COMMUNITY

Community Involvement -I strongly believe in giving something back and being part of the change I want to see through active involvement. It is therefore not surprising that I have been actively involved in a significant number of community development initiatives for my many years.

Promoting Diversity and Community Cohesion -I formed the Confederation of African Professionals UK formed in 1998, representing interests of African professionals. I was a member of Southwark Group of Tenants and Residents Organisation for several years, representing the interests of Southampton Way Tenants and Residents Association, dealing with issues around repairs, homelessness, re-housing, property insulation, children’s play area, cleaning, lift breakdowns, antisocial behaviour issues, etc. While I was the chairman of Southwark Black History Month and Black Heritage Organisation (SBHO) for several years, I took the Black History Month event celebration to the Peckham Square for the first time in 2005 in order to use it as a vehicle to ‘building community cohesion and a spirit of togetherness’ among our diverse communities.

Community Leadership -I’m a community leader with a very active Involvement and participation in numerous community initiatives such as Southwark Alliance Enterprise/Local Economic Partnership Board (deputy chair), school governing bodies, tenants and residents associations, church council, and many other voluntary professional contributions. My leadership style transcends ethnic, tribal and racial divides!

Employment and Enterprise -I strongly belief that people’s life chances can be improved and economic prosperity achieved through compassionate economic policies which recognise self employment as a viable employment option. This was why I founded the Basic Business Initiative (BBI) in 2001 with a mission to promoting entrepreneurship and self economic empowerment as a means to helping people climb out of poverty and social exclusion. I was the vice chair of Southwark Local Economy Group for several years, shaping employment and enterprise policies and delivery strategies across the borough. Despite the challenging economic climate, BBI continues to provide free advice, information, guidance, mentoring and support to the unemployed, most especially our young people.

Trade Union Movement -In 1989, I became the first leader of the Union of Communications Workers, Associate Grade Post Persons in my local Rathbone Place delivery office London, from 1989 to 1994, fighting for the rights of part-time postal workers, representing them at disciplinary hearings, union and management decision making meetings, etc. The part time workers’ rights later became a Labour Party and government policy when Labour came to power in 1997.