Award celebrates Best African Business

LAST month, the Afroshine Best African Business and Entrepreneurship Award found a home in Ballarat with a new winner.

Principal consulting process engineer and director of MKPro Engineering Group, Dr Michael Akindeju received the honour at Africa Media Australia’s ceremony for his injection of knowledge, entrepreneurial skills and mentorship into the African Australian business community.

With 200 nominees and 20 successful awardees throughout proceedings, Dr Akindeju said the gongs were prestigious.

“There were people nominated from all over Australia and they’re the foremost African awards in the country,” he said.

“They’re highly contested, so it’s something I’m very happy about. It validates what we’re doing here in Ballarat.”

He said his established business supports credible clientele, making him proud to be one of many African Australian contributors to the economy in Ballarat and regional Victoria.

“We want to be celebrating the achievements of our people, so for me to have won the award is validating our desire, and I want it to reflect on the Ballarat African Association.

“Africans in Ballarat are doing very well and we are contributing more than our fair share to the economy. We want to raise the profile of African Australians in Ballarat generally,” Dr Akindeju said.

The Afroshine Awards celebrate the achievements and stories of African Australians around Victoria and across the country.

Dr Akindeju was also given a Premier’s Award for Business Excellence in 2015.