UNGA: How DJ Cuppy Made History at United Nations General Assembly
Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, widely known as DJ Cuppy, daughter of Nigerian business mogul and billionaire Femi Otedola, recently made history as the first Nigerian to host an opening session at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, US.
Last Friday at 79th UNGA, DJ Cuppy, founder of the Cuppy Foundation, opened the 2024 UNGA Summit Youth Action Day session, which focused on the theme, “The Summit of the Future – Youth Action Day,” marking a significant professional milestone in her career. Following her keynote address, Cuppy also delivered an inspiring musical performance.
Her billionaire father, Otedola, proudly celebrated her achievement on X, expressing his pride in her accomplishments. In his words,” Overwhelmed with pride as my daughter @cuppymusic makes history as the first Nigerian to host the UN General Assembly opening session.”
Before the aforementioned post, the proud father of the young talent had announced the opening session beckoning his followers to join the livestream via the links he shared.
This noble recognition came shortly after DJ Cuppy announced her philanthropic initiative aimed at supporting African students studying abroad. This initiative was unveiled at her alma mater, New York University (NYU), where she shared her vision through an Instagram video on her official handle, @cuppymusic.
Aside from her DJ and music career, 30-year-old Cuppy is a philanthropist and has been inducted into Forbes Magazine’s 30 under 30. She has also earned three academic degrees – a degree in business and economics from King’s College London, a master’s degrees in music business from New York University (NYU, Steinhardt), and in African studies from Oxford University – showcasing her commitment to education and knowledge.
After her graduation, Cuppy established a gift of £100,000 to the Africa Oxford Initiative, in support of African graduate students at Oxford.
“The Cuppy Africa Oxford Scholars Fund aims to support future leaders from the continent by enabling them to access the necessary skills, resources and networks to maximise their impact across Africa and beyond. The fund supports African graduate students at the University to meet unexpected and urgent financial needs and undertake activities that will ensure the pursuit of excellence in their graduate studies,” the university stated.
In a post on X dated September 19, Cuppy wrote, “Launching the Cuppy Fund at NYU is a dream come true. Imagine returning to the same school I attended 10 years ago, now with the chance to give back to African students—what a full circle. God is so good!”
This announcement has garnered widespread praise on social media, with users like @the_kofoworola expressing gratitude for being among the first recipients of the Cuppy Africa Steinhardt Scholars Award, which provides stipends to two students in full-time graduate programs at NYU Steinhardt (School of Culture, Education, and Human Development) to meet their urgent financial needs.
At NYU, Cuppy interned at Roc Nation with Jay-Z and was the resident DJ for the MTV2 show “Uncommon Sense.” She was also awarded the University’s 2017 Alumni Artistic Achievement Award.
“School is not a scam,” Cuppy emphasized recently in a post she made on X on September 21.
Beyond her academic achievements, she is a passionate advocate for African culture and empowerment, consistently giving back to her community. In a recent post, she declared, “Hardly home but always reppin…” embodying her role as a true ambassador of African heritage.
With her blend of musical talent, academic prowess, and philanthropic spirit, DJ Cuppy continues to inspire a new generation of African youths, making significant strides in the creative sector.
