Oku Ekpenyon MBE, is a British-Nigerian campaigner and former history teacher. She founded the charity Memorial 2007 to build Britain’s first memorial in commemoration of enslaved Africans and their descendants.
Born in London, Ekpenyon is the daughter of a Nigerian teacher who was the only known black Air Raid Precautions warden in Britain. Later Ekpenyon wrote the booklet Some Experiences of an African Air-raid Warden, in memory of his contribution.
While teaching at inner London schools, a student questioned Ekpenyon about where she could find information on Black history. From there she made it her mission to raise awareness and wrote a piece for the BBC’s History Magazine in 2000 about the 19th century Black actor Ira Aldridge. She campaigned successfully to have his image installed at the Old Vic Theatre. The unveiling ceremony took place in 2004. In 2007 English Heritage invited her to unveil a blue plaque on Aldridge’s House in Crystal Palace.
The launch of her charity in 2007, coincided with the bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act 1807. Patrons of Memorial 2007 include Paul Boateng and Doreen Lawrence. Ekpenyon continues to campaign for a national memorial to be erected. She received support from Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, in 2008 and English Heritage and UNESCO.
In 2010, Ekpenyon was awarded an MBE for services to the history of Black British people.
Refs: Oku Ekpenyon – Wikipedia; Oku Ekpenyon – Windrush Foundation; Welcome | Memorial 2007
Image credit: Oku Ekpenyon – Windrush Foundation
