Robot Boii, a renowned dancer and music star, is brimming with pride after being honoured for his exceptional personality and industry influence at the prestigious Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards (YOBAs).
The awards ceremony took place amid social media scrutiny with calls from some for Boii not to be voted due to his failure to condemn his friend Mr. JazziQ, who was facing allegations of sexual harassment.
But Boii’s social media followers rallied around him, leading to his win in the Top Personalities & Influencers category, and being recognised as the Overall Top Brand.
After striking it rich at YOBAs, Robot Boii encouraged followers to build their own brands rather than careers.
“The overall top brand award is personal to me. In all my interviews, I always tell my people to not build careers but brands, because when you are a brand, you can change careers and not die when a career dies — you can do multiple things at the same time, understanding that it is all possible.”
Founder of the YOBAs, Pat Mahlangu, expressed his enthusiasm about this year’s winners, highlighting that the awards showcased the excellence and innovation of young African brand owners, who were driving positive change across the continent.
“The 2024 Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards have showcased the excellence and innovation of young African brand owners. The winners are not just building brands; they are driving positive change across the continent, and we are here to witness it.
“The Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards extend heartfelt congratulations to all the winners, recognising their hard work, dedication, and ingenuity in shaping the future of African entrepreneurship.”
This year’s winners were selected from a pool of 76 contenders from around Africa, and the winning companies were recognised for their outstanding influence and innovation in their respective industries by over 30 000 voters.
The awards recognise young African entrepreneurs and brand owners who have revolutionised their industries and demonstrated exceptional excellence in creating their own brands.
Thebe Magugu, a South African fashion icon, was awarded the first Global Excellence Award by the awards in collaboration with Brand SA.
The third annual ceremony was held at The Capital on the Park in Sandton.
The Star
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za