Young Nigerian, Alabi Samuel Anjolaoluwa wins the U21s category of the Canon Young Champion of Year Awards

Nigeria-based Alabi Samuel Aniolaoluwa won the U21s category award; UAE based siblings Mishal and Mir Faraz, are the winners of the U16s category for their continued campaigning on environmental and social causes in the UAE.

Canon is pleased to announce the winners of the second edition of the Canon Young Champion of the Year Award, as part of the Global Good Awards (https://bit.ly/3pyJUAR), which celebrates the achievements of young people around the world who are driving social and environmental change. Nigeria based, Alabi Samuel Anjolaoluwa won the U21s category for his inspiring project, Students of Ibadan (https://bit.ly/3npII07), which shines a light on the struggles faced by under-served students in the city of Ibadan, Nigeria.

The Global Good Awards recognises those campaigning for sustainable change by recognising and promoting exceptional work by individuals, NGOs and businesses on social and environmental issues. This year’s submissions came in from individuals across the world, with finalists from UAE, USA, UK, Nigeria and India.

The judges commended his project for using the power of visual storytelling to not only raise awareness of the challenges the students face, but for painting a poignant picture of the emotions that sit behind their stories.

At the virtual ceremony, UAE based siblings Mishal and Mir Faraz, were announced as the winners of the U16s category for their sustainability campaigning work, while Nigeria based Alabi Samuel Anjolaoluwa won the U21s category for his project Students of Ibadan.

Alabi Samuel Anjolaoluwa won the U21s category for his inspiring project, Students of Ibadan (https://bit.ly/3vH4e44), which shines a light on the struggles faced by under-served students in the city of Ibadan, Nigeria. The judges commended his project for using the power of visual storytelling to not only raise awareness of the challenges the students face, but for painting a poignant picture of the emotions that sit behind their stories. The Students of Ibadan (https://bit.ly/3vH4e44) – birthed from the Fame Illuminate Project at which 19-year-old-Alabi Samuel Anjolaoluwa is a volunteer- was fitting as it tells the stories of young students while highlighting their pain and daily struggles.

Speaking about his project the young man explained that he focused on local government schools and students coming from low-income backgrounds.  “I personally wanted to know what it was like to be a student in Ibadan. My image essay is meant to be an extension of their pain, stories and struggle of living and schooling in Ibadan. Seeing and capturing each of the student’s stories made me more human than just being a photographer.”

Appreciative of the students that he came across Alabi Samuel Anjolaoluwa said that the Students of Ibadan (https://bit.ly/3vH4e44) was an amazing project which allowed him to be relatable and connect with the youth of Ibadan.  

Award winners will receive a Canon EOS 250D DSLR camera to support them to continue campaigning for sustainable change, while the other shortlisted finalists will each receive a Canon SELPHY Square QX10 mobile photo printer.