Baba Gee reporting from Leeds, West Yorkshire
On Saturday, 29 September 2023, the Royal Armouries in Leeds was the setting for an extraordinary evening, the fundraising dinner for the David Oluwale Memorial, aptly named “The Hibiscus Rising Gala Dinner.” The event marked a night of generosity and a touching tribute to David Oluwale, whose tragic story has profoundly affected the city of Leeds.
The organising team of the David Oluwale Memorial Association (DOMA), supported by Leeds City Council (LCC), Leeds African Communities (LACT), and Leeds2023 Festival of Culture, meticulously planned the event, the brainchild of Cllr Abigail Marshal Katung (Co-Chairof DOMA), to create a lasting impact. As the evening sun cast a wonderful glow over the city, the Royal Armouries, the National Museum of Arms and Armour, housing an incredible number of war-related artefacts, took on a new air of importance and was transformed into a place of remembrance, hope and commitment to justice.
DOMA was founded in 2008 to raise awareness, ensure that Oluwale’s story would not be forgotten, and continue the fight for social justice and equality in his memory. David Oluwale, whose story is one of both tragedy and inspiration, was a Nigerian immigrant to the United Kingdom who arrived in Leeds in 1949, having stowed away on a ship from Lagos, Nigeria. Oluwale’s experiences as an African man in a racially divided society were marked by discrimination, poverty, and homelessness. His life ended tragically in 1969, with his body found floating in the River Aire, the victim of constant police harassment and brutality. The events surrounding his death sparked outrage and led to a new era of accountability and justice in Leeds.
The Hibiscus Rising Gala Dinner was a significant event aimed at raising funds for three purposes-
- Create an important landmark in Leeds city centre with renowned artist and sculptor Yinka Shonibare’s “Hibiscus Rising,” a ten-metre high hibiscus flower sculpture as the centrepiece close to the River Aire and the new David Oluwale footbridge and blue plaque marking the area that David fell into the river and drowned on 18 April 1969.
- Create an educational programme, with materials drawing on David’s story and its relevance today, to be included in several subjects taught in high school in partnership with Leeds Development Education Centre.
- Support the activities of the Leeds African Communities Trust.
The event, hosted by Cllrs Abigail Marshall Katung and Jonathan Pryor, kicked off with a dramatic and soulful rendition of a Yoruba Oriki (song) by Lara Rose, a sound and mixed media assemblage artist and sculptor, to much acclaim. In line with the evening’s theme, “Hibiscus Rising,” her performance, in memory of David Oluwale, fusing Yoruba and English languages, symbolised possible harmony through unity and collaboration, a testament to the power of art to convey messages of hope and resilience.
Cllr Marshall Katung and the Lord Mayor Cllr Al Garthwaite welcomed the guests and performers. The Reggae Roots Choir at Music House, composed of young people from diverse backgrounds aged 10–21, which aims to provide young people with space outside of school to be creative, perform and improve their mental health and well-being through music, gave a scintillating performance of a medley of songs that got the guests swaying on their seats.
The Rt. Hon John Battle, MP for Leeds West from 1987 to 2010, who played a crucial part in bringing DOMA and Leeds City Council together on the Hibiscus Rising project, then told the David Oluwale and DOMA story. His heartfelt speech was a poignant reminder of the struggles faced by Africans and Afro-Carribeans in the UK and set the tone for the night, reminding everyone why they had gathered – to honour David Oluwale’s memory, raise funds to support various initiatives in his name, and the importance of ensuring such injustices never reoccur.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Posthumous Award by The David Oluwale Memorial Association and Leeds African Communities Trust to Police Inspector Gary Galvin (1952-2002), who, as a Police Cadet in Leeds in 1969, blew the whistle on his police colleagues in a courageous pursuit of accountability and social and restorative justice, helped convict two senior police officers involved in the death of Oluwale. His son, Carl Galvin, Detective Chief Superintendent at Yorkshire & Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, collected the award on his behalf. Professor Max Farrar, DOMA Co-secretary, also received The David Oluwale Memorial Association & Leeds African Communities Trust Award in recognition of his tireless work in ensuring we always remember David Oluwale.
Seven young dancers from the Joyce-O’Donnell School of Irish Dance then livened up the proceedings by performing a selection of reels, jigs and hornpipes in both light and heavy tap shoes to the admiration of the guests. The delicious menu, a gastronomic delight of African-style fine dining by Toyin and her team at Tunto’s Aroma, went down well. Ellen Smith, a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and composer from Leeds, sang some of her songs featured in the Radio 4 documentary “Remember Oluwale” in 2021.
Dr Emily Zobel-Marshall, co-chair of the David Oluwale Memorial Association and a Reader in Postcolonial Literature at Leeds Beckett University with expertise in folklore, oral cultures and literature of the African Diaspora, told “The Hibiscus Rising Story”, a history of the efforts to have an inspiring permanent memorial to the life and legacy of David Oluwale and a symbol of the inclusion, diversity and unity integral to Leeds today to rapt attention of guests.
Hanif Malik and Ruby Malik (not a couple), both working for the Parklane Foundation, the main sponsor of the event, spoke about their Crowd Funder campaign and went on to introduce a fun-filled, unique approach to the fundraising auction – auction by envelope, which raised the roof.
The night’s final act was the vote of thanks, and the night ended with the “Hibiscus Rising” event having almost achieved its financial goal of £15000.00 and its mission to raise awareness about the ongoing struggle for diversity, equality and inclusion. It had created a platform for dialogue, introspection, and commitment to action with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. Guests left the Royal Armouries that night carrying the flame of hope ignited by “Hibiscus Rising,” committed to continuing the David Oluwale Memorial Association’s work, honouring his memory, and building a more just and equal society. The memory of David Oluwale was no longer a tragedy but a beacon of light, guiding the way toward building a more harmonious society.
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