Photo credit: asaofficial/Instagram

Bukola Elemide, better known as Aṣa, has been named a 2025 Yale World Fellow. The Nigerian singer-songwriter joins a global network of changemakers selected for this prestigious programme, which brings together leaders from different fields for an intensive four-month experience at Yale University.

The Yale World Fellows programme, run by the university’s International Leadership Centre, is a flagship initiative designed to nurture leadership and expand global perspectives. Each year, 16 individuals are chosen from thousands of applicants for academic enrichment and leadership training. Since its launch in 2002, the program has welcomed over 400 Fellows from 101 countries.

“World Fellows are operating with remarkable savvy and often immense courage on the frontlines of the fight for a better world,” said Emma Sky, director of Yale’s International Leadership Centre. “In this era of global upheaval and uncertainty – which drives many to cynicism and apathy – the 2025 World Fellows are daring to envision and build an optimistic future. We very much look forward to welcoming them to Yale.”

This year’s Fellows include professionals from politics, media, international development, and justice. Alongside Aṣa, the 2025 Yale World Fellows are:

Akim Daouda – Founder and CEO, Mwaana, Inc.
Amna Baig – Superintendent of Police, Police Service of Pakistan
Tamar Chugoshvili – Democracy Advocate and Executive Director, Egeria Solutions
Mariam El Marakeshy – Storyteller, Filmmaker, Educator, and Cultural Specialist
Sonam Kinga – Visiting Research Scholar, Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University
Vivian López Núñez – Judge, Judiciary of Paraguay
Trinh Nguyen – Country Director, TRAFFIC International Vietnam
Garo Paylan – Visiting Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carlos Quintero Herrera Lasso – Lawyer, Policy Expert, and Community Organiser
Mohammed Rezwan – Executive Director, Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha
Rhea See – Co-Founder and CEO, She Loves Tech
Stav Shaffir – President, Ministry of the Future
Mathias Wikström – CEO & Co-Founder, Doconomy
Wei Xing – Founder, China Fact Check
Mikhail Zygar – Author, Commentator, and Media Entrepreneur