Uzo Iwobi

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Uzo Iwobi
CBE FLSW
Born (1969-02-07) 7 February 1969 (age 55)[1]
Nigeria
NationalityBritish Nigerian
EducationUniversity of Nigeria
OccupationLecturer
Board member ofRace Council Cymru, CLPW Academi Wales, University of Wales Trinity St David
Spouse
Andrew Ubaka Iwobi
​
(m. 1991)​
[2]
Children2[2][3]

Uzoamaka Linda Iwobi CBE[4] FLSW (// ⓘ /ɪˈwoʊbi/ ih-WOH-bee[5] born 7 February 1969[1]) is a British-Nigerian solicitor and equalities practitioner. She is the former Specialist Policy Adviser on Equalities to the Welsh Government,[6] an Honorary Fellow at the University of Wales Trinity St David[7] and founder, secretary and former chief executive officer at Race Council Cymru.[7] She is also Vice President of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.[citation needed]

Early life in Nigeria[edit]

Iwobi was born in Nigeria. She studied at the University of Nigeria between 1987 and 1991 where she graduated with a law degree.[7] She met married Andrew Ubaka Iwobi in 1989 and on 28 October 1991 they were married at the Lagos State Registry in Lagos.[2] She then went on to become a qualified solicitor and barrister, and was called to the Nigerian Bar.[2][8] She then joined Andrew in the UK.

Professional life in Wales[edit]

Still only 23, Iwobi arrived in Wales where she had her church wedding on 12 April 1993.[9] When Iwobi arrived in Wales she worked as a lecturer in law at the Swansea Law School for 9 years.[8] In 2002 she became the Principal Equality Diversity Chairperson of the African Community Centre in Wales, which she founded.[8][10] Iwobi served with the Police National Diversity team, based at the Home Office in London, in which she was involved in national policy creation on race relations and diversity.[8] By 2007 she had successfully completed the MSc in Business Management at the University of Glamorgan.[7]

In 2006 she was appointed a Commissioner for the Commission for Racial Equality until it merged with the Equality and Human Rights Commission in October 2007. By 2009 she had become Director Of Operations at Ofuobi Equality and Diversity Consultancy.[10] In 2010 she became part-time Chief Executive Office at Race Council Cymru and also passed the Institute of Leadership and Management's Executive Coaching level 7.[10] Between 2013 and 2016 Iwobi was a Trustee for the British Red Cross and a year later she became Vice Chairperson of the Black History Association Wales, and a year after that she became Trustee / Governor at the UWC Atlantic College until 2016.[7]

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

More recently she became the first International Chair of Diversity at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in November 2018.[11] In January 2019 she became Commissioner to the Centenary Commission on Adult Education at Balliol College until February 2020.[12] She also became Specialist Adviser on Equalities to the Welsh Government also in 2019.[13] Professor Iwobi holds the Postgraduate Certificate in Education from University of Wales Swansea[7] and in May 2022 she was appointed as Vice President of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.[14]

Honours and awards[edit]

Iwobi was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to community race relations and South Wales communities and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to racial equality and championing diversity and inclusion.[15]

She has also been awarded the following:

  • 2006: Swansea Bay Woman of the Year (Community Achievement) Award[16]
  • 2017: Ethnic Minority Welsh Women's Achievement Award (EMWWAA) for Management and Leadership[17]
  • 2018: 100 list of Black, Brilliant and Welsh Africans by Wales Online[18]
  • 2019: Honorary Fellowship by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David[19]
  • 2019: Awarded Outstanding Developer and Mentor for Young People by NWAMI (North Wales Association of Multicultural Integration)[citation needed]
  • 2020: WEN (Women's Equality Network) Wales' 100 Welsh Women list[20]
  • 2021: Received a BAPIO Award for her contributions to Equality and Diversity in Wales[citation needed]
  • 2022: Fellowship of the Learned Society of Wales[21]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Companies House form 288a(ef) (Appointment of director or secretary) for Bawso Ltd, date of birth 7 February 1969. The form is accessible at the entry for 30 January 2007 New director appointed "Race Council Cymru – Filing History". Companies House. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Married and Loving It!!! feat Uzo and Andrew Iwobi". oneplustheone. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  3. ^ "'I was bullied so badly in school I still have nightmares about it now I'm in my 20s'". Wales Online. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Queen's Birthday Honours 2022: The full list of people in Wales honoured". walesonline.co.uk/. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  5. ^ Companies House form IN01 (Appointment to register a company) for Race Council Cymru, full name Uzoamaka Linda Iwobi. The form is accessible at the entry for 28 November 2011 Incorporation "Race Council Cymru – Filing History". Companies House. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Uzo Iwobi OBE". www.100welshwomen.wales. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Uzo Iwobi OBE - Race Council Cymru (RCC)". Race Council Cymru. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d "Mrs Uzo Iwobi OBE". Race Council Cymru. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  9. ^ "New Additions to 100 Welsh Women for International Women's Day 2020". wenwales.org.uk. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  10. ^ a b c "Uzo Linda Iwobi". Companies House. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Race Council Cymru's Uzo Iwobi Announced as RWCMD's First International Chair of Diversity". Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  12. ^ Oxford, University of. "100 Years and Counting: The Continuing Importance of Adult Education". Oxford University Department for Continuing Education. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  13. ^ "Appendix A: Commission Membership" (PDF). Centenary Commission. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  14. ^ "RWCMD Appoints Uzo Iwobi OBE as New Vice President". Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  15. ^ "No. 63714". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 2022. p. B10.
  16. ^ "2nd October – Swansea - Swansea Business Networking". Business News Wales. 7 September 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  17. ^ "Ethnic women role models celebrated at Cardiff awards". BBC News. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  18. ^ "Brilliant, Black and Welsh: A celebration of 100 African Caribbean and African Welsh people". Wales Online. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  19. ^ "Mrs Uzo Iwobi OBE, Chief Executive Officer of Race Council Cymru, awarded UWTSD Honorary Fellowship". University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  20. ^ "Uzo Iwobi OBE". WEN Wales. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  21. ^ Wales, The Learned Society of. "Uzo Iwobi". The Learned Society of Wales. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
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