1. Daniel Oikhena
Daniel Oikhena became famous for his ‘bravery’ when he stowed from Benin-City to Lagos via an Arik flight. The JSS1 student’s craving for a better life made him take the greatest risk anyone could ever imagine. According to reports, the teenager thought the plane was US bound, but only to find himself in Lagos.
However after his release following a short detention, he was promised full scholarship by Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola. He also met with the Edo State Governor, which many believed redefined his future.
2. Gideon Emenike and Chibuisi Nwafor
These two secondary school teenagers, Gideon Emenike and Chibuisi Nwafor, aged between 16 and 17 years, performed a feat which not only shocked their rural community of Umuchima Ubaha, Okigwe LGA, but the whole state. It also had the state Police Commissioner, Mohammed Katsina, scampering to the community. The teenagers launched a rocket, which both of them fabricated, into space.
3. Duro-Aina Adebola, Bello Eniola, Akindele Abiola and Faleke Oluwatoyin
Disturbed by the incessant deaths of Nigerians, most of the time, an entire family, from carbon monoxide poisoning from fossil-fuel generator, the yo-yo movement of petroleum products prices, environmental degradation and the recent fuel subsidy scam, four Senior Secondary School II students of Doregos Private Academy, Ipaja, Lagos, decided to find solution to the problem. These students: Duro-Aina Adebola, Bello Eniola, Akindele Abiola and Faleke Oluwatoyin generated electricity from urine.
4. Malala Yousufzai
Malala also appeared on last year’s most influential list, but we can’t think of another name that is more deserving of further recognition. This Pakistani teen’s life was changed forever when she was shot in the head by the Taliban last year — all because she wanted to go to school. Instead of backing down, the now-16 year-old has become an international crusader of education rights for girls. In addition to giving a speech on Malala Day at the United Nations earlier this year, she has been honoured as a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and Pakistan’s’ first National Peace Prize winner.
5. Cassidy Lynn Campbell
Cassidy Lynn Campbell is a transgender teen who documented her journey transitioning in videos on her YouTube channel. She decided to run for homecoming queen at her California high school this year to make a statement. To her shock, she won the title, and her story ended up inspiring teens across the world who are struggling with their own identities. “I realised it wasn’t for me anymore and I was doing this for so many people,” she told KTLA. “I am so proud to win this not just for me, but everyone out there.”
6. Jaylen Bledsoe
Jaylen started his own tech company when he was just 13 years old. Now, at 15 years old, it’s worth 3.5 million dollars and he has over 150 contracted employees. The teen credits his school’s gifted education programme for his business idea, but admits it’s taken a lot of hard work and courage, too. “Take risks,” Jaylen told Fox 2. “As a minor, there’s nothing you can do that will shoot you down for too long. You can always jump back up and keep going.”
7. Zach Sobiech
Zach transferred the song “Clouds” to his YouTube page in December 2012 as a good-bye letter for his friends and family after learning that he only had months to live. The 19-year-old passed away this year from osteosarcoma — a cancerous bone tumor — but not before inspiring thousands of people across the world by his music and message. “I want to be remembered as a kid who went down fighting, and didn’t really lose,” Zach said. Watch SoulPancake’s amazing video about his life here.
