Blogs

IROKO Theatre Company is thrilled to announce that its founder, Alex Oma-Pius, has been awarded the distinguished Services to Arts and Culture accolade at the 2024 BLAC Awards. Held annually, the BLAC Awards celebrate excellence and leadership across the Black, African, and Caribbean communities in the UK, honouring outstanding contributions to culture, community, and business. […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Elizabeth Solaru, a multi […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Chine McDonald; a writer, […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature renowned visual artist Àsìkò. Who […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature multidisciplinary artist Chin We. […]

Research piece by Alisa Demchenko Misan Harriman (b. 1977)  Misan Harriman is a British Nigerian artist who was born in 1966. He is the son of Chief Hope Harriman, a highly successful businessman, politician, and philanthropist once described as ‘one of the founding fathers of modern Nigeria’. Harriman studied in England, where he formed a life-long […]

Research piece by Alisa Demchenko The Home From Home project aims to shine a spotlight on significant British Nigerians from across a range of sectors. In this post our researchers have undertaken a comprehensive review of British Nigerian Visual Artists. Yinka Shonibare (b. 1962)    Yinka Shonibare was born on the 10th of February in […]

Research piece by Amouraé Bhola-Chin Importance of Naming in Nigerian Cultures  In the West African context, naming is “an important ideological form of identification ..and reference,” and acts to reflect and uphold the status as well as dignity of a household (Inyabri, Mensah and Nyong 2020: 2).  Thus, the Yoruba proverb, ‘You do not name […]

A piece of research by Irina Costin  Toyin Agbetu, also known as Oluwatoyin Agbetu (b. Hackney, London, 1969) Dr Toyin Agbetu is a Lecturer of Social Anthropology at UCL, filmmaker, musician, social rights activist and the founder of the Pan-Africanist, grassroots organisation Ligali.  As a scholar and an activist, Agbetu combines his practice in the […]

Piece by Gifty Aiyegbeni  ELIZABETH OGABI  Elizabeth Ogabi is an entrepreneur, a communications consultant, a speaker, and an educator. Elizabeth has worked in different industries over the past couple of years. She has also worked across different continents. She started her career in communications at Unilever then proceeded to work for a global investment bank, […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature PR and Communications Consultant […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Musician, Producer and Conceptual […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature community worker and Black-Feminist […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Dr. (Councillor) Sunny Lambe, Author. […]

Photo Credit Copyright Dujonna Gift-Simms (used with permission) The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In […]

Written by Peter A. Badejo. O.B.E. 2024  Nigeria is a huge country in West Africa with a population above 230 million people. Over 500 distinct languages are spoken within the borders of this diverse, multi-ethnic nation. These languages bear witness to Nigeria’s various cultures wherein dance and music play vital roles in the ethos of […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Dr. Tunde Okewale OBE, […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Dr Ruth Oshikanlu MBE […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Consultant Urological Surgeon Professor […]

Photo credit Samuel Black.  The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature […]

IROKO Theatre organised a free training workshop for young people to develop their skills in oral history interviewing, video recording and editing. The training took place at Rosetta Arts in Newham on March on 14th & 15th March 2024. It was the last of the free training opportunities, provided IROKO Theatre on the Home from […]

Photo credit Babatunde Euba. The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature CEO Debbie Ariyo OBE. […]

By Lekia Lee  The wonderful thing about hair is that it is more than just a biological feature, it is a powerful symbol of identity, of culture, and of heritage. Throughout history, hair has been used as a form of self-expression as well as a collective or group expression, communicating social status, religious beliefs, and […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Actor and Producer Tunji […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Dr Toyin Agbetu. Who […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Mojisola Kareem, CEO and […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature content creator and crime […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature author and editor Jendella […]

Photo by Ayoola Salako on Unsplash The Legacy of Musicians of Nigerian descent in the UK’s music eco-system  By Juwon Ogungbe   In 1914, Lord Lugard – a British colonial administrator, oversaw the birth of the West African nation now known as Nigeria. As the most populous Black African nation on Earth, Nigeria has a vast and diverse range […]

‘Yoruba’ Delights and Dilemmas: A Few Things Young British Nigerians Face within “Aladura” Church Settings  Even amongst the typical rainy and windy terrains of most weekend mornings within South London and beyond; one will find a growing number of young Nigerian British followers modestly dressed in white robes growing in robust expertise of Yoruba hymnals […]

IROKO Theatre Visits The Horniman Museum and Gardens in South London.  The Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill, South London was the location of the final museum visit on 2nd May 2024, organised by IROKO Theatre as part of the Home from Home project, celebrating British-Nigerian Heritage.  Accompanied by two community groups, The East […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature esteemed creative visionary Femi Elufowoju […]

This cookbook was pulled together to celebrate Nigeria at 60 by the Nigerian Embassy in Hungary.  Dive into the vibrant culinary tapestry of Nigeria with this free-to-download cookbook, a tantalizing collection of traditional and contemporary recipes that celebrate the rich flavors and cultural diversity of Nigerian cuisine. From the fiery and delicious spices of jollof […]

Dual Heritage Dual Delight! 6 British Nigerian Sports Professionals Making Noise in their Fields  Whether they’re born and raised in the UK and opt to represent England or born elsewhere yet choose Nigeria; one thing is for certain – a UK upbringing involving Nigerian parents will often leave many sports professionals with memories of dual […]

Nigeria aka The Giant of Africa has undeniably left an indelible mark on British society. But before unpacking its influence on British society as a whole, the historical context of its very existence cannot be overlooked nor undermined. Nigeria as we now know it to be called was formed as part of a colonial exercise […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Adenike Adebiyi, Founder of […]

Iroko Theatre celebrated Black History Month on 24th October 2023 with a fun filled day of activities ‘Exploring the legacies of British-Nigerians in the UK’ at Willesden Library in Brent. As part of the Home from Home project, the event was the first in a series of public sharing days and exhibitions which toured different […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Tunde Adegbola, the Creative […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Author and Education Consultant […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature music visionary, Juwon Ogungbe. […]

The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature Sandra Igwe, Founder and […]

There was much anticipation for the ‘Nigerian Day at the Black Cultural Archives’ (BCA), presented by IROKO Theatre on Saturday 9th March 2024.  Tickets for the event sold out quickly and participants were not disappointed with the variety of activities exploring and celebrating British-Nigerian heritage. The Nigerian Day is part of IROKO’s ‘Home from Home’ […]

In collaboration with HealTogether CIC, IROKO Theatre Company delivered barehand clay modelling workshop for the local community on 25th January 2024 at Canning Town Library in Newham, East London.  The event was part of the community outreach programme of the Home from Home project, funded by the Heritage Fund.  The participants, mostly from HealTogether CIC, a […]

The conference on ‘The Legacy of People of Nigerian Descent in Britain,’ took place on 7th October 2023 at the University of East London. The exciting line up of speakers and experts explored various aspects of British-Nigerian heritage, including history, art, music, culture and identity. The event formed part of the Home from Home project […]

The visit to The British Museum by IROKO Theatre took place on 9th September 2023. The free, educational tour was organised by IROKO Theatre in conjunction with Laura Lewis, Head of Community Partnerships at the British Museum. The aim was to view Nigerian and African artefacts, held at the museum as part of the Home […]

IROKO Theatre enjoyed a visit to the Museum of London Docklands along with two supplementary schools, The Treasures Supplementary School and Our Heritage UK, on 2nd September 2023. The visit was part of the ‘Home from Home’ project that highlights and celebrates the contributions of British-Nigerians to the UK. The visit was led by Shereen […]

IROKO Theatre held the second of the training workshops for Volunteer Researchers assisting on the ‘Home from Home’ project celebrating the legacy of people of Nigerian descent in Britain. Conducted by The National Life Stories at The British Library, the training focused on equipping the researchers with skills to conduct and document oral history interviews. […]

On June 22nd 2023, IROKO Theatre Company held the first half day training session for 15 volunteer researchers assisting on the ‘Home from Home’ project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The session, which took place at the London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) and online, focused on research, archiving and collection.    The researchers discovered […]

Home from Home Project Awarded Heritage Fund Grant IROKO Theatre Company is pleased to announce that they have received a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant for their brand-new heritage project: ‘Home from Home’. The upcoming project will focus on exploring the legacies of pioneering British-Nigerians in UK society. It will contextualise their presence and evaluate […]

IROKO Theatre Company launches Heritage Lottery funded ‘Home from Home’ project at the Old Town Hall in Stratford.
IROKO Theatre company celebrated the launch of the National Lottery Heritage Fund supported project ‘Home from Home’ on Wednesday 29th March at the Old Town Hall in Stratford.