The United Kingdom (UK) has released the 2023 New Year Honours list and on it is seven Ghanaian names being honoured for services to environmental campaigning, education, architecture, diversity and inclusion, and business.
The list, issued by the reigning British monarch – King Charles III – recognises the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the UK.
Professor Lesley Lokko receives an OBE for services to architecture and education.
The seven Ghanaians that appeared on the UK 2023 New Year Honors list are listed below;
1. John Akomfrah CBE
London-based visual artist, filmmaker and writer John Akomfrah has been knighted (Knights Bachelor) for his services to the arts. Born in Ghana in 1957, John now lives and works in London. His work often explores the experiences of migrant diasporas globally.
Among John’s achievements, he was a founding member of the Black Audio Film Collective, which started in London in 1982 alongside the artists David Lawson and Lina Gopaul.
In 2019, at the 58th Venice Biennale and at the first Ghana Pavilion, John presented Four Nocturnes (2019). Four Nocturnes is a three-channel piece that explores our destruction of the natural world and its impact on humanity.
2. Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah
Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah is the co-founder and chair of the Ella Roberta Foundation – a charity established in the name of Rosamund’s nine-year-old daughter Ella.
Rosamund becomes Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to public health in London.
3. Mavis Maxine Amankwah
Business coach, mentor and diversity communications specialist Mavis Amankwah has been honoured with a Medallist of the Order of the British Empire for services to business and to entrepreneurship.
Born in Canning Town, east London on 28 August 1974, Mavis has helped around 800 businesses to grow. She employs staff that work under her various enterprises, which include Marvel Business Group, Women Like Me, Marvel Recruit, Rich Visions and Mavis Joy Consultancy.
4. Dawid Konotey-Ahulu
Dawid Konotey-Ahulu, the co-founder of the Diversity Project, has been honoured with Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to diversity and inclusion. The Diversity Project promotes investment industry diversity.
Dawid was born in Accra to a Ghanaian doctor and an English nurse who, migrated to the UK, during the 1979 coup d’etat when he was 16 years old. He studied law at university, went to Bar School and qualified as a barrister of Lincoln’s Inn in 1987.
5. Dr Jeffery Nii Adjei Tawiah Quaye
Dr Jeffery Quaye the national director of education and standards for Aspirations Academies Trust (Dartford, Kent), was honoured for services to education. He becomes an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
Dr Quaye began his first course at Herts in 2000, where he studied BEng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He was the Headteacher for the City of London Academy (Southwark) before joining the Aspirations Academies Trust as their Director of Standards and Effectiveness.
6. Maxwell Apaladaga Ayamba
Maxwell Ayamba an environmental journalist, academic and founder of the Sheffield Environmental Movement (SEM), which promotes access to nature for Black, Asian and other ethnic group, and refugee communities was honoured with a Medallist of the Order of the British Empire for services to the environment and to the community in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
In 2004, he established 100 Black Men Walk for Health to help more Black, Asian and other ethnic group access and participate in the countryside to promote physical and mental wellness.
7. Professor Lesley Lokko
Lesley Lokko, Architect, academic, author and curator Professor has been recognised for her outstanding and sustained contribution to architecture and education. She is awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
Lesley, who is the founder and director of Africa Futures Institute in Accra was born in Dundee, Scotland, to a Ghanaian father and a Scottish mother and raised in Ghana. she first began exploring these issues 30 years ago, architectural production, education.
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