CBI Community Network Unveils Initiative for Celebrating African Excellence

A new chapter has opened for Africans in the diaspora as the CBI African Icons Merit Award officially debuts in Indiana, United States. Conceived by the CBI Community Network, the award is designed to celebrate and spotlight Africans abroad who are shaping their communities and industries with remarkable impact. Organizers emphasize that while Indiana remains the base, the scope of the award extends globally honoring and inviting African icons from all over the world to be recognized for their outstanding achievements.

Speaking during the announcement, Convener and Founder of the CBI Community Network, Mr Sunday Lanre Omotoso described the award as a unifying African project created by Africans, and owned by all Africans all over the world. The message is clear: if you are in the diaspora and making impact, this platform was created for you. Indiana serves as the foundation, but the vision is global ensuring that African excellence is celebrated without borders.

The Awards has been positioned as more than a ceremonial recognition. Its mission is to create a sustainable platform that documents, highlights, and honors Africans who are contributing to education, entrepreneurship, leadership, philanthropy, innovation, culture, and all other fields across the globe. By doing so, the organizers hope to ensure that the stories of Africans abroad are not lost in migration but amplified in the annals of history. Indiana, which hosts a growing African diaspora community, was strategically chosen as the launchpad for the initiative. The state’s African residents, ranging from business leaders to academics and community advocates—represent the resilience and progress that the award seeks to highlight.

“This award is not just an event, it is a movement,” Mr Omotoso emphasized. *“We want Africans in every corner of the world to know that their contributions matter. We are creating a legacy of pride, recognition, and unity. Our greatness knows no boundaries.”

The vision of the Awards is to build a globally recognized stage where Africans in the diaspora are not seen as invisible contributors but as icons of progress whose influence crosses borders. By honoring individuals and communities worldwide, the award aims to turn recognition into a worldwide celebration of African resilience and achievement.

The CBI Community Network which birthed the award, is a cultural and media platform committed to amplifying African voices and bridging global communities. Over the years, the network has anchored programs and initiatives designed to give visibility to Africans in the diaspora, and the award is described as its most ambitious project yet.

Analysts note that the timing of the award is significant. With the African diaspora population in the United States alone exceeding two million, and millions more spread across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, there is growing recognition of the role Africans abroad play in shaping global culture and economies. By creating a dedicated platform for honor and recognition, the Award positions itself as a pioneering effort to unify this vast community under one banner of pride. The message remains clear: the CBI African Icons Merit Award is a story that resonates wherever Africans live and thrive, carrying the bold declaration that African excellence is alive, visible, and unstoppable.