SHE'S AN award-winning documentary filmmaker who
has interviewed some of the world's top leaders and
just last month made history by becoming the youngest
person to be interviewed by Forbes magazine.
But Zuriel Oduwale maintains she is a regular 11-year-
old girl who enjoys nothing more than to play her
Nintendo Wii and board games with her family.
"I do all the usual things like go to the mall with my
mum and sisters and ride my bike with my neighbours,"
she says, although she is more than aware her life
differs slightly from most girls her age.
"I am in a home school-based curriculum, so that allows
me to get ahead in my school work and then I have
some time to travel for my extra curricular
programmes like my Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up
programme, or interviewing leaders for my
documentaries."
Touted as the next Oprah Winfrey, Zuriel is committed
to rebranding Africa by showing the positive things
about the continent, and campaigning for education for
girls.
Some of the high-profile names Zuriel has enjoyed
exclusive one-to-one time with include Nigerian
president Goodluck Jonathan and her personal
favourite, Prime Minister of Jamaica, Portia Simpson.
"She held my hands and prayed for me and then she put
me on her lap to take official pictures with her, which
was very different from all the other 13 presidents and
prime ministers I have interviewed."
Zuriel, which is Hebrew for 'God is my Rock', believes
by leading by example, girls may be inspired by her
journey and do the same. That, she believes, can show
her peers and the world the need to educate the
continent's often forgotten girl child.
Zuriel's vision for her Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up
programme is to inspire girls to "accomplish their
dreams like me" by using it as a platform to push the
influential work she is doing around the globe.
When talk moves to the future of the 200 girls
kidnapped by Islamic extremists in Nigeria last month,
the 11-year-old said she was both "sad but relieved at
the same time."
She explains: "Sad because I can't imagine being taken
to some strange place by some strange people, but
relieved because the whole world is talking about it so
maybe something can now be done."
Keen to prove age is nothing but a number, Zuriel
wants to show parents – and the world – by "using me
as an example, what their children can do".
Zuriel began pursuing documentary-making and
journalism when she was nine after entering a
competition in the United States, where she resides
with her Mauritian mother and Nigerian father and
three siblings – two sisters and one brother. The
competition asked applicants to produce a
documentary "about a revolution or reaction in
history".
"I knew right away what I wanted to do even though I
was only nine. It was my opportunity to find a
successful revolution and show the world that Africa is
not all bad."
In a typical day, Zuriel and her nine-year-old sister are
made to watch an hour of news and asked to write –
and later discuss – what they have heard with their
parents.
"When I watch the news, I find that most of the news
about Africa was always negative, so I thought I could
show something that was positive like a successful
revolution."
She then began research on the Ghana revolution, the
1979 uprising which arose out of a combination of
corruption, bad governance, lack of discipline in the
army and frustrations among the general public. Her
research took her to the African continent where she
was able to interview flight Lieutenant Jerry John
Rawlings, who led a coup and later became the
country's head of state.
"I had to take my own camera to interview President
Rawlings, set it up, write my own questions, shoot the
clips and do the editing because that was the rules of
the competition," she says. "It was hard, but I did it.
Sometimes I was working late after doing my
homework to complete it."
But her hard work has paid off. Last year, aged 10,
Zuriel made history by becoming the youngest person
ever to be interviewed by the prestigious Forbes
magazine.
"[At the time] I didn't understand why they wanted to
interview me," she says coolly. "It wasn't until they said
even though the work I was doing for girls' education
in Africa was not about wealth creation, it was too
special to ignore. They wanted it in their women's
future leader edition.
"I think it's pretty cool now. I understand what it
means and more importantly, a few months before, Mr
Aliko Dangote, the richest black man in the world, who
I have interviewed, was featured in the magazine. I feel
really special."
Though Zuriel hopes to explore her chances in
basketball and robotic engineering, her life-long goal is
to become president of the United States.
"People always ask why I don't want to be the president
of an African country, but I feel if I am president of an
African country, I might be able to affect one or two
other countries, but if I am president of the United
States, not only would I be able to affect the United
States, but most countries in the world including those
in Africa and the Caribbean region. That way, I can
change the way girls are educated around the world."
has interviewed some of the world's top leaders and
just last month made history by becoming the youngest
person to be interviewed by Forbes magazine.
But Zuriel Oduwale maintains she is a regular 11-year-
old girl who enjoys nothing more than to play her
Nintendo Wii and board games with her family.
"I do all the usual things like go to the mall with my
mum and sisters and ride my bike with my neighbours,"
she says, although she is more than aware her life
differs slightly from most girls her age.
"I am in a home school-based curriculum, so that allows
me to get ahead in my school work and then I have
some time to travel for my extra curricular
programmes like my Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up
programme, or interviewing leaders for my
documentaries."
Touted as the next Oprah Winfrey, Zuriel is committed
to rebranding Africa by showing the positive things
about the continent, and campaigning for education for
girls.
Some of the high-profile names Zuriel has enjoyed
exclusive one-to-one time with include Nigerian
president Goodluck Jonathan and her personal
favourite, Prime Minister of Jamaica, Portia Simpson.
"She held my hands and prayed for me and then she put
me on her lap to take official pictures with her, which
was very different from all the other 13 presidents and
prime ministers I have interviewed."
Zuriel, which is Hebrew for 'God is my Rock', believes
by leading by example, girls may be inspired by her
journey and do the same. That, she believes, can show
her peers and the world the need to educate the
continent's often forgotten girl child.
Zuriel's vision for her Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up
programme is to inspire girls to "accomplish their
dreams like me" by using it as a platform to push the
influential work she is doing around the globe.
When talk moves to the future of the 200 girls
kidnapped by Islamic extremists in Nigeria last month,
the 11-year-old said she was both "sad but relieved at
the same time."
She explains: "Sad because I can't imagine being taken
to some strange place by some strange people, but
relieved because the whole world is talking about it so
maybe something can now be done."
Keen to prove age is nothing but a number, Zuriel
wants to show parents – and the world – by "using me
as an example, what their children can do".
Zuriel began pursuing documentary-making and
journalism when she was nine after entering a
competition in the United States, where she resides
with her Mauritian mother and Nigerian father and
three siblings – two sisters and one brother. The
competition asked applicants to produce a
documentary "about a revolution or reaction in
history".
"I knew right away what I wanted to do even though I
was only nine. It was my opportunity to find a
successful revolution and show the world that Africa is
not all bad."
In a typical day, Zuriel and her nine-year-old sister are
made to watch an hour of news and asked to write –
and later discuss – what they have heard with their
parents.
"When I watch the news, I find that most of the news
about Africa was always negative, so I thought I could
show something that was positive like a successful
revolution."
She then began research on the Ghana revolution, the
1979 uprising which arose out of a combination of
corruption, bad governance, lack of discipline in the
army and frustrations among the general public. Her
research took her to the African continent where she
was able to interview flight Lieutenant Jerry John
Rawlings, who led a coup and later became the
country's head of state.
"I had to take my own camera to interview President
Rawlings, set it up, write my own questions, shoot the
clips and do the editing because that was the rules of
the competition," she says. "It was hard, but I did it.
Sometimes I was working late after doing my
homework to complete it."
But her hard work has paid off. Last year, aged 10,
Zuriel made history by becoming the youngest person
ever to be interviewed by the prestigious Forbes
magazine.
"[At the time] I didn't understand why they wanted to
interview me," she says coolly. "It wasn't until they said
even though the work I was doing for girls' education
in Africa was not about wealth creation, it was too
special to ignore. They wanted it in their women's
future leader edition.
"I think it's pretty cool now. I understand what it
means and more importantly, a few months before, Mr
Aliko Dangote, the richest black man in the world, who
I have interviewed, was featured in the magazine. I feel
really special."
Though Zuriel hopes to explore her chances in
basketball and robotic engineering, her life-long goal is
to become president of the United States.
"People always ask why I don't want to be the president
of an African country, but I feel if I am president of an
African country, I might be able to affect one or two
other countries, but if I am president of the United
States, not only would I be able to affect the United
States, but most countries in the world including those
in Africa and the Caribbean region. That way, I can
change the way girls are educated around the world."
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