Featured Creative: Richard Aina. Richard Adetokunbo Aina is an award-winning British-Nigerian architect, researcher, writer, and craftsman. He is the founder of I-JŌKŌ, a design brand and consultancy rooted in cultural capital and driven by Afrorevivalism—a movement that translates ancestral knowledge into contemporary production. I-JŌKŌ reimagines African heritage through luxury objects, meaningful interiors, and enduring architecture, all aligned with ethical and circular design principles. From April 20th to 27th he is exhibiting at SaloneSatellite, Salone del Mobile, Fiera Milano, Rho, Milan (Booth Pavilion 7, Stand E33). Prospective clients can reach him here. 

“Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?” – Hamilton finale song, © Lin-Manuel Miranda.

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Africa is a continent of storytellers. Our very history is transmitted across generations and through time via stories, be they in narrative, literature, music, oral histories or visual art. It is twisted that despite this strong tradition, so much of the narrative about Africa has been defined in the past three centuries by others who have vested interests in suppressing the Africa story. 

While we can attribute this phenomenon to institutional prejudice, we must also take responsibility for rectifying this. A story of a people is the amalgamation of the stories of many people – a macro story is made up of many micro ones. This is why it is important for us to learn our own stories and share them with others. 

Over the past few weeks, I have had several opportunities to reflect on this. At the start of the month, The Africa Centre proudly hosted the closing reception for the Nigeria state visit.

Visiting The Africa Centre at 60’s archival exhibition during the event, Nigeria’s minister of arts, culture and the Creative Economy Hon Hannatu Musa Musawa reflected on the importance of places like The Africa Centre in telling us and the world our story. 

A group of local schoolchildren who visited the same exhibition were inspired by the new perspectives into their self-identity that they found in the gems on display. (“An African was the first Roman Emperor of the British Isles? How come no-one told me that before?” – asked a 9 year old of his teacher. “I didn’t know either!” came the reply.)

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It was delightful to have a chat with the founders of a new marketing and tech start-up publication who also recognise the vital importance of storytelling in positioning Africa as a strong voice in the World and amplify African networks and changemakers. 

Philip Osei-Hwere and George Adebambi’s TONE Africa (TONE -The Official Narrative Exchange), ‘a premium intelligence platform built to amplify the stories of innovation, investment, and culture shaping modern Africa’ will be launched soon. Watch the space!

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A most significant event this month highlights the consequence of not assuming agency in telling our story. Commendably, on the 25th March, Ghana led a resolution at the UN declaring the trafficking and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans was “the gravest crime against humanity”(props to President John Dramani Mahama for leading the way). The UN general assembly adopted the resolution by 123 votes to three, with 52 abstentions. The three states that voted ‘no’ were the US, Israel and Argentina; the UK and all EU member states abstained. These abstentions and opponents of the motion included all the countries who were party to and beneficiaries of the transatlantic slavery. They also are the countries who are most responsible for the perpetuation of negative stories about Africa and the associated economic and political consequences of this. This is a reminder, if any was so needed, that we have to entrust and empower ourselves to tell our story, our way.

UN Photo/Manuel Elías Results following the vote in the General Assembly on the resolution declaring the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and the Racialised Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime Against Humanity.

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We need to work together better to ensure that we own our narrative, and identify, strategize and deliver on the necessary steps for our prosperity. Start small – learn and tell your own story, learn and share others’. Support our institutions that are charged with keeping these stories alive. And see the Africa Centre exhibition before it closes on the 29th of April!

Have a Great Month!

Olu Alake.

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The Africa Centre was a finalist at The Civic Trust Awards 67th Anniversary annual Awards Ceremony held on Friday 27th March at The Concorde Conference Centre, Altrincham. Our building was recognised as ‘Highly Commended’. The Civic Trust Awards scheme was established in 1959 to recognise outstanding architecture, planning and design in the built environment. More info on our recognition here: The Africa Centre | Civic Trust Awards. We are very proud of this achievement. If you are proud of this space, Please support us to keep it open!

Donate Here

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News From The Africa Centre

One immediate and fun way to support The Africa Centre is by joining us in Running with SMADE! Cultural Entrepreneur and Afrobeats impresario SMADE is in the final weeks of his training for The London Marathon, which he is running for The Africa Centre. SMADE has been coached and supported by DJ MDKay, who ran for us in the past two London Marathons. 

SMADE is running his first marathon and is inspired to support The Africa Centre to ensure Africa has a physical space that celebrates culture, heritage and innovation. In his words, “We cannot let the institutions that built our culture collapse. Protecting this place is not optional. It is a responsibility.”

Support SMADE here: please donate, share and be a part of protecting our legacy. A big thank you to SMADE, DJ MDKay and all the contributors to the effort so far, including New Balance, who have donated running kits for SMADE.

Donate Here

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Join us for a Capoeira class at The Africa Centre facilitated by capoeira Angola Kanaga where you will learn the fundamentals of Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, music, and cultural expression, originating from the struggles of enslaved Africans in Brazil. All levels welcome!

Tickets | £18

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Invitation to Talk About Migration Policies & Socioeconomic Integration of Nigerians in the Diaspora

Chukwuma Ephraim Okenwa, a researcher from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), is convening a focus group for the above-named research project. Okenwa is seeking to evaluate how changes in migration policies in the UK affect the integration, professional mobility and economic contributions of Nigerians. 

This discussion seeks to identify the specific policy barriers affecting Nigerian professionals in the UK, explore the correlation between migration status and socioeconomic upward mobility and gather qualitative data for a broader study on Diaspora integration (2015–2025).

The discussion is curated for Nigerian professionals across various sectors currently residing in the United Kingdom, and will result in a thematic report highlighting key integration challenges and policy recommendations to be shared with relevant stakeholders and academic bodies.

The roundtable will be held on Thursday, 22nd April 2026 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Prompt) at The Africa Centre, 66 Great Suffolk St, London SE1 0BL. 

It will be moderated by Olu Alake, CEO of The Africa Centre. 

To register attendance or ask any questions about this, please contact Chukwuma at [email protected].