ROYAL AIR FORCE FLYING TRAINING COMMAND, 1940-1945. (CH 2430) Air Marshal L A Pattinson, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Flying Training Command, talking to Babatunde Alakija, the first Nigerian to join the RAF, at an RAF Receiving Depot at Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire. His name is Babatundo Alakija, but he is known as 'Ali' by the other cadets. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210040

Second World War Service and Sacrifice – Babatunde O. Alakija

Born in Nigeria, Alakija was educated at Oxford and was to hold the British Public School High Jump Championship. Alakija’s father,…


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Black History Month

2026 LISTINGS

Portsmouth Thursday 19 February 2026

Bash Amuneni: Spoken Word Masterclass

In a special commission for Portsmouth BookFest 2026, the celebrated Nigerian performance poet Bash Amuneni hosts an intimate…

Lambeth Friday 20 February 2026

ZooNation: Hip-Hop Half Term

Celebrate the vibrancy of Black dance culture with ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company at the Southbank Centre. As…

Tower Hamlets Saturday 21 February 2026

Whitney – Queen of the Night

Direct from the West End, the critically acclaimed Whitney – Queen of the Night arrives at the historic…