Meet the Judges' Panel for Alumni Awards 2024-25

Alex Lichtenfels is a filmmaker and theorist who lectures in film production at the University of Greenwich. Before that he worked as a freelance producer in corporate and advertising for several years, producing content for high-end brands such as Apple, Starbucks, and Msheireb. His independent films comprise various genres – arthouse, documentary and naturalist – but are linked by an interest in how the process of filmmaking can be informed by ethical and political principles. 

Amarachi is a beneficiary of the Festivals programme where young emerging artists are programmed from the UK in West African Festivals and vice versa. The programme also includes a training strand through workshops and short secondments in the UK and West Africa

Anas, a 2009 MSc graduate in Environmental Engineering from Imperial College London, is the founder of Yoda Box—an EdTech company enabling children to access educational videos offline.

In 2021, Yoda Box successfully transferred its premium educational content catalog to UNICEF for wider distribution. Grateful for the impact of UK education on his career, he has returned to pursue a PhD. He also currently serves as a Special Advisor to the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI.

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AnuOluwapo Adelakun is an award-winning investigative journalist, documentary filmmaker, and policy researcher amplifying marginalized voices in Nigeria. A Chevening Scholar with a master’s from Sussex, she has led investigations influencing policy and securing justice. A Pulitzer Center grantee, she directs Project Nigeria and mentors young journalists. Recognized with the 2023 Kevin Carmody Award and a 2024 AMVCA nomination, she drives systemic change through fearless storytelling.

Arukaino Umukoro began his professional career as a journalist with the National Standard news magazine in 2007. In the same year, he won the National Standard’s ‘Writer of the Year’ award. 

He has also worked with one of Nigeria’s most recognised independent weekly magazine, TELL; and PUNCH, Nigeria’s most widely read newspaper, covering investigative and development stories, ranging from human rights, health, environment, politics, sports and education. He is a recipient of several awards.

Bikiya Graham-Douglas is an award-winning Nigerian-British actress, singer, and producer with 13+ years in theatre, film, and TV. She founded Beeta Universal Arts Foundation, launching the Beeta Playwright Competition and Beeta Arts Festival, producing 300+ events. Her works include Ada the Country, God Calling, and Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. She serves on the Ladima Foundation board and is a cultural advocate reshaping Africa’s narrative through storytelling.

Dr Cassandra Akinde is a public health physician working in the nexus of preventive medicine and epidemiology. In 2020, she obtained a master's in Tropical Medicine and International Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK. She observes that studying at LSHTM has accelerated her professional and organisational growth through upskilling her epidemiology and research skills, expanding her network globally and teaching her how to influence policy.