The Africa Centre: The past, the future and the challenging present
Our interview with former CEO of the Africa Centre, Olu Alake.
Described as an ‘embassy of optimism’, the Africa Centre was established in 1964 when much of Africa was still under colonial rule. Created as a space for Africans to connect, meet and educate others about the continent, the Centre played an important role in facilitating discussions on feminism and African socialism, as well as generating ideas about achieving independence. It hosted London’s first African restaurant, supported the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and maintained a longstanding association with music, including through its annual festival.
Today, the Centre is sadly closed due to circumstances the charity said “were beyond its control”. Rising operational costs, reduced grant funding, “immense property debt” and inflation were among the factors cited in its consideration of a sale of the building. The charity previously launched a national campaign seeking financial support of between £50,000 and £2.5 million. Alongside nine board members who have departed over the past year, Chair Oba Nsugbe and CEO Olu Alake are also set to leave their positions.
The Africa Centre is exploring a move to smaller premises next door, while shifting towards digital programming and seeking to reduce its facility costs. However, it cannot rule out permanently closing its Southwark site without substantial financial support. This is not the first time the Centre has faced location struggles — its home was originally in Covent Garden and spent 10 years without a location and relocated to Southwark in 2022 with an anticipated comeback.
Despite attracting more than 20,000 visitors, hosting 100 events and working with 50 organisations in the past year, the charity acknowledges that it has struggled to develop a sustainable business model that generates sufficient income.
Since its inception, the Africa Centre has been a place for education, connection and advocacy. While the context has changed over the years, its mission of preserving Africa’s cultural heritage in the UK remains steadfast and as relevant today as ever.
In keeping with this year’s Black History Month theme, ‘Honouring Our Communities’, we’re sharing our interview from 2024 with former Africa Centre CEO Olu Alake to celebrate the Centre’s legacy and the importance of preserving Black cultural spaces amid rising costs and funding pressures of charities across the sector.
Can you share some significant milestones or achievements that The African Centre is particularly proud of in its 60-year history?
Survival is the Africa Centre’s biggest achievement so far. That might seem underwhelming, but it’s significant because very few Black-led organisations have a 60-year history.
The Africa Centre has survived due to being well-run and, more importantly, well-supported by its community, ensuring its infrastructure, relevance, and continuity. Its second major achievement is maintaining a sense of being a home away from home for Africans. It has always been important for African people to have a space that is theirs – a place of acceptance that cares for them and others who look like them. It’s a place to connect with others who share aspirations and identity, a space to reaffirm and reassert one’s sense of self. As chief executive, nothing brings me more joy than hearing someone say, “I feel at home.”
I’ll share a story. A friend of mine, Wally Shaker, whose 90th birthday we recently celebrated with a festival, told me something I hadn’t known in the 40 years I’ve known him. In the late 80s, he was awarded a scholarship to study in Scotland but arrived in London without the money to travel to Aberdeen. Stranded, underdressed, and unsure of what to do, he wandered into the Africa Centre and explained his situation. The Centre immediately wrote him a cheque for £400 (worth £1,291.80 today). That money allowed him to buy clothes and a ticket to Aberdeen, enabling him to pursue his master’s programme. That’s the kind of impact the Africa Centre has had on countless lives.
Africa has one of the fastest-growing youth populations in the world. How does The Africa Centre support initiatives that empower Africa's youth, both on the continent and in the diaspora?
The Africa Centre recognises young people as the future. Not just of the Centre, but of the world. Young people are central to its programming, shaping the next 60 years.
The Centre helps young Africans craft their identities and express themselves through arts, culture, innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity. They create their own activities while integrating into the Centre’s fabric. Over the last year, programmes have included book launches, legacy talks, African spirituality and philosophy, discussions on AI, and representation of Black women identities.
We also set up a network of global affiliates, with 17 organisations across Africa joining in the past year.
Are there any emerging African artists or African diaspora artists that the African Centre is supporting or really excited about? And what makes their work significant?
Earlier this year in recognition of that, we have we platformed a South African artist, he's in his 70s now, Sabela Malangu, does the most amazing, beautiful, intricate art using a very specialised method in his work.
He's been in the country for over 30 years, never breaking through to the mainstream until we gave him a platform at the Africa Centre. He had an exhibition here for a few weeks, and as a result, he's now been invited to exhibit in galleries in South Africa, mainland Europe, and beyond. That's an emerging artist, and it’s great to follow that exhibition with someone like Ian or Rewa, who we showcased just last month – young artists creating fantastic work.
Similarly, we’ve been honoured to host African artists who had their first performances at the Africa Centre and are now household names. Back in the 70s and 80s, legends like Miram Makeba, Hugh Masekela, and the Bundu Boys all had their first UK performances here. Angelique Kidjo, who came to the Centre last year, had her first performance outside Venice at the Africa Centre in 1990. Recognising and supporting future icons through arts, culture, entrepreneurship, and innovation remains central to what we do.
What role does the African Centre play in shaping policies that affect the African communities in the UK, especially in terms of equality, representation and inclusion?
We work largely in partnership, so our role at the Africa Centre is more facilitative than directly engaging. We provide a platform, a place, and a space, using our assets, goodwill, and credibility in partnership with other organisations to identify issues. Earlier this year, we partnered with Operation Black Vote and the Black Equity Organisation to develop the Black British mandate for elections and politics.
It’s about what matters to the Black British population and how we bring it to the table. We can address local, national, and global issues through partnerships, such as with Africa Soft Power, to discuss how Africans can utilise soft power. With organisations like African Filter, we challenge narratives about Africa. Through Shakula, we work with local Black LGBTQ+ communities to address their issues and ensure acceptance and self-actualisation.
The Africa Centre has always had a radical underpinning, with its existence since 1964. In the 70s and 80s, it was the de facto headquarters for the anti-apartheid movement, home to dissidents like Thabo Mbeki, Desmond Tutu, and Oliver Tambo. It’s a place where writers, poets, and playwrights gathered.
We continue these conversations today, hosting events with 17 African embassies and high commissions in the past year. During the last African Cup of Nations, we screened all matches at the Centre, attracting people from all 24 participating nations. In partnership with organisations like AKD Solutions and Best of Africa, we held a symposium during AFRICORN to discuss African football development.
A key discussion that led to immediate change was the revelation of contractual disincentives preventing young African footballers from playing for African countries. Players are given bonuses if they play for England, but not for African nations. This was uncovered during our roundtable, leading to an immediate commitment to address it.
The Climate Change Crisis in Africa
Despite Africa being one of the smallest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa is the most vulnerable continent of the climate change crisis with countries such as Sudan, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo facing extreme weather, recurrent floods, food insecurity, droughts and rising temperatures. In V4CE’s Environmental Strategy work, we are vocal about the colonial, neocolonial and capitalist systems that have concentrated wealth and power while externalising the human and environmental costs onto nature and onto marginalised and racialised groups.
In 2022, more than 6,000 people across various African countries, including Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco and Tunisia, participated in a climate survey. The results revealed that 88% of respondents felt climate change was negatively affecting their lives, while 61% stated that environmental damage had affected their income or livelihood.
The Africa Centre has incorporated activities related to environmental sustainability through various book launches, art and exhibitions on climate change. In our interview with Olu Alake, he emphasised the importance of climate change advocacy is raising awareness, especially among young people, and focusing on solutions. It's about showing how climate change crisis is directly impacting Africans today.
This art exhibition is by Nigerian artist Gerald Chukwa. He is one of Nigeria’s fastest rising contemporary artists noted for his intricately crafted wood-slate sculptures and assemblages. He frequently embeds upcycled materials like aluminium cans, discarded metal, and local SIM cards to explore the modern themes of migration, globalisation, identity, memory, and Nigeria's socio-political landscapes.
Chukwa’s art was shown at the Centre in 2023 which he donated to highlight environmental awareness and climate change. Every part of the piece was made from material he picked up off a beach in Lagos, Nigeria. He uses this to showcase how we can all contribute to addressing climate change and protecting the environment.
Although the Africa Centre’s building in Southwark is now closed, a 60 year legacy of having a collective where creatives, activists and advocacy organisations come together remains strong. At V4CE, we hope to see a future where the Centre’s doors reopen to reignite a safe space for contemporary African culture within our communities, especially at a time of political division and anti-immigration rhetoric. The Africa’s Centre’s history is one of resilience, cultural preservation and community – and we hope the Centre survives to see another 60 years.
Note: The Africa Centre is inviting proposals from investors, philanthropic organisations and cultural institutions interested in supporting the future of its Southwark property. Opportunities include purchase, partnerships, joint ventures and philanthropic funding, with all proposals assessed against the charity’s criteria.
Read more here: https://www.africacentre.org.uk/News/call-for-proposals-strategic-partnership-for-the-future-stewardship-of-the-africa-centres-southwark-property
You can also view video content of our interview with Olu Alake on our TikTok account here.
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