07 October 2022

The theme this year is Time for Change: Action Not Words. It is, after all, very easy for someone to say that they are supportive of black people and oppose any form of discrimination. It is much, much harder to recognise being part of the problem, however unwittingly. But a willingness to action rather than words alone can make a huge difference.

“Black people are often given the double burden of experiencing racism and discrimination, then being expected to fix it,” says Catherine Ross, Black History Month Editor. “Hopefully, by making the theme of this year’s Black History Month magazine and website Time for Change: Action Not Words, we can come together to make a change for the better.

“To ensure real change, we need real support from our allies. It’s time to reset your mindset and support us with actions, not words. Join with us, see something, say something, don’t be a passive bystander. Not just at the weekend in the club or playing sports, but on the street, in shops, at work.”

The best way to learn more about black history is, of course, directly from black people themselves. The Black History Month website has many resources, including experiences and stories from young black people today to the records of black voices throughout history. Disney+ is making recommendations of programmes and films to watch for Black History Month, so if you have it, have a look. Your local library is likely to have a display of books by black writers and poets to mark the month as well.

But don’t let it stop there. “Yes, Black History Month is a time to celebrate black history, heritage and culture, and the iconic figures that have contributed so much,” says Catherine.

“But this year, let’s make it about so much more. If you’re serious about allyship, it’s Time for Change: Actions Not Words.”

The young people wanted to feature Nigerian cuisine like Egusi soup and rice and lamb meat, so they allocated tasks among themselves to achieve this. One young person volunteered to be DJ and created a playlist of popular Nigerian music (Afrobeat). Our Nigerian young person spoke about different Nigerian cultures and Nollywood (the Nigerian film industry) and others volunteered to cook. It went very well, especially considering it was done at short notice, and most of the young people in the placement were very happy and involved.

Nigeria has a population of 206 million people. There are three main tribes (Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa) and over 100 subtribes. There are two main religions practiced in Nigeria: in the Western region are mainly Christians and liberal Muslims, in the Eastern region are mainly Christians and Catholics and the Northern region is mainly Muslim. The national language is English, as the country is a former colony of the British empire, but there are over 50 indigenous language among the country’s tribes.

Bola Ogunsola

Support Worker