Okonedo

A performance from last year’s Starquest runners up, Quantum Vibes drew curtains on the Indiafrica initiative where Plloman Kumari’s idea of a solar-powered harvester clinched top spot and $10,000 during its finale at the City Hall in Lagos on September 25. Second spot in the keenly contested competition that was flagged off last April at the University of Lagos with a performance by Indian band Parakrama had Zubaidai Bai of India taking second place while the third spot was shared by Kennedy Kithake and Kola Bayole of South Africa, and Bhiraw Kumar Mandal.

The second and third placed winners went home with $7,500 and $5,000 respectively after a nine-man jury comprising Jahman Anikulapo, Enase Okonedo, Ini Onuk, Vivian Ani, Niyi Yusuf, Ozim Obasi, Aruna Reddy and Amit Shahi went through the ideas from an initial pool of 152 entries that came from 20 countries. Plloman Kumari and Kennedy Kithake also earned a trip to Davos 2013 after they emerged the top ranked Indian and African winners in the competition organised by ideaworks and the public diplomacy division of the ministry of external affairs of the government of India. 

A youth outreach programme that seeks to bring Africans and Indians closer to each other via competition, creative exchanges and collaboration, joint secretary of the public diplomacy division of the Indian ministry of external affairs described the initiative as a success, with Nigeria having the highest number of entries from Africa.