Ladybrille's 2008 Top 20 Africans

These Africans had the world turning heads and asking, “who is she”” or “who is that?” Here is our selection of the top 20 Africans that turned heads in 2008. A few of these personalities were featured on Ladybrille this year. To them, we say a big thank you for sharing your tenacity, courage and successes with Ladybrille!

Nonhle Thema
Country: South Africa
Nonhle, a model, voice over, actress, producer, ambassador and TV Host on South Africa's Music Channel, "Channel O" has a sexiness to how she does things. So much so that she got the world turning heads to say, "Who is that?" when she was named one of the 100 sexiest women in the world by FHM magazine. Nonhle came in at #17!

Chikezie Ndubuisi Eze
Country: Nigeria
Musician
Chikezie auditioned for American Idols and made it all the way to top 12 before he was cut from the contest. But by then, he had done a superb job of putting Africa and Nigeria on the map with his performances.


Alex Okosi
County: Nigeria
Senior Vice President and Manager for MTV Networks Africa
The key brain behind Africa’s first MTV Africa Music Awards 2008



Connie Masilo-Ferguson
Country: South Africa
Actress/Model
This popular actress and entrepreneur turned heads when she signed a deal with Garnier Even & Matte, a subsidiary of the cosmetics and beauty giant L’Oreal.As the brand ambassador for Ganier she will be promoting a complexion cream that promises even skintone withlong lasting matte effect.

Patricia Mbela
Country: Kenya
Fashion Designer
Mbela made news when she was invited November 2008 to the USA to showcase her work at the Africa House and at the Africa Resource Center in New York.


Noella Coursaris
Country: DR Congo
Fashion Model and Activist
Noella’s George Malaika Foundation helping young girls in DR Congo with education and food was the first recipient of the All for Africa 2008 event held in New York with some of the world’s leading African political and entertainment personalities.



Korto Momolu
Country: Liberia
Fashion Designer
Korto brought attention to Liberia and Africa with her participation for the famous Project Runway show. While she did not win, she made it all the way to Bryant Park and showed at New York fashion Week.



Maimah Karmo
Country: Liberia
Entrepreneur, cancer survivor and activist
Maimah caught the world’s attention when she appeared in October 2008 on Oprah discussing her battle and victory against with breast cancer and her foundation, Tiger Lily helping women with breast cancer.



Derrick Ashong
Country: Ghana
Musician/Activist
Derrick caught the attention of the world during an Obama rally in Los Angeles where he had to answer questions from an agressive reporter on why he supported Obama. He handled the situation so well. The video surfaced on You Tube and one million hits later, Derrick's name is etched in the minds of millions worldwide.



Serge Mouangue
Country: Cameroon
Fashion designer
Serge gained the attention of the world with his cleverly designed African fabric kimono styled dresses.



Asa
Country: Nigeria
Musician
Nigeria’s Asa had a great year and was awarded the French Constnatin Awards for her work



Abolore Akande aka 9ice
Country: Nigeria
Musician
Another Nigerian artist with a great year who made many worldwide pay attention with his performance at the Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday and his win at the 2008 MOBO Awards.



Adama Kai
Country: Sierra Leone
Fashion Designer/Entrepreneur
Couture/high fashion was nver associated with Sierra Leone until Adama Kai arrived and set up shop in Sierra Leone with her brand Aschobi designs. It was indeed a shock to most and had media worldwide wondering could the country transition from "blood diamonds" to couture?



Oluchi Onweagba-Orlandi
Country: Nigeria
Fashion Model/Entrepreneur
This year Oluchi had the world looking with an eight page spread in Vogue, USA and also an announcement that she would be hosting West Africa’s Next Top Model, a franchise of Tyra bank’s ANTM. Oluchi's modeling agency O Model Africa also awarded a $50,000 contract to the Face of Africa 2008 winner Ghana's Kate Menson.



Estelle Fanta Swaray
Country: Senegal/Granada
Estelle was on a roll in 2008. Nominated in numerous Awards and categories to count, she won Song of the Year: "American Boy" featuring Kanye West at the BET J Virtual Awards, Best UK Female and Best Song: "American Boy" featuring Kanye West at the 2008 MOBO Awards, Best Collaboration at the 2008 UMA Awards 2008, (Won) and World's Best New R &B Act at the World Music Awards 2008.Her 2009 is also looking brilliant with two nominations at the upcoming Grammys.



Nduka Ogbabeina
Country: Nigeria
This Day Africa Rising Festival, Nduka had the world talking about his event that was showcased in Nigeria, London and the USA.


Pamela Jemilo
Country: Kenya
Eighteen year old Pamela Jemilo brought home the gold for Kenya at the 2008 Olympics in Bejing at the women’s 800 metres (1:54:87) race. She became the first Kenyan woman to do so.



Samuel Wanjiru
Country: Kenya
Wanjiru won the marathon gold medal. He broke the previous record of 2:09:21 establihed by Carlos Lopes of Portugal at the 1984 Olympics with his 2:06:32. Wanjiru, like Jemilo, became the first male runner from Kenya to win Gold in this event.



Jason Dunford
Country: Kenya
Dunford competed in the swimming at the Olympics and while he did not win any gold, in fact he made it tp the finals and finished fifth but he turned heads all the same partly because he is White and from Kenya and also because he set a new national record of 49.0 in his 100 metre free style.



Yohannes Gebregeorgis
Country: Ethiopia
67.3% of Ethiopians in Ethiopia are said to be illiterate. Gebregeorgis is helping change things
with collecting and shipping thousands of books and teaching kids how to read. It is indeed why out of over 3,000 entries he was selected and was named as one of CNN's Heroes of 2008.