Angola Committee in 1961. The goal of the committee was initially to move against the repression by the Portuguese in Angola. This then broadened across Africa to South Africa, Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau to become the Komitee Southern Africa. |
| Trinitas Mhango Kunashe | b. Date unknown, Place unknown Trinitas Mhango Kunashe is an activist and charity coordinator from Malawi who founded and runs Tina Pads. Working with the University of Malawi, she helps to distribute reusable sanitary products to the poorest of communities so that girls can remain in education, as over a million Malawian girls will miss school due to their period. |
| Tshilidzi Marwala | b. 28 July 1971, Duthuni South Africa Tshilidzi Marwala is a scientist and inventor. He has made fundamental contributions to engineering science including the development of the concept of pseudo-modal energies. He is also the co-inventor of the innovative methods of radiation imaging in addition to the artificial Larynx. |
| Tsitsi Dangarembga | b. 4 February 1959, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Tsitsi Dangarembga is a Zimbabwean author and filmmaker. Her literary works include Nervous Conditions and The Book of Not. Her film Neria was highest-grossing film in Zimbabwean history. |
| Tu Nokwe | b. Date unknown, Place unknown Tu Nokwe is a musician and actress from South Africa. She has lived all over the world including the United Kingdom and the United States, where she recorded her first solo album. |
| Tunde Kelani | b. 26 February 1948, Lagos, Nigeria Tunde Kelani is a filmmaker known for his literary and theatrical adaptations to cinema. He is the founder of Mainframe Films and Television Productions and produced movies such as Ti Oluwa Nile. |
| Turki Yahia | b. 1903, Istanbul, Turkey, d. 1 March 1969, Place unknown Yahia Turki was a Tunisian-naturalised painter who has been referred to as the 'Father of Tunisian painting'. He was the president of the Tunisian School and whilst in Paris would visit the studios of artists such as Matisse. |
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| Name | Details |
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| Uhuru Kenyatta | b. 26 October 1961, Nairobi, Kenya Colony, present-day Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta is the current President of Kenya (9 April 2013 - present) and the son of Jomo Kenyatta who was the first president of the independent country. His election was challenged by Raila Odinga and a new election had to be undertaken. He won but the turnout was low. |
| Ulisses Correia e Silva | b. 4 June 1962, Praia, Portuguese Cape Verde, present-day Cape Verde Ulisses Correia e Silva is the current Prime Minister of Cape Verde (22 April 2016 - present) with his previous career being in banking and teaching at a university. He has held roles as Secretary of State for Finance and mayor of Praia, where he is from. During his tenure he has also met with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). |
| Umaru Musa Yar'Adua | b. 16 August 1951, Katsina, Katsina State, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria, d. 5 May 2010, Abuja, Nigeria Umaru Musa Yar'Adua held the office of President of Nigeria (29 May 2007 - 5 May 2010) until his death. His election was contested with two petitions being filed to declare the results invalid. |
| Ungulani Ba Ka Khosa | b. 1 August 1957, Inhaminga, Mozambique Ungulani Ba Ka Khosa is a writer from Mozambique. He started his career as a writer with the publication of several short stories and was one of the founders of the magazine Churrua. |
| Unity Dow | b. 23 April 1959, Bechuanaland Protectorate, present-day Botswana Unity Dow is a member of parliament in Botswana, she is also known as a human rights activist, writer and judge. She is currently the Minister for Basic Education (31 October 2014 - present) and has worked with United Nations and won numerous awards. |
| Uria Simango | b. 15 March 1926, Sofala Province, Portuguese Mozambique, present-day Mozambique, d. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Uria Simango was a founding member and leader of the organisation Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO). Following years of turmoil and political unrest he was abducted from Malawi and forced to read out a 20-page public confession involving murder and espionage. He was then secretly executed at some point in the late 70s. |
| Uwem Akpan | b. 19 May 1971, Ikot Akpan Eda, Nigeria Uwem Akpan is a Nigerian author whose book, Say You're One of Them, recounts five separate tales in different countries. The book was selected for a number of awards and achieved international stardom after it was selected by the Oprah Winfrey Book Club. |
| Uzo Egonu | b. 25 December 1931, Onitsha, Southern Protectorate of Nigeria, present-day Nigeria, d. 14 August 1996, London, United Kingdom Uzo Egonu is a Nigerian artist who naturalised in the United Kingdom in 1945. He studied at a number of institutions, including the Camberwell School, and his work merged elements of Igbo culture with the modern European world. |
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| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| V. Y. Mudimbe | b. 8 December 1941, Jadotville, Belgian Congo, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo V. Y. Mudimbe is a philosopher and writer from the Democratic Republic of Congo. His work revolves around how African history is shaped and the various influences that it has had, particularly through linguistics. |
| Valentine Rugwabiza | b. 25 July 1963, Rwanda Valentine Rugwabiza is a Rwandan businesswoman and representative to the United Nations. She has also held the role of Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). |
| Valentine Strasser | b. 26 April 1967, Freetown, Sierra Leone Valentine Strasser was a captain in the Sierra Leone military that seized power during a military coup leading to him taking the role as head of state (29 April 1992 - 16 January 1996). At 25 years old he was the youngest head of state in the world. He was overthrown by another coup in 1996. |
| Veerasamy Ringadoo | b. 20 October 1920, Port Louis, British Mauritius, present-day Mauritius, d. 9 September 2000, Port Louis, Mauritius Veerasamy Ringadoo was both the President of Mauritius (12 March 1992 - 30 June 1992) and the Governor-General of Mauritius (17 January 1986 - 12 March 1992). He was knighted in 1975. |
| Venâncio da Silva Moura | b. 24 February 1940, Uíge Province, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 6 March 1999, Paris, France Venâncio da Silva Moura was an Angolan politician who held roles as the Minister of External Relations of Angola. He also spent many years as a diplomat including a year in Italy. |
| Venansius Baryamureeba | b. 18 May 1969, Ibanda District, Uganda Venansius Baryamureeba is a Ugandan professor of computer science and educationist. In 2005 he spearheaded the construction of the largest computing building in Africa and founded Uganda Technology and Management University in 2012. In 2014 he received the African Society for ICT (ASICT) lifetime achievement award in ICT Research and Education. |
| Veríssimo Correia Seabra | b. 17 February 1947, Bissau, Portuguese Guinea, present-day Guinea-Bissau, d. 6 October 2004, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau Veríssimo Correia Seabra was known for leading a coup that deposed Kumba Ialá on 14 September 2003. He held the head of state for Guinea-Bissau under the title of Chairman of the Military Committee for the Restoration of Constitutional and Democratic Order (14 September 2003 - 28 September 2003). |
| Véro Tshanda Beya Mputu | b. Date and year unknown, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Véro Tshanda Beya Mputu is an actress, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film Félicite. |
| Véronique Tadjo | b. 1955, Paris, France Véronique Tadjo is a French-Ivorian writer and artist who was brought up in Abidjan. She has written many novels both for adults and children, and her novel Mamy Wata et le Monstre won the UNICEF Prize in 1993 and was selected as one of the Africa's Best Books of the 20th Century. |
| Vicente Ehate Tomi | b. 1968, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea Vicente Ehate Tomi was the Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea (21 May 2012 - 23 June 2016) and has since become the First Vice President of Equatorial Guinea (5 May 2018 - present). |
| Victor Ehikhamenor | b. Date and year unknown, Udomi-Uwessan, Nigeria Victor Ehikhamenor is a Nigerian artist, educated in the USA. When he returned to his homeland, he began creating art influenced by work done by local villagers. |
| Victor Ikpeba | b. 12 June 1973, Benin City, Nigeria Victor Ikpeba is a Nigerian footballer who has participated in two football World Cups. He also was the recipient of a gold medal in Olympic football and was a member of the winning team at the 1994 African Nations Cup. |
| Victor Uwaifo | b. 1 March 1941, Benin City, Nigeria Victor Uwaifo is celebrated as a pioneer Nigerian highlife musician, famous for songs like Guitar Boy (Mami Water). Another hit, Joromi, won the first Golden record in Nigeria, West Africa and Africa in 1996. |
| Victoria Mxenge | b. 1 January 1942, King William's Town, Eastern Cape, South Africa, d. 1 August 1985, Umlazi, Durban, Natal, present-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Victoria Mxenge was a lawyer, nurse, midwife and South African anti-Apartheid activist. She worked tirelessly following the murder of her husband by Vlakplaas agents, to speak out and defend those who had been ill-treated in prison and those involved in various political skirmishes. She was murdered in front of her children in what has rumoured to be a government "death squad". Her death caused great disturbances and protests. |
| Vincent Mantsoe | b. 1971, Soweto, South Africa Vincent Mantsoe is a South African dancer and choreographer. Raised in the Soweto township outside Johannesburg, he combines the street dance of his childhood with traditional and contemporary dance styles. |
| Virginia Chihota | b. 1983, Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe Virginia Chihota is a contemporary artist specialising in drawings and monoliths. She represented Zimbabwe at the 55th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, Venice and was awarded the Prix Canson in the same year. |
| Virginie Camara | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Virginie Camara was a Senegalese founding member of the Pan-African Women's Organisation She along with three others from Senegal were attendees to a women's conference in Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania, in 1962. |
| Viriato Clemente da Cruz | b. 25 March 1928, Porto Amboim, Kwanza Sul, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola, d. 13 June 1973, Beijing, China Viriato Clemente da Cruz was a famous Angolan poet, who strove for Angolan independence. He ended up in China and was initially welcomed by the Chinese government but did not see eye-to-eye with the Maoist ideals of the country and its governance. He was unable to leave China and died without being able to return to Angola. |
| Viriato da Cruz | b. 25 March 1928, Kikuvo, Angola, d. 13 June 1973, Beijing, China Viriato da Cruz was a famous Angolan poet and politician. Although writing poetry in both Angolan and Portuguese, he was extremely vocal against the Portuguese rule of Angola and helped to found New Intellectuals of Angola. He was exiled to China, who then refused his return to Angola. |
| Vitshois Mwilambwe Bondo | b. 1981, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo Vitshois Mwilambwe Bondo is a Congolese artist who has held solo exhibitions in South Africa and Belgium. His recent work includes found photographs and collages from fashion magazines to create hybrid figures. |
| Vivian Cheruiyot | b. 11 September 1983, Kenya Vivian Cheruiyot, a Kenyan track and field athlete, won a gold medal in the 5000 m and a silver in the 10000 m during the 2016 Summer Olympics. She also won a silver in the 5000 m and a bronze in the 10000m during the 2012 Summer Olympics. |
| Viviane N'Dour | b. 29 September 1973, Mbour, Senegal Viviane N'Dour is a Senegalese popstar who has pursued a solo career as well as singing in a Le Jolof Band. She sings predominantly in Wolof and English but occasionally in French. |
| Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa | b. 21 July 1921, Natal, present-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa is a writer and sangoma (traditional healer) from South Africa. Coming from a mixture of Christian and Zulu parentage his books are filled with Zulu legends mixed with his own experiences, along with a science fiction edge. In addition, he has written an autobiography and a graphic novel. He is also a healer and is an advocate of traditional African healing methods and their use with diseases and ailments such as HIV/AIDS and cancer. |
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| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Wael Gomaa | b. 3 August 1975, El-Sheen, Gharbia, Egypt Wael Gomaa is an Egyptian ex-footballer who played for Ghazl El_Mahalla and Al-Ahly as well as the Egyptian national team. |
| Waldemar Bastos | b. 4 January 1954, São Salvador do Congo, present-day M'banza-Kongo, Portuguese Angola, present-day Angola Waldemar Bastos is an Angolan musician that emigrated to Portugal after the country gained its independence to avoid the civil war. He is famous for his sound which is a mixture of Afropop, Portuguese Fado and Brazilian vibes. |
| Walé Oyéjidé | b. Date and year unknown, Nigeria Walé Oyéjidé is a Nigerian attorney, recording artist and designer/creative director at Ikiré Jones. |
| Wallen Mapondera | b. 1985, Harare, Zimbabwe Wallen Mapondera is a Zimbabwean artist whose work merges art and protest. |
| Walter Sisulu | b. 18 May 1912, Ngcobo, Transkei, present-day Eastern Cape, South Africa, d. 5 May 2013, Place unknown Walter Sisulu was a key figure in the fight against South African Apartheid and also served as the Secretary-General and Deputy President of the African National Congress. |
| Wambui Otieno | b. 21 June 1936, Place unknown, d. 30 August 2011, Nairobi, Kenya Wambui Otieno, from Kenya, fought for the legal right to choose where to bury her husband in a case in 1986 against the brothers of her husband and his clan. She later went on to be an activist and politician, having lost the case and highlighting the struggle between uniting countries in a single system of law and the traditions of tribes and clans. |
| Wangari Maathai | b. 1 April 1940 Nyeri, Kenya, d. 25 September 2011, Nairobi, Kenya Wangari Maathai was an environmental and political activist from Kenya who founded the Greenbelt Movement. In 2004 she was awarded Nobel Peace Prize. |
| Wangechi Mutu | b. 22 June 1972 Nairobi, Kenya Wangechi Mutu is a contemporary artist whose mediums include collage painting, sculpture, performance and video. Her work discusses gender constructs and cultural identity in relation to colonialism and contemporary African politics. In 2017 she received the Anderson Ranch National Artist Award. |
| Wanjiru Kihoro | b. 9 September 1953, Kenya, d. 12 October 2006, Nairobi, Kenya Wanjiru Kihoro was a prolific Kenyan economist and feminist activist. She was a founder of the Pan-African women's group Akina Mama wa Afrika and worked to free political prisoners during the governance of Daniel arap Moi. She died following a plane crash which led to her being in a four-year coma. |
| Waris Dirie | b. 1965 Gallacaio, Somalia Waris Dirie is a supermodel, human rights activist and founder of the Desert Flower Foundation, an organisation addressing female genital mutilation through economic projects in Africa. The United Nations appointed her a Goodwill Ambassador for the fight against Female Genital Mutilation and in 2004 she received the Women's World Award from former President of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev. |
| Wayde Van Niekerk | b. 15 July 1992, Kraaifontein, South Africa Wayde Van Niekerk is a track and field athlete who won a gold medal in the 400m in the 2016 Olympics. He is the current world record holder in the men's 400m at 43:03 set at the 2016 Olympics. |
| Wendy Luhabe | b. 29 May 1957, Daveyton, Transvaal, present-day Gauteng, South Africa Wendy Luhabe is a South African social entrepreneur and author. She has spent much of her career working to empower previously disadvantaged people, especially women. |
| Werewere Liking | b. 1950, Cameroon Werewere Liking is a Cameroonian-born, Côte d'Ivoire-based, writer and performer. She has written a number of novels and plays, as well as forming a theatre troupe and a co-operative village. |
| Wided Bouchamaoui | b. 1961, Gabès, Tunisia Wided Bouchamaoui is a Tunisian businesswoman and head of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts. She has been included in a list of Top 25 Businesswomen in Africa by the magazine Jeune Afrique. |
| Willem Essuman Pietersen | b. 1844, Elmina, Dutch Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, d. 6 January 1914, Cape Coast, Gold Coast, present-day Ghana Willem Essuman Pietersen was one-time president of the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society. In addition to this he was a merchant, strong advocate for education and a goldsmith. |
| William Kentridge | b. 1955, Johannesburg, South Africa William Kentridge is a South African artist who works in print and animation. His animation style is meticulous through erasing and filming images in charcoal and pastels. |
| William R. Tolbert Jr. | b. 13 May 1913, Bensonville, Liberia, d. 12 April 1980, Monrovia, Liberia William R. Tolbert Jr. was elected the 20th President of Liberia (23 July 1971 - 12 April 1980) and following the Rice Riots he was assassinated in a coup d'état led by Samuel Doe. |
| William Tubman | b. 29 November 1895, Harper, Liberia, d. 23 July 1971, London, United Kingdom William Tubman held the longest presidency in Liberian history becoming the 19th President of Liberia (3 January 1944 - 23 July 1971) for 27 years. During his presidency he turned the nation round into economic prosperity. |
| Williams Sassine | b. 1944, Kankan, French Guinea, present-day Guinea, d. 9 February 1997, Conakry, Guinea Williams Sassine was a French language writer, originally from Guinea. He wrote novels such as Le jeune homme de sable as well as editing the satirical newspaper Le Lynx. |
| Wilton Sankawulo | b. 26 July 1937, Haindii, Liberia, d. 21 February 2009, Monrovia, Liberia Wilton Sankawulo took over as the new Chairman of the Council of State of Liberia (1 September 1995 - 3 September 1996) following the political stalemate that occurred with the preceding council. A writer by profession, he was known for publishing stories about Liberia. |
| Winnie Byanyima | b. 13 January 1959, Mbara, Uganda Winnie Byanyima is a Ugandan politician, engineer, diplomat and executive director of Oxfam International. She served as a fighter in the National Resistance Army (NRA) during the war in Ugandan Bush War. |
| Winnie Madikizela-Mandela | b. 26 September 1936, Bizana, Pondoland, Transkei, South Africa, d. 2 April 2018, Johannesburg, South Africa Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was a South African activist and politician who held several government positions, as well as heading the African National Congress Women's League. She was married to political revolutionary and first post-Apartheid President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. She received a Doctor of Laws degree from Makerere University, Uganda, in recognition of her role in the struggle against Apartheid. |
| Wole Soyinka | b. 13 July 1934, Abeokuta, Nigeria Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian writer, playwright and poet, who in 1986, was the first African to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. |
| Wosene Worke Kosrof | b. 1950, Ethiopia Wosene Worke Kosrof is an Ethiopian painter and mixed-media artist. He is best known for his inventive renderings of the Amharic script. |
| Wura-Natasha Ogunji | b. 1970, Place unknown Wura-Natasha Ogunji is a Nigerian based artist. She who works in audio-visual and performance pieces and was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in 2012. |
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| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Yaa Asantewaa | b. c.1840, Besease, Ashanti Empire, present-day Ghana, d. 17 October 1921, Seychelles Yaa Asantewaa was queen mother of Ejisu in the Ashanti Empire. She led the native forces during the so-called War of the Golden Stool in 1900, the last of a series of uprisings against the British colonists. Although the Ashanti were annexed into the British Empire, they ruled with little reference to the colonial power. |
| Yaa Gyasi | b. 1989, Mampong, Ghana Yaa Gyasi is a Ghanaian novelist and author of Homecoming. She is the recipient of the American Book Award and the Audre Lorde Award for Literary Fiction & Classics. |
| Yacouba Isaac Zida | b. 16 November 1965, Yako, Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso Yacouba Isaac Zida was the temporary head of state of Burkina Faso (1 November 2014 - 18 November 2014) after the 2014 Burkinabé uprising, beating off Honoré Traoré for the title. When Michel Kafando was chosen to take over as transitional head of state, he was then appointed Prime Minister of Burkina Faso (19 November 2014 - 17 September 2015 and 23 September 2013 - 29 December 2015). He briefly lost this role for a week during the September 2015 coup, but was reinstated. |
| Yacouba Touré | b. 1981, Burkina Faso Yacouba Touré is a stone sculptor and bronze artist from Burkina Faso. He learned how to sculpt bronze from a family tradition passed down from his grandfather. |
| Yahya Jammeh | b. 25 May 1965, Kanilai, Gambia Yahya Jammeh became the 2nd President of Gambia (22 July 1994 - 21 January 2017) following the ousting of Dawda Jawara. He withdrew Gambia from the Commonwealth of Nations and tried to exit the International Criminal Court (later rescinded by the Barrow government). He lost the presidential election against Adama Barrow. |
| Yahya Kanu | b. Date unknown, Magburaka, Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone, d. 29 December 1992, Sierra Leone Yahya Kanu was a colonel that played a part in the 1992 coup in Sierra Leone. Many have said that he was the lead instigator but then spoke out saying that he was trying to resolve the crisis. He was taken hostage by Valentine Strasser who executed him. |
| Yahya Ould Hademine | b. 31 December 1953, Timbédra, French West Africa, present-day Mauritania Yahya Ould Hademine is the 13th Prime Minister of Mauritania (20 August 2014 - present). Notable moments in his incumbency include meeting the Chinese Special Envoy on the Middle East Issues and a scandal when he accused the President of the General Confederation of Employers of Mauritania of being a "terrorist". |
| Yakubu Gowon | b. 19 October 1934, Kanke, Plateau State, Nigeria Protectorate, present-day Nigeria Yakubu Gowon held the title of 3rd Head of State of Nigeria (1 August 1966 - 29 July 1975). He took power after a military coup d'état. It was during his presidency that the Biafran War was fought (6 July 1967 - 15 January 1970). He indefinitely suspended the handover of civilian rule in 1974 leading to an uprising and second military coup in July 1975. |
| Yambo Ouologuem | b. 22 August 1940, Bandiagara, French Sudan, present-day Mali, d. 14 October 2017, Sévaré, Mali Yambo Ouologuem was a Malian writer. His work included historical fiction such as Le devoir de violence which was a scathing criticism on African nationalism. It was initially well received but then there were accusations of plagiarism and the novel was banned in France. He is still considered to be an important figure in post-colonial literature and his books have been re-published with notes included. |
| Yaya Touré | b. 13 May 1983, Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire Yaya Touré is a professional footballer for the Premier League club Manchester City where he won Player of the Year twice. He also played for the Côte d'Ivoire national team where he was Player of the Year in 2009 and was also four-time African Footballer of the Year. |
| Yéanzi | b. 1988, Katiola, Côte d'Ivoire Yéanzi is a painter from Côte d'Ivoire that is known for his "paintless" paintings. Originally a portraitist he honed his own style which uses melted plastic to create forms. |
| Yemi Alade | b. 13 March 1989, Abia State, Nigeria Yemi Alade is a singer and songwriter. She received the MTV African Music Award for Best Female in 2015 and 2016. |
| Yemi Osinbajo | b. 8 March 1957, Lagos, British Nigeria, present-day Nigeria Yemi Osinbajo was the acting President of Nigeria (6 June 2016 - 19 June 2016, 19 January 2017 - 13 March 2017, 7 May 2017 - 19 August 2017) three times in during his career. During this time, he also held the role as Vice President of Nigeria (29 May 2015 - present). |
| Yeshi Tadesse | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Yeshi Tadesse is an Ethiopian music star who has released songs such as Anigo and Mesohaniya. |
| Yesmine Ben Khelil | b. 1986, Tunis, Tunisia Yesmine Ben Khelil is a Tunisian artist who has come onto the scene following the Tunisian revolution. As a new wave of post-revolutionary artists, her work is expressive and political, taking ancient iconography and creating mixed media collages. |
| Yinka Shonibare | b. 9 August 1962, London, United Kingdom Yinka Shonibare MBE RA is a British-Nigerian artist living in the United Kingdom. His work explores cultural identity, colonialism and post-colonialism within the contemporary context of globalisation. |
| Youssef Chahed | b. 18 September 1975, Tunis, Tunisia Youssef Chahed holds the role as the 23rd Prime Minister of Tunisia (27 August 2016 - present). A member of the Nidaa Tounes party he has held the roles of Minister of Local Affairs and Secretary of State for Fishing. |
| Youssef Rekik | b. 1940, Mahrès, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia, d. 13 May 2012, Tunis, Tunisia Youssef Rekik was a Tunisian painter and comedian. He was known for his work in glass painting, a field he was considered to be one of the best. Much of his work was influenced by eastern mythology and Kairouan calligraphy. He also founded the International Festival of Plastic Arts and wrote a number of comedic plays. |
| Youssou N'Dour | b. 1 October 1959, Dakar, present-day Senegal Youssou N'Dour is a singer, songwriter and politician. He helped develop the Senegalese music known as mbalax. He was nominated as Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and served as Minister of Culture and Tourism and Special Advisor to the President of Senegal. |
| Youssouf Koumbassa | b. Year and date unknown, Conakry, Guinea Youssouf Koumbassa is a teacher of dance and music from Guinea. His Dance & Drum workshops are a way of carrying on the tradition of Guinea's rhythmical traditions, dance technique and cultural history. |
| Youssouf Ouédraogo | b. 25 December 1952, Tikaré, French Upper Volta, present-day Burkina Faso, d. 18 November 2017, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Youssouf Ouédraogo was a Prime Minister of Burkina Faso (16 June 1992 - 22 March 1994), the first since 1983 and the new name for the country. He worked in finance but also worked as the ambassador to Belgium, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Luxembourg and European Union. |
| Youssouf Saleh Abbas | b. 1953, Abéché, French Equatorial Africa, present-day Chad Youssouf Saleh Abbas held the office of Prime Minister of Chad (15 April 2008 - 5 March 2010) after being appointed by president Idriss Déby. Abbas came from the north of the country and was possibly brought in to help with the difficulties that they were having in the east of the country. He resigned in March 2010 after having political difficulties with the president. |
| Youssoupha | b. 29 August 1979, Kinshasa, Zaire, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo Youssoupha is a French rapper who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has released a number of albums such as Frères Lumières with other musicians and has appeared in French reality TV. |
| Yoweri Museveni | b. 15 September 1944, Ntungamo, Uganda Protectorate, Uganda, Yoweri Museveni is the 9th President of Uganda (29 January 1986 - present), having assumed power by overthrowing the military controlled government with his National Resistance Army. Since his presidency there has been an increase in economic growth and stability in comparison to previous years. |
| Yusuf Lule | b. 10 April 1912, Kampala, Uganda Protectorate, Uganda, d. 21 January 1985, Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom Yusuf Lule was an interim president of Uganda (13 April 1979 - 20 June 1979). He was placed in the post after Tanzania forces overthrew his predecessor Idi Amin. He led the Uganda Freedom Fighters (UFF) resistance. |
| Yvonne Chaka Chaka | b. 18 March 1965, Dobsonville, Soweto, South Africa Yvonne Chaka Chaka is a singer, songwriter and humanitarian. In 1981 she was the first black child to appear on South African television. In 2006 she founded the Princess of Africa Foundation to fight Malaria. In 2012 she was the first African woman to receive the World Economic Forum's Crystal Award. |
| Yvonne Orji | b. 2 December 1983, Port Harcourt, Nigeria Ynonne Orji is an actress who is best known for her role in the HBO series Insecure, she is originally from Nigeria. |
| Yvonne Vera | b. 19 September 1964, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, d. 7 April 2005, Toronto, Canada Yvonne Vera was a Zimbabwean writer of fiction and editor. Her works are often studied as part of African literature because of the awkward subject matter of gender representation and Zimbabwe's political past. |
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| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Zahra Dardouri | b. 6 February 1955, Batna, Algeria Zahra Dardouri is an Algerian politician and currently holds the post of Minister of Post, Information Technologies and Communications in the Algerian government. |
| Zainab Asvat | b. c. 1920, Place unknown, d. 30 November 2013, London, United Kingdom Zainab Asvat was a doctor, the first Muslim woman to qualify in South Africa, and anti-Apartheid activist. During her studies she took a year off to head to Durban to be part of the Passive Resistance Campaign. |
| Zainunnisa Gool | b. 6 November 1897, Cape Town, Western Cape, present-day Western Province, South Africa, d. 1 July 1963, Cape Town, South Africa Zainunnisa Gool, also known as Cissie, was a political figure against Apartheid in South Africa. She had received tuition from Olive Schreiner and Mahatma Gandhi and was the first black woman to serve in local government of South Africa. |
| Zaituni Maola | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Zaituni Maola was a member of the African Renaissance and founding member of the Pan-African Women's Organisation when she attended the 1962 Conference of African Women in her home country of Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania. |
| Zamazulu Nkosi | b. 1923, Simelane, South Africa Zamazulu Nkosi was the first ever black matron in the South African Natal Provincial Administration. She completed her initial nursing training during 1941 and 1944, winning a prize during her training as well. |
| Zapiro | b. 27 October 1958, Cape Town, South Africa Zapiro, the pen name of Jonathan Shapiro, is a cartoonist from South Africa. His work has been shown around the world and features regularly in the South African press. He was the first cartoonist to win a prize in the CNN African Journalist of the Year Awards. |
| Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali | b. 3 September 1936, Hammam Sousse, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, also known as Ben Ali, was the 2nd President of Tunisia (7 November 1987 - 14 January 2011) and prior to that Prime Minister (2 October 1987 - 7 November 1987). He took over as acting head of state when Habib Bourguian was declared medically unfit, Ben Ali then removed Bourguiba as president and replaced him. He attempted to make a difference to the poverty rate and had some success, but the country continued to suffer with high unemployment. |
| Zola Maseko | b. 1967, Swaziland, present-day eSwatini Zola Maseko is a film director and screenwriter from eSwatini. He is noted for his documentary films related to xenophobia. |
| Zoubeir Turki | b. 1923, Medina of Tunis, French Tunisia, present-day Tunisia, d. 23 October 2009, Tunis, Tunisia Zoubeir Turki was a painter and sculptor from Tunisia. His work includes a bronze statue of Ibn Khalkun situated where the first School of Tunis was. As well as his artistic work he was also a senior official at the Ministry of Culture and worked as the president of a number of associations and unions. |
| Zubedea Addi | b. Date and year unknown, Place unknown Zubedea Addi, originally from Tanganyika, present-day Tanzania was a member of a group of women who founded the Pan-African Women's Organisation. She also attended a conference in Dar es Salaam called the Conference of African Women. |
| Zubeida Jaffer | b. 26 January 1958, Cape Town, South Africa Zubeida Jaffer is an award-winning South African journalist who was heavily involved in the resistance against the Apartheid government and is currently one of the most senior black women in the South African media industry. |