I’m always proud to be of nigerian descent.
But this week I’m especially proud.
When I heard The US Army has recently promoted a woman of Nigerian descent Amanda Azubuike from Lieutenant Colonel to Brigadier General.
Her promotion was bestowed on her in a prestigious ceremony held at Fort Knox, Kentucky, USA.
To me, it was heartwarming for her to recount her journey from being born in Britain to a Nigerian father and Zimbabwean mother.
And then leaving Britain to go to America, and then joining the USA army before being an actual citizen, and then passing her aviation exam.
Which was just the start of her climbing the ladder in the army.
I’m touched that she paid tribute to people that created change in the army, and how she wishes to champion more change through her historic appointment , and hopefully inspire more ethnic recruits.
What I find sad in the story is that people will say’’ America has a race problem’’ ‘’they have skinheads’’.
But let’s be honest no country is perfect, and why would we let a small few represent the many?
America is the melting pot of different cultures.
Who are all thriving in their respective industries.
The question we should ask is why would a British -born woman feel there’s no opportunities in her country of birth, and feel she has to go to the US to forge a career?
Why not in the British army?
The secret fact that is commonly discussed in black circles is in America if you have a certificate as a black person you can eat as you’ll definitely get employment, but when your in Britain your certificate is meaningless.
You can be a graduate with a top degree, and still struggles to get basic jobs,also jobs in your trained industries.
When I was training as a writer I was told that a black person would have to go back to Africa or seek work in an American publishing company, as the journalism industry in the UK is still prim and proper, competitive and selective.
Do you know news like that doesn’t give hope to members of the black community?
I also remember when a fellow BAME councillor told me her niece was leaving the UK to do waitressing in Hollywood.
I asked her niece at a banquet.
Why did she want to be a waitress in the US and not Britain?
She said ‘’that I’m a model and aspiring actress I know I don’t have chance to breakthrough in the UK ,so I don’t mind juggling working in a restaurant while attending casting calls, as at least I’ll have a better chance to be an actress.
UK can be a fair place in regards to ‘talent discovery’, as I would never have had a chance to be a councillor , but I want UK to create more jobs and positions for people of Afro-Caribbean who are very under-represented in top job sectors e.g health, politics and business.
There’s organizations in UK that are championing diversity, but I wish for them to be more advertised,So the BAME population would know there are different pathways to potential respectable careers.
Check out Dame Sharon White a woman of Jamaican descent being chair of John Lewis Partnership, and also was the first black woman to be a permanent secretary at the treasury.
I want to see more success stories like this of Britain championing their many black British talent.
We always hear America’s the ‘’land of opportunities’’, why don’t we in Britain create more of our own opportunities instead of our ethnic talent being literally loaned out overseas?
I salute you Amanda Azubuike keep up the good work.
And I applaud America for setting an example ,and making ethnic people feel truly at home.
Amanda we the people in Britain and Nigeria are truly proud of your appointment.