For her immense contributions to human rights and sustainability, award-winning
Nigerian broadcaster and columnist, Funmi Iyanda, will become the first African
woman to be conferred with a honorary fellowship from the University of Cumbria.
The award will be bestowed to her at a graduation ceremony in the historic
Carlisle Cathedral in Cumbria, North West England.

Reacting to the honour, the media mogul said, “I am truly
honoured to have my work and career recognized by such a historic institution
and thankful for a great space to contribute to a diverse body of knowledge.”

IFLAS Founder and Professor of Sustainability Leadership, Jem Bendell,
affirmed that, “She
demonstrates how celebrity and media can be used to raise the level of debate
about what kind of society, politics and economy we want.

“Given
the gossip and squabbling in much mainstream media, it is important that our
cultural leaders call us to consider what really matters in life, like poverty,
equality, and the environment.  We look forward to working further with
Funmi on a range of our activities in both the UK and Africa.”

A graduate of University Of Ibadan, the talk show host produced Nigeria’s
popular talk show New Dawn with Funmi, which aired on the national network
for over eight years. Funmi is the CEO of Ignite Media, a content-driven media organization
operating out of Lagos and is also a Director at Creation Television, a film
production company in the United Kingdom, acquiring classic African literary
content for film adaptation to a global audience. She was recently named one of
Forbes 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa and recognized by the World Economic
Forum making her a Young Global Leader (YGL).