Past Judges & Speakers
Celebrating the distinguished professionals, industry leaders, founders, creatives, and visionaries who have contributed their expertise to CEAN’s awards, conferences, and industry programs.
Recognizing Excellence Through Trusted Industry Leadership
At the Creative Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (CEAN), excellence is at the heart of our awards and industry programs. Each year, our judges are carefully selected through a thoughtful process led by members of the previous judging panel, helping to maintain the integrity, credibility, and high standards of the awards.
Our judges are respected professionals, founders, executives, creators, and industry leaders from across Nigeria’s creative economy. Every judge is selected based on proven experience, industry impact, original contributions to their field, and recognized professional achievements.
To serve on the CEAN judging panel, individuals are expected to have:
- A minimum of 10 years of professional industry experience
- Recognized achievements and industry accolades
- Original contributions that have shaped or influenced their sector
- Strong professional reputation and leadership within the creative industry
- A commitment to fairness, excellence, and innovation
Our judges represent different sectors of the creative economy, including film, media, technology, fashion, music, communications, publishing, design, advertising, tourism, and entrepreneurship.
Featured Past Judges & Speakers
Over the years, CEAN has been honored to work with respected leaders, jury and speakers such as:
Kunle Afolayan
One of Nollywood’s most prominent filmmakers, actors, and producers, and a leading figure in the industry’s prestige wave. Son of the late veteran actor Adeyemi “Ade Love” Afolayan, he built his reputation with films like The Figurine, October 1, The CEO, Citation, and Aníkúlápó, and signed a multi-title production deal with Netflix. He runs Golden Effects Pictures and the KAP Film and Television Academy, and is known for high production values and stories rooted in Yoruba history and culture.
Mike Dada
Nigerian entrepreneur, lawyer, and marketing communications professional best known as founder, president, and executive producer of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA). He began in banking before moving into marketing and public relations, and in 2014 launched AFRIMA in partnership with the African Union to celebrate African music globally. He recently completed a Master of Laws degree and has been expanding AFRIMA through initiatives like a creative-skills academy for young Africans.
Steve Babaeko
One of Nigeria’s most respected advertising and brand executives. He is the founder and CEO of X3M Ideas, an independent agency he built into a continental player, and the founder of music label X3M Music. A former president of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), he is widely regarded as a creative leader who has shaped major campaigns and championed homegrown agency talent.
Steve Ayorinde
Journalist, Film critic, author, and culture administrator. He was editor of The Punch and founding editor of National Mirror, later serving as Lagos State Commissioner first for Tourism, Arts and Culture and then for Information and Strategy. He founded The Culture Newspaper and sits on international film festival juries, making him one of Nigeria’s most authoritative voices on film and cultural policy.
Obi Asika
Veteran entertainment entrepreneur and currently the Director-General of Nigeria’s National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), appointed in January 2024 by President Bola Tinubu. Before the role he built Storm 360/Storm Records into one of Nigeria’s most successful entertainment brands and was executive producer of major franchise productions including the first Big Brother Naija (2006), The Apprentice Africa (2008), and Naija Sings. He also co-founded Social Media Week Lagos and has long advocated for Nigeria’s creative economy.
Deola Art Alade
Creative executive and serial entrepreneur, and one of the most influential women in African entertainment. She is Group CEO of Livespot360, the experiential and production company she runs alongside her husband, singer Darey Art Alade. She produces The Real Housewives of Lagos, brought Cardi B to Africa via the Livespot X Festival, and conceived Entertainment Week Lagos (now Entertainment Week Africa) in 2022. A Harvard Business School alumna, she has crafted experiences for Amazon, Netflix, Meta, and other global brands
TY Bello
Celebrated photographer, singer-songwriter, and worship artist. She first gained fame as a member of the female group KUSH before becoming one of Nigeria’s most sought-after portrait photographers, shooting presidents, dignitaries, and major cultural figures. She is also known for her gospel music and her photography projects spotlighting everyday Nigerians.
Kelechi Amadi-Obi
Leading Nigerian photographer and visual artist who trained originally as a lawyer. He is known for striking fashion, portrait, and fine-art photography, and founded Mania magazine and the Kelechi Amadi-Obi Studios. His work has helped define the visual language of contemporary Nigerian fashion and celebrity imagery.
Martins Remilekun Olaitan
Leading tourism practitioner, cultural strategist, and community development entrepreneur, founder of Sceptre & More Concepts and Sceptre Tourism and Ariel Remar Associates Ltd, building an integrated tourism-to-real-estate model anchored in community empowerment and organising cultural festivals, tourism expos, and community summits.
Wole Oguntokun
Playwright, theatre director, and producer, and a trained lawyer. He founded Renegade Theatre and the long-running Theatre@Terra series, and has staged productions in Nigeria and internationally, including at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. He is a prominent columnist and one of the most consistent forces in keeping Nigerian stage theatre alive and visible.
DJ Sose
One of Nigeria’s foremost disc jockeys, music producers, and audio engineers, real name Thomas “Soseneyayi” Amar-Aigbe. Born in 1981 to an Edo State father and a Hungarian mother, he is widely recognized for the distinctive tattoo on his face and his bald look. He has performed at major events worldwide and served as a judge on Nigerian Idol, and is a fixture on the high-end corporate and club circuit.
Kaffy
Celebrated dancer, choreographer, and dance entrepreneur often called Nigeria’s “dance queen,” born Kafayat Shafau-Ameh. She once held a Guinness World Record for the longest dance party and founded Imagneto Dance Company and the Dance Guild of Nigeria. She has been a driving force in professionalizing dance as a career in Nigeria.
Teju Babyface
Comedian and television talk-show host, born Teju Oyelakin. He rose to fame as a stand-up comedian before launching The Teju Babyface Show, a long-running celebrity interview program that became one of the most recognizable talk shows on Nigerian TV. He has since built a brand around comedy, hosting, and motivational speaking.
Ayo Makun
Comedian, actor, producer, and filmmaker, popularly known as AY. He hosts the flagship comedy concert AY Live and produced and starred in box-office Nollywood hits like 30 Days in Atlanta and A Trip to Jamaica, among the highest-grossing films in Nigerian cinema history. He is a central figure in mainstreaming Nigerian comedy into film and large-scale live events.
Gbenga Adeyinka
Veteran comedian and master of ceremonies who performs as “Gbenga Adeyinka D’ 1st,” one of the elder statesmen of Nigerian stand-up. He founded the Laffmattazz comedy franchise, which tours cities across Nigeria, and has mentored a generation of younger comedians. He carries the self-styled title “Comedian General.”
Basketmouth
One of Nigeria and Africa’s most internationally recognized stand-up comedians, born Bright Okpocha. He built a global touring career, created the comedy series and brand around Papa Benji, and has expanded into music production and podcasting. He is widely credited with helping take Nigerian comedy to international stages.
Chris Ubosi
Media executive and managing director of Megalectrics, the company behind some of Lagos’s most popular radio brands including The Beat 99.9 FM, Naija FM, Classic FM, and Lagos Talks. He is regarded as one of the architects of modern commercial radio in Nigeria, shaping urban broadcast culture in Lagos.
Tajudeen Adepetu
Pioneering media entrepreneur and the founder of Consolidated Media Associates (CMA). He is the force behind influential platforms including Soundcity, the music magazine and television franchise, and various entertainment programming staples. He is considered one of the early builders of Nigeria’s music and entertainment broadcasting infrastructure.
Ben Murray-Bruce
Businessman, politician, and media mogul, founder of the Silverbird Group, which spans cinemas, Silverbird Television, Rhythm FM, and the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant. A former Director-General of the National Theatre and a former senator representing Bayelsa East, he is one of the most prominent figures in Nigerian entertainment and media business.
Amin Moussalli
Lebanese-born businessman based in Nigeria and one of the country’s biggest radio owners. Through his AIM Group, he founded and operates the dominant Cool FM, Wazobia FM, and Nigeria Info FM stations, and later launched Cool TV and Wazobia TV. His broader business interests span construction, engineering, and communications, and he is widely seen as a major force in shaping modern Nigerian commercial broadcasting, especially Pidgin-language radio.
Jahman Anikulapo
Veteran arts journalist, editor, and cultural producer. As a longtime arts and culture editor at The Guardian (Nigeria), he became one of the most authoritative chroniclers of Nigerian arts, and he has convened and curated numerous cultural festivals and platforms. He is a respected gatekeeper and advocate in the literary, theatre, and visual arts communities.
Ogbonna Amadi
Entertainment journalist and editor, long associated with Vanguard newspaper as its entertainment editor and a key voice in entertainment coverage. He has been an active commentator, events producer, and connector within the Nigerian music and showbiz industry. He is recognized as one of the senior entertainment press figures of his generation.
Olisa Adibua
Pioneering broadcaster, DJ, and music producer, and a co-founder of Megalectrics alongside Chris Ubosi, helping build The Beat FM and Rhythm FM. A radio and TV personality with deep roots in Nigeria’s hip-hop and entertainment scene, he managed and mentored artists and was a familiar voice across decades of Nigerian media. (Confirm his current status independently before using this in any filing.)
Ali Baba
Widely regarded as the father of modern Nigerian stand-up comedy, born Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome. He turned comedy into a viable, structured profession in Nigeria, mentoring nearly every major comedian who followed and headlining landmark shows for decades. He remains an industry elder statesman, MC, and businessman.
At CEAN, we remain committed to building a trusted platform that celebrates creativity, rewards excellence, and supports the continued growth of Nigeria’s creative economy.