By Femi Akinpelu Joseph
Birthdays are special days of birth of different individuals, and it is remembered and celebrated by people all over the world. People across the globe are known to set aside time to celebrate these special days marking the event of their birth, every successive year.
Now, we take a look at those famous folks born in January, and that have carved a niche for themselves, in various areas of their chosen careers.
Let us, therefore, celebrate these very popular January-born achievers that have impacted us and inspired this world in their generation.
1. Mohammed Ali
Mohammed Ali, who was originally named Cassius Clay at birth, was an American heavyweight boxer. He was born on 17th of January 1942, in Louisville, USA, and died on the 3rd of June, 2016.
2. Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook (Alicia Keys) is an American RnB/soul, hip hop singer and song writer, pianist and actress. She was born on the 25th of January, 1981, in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York, U.S.A. Keys has won several music awards including 15 Grammy awards.
Princess Catherine Elizabeth, nee Middleton (Duchess of Cambridge) is a British and the wife of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and (a grandson to queen Elizabeth II of United Kingdom). Catherine was born on the 9th of January, 1982, in Royal Berkshire Hospital, England. She got married to Prince William on 29th April, 2011.
4. Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson is an American actor and film maker. He was born in Peekskill, New York, USA on the 3rd of January, 1956. Gibson is best known as an action hero for such roles as Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon buddy cop film series.
5. Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama is the immediate past First Lady of the United States of America (USA). She is the wife of the very first black president of the United States, Barack Obama. She was born on the 17th of January, 1964 in Chicago. She is an American by nationality.
6. Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean)
Rowan Sebastian Atkinson, CBE, is an English actor and comedian, he is popularly known as Mr. Bean (the popular character) from his many series of comedy movies. Mr. bean was born on 6th of January, 1955, in Consett, County Durham, England. He is a British national.
7. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor and professional, who became very famous with the popular Oprah Winfrey Show, was born on the 29th of January, 1954. She was born in Kosciusko, US, and she retired as a talk show broadcaster in the year 2011.
8. Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley was an American pop/rock and roll singer and an actor, known to be very popular in the 60s and 70s. Presley who was named the king of Rock and Roll, was born on the 8th of January, 1935. He died on 16 August, 1977.
9. R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly (R. Kelly) is an American RnB, soul, gospel singer, song-writer, record producer, actor, and former basketball player. He was born on the 8th of January, 1967, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Kelly has written, produced and remixed songs and albums for many artists including Aaliyah and Michael Jackson.
10. Rick Ross
William Leonard Roberts II, popularly known by his stage name as Rick Ross is an American rapper, song writer and an entrepreneur. He was on the 28th of January, 1976, in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. He is the founder of Maybach Music Group.
11. Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher is a retired German Formula one (F1) racing driver. He was born in Hurth, West Germany, on the 3rd of January, 1969. Schumacher is a seven-time champion of Formula One, and he is regarded as one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all time. He retired from Formula One racing sports in 2002.
12. Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake is an American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. He was born on the 31st of January, 1981, in Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A. Timberlake rose to prominence as one of the two lead vocalists and youngest member of NSYNC, which eventually became one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.
13. Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard is a Belgian professional footballer who plays for Chelsea F.C and the Belgium national team. He plays as an attacking midfielder and as a wide midfielder. He was born on the 7th of January, 1991, in La Louviere, Belgium. He has been described as "a superb passer" and has earned critical acclaim for his playing style which has led to the media drawing comparisons to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
14. Luiz Suarez
Luis Suarez is an Uruguayan footballer who plays as a striker for Spanish club F.C Barcelona and the Uruguay national team. He was born on the 24th of January, 1987, in Salto, Uruguay. Suarez is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world.
15. Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige is an American singer, song writer, model, record producer, and actress. She was born on the 11th of January, 1971, in The Bronx, New York City, New York, U.S.A. Blige is a recipient of 9 Grammy awards, in addition to receiving a record of thirty Grammy nominations, and also known as the Queen of Hip Hop Soul.
16. Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben is a Dutch professional footballer who plays for German club Bayern Munich, and he is the captain of the Netherlands national team. He was born on the 23rd of January, 1984, in Bedum, Netherlands. Robben is known for his dribbling skills, speed, crossing ability and his accurate left foot long-range shots from the right wing.
17. Peter Crouch
Peter Crouch is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club, Stoke City. He was capped 42 times for the England national team between 2005 and 2010, scoring 22 goals in that time, and appearing in two world cups. He was born on the 30th of January, 1981, Macclesfield, England. He is 6ft 7 in (2.01 m).
18. Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin is an American gospel musician, choir director and author. He is known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew (1 NC), and has won multiple awards, including eight Grammy awards. He was born on the 26th of January, 1970, in Forth Worth, Texas, USA.
19. Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi Buffon is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. He captains both the Serie A club Juventus and the Italian national team. With 167 caps, Buffon is the most capped player in the history of the Italian national team. He was born on the 28th of January, 1978, in Carrara, Tuscany, Italy.
20. Xavi
Xavier 'Xavi' Hernandez Creus is a Spanish professional footballer who palys as a central midfielder for Qatari club Al Sadd F.C. Xavi came through La Masia, the Barcelona Youth academy, at the age of 11, and made his first-team debut against Mallorca in August 1998. Xavi is the first player in Barcelona history to play 150 international matches. He was born on the 25th of January, 1980, in Terrassa, Spain.
21. 9ice
9ice (born Alexander Abolore Adegbola Adigun) is a Nigerian hip hop and world fusion musician. He is a South-westerner from Ogbomosho, in Oyo State. He was born on the 17th of January, 1980, and grew up in the district of Bariga, Lagos.
22. Sade Adu
Helen Folasade Adu, known professionally as Sade Adu or simply Sade, is a Nigerian-born English singer, song-writer, composer, arranger and record producer. She was on the 16th of January, 1959, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. She is of British nationality.
23. Timi Dakolo
Timi Dakolo is a Nigerian singer. He emerged the winner of the inaugural season of Idols West Africa in 2007. He was born on the 20th of January, 1981, in Accra, Ghana. Dakolo was born to a Nigerian father, Bayelsa native, David, and a Ghanaian mother, Norah, who died when Dakolo was thirteen.
24. Jide Kosoko
Jide Kosoko is from the Kosoko royal family in Lagos Island. He studied Business Administration at Yaba College of Technology. He began his acting career as a child actor in 1964 in a television production, Makanjuola. He was born on the 12th of January, 1954 in Lagos Island, Nigeria. Kosoko has featured in several Nollywood movies of both English and Yoruba Genres.
25. Cobhams Asuquo
Cobhams Asuquo is a visually impaired Nigerian musician, producer, and song writer. In 2005, Asuquo was signed with Sony ATV London as a song writer. He was born on the 6th of January, 1981. He was responsible for Asa's highly acclaimed international album ASA and has been mentioned on many artists' sleeve credit as producer and writer.
