Abdulrazak Gurnah Named Among Forbes Africa’s 15 Icons
Nobel Prize-winning novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah has been named among Forbes Africa’s first Icons list, a selection of 15 individuals recognised for shaping the continent’s past, present and future. Unveiled to mark the magazine’s 15th anniversary, the list spans business, politics, sport, music and entertainment, with Gurnah standing out as its only literary novelist. Born in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Gurnah received the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature for his compassionate exploration of colonialism and the experiences of refugees caught between cultures and continents. His novels include Paradise and Afterlives, which examine the legacies of colonial rule and the histories that shape individual lives. In its profile of the author, Forbes Africa highlights his reflections on the patience required by a life devoted to writing.
Gurnah is the only literary writer on the list, but he is not the only person recognised who has published a book. Eight of the 15 honourees have authored books, spanning memoir, public policy, children’s literature, autobiography and leadership. They include Trevor Noah, whose memoir Born a Crime recounts his childhood in apartheid-era South Africa; World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, author of Reforming the Unreformable; former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, whose memoir is titled This Child Will Be Great; and Kenyan-Mexican actor Lupita Nyong’o, author of the children’s book Sulwe. The list also includes musician Angélique Kidjo, former footballer Didier Drogba and Discovery Group founder Adrian Gore, whose books reflect their experiences in music, sport and business. Their presence illustrates how writing can become part of a public figure’s contribution beyond their primary profession.
The 15 Icons also include business leaders Aliko Dangote, Strive Masiyiwa, Patrice Motsepe and Johann Rupert; media entrepreneur Mo Abudu; musician Burna Boy; and Olympic champion Haile Gebrselassie. Nigeria and South Africa each account for four people on the list, while Gurnah shares the distinction of being a Nobel laureate with former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. According to Forbes Africa, its selection considered each individual’s capabilities, global recognition, legacy and measurable economic, social or cultural influence. Gurnah’s inclusion places African literature within a broader account of the people shaping the continent’s public life, recognising the reach of a literary career alongside achievements in business, politics, sport and entertainment.
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