Esther Adeyanju
A Nigerian medical doctor, Freeman Osonuga is set to make a history as the first black African to embark on a strip to space following his selection through a programme called Rising Star.
Rising star is a programme initiated at the widely reported One Young World Summit in Dublin last year and it is aimed at giving inspiration to youths globally.
Freeman maintained that the trip to space will assist him in continuing his humanitarian works as he would have the wherewithal to achieve that on a larger scale. He added that it will also help to project Africa in a positive light to the world and change its bad impression.
“It is an opportunity of a lifetime and succeeding would help me do more humanitarian work.” he said
The Medicine and surgery graduate who recently completed a 6-month Medical Humanitarian Mission to Sierra Leone as part of African Union’s Ebola Response Team believes his story will inspire a lot of other young Nigerians and advised young people to dream big and pursue their dreams.
Oshonuga also added that his Heal the World Foundation Nigeria which showcased him to the international community and got him an invite to the One Young World Summit in Dublin is aimed at reaching out to the poor with one disability or the other who could not afford proper medical health care. He plans to use his adventure to space to initiate a Global Climate Care Advocacy Programme.
Oshonuga urges Nigerians to vote by visiting krugercowne.com/risingstarprogramme and tweeting with hashtag #Sendmetospace and #SendFreemantospace.
Freeman is a recipient of Meritorious Service Award from President Bai Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone. He is also a 2014 TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year and one of the 2013 Ten Outstanding Young Persons In Nigeria.
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