Page 60 - RADC 2020

EVENTS
Black History Month – then and now, through the lens of an RADC soldier
Cpl F Aderi-Igbekoyi
The West African Division that fought on the side of the British in WWII and the role my West Africa ancestors played in that
The history of the black race should
not be discussed in isolation but rather taken in the context of African history and her colonial ties with the Western world.
It is worthwhile mentioning that while the indigenous people of Africa did have a trade relationship with western countries,
it must be remembered that much of
the relationship was a result of colonial conquest, of those seeking to exploit the African people and its resources. I was very fortunate to be involved in the filming of Black History Month (BHM) this year which made me think of my own personal history and that of my family.
In September 1939 much of West Africa participated in World War II, following
the acceptance United Kingdom’s war declaration on Nazi Germany. Nigeria, as a British colony, was a key force on the side
of the allies, providing two Divisions totalling up to 45 000 personnel, mainly infantry, to serve within the British Army in the African and Asian theatres, most notably in Burma and India. These were known as the 81st and 82nd West African Divisions. It is noteworthy that despite the excellent fighting reputation of the Nigerian troops, none of the Commanding Officers of the Nigerian Corps were ethnically Nigerian, they were British.
Recently, whilst conducting research
for an interview on Black History Month, I discovered to my surprise that two of my grand uncles, Emmanuel Ojo, who rose up to the rank of RSM, and Josiah Ogbagbushi, both fought during the Second World War. Stories told to me by my uncles and aunties (RSM Ojo’s sons and daughters) during
my research, and supporting photographs which, until recently I had no idea existed, left me with no doubt that my grand uncles would have been formidable men and
soldiers, and those of us serving now should thank them for their service.
I would have loved to have said that their history encouraged me to join the British Army but that is not the case. I was not aware of much of the history of the West African Divisions or my great uncles until I had the opportunity to meet Capt Holden on 08 Sept 2020 for Black History Month.
A friend of mine highlighted to me the opportunity of recruitment into the British Army in 2006 but it was not until the second visit in 2007 that I decided to enlist. My parents had no knowledge of me joining the British Army. I was in the UK at the time on
a planned vacation, the opportunity came up to enlist and I took the chance. After undergoing my basic training, I knew without a doubt that this was for me and that my father, who also served in the Nigerian army, would be very proud of me.
When I eventually told my parents, my mum was initially furious but, in the end, both my parents were incredibly proud of me. I applied under the commonwealth scheme because I had not lived in the UK for three years. I initially joined the RLC as a driver then later transferred to the RADC where I trained as a Dental Nurse, my current role is as a Practice Manager.
My experiences in the British Army have been wonderful especially in Kinloss and Fort George, who’d have thought! I have been able to serve within the UK and overseas in many exciting locations yet being part of Black History Month this year
has been something I would not trade for anything in the world. Furthermore, because of BHM, I was able to sit with Rob Lyman, a celebrated historian, who took me through more details of the war in Burma and linked it to my own relatives who fought there. I
sat down in front of him feeling very proud and thankful that I have had the opportunity to serve in the British Army too. Another perk of participating in BHM was being lodged in a 4-star hotel in central London and receiving a VIP pass on a tour of the National Army Museum.
I would like to take this opportunity to say a very big thank you to Capt Holden for interviewing me and giving me the opportunity to tell my story as part of this year’s BHM. This has been one of the highlights of my army career. I would also like to say thank you to everyone I have worked with since joining the British Army 13 years ago, they have, and continue to make, this job incredibly rewarding.
58 RADC BULLETIN 2020