Reflecting on a month of my Living History

As we close out Black History Month (USA) and LGBTQ+ History Month (UK), I have been reflecting on my contribution to the legacies of these communities within the spaces I occupy. My life experiences, as a Black, British-Nigerian*, and Queer-identifying individual, have influenced both my personal and professional decisions, adding layers of intersectionality.

Upon further reflection, I have identified three value pillars within my portfolio of work:

1. Contributing to good citizenship - born from examples set by my biological and logical families, I am devoted to creating a sense of belonging, and holding space for unlikely people to be included. My experience has taught me that at times, this means re-engineering ecosystems and starting completely new ones in order to provide diverse voices with a platform. I challenge the status quo and try to play an active role within these groups as I believe that ultimately, it is a collective responsibility to develop sustainable communities.
2. Wealth creation and financial inclusion - key to freedom and to me, a tangible metric for independence, despite the barriers placed by society. In the context of equity-seeking groups, wealth creation is a form of activism against systematic and institutionalized prejudice. In 2018, I was interviewed by a publication on my mission as a representative of one of the UK’s top corporate accelerators to South Korea, where the government created a Global Accelerator Programme. My role was to engage with and mentor the start-up ecosystem supporting scalability and impact. Five years later, I remain convinced about the role entrepreneurship plays in creating innovative solutions to global problems that are locally impactful and create wealth. I continue to be inspired and fueled by the resilience of all the entrepreneurs I work with on a daily basis - I also communicated this passion in a brief exchange with HM King Charles when came back to The Africa Centre.
3. Learning, growing, and applying myself to challenges - an inherited trait from my Nigerian parents, both professionals with a flair for the sciences; my dad an academic zoologist and my mother a pharmacist. From a young age, it was clear to me that learning was a pathway to success. My parents also instilled in me that this learning extends beyond formal education to include life experiences and friends, or, as my mother so aptly puts it, "always have friends you can learn from." Working as a model for several London Fashion Week runways, photo-shoots, and videos was definitely outside my comfort zone; the diverse creative professionals that work behind the scenes are true teachers and unsung heroes within the industry.

Every day, I am excited to build on my portfolio of work across these three value pillars with the organizations and programs I'm honored to be involved with. In addition to my continued roles at Amoo & Amoo Angels, where we are supporting our portfolio companies, there are some exciting plans for 2023:

• British Computer Society - we have several engagements planned, including another Reverse Pitch Day (EMBRACE) and Insights on IT professional development frameworks (SFIAplus)
• Institute of Directors UK - continued promotion of diverse governance and representation across boards, particularly through the IoD Young Executives Committee
• The Africa Centre - we are launching an exciting fundraising campaign to drive proceeds to complete the renovation of this critical centre
• Queen Mary, University of London - I am excited to increase my involvement in my alma mater, promoting its role in the communities we serve
• London Fashion Week - I will be involved in more installations working with mission-led designers who are changing the cultural landscape across the UK and the world
• Crown Castê - Upcoming podcast series with insightful, inspiring conversations by investors, on why they decided to allocate capital into specific portfolio companies. Inspired by the Royal visitor
• SMADE Group - with Afro Nation, the world's largest Afrobeats music festival, coming to Miami (May 2023) and Lagos (December 2023) for the first time, I will be working with the team on securing new partnerships for this exciting phase in the business

Please stay connected across my platforms:

• LinkedIn
• TikTok
• Twitter

Last but least, I want to thank corporate strategist Ogaga Udjo for not only nudging me to get this introduction out but for literally writing out the structure and content for me. Truly appreciate your support and believing in my story!

*Please let us not talk about the elections; Nigeria has decided.