Saturday, 15 October 2022, was a night of excellence that should have occurred a long time ago.
We are migrants. For us, we are best defined as the people who have lived the first parts of our lives in Nigeria before coming over to England to start again, to try and improve our lives and that of our families at home. This night we reminded ourselves where we have come from and celebrated what we have achieved.
As a migrant, there are many dreams that we naturally assumed were not for us. To put it bluntly there are Royal British awards that we believed would never be bestowed on one of us.
We grew up in a country that taught us that financial success is the only accepted form of success. We have never known how to celebrate people whose achievements are of a humanitarian nature. But it is that humanitarian work, that work that impacts and improves the lives of people, that has been recognised by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Let me put in in context by telling you the names of some of the people the Queen has recognised, David Beckham OBE, Ralph Lauren KBE, Adele MBE, Catherine Zeta Jones CBE, Angelina Jolie, etc Now quietly add onto that list, Philip Orumwense CBE, Joyce Obaseki MBE & Ehinor Otaigbe Amedu (The Queen’s award).
The humanitarian nature, hard work, leadership qualities and boldness of our people have broken uncharted territory. We are on the world stage celebrating our own, CBE, MBE, OBE and the Queen’s award. The people mentioned above did that for us.
When Princess Theresa Erediauwa and Prince Ekpen Erediauwa heard that access to dignitaries to help us celebrate these monumental achievements were in short supply, they could not believe it. We lamented that letters and correspondence written over the years to Nigerian institutions including The Embassy and Government offices at home informing them of Nigerian successes in Diaspora were not acknowledged. The Princess & Prince of The Benin Kingdom were all too happy to assist and ensure this celebration happened.
On the night of the 15th October 2022 we celebrated those Nigerians that have received honours from Queen Elizabeth II. They told us their stories, how they have come from families with no hope in Nigeria, how they had worked as cleaners and porters in England with no parental guidance, how they had set up an organisation that had helped thousands of people, how they had been contacted by Buckingham Palace and their achievements recognised by the Queen. Their speeches were inspirational. We were celebrating our own history and the path we have laid out for future generations of Nigerian and African migrants coming to England. Nigerians have been laying positive foundations in England over the last 20 years plus, especially us migrants that I defined above. Before last Saturday’s Nigerian Excellence Night, we had just forgotten to celebrate ourselves. The reasons were all stated on the night.
At this event, Nigerian Diaspora authors who have published books were also celebrated and encouraged. Books that fulfil our Nigerian potential in Diaspora and help us tackle social problems at home. What they are doing is inspirational, knowledgeable and opening doors for Nigerians and generations of blacks in the UK African community. Princess Iguehide Erediauwa Okojie, Solomon Aletor, Patrick Maidoh and Kede Aihie were given awards for ensuring our knowledge and challenges are documented and understood by generations to come.
Nosayaba Iyamu received a sports excellence award for providing opportunities for children’s professional football careers and Edo Development Aid UK received an award for charity activities in UK and Edo State during the pandemic.
The Diaspora History makers will be celebrated yearly as the people above should never be forgotten because of what they have achieved for all of us.
Obaghator Kpere
Ise
The Editor