Daniel Itegboje

Daniel is not your typical medical student. While studying at the University of Benin – where he has never repeated a single exam despite a rigorous curriculum – he’s also become one of Nigeria’s rising stars in documentary filmmaking. His work bridges two worlds: medicine and storytelling, healing not just bodies, but minds and communities.

His latest film, O.Y.O (On Your Own), is the first of its kind to spotlight the "Elema" boys – young children surviving on the streets of Benin City. The film, told through an immersive and observational lens, has now been selected for over 24 film festivals across 12 countries and four continents, including the Oscar-qualifying Durban International Film Festival. It was also nominated for Best Documentary at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) – one of the most prestigious film recognitions in Africa.

The impact hasn’t stopped at awareness. Daniel is now working with local NGOs to launch a rehabilitation and reintegration centre for the Elema boys, aiming to provide safe shelter, education, vocational training, and healthcare. If awarded the Global Student Prize, Daniel plans to use the funds to bring this center to life and expand long-term solutions for child homelessness in Nigeria.

Beyond O.Y.O, the first five episodes from his YouTube series Stories from Benin have earned over 150,000 views, spotlighting overlooked local narratives about resilience, volunteering, and climate justice. As co-founder of 3WM Productions, Daniel uses storytelling as a tool for social change. His creative leadership earned him selection by Sony for the Future Filmmaker Awards in Los Angeles and by the French Embassy to attend FIPADOC in France – two of the most competitive international recognitions for emerging filmmakers.

Inside the classroom, Daniel’s leadership continues. He serves as the Local Officer for Medical Outreach under the Nigerian Medical Students Association (NIMSA), and Head of Public Health Outreach at his university, leading free screenings and health education drives that have reached over 2,000 students. He also organised the first Tech in Medicine Conference at the university, introducing peers to digital health, AI, and telemedicine.

As a Global Arts in Medicine Fellow and Story Mi Documentary Fellow, he has mentored youth, facilitated storytelling labs, and trained young women in filmmaking across Nigeria. Through platforms like his Instagram account The Media Twins, which he co-runs with his brother, Daniel encourages young Africans to believe in the power of dual passions.

If Daniel were to win the Global Student Prize, he would use the funds to create a rehabilitation and reintegration centre for the Elema boys, a group of children who grow up on the streets of Benin City who featured in O.Y.O. The centre would provide basic needs, education, health and psychological support, community advocacy, being a sustainable model to uplift street children in Benin City and beyond.