'Why i had to show black power'
BY Janelle Oswald
Publisher tells why he created list of top 100 shaking up the UK
THE MOST powerful black Britons will gather at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in Westminster this week, at a special reception to celebrate their accomplishments.
Organised by Michael Eboda, CEO of Powerful Media Ltd the aim is to dispel the myth that there are few savvy black movers and shakers in Britain.
The group is among the 50 men and 50 women on The Power List 2008, published by Eboda’s company.
He told The Voice: “I was inspired to collate The Power List 2008 because there are far too many negative stories doing the rounds about our community.
“The people I know in my personal life are doing well for themselves. They are not criminals, they are not involved in gangs, they work hard, have good careers, run businesses and they take care of their families.
“I just wanted everyone to realise that keeping it real is not just about keeping it ‘ghetto’. There are very real people who are doing great things.”
The annual publication will be available to purchase from this week at selected WH Smith and Borders bookstores and newsagents, and can also be downloaded as an ezine from
www.powerlist2008.com.
“The really powerful people are not the celebrities, they are the ones behind the scenes, pulling the strings. I wanted to demonstrate that,” Eboda said.
ON THE HIT LIST
The Voice highlights some of the successful and influential black figures in The Power List 2008.
Dr Mo Ibrahim, founder and chairman, Mo Ibrahim Foundation
IT IS probably fair to say that most people in Britain have never heard of Dr Mo Ibrahim, but he has arguably revolutionised the lives of more people than anyone over the past 10 years.
When Dr Ibrahim started a mobile phone company, Celtel, in 1998 to work exclusively in Africa, there were just two million mobile phones in the continent.
But when he sold it seven years later, there were more than 100 million, making Africa the only continent in the world with more mobile phones then land lines and totally transforming the way the continent does business and interacts socially.
Alexander Amosu, CEO, Amosu Luxury Ltd
ENTREPRENEUR ALEXANDER Amousu became a millionaire at the age of 25 when he launched Rnb Ringtones. His company subsequently became the UK’s number one provider of ring tones and graphics for mobile phones.
Last Christmas he hit the headlines when his company sold £200,000 diamond encrusted iPhones, while Motorola commissioned him to design a bejewelled Bluetooth headset.
Dr Robert Beckford, educator, author and broadcaster
ROBERT BECKFORD is the most influential black documentary maker in Britain. He earned a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) award for diversity in educational broadcasting for a six-part series for BBC Religion (Test of Time, 2002) and he averages an impressive three heavyweight films a year with Channel 4.
He was Britain’s first tutor in black theology at Queens College, Birmingham, where he taught trainee priests and ministers for the Anglican and Methodist churches.
Matthew Ashimolowo, senior pastor, Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC)
PASTOR MATTHEW Ashimolowo’s power and influence seemingly knows no bounds. KICC, in east London, has the largest congregation of any church in Britain and is one of Europe’s fastest growing religious organisations, with 12,000 people attending the pastor’s Sunday services.
In addition, a huge TV audience in Africa, Asia, Europe and USA regularly watch his broadcast ministry, Winning Ways.
Pastor Ashimolowo, who has also written 30 books, actively supports the community via a range of counselling services, skills training and supplementary school for GCSE pupils.
Ozwald Boateng, fashion designer
WORLD FAMOUS designer Ozwald Boateng remains the youngest tailor and first black designer to open a shop in London’s Savile Row area. He has been credited with revolutionising the most famous street in the world for men’s tailoring, even though his first shop was just off the Row itself.
The self-taught designer now counts Hollywood A-listers and former heads of states as clients.
In 2005, Ozwald celebrated 20 years at the forefront of British tailoring and was honoured with a major retrospective event at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.
Wayne Hector, songwriter
MOST PEOPLE have probably never heard of him, but nearly everyone has heard his songs. With the likes of Michael Bolton, Cher, Fergie, Def Leppard and Lionel Richie among the numerous recipients of his compositions, Wayne Hector is one of the UK’s most successful songwriters and one of the music industry’s most influential figures.
The London-born lyricist has more than 30 number one hits around the globe under his belt.
Rt Hon Baroness Scotland of Asthal, QC
THE RIGHT Honourable Baroness Scotland of Asthal, QC is the first black woman in Britain to become Queen’s Counsel, and in 1999 at the age of 35, the youngest person to be made a QC since William Pitt the Younger (1759-1806).
She is also the first black woman to be appointed a government minister and the first female Attorney General, the country’s chief legal adviser of the Crown, representing the Queen and the government in court. She is also a member of the bar in Antigua and Dominica.
Margaret Casely-Hayford, Director of Legal Services, John Lewis Partnership
OVER HER 20-year career as a City lawyer, Margaret became renowned as one of the country’s foremost planning practitioners.
In 1998, she became the first black female to be made partner of a City law firm (Denton Wilde Sapte). Her team was regularly voted top of the legal 500 list of planning law teams in the country.
She also acted as lead legal adviser to the London Borough of Camden during the development of the £2 billion King’s Cross regeneration project.
Jennette Arnold, Charwoman, London Assembly
MONTSERRAT-BORN Jennette Arnold is the first black woman to hold what is considered to be one of the highest offices in London. A member of the London Assembly since 2000, Jennette’s work has focused on economic development, culture, public services and policing.
Her responsibilities now include, among others, charring the London Assembly’s Business Management and Administration Committee and the London Health Commission.
The former nurse was the first black person appointed to the prestigious European Union – Committee of the Regions (EU-CoR).
Penny McDonald, MD of The Outside Organisation
PENNY MCDONALD was recently voted by PR Week as one of the most influential people in public relations. The company she heads manages the brands and PR for a multitude of international stars.
Her clients range from David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, P Diddy, Prince and Sir Paul McCartney, right through to more recent stars such as Leona Lewis, Amy Winehouse and Rihanna. Since Penny’s involvement a year ago, Outside’s 34 London-based PR staff have been split into four separate divisions – music, international, consumer/event and talent - each attracting new clients from all sides.
Uchenna Okoye, cosmetic dental surgeon
UCHENNA OKOYE is one of the UK’s leading cosmetic dental surgeons, has a star-studded clientele and was voted as one of Vogue’s 2006 hottest new dentists.
Now resident dentist on Channel 4’s popular show Ten Years Younger, Nigerian-born Uchenna is also among the ‘fewer than one percent’ of British dentists who have achieved a master’s degree in aesthetic dentistry. She owns two busy central London surgeries, which have been awarded a place in the British Dental Association Good Practice Scheme – one of only seven such practices in the UK to do so.
Nicola Williams, Commissioner, Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)
FORMER BARRISTER Nicola Williams has continually demonstrated effective and commanding qualities as the official public investigator into claims of police misconduct. Her role as IPCC Commissioner for the London and south east region means she often has to walk a difficult diplomatic tightrope between the police and the public.
She has dealt with the most serious allegations of police negligence, decided on the type of investigation required and directed disciplinary hearings. She has also spoken internationally on police misconduct issues. Nicola practised as a criminal barrister for a number of years.
Black Power List 2008
Black Power List 2008 -
06-10-08, 08:09 PM
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