This Year’s Honours list, celebrate individuals who have “made achievements in public life” or “committed themselves to serving and helping the UK”. This year, women made up 47.9% of the 1,122 individuals on the list, while 15.1% are from a Black and Minority Ethnic background. Many of the famous names from the Black community appear to come from the media, politics, and entertainment industries.
By Professor Chris Imafidon – Never before has any British monarch given the highest honour to a black woman. So it was a huge surprise when Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed Baroness Valerie Amos with the honour of “Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter” in the latest honours list. Therefore, Rt Hon Valerie Amos who was the first black woman to serve in a British cabinet, and lead House of Lords, and also the first to head a British University achieves another historic first.
This is Britain’s highest order of chivalry. It is limited to a maximum of 24 individuals at any one time, and is in the personal gift of the monarch. Most of the previous recipients are former prime ministers. It is ancient and oldest order of Chivalry dating back 700 years and is one of the highest honours the monarch can bestow on anyone without any advice or input from politicians. Prince William, and Sir John Major are current knights of the order. And Sir Winston Churchill and Prince Philip were both given the award during their lifetimes.
A statement from Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint The Right Honourable Valerie Ann, Baroness Amos C.H. to be a Lady Companion.”
Valerie Amos was born in March 1954 on the island of Wakenaam, in Guyana but moved to the UK with her family in 1963 and built a career working for equal opportunities. During the last black history month, Baroness Amos was described as a transformative and inspirational figure.
The other members today includes the Queen, who is Sovereign of the Garter, very senior members of the royal family and 24 knights chosen in recognition of their work. The monarch personally selects the knights and companions. The knights are now both male and female and used to be restricted to the aristocracy but today they are chosen from a variety of backgrounds in recognition of public service.
RAISING THE NEXT GENERATION
Lady Amos is no stranger to raising the next generation or the academic world. She set up the famous Amos Bursary following the death of her parents, who were both teachers. The charity focuses on young men of African or Caribbean descent, who she found to have the highest failure rates in further education. “It’s about aspiration, and realising their potential,” she says.
KEY STATISTICS FOR AWARDS
15.1% of the successful candidates come from an ethnic minority background:
- 8.4% of recipients are from an Asian ethnic group
- 3.6% of recipients are from a black ethnic group
- 2.5% of recipients with a mixed ethnic background
- 0.6% of recipients come from another ethnic background
Veteran broadcaster Moira Stuart OBE is among BAME personalities on the New Year Honours list, becoming a CBE. She was the first black woman to read the news on British television from 1981, and her BBC radio and TV career spanned 40 years.
Moira, who was given an OBE in 2001, is receiving a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for her services to Media.
The award-winning Ms Stuart has says “it hasn’t been easy” but she is “moved and lifted” to be made a CBE in the New Year Honours.
The 72-year-old, who was the first African-Caribbean woman to read the news on British television, is recognised for her services to media.
Stuart became a Radio 4 newsreader and programme presenter after beginning her BBC career as a radio production assistant in the 1970s. She received an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh in 2006 and an honorary doctorate from Canterbury Christ Church University in January 2013.
Stuart has won numerous awards, including best newscaster of the year in the 1988 TV and Radio Industries Club Awards and the Women of Achievement television personality prize a year later.
Most recently, she received the Harvey Lee award for outstanding contribution to broadcasting at the Broadcasting Press Guild (BPG) ceremony in March 2020.
Fellow broadcaster – Margarita Taylor was also recognised. Margarita, who has been part of the Classic FM presenting team for over a decade, received an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for services to broadcasting and diversity.
Meanwhile, former human rights champion Trevor Phillips. Sir Phillips, (Ex- chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission), has been knighted for services to equality and human rights.
HONOURING LADIES
Ms Melanie Brown better known as “Mel B” one of the musical group – the SPICE Girls has been made an MBE for her work with the domestic violence charity Women’s Aid. And Ezechi Britton was recognised for services to Diversity and Young People and joins a number of other black Britons named in this year’s list
Jennifer Ogole, OBE a woman who fled the civil war in Uganda to form a charity is among a few individuals from Brent and Kilburn to be honoured. Jennifer Ogole, who formed BANG Edutainment, has been awarded an OBE for services to young people.
Born in Uganda, Jennifer and her family arrived as asylum seekers in the mid-1980s and moved to the Stonebridge Estate in Brent. This experience would pave the way for her looking to start a charity to help people with disadvantaged backgrounds.
Among the other black Britons recognised in the New Year’s honours list are dancer and choreographer Ashley Banjo who, has been made an MBE. The Diversity lead and TV presenter Ashley Banjo received an MBE for services to dance. Speaking later, Banjo said he was: “humbled and extremely proud to be receiving this honour. It really is the ultimate accolade.” Last September, Diversity, led by Banjo performed a “Black Lives matter-inspired routine” on Britain’s Got Talent, which prompted more than 24,000 complaints to Ofcom and received the must-see moment award at this year’s Baftas.
Also awarded an MBE was Gary Bennett, Sunderland’s first black player and one of the first three patrons of the charity Show Racism the Red Card. Para sport athlete and television presenter Kadeena Cox was given an OBE.
There were also OBEs for Pauline Black, who came to prominence in the late 1970s as lead singer of ska revival band The Selector and mathematician Nira Chamberlain; Nira Chamberlain is the president of the Institute of Mathematics.
Speaking about her OBE, Ogole said: “I am thrilled and deeply honoured to have been awarded this prestigious accolade. It is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of all those who have helped me make BANG what it is today: one of the UK’s leading youth charities.
“We are helping build a new generation. My vision is of a society where young people have the self-esteem, the confidence to imagine and create new, positive futures for themselves, and their communities. We want to see a world where they are the informed drivers of their future.”
Trinidad-born British filmmaker, photographer, painter and author Horace Shango Ové received his (Knights Bachelor) honour for services to media. One of the leading Black independent filmmakers to emerge in Britain since the post-war period, Ove holds the Guinness World record for being the first Black British filmmaker to direct a feature-length film Pressure (1976). His film, Reggae (1970) was the first Black financed feature-length documentary film made in Britain with a successful cinematic release and was subsequently shown by the BBC.
Morenike Ajayi, Director of Corporate Services with Gravesend Churches Housing Association received her MBE honour for services to race equality and inclusion. Morenike has more than 20 years of experience in senior finance, housing and local authority.
Banji Adewunmi, Director Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at The University of Manchester received MBE for services to the NHS and diversity.
Ali Jawad, a Professor at Barts Health NHS Trust was awarded an OBE for services to healthcare. Ali said, “I was shocked and overwhelmed when he received the letter, its such an honour.”
Prominent Nigerians celebrated by the Queen include: Adaeze Ifezulike MBE, Adesola Adetosoye CBE, Obumneke Ndudirim Ekeke OBE and Mark Abayomi Esho MBE.
Other notable Black Britons including Moira Stuart (CBE), Margherita Taylor (MBE), Dr. Mark Sealy (OBE), and Charlie Phillips (OBE).
According to Prime Minister Boris Johnson: “These recipients have inspired and entertained us and given so much to their communities in the UK or in many cases around the world.
“The honours are opportunity for us to thank them, as a country, for their dedication and outstanding contribution.”
Professor Chris Imafidon a multi-Guinness World record holder; internationally renowned adviser to monarchs, governments, presidents and corporate leaders; Mentor to multi-millionaire tech entrepreneurs & many world record holders. His research and innovation have been recognised internationally, winning multiple awards in many continents across multiple disciplines and his mentees are global leaders in pioneers. Mentor to New York Times Bestellers and a Sunday Times Op-ed author. [Twitter @ChrisImafidon; Instagram @CoImafidon; Facebook/Linkedln/ClubHouse –Professor Chris Imafidon]
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