Special Report
By Chukwudi George Ozalla
Alistair Soyode has been honoured in London for his pioneering work in Black and African media, as well as his years of involvement in community development, African advocacy and the mentoring of young people.
Soyode received the AfroEuropa 2026 Star Leadership Award in London for his contributions to media leadership, global engagement, community development and African advocacy.
His name is closely associated with the history of African broadcasting in the United Kingdom. In 2002, he founded BEN Television and created a platform at a time when African and Black communities in Britain had limited opportunities to tell their own stories through television. BEN TV gave African news, culture, business, entertainment and personalities a place on the screen and became a familiar name among Africans in the diaspora.
That pioneering work is why Soyode is often described as a father and pioneer of Black media in the diaspora. His influence, however, goes beyond the television station. Many people who have found their way into media and public communication have had one form of connection or another with the path he opened for others.
CNN’s African Voices programme profiled Soyode in 2010, tracing his journey from Nigeria to Britain and his emergence as a media entrepreneur. The report also examined his determination to change the way Nigeria and Africa were presented to the outside world.
Soyode has never lost his strong connection to Nigeria. I have interacted with him on several occasions and his attachment to the country is obvious. He visits Nigeria almost as if he is going to a grocery shop in the neighbourhood. He follows developments at home very closely and is often better informed about what is happening in Nigeria than many people living here.
His interest in Nigeria is not limited to following events from a distance. He engages people, discusses the country’s challenges and is passionate about the kind of leadership and values that can move the country forward.
I recall one particular occasion when I invited him to participate in an event focused on good democratic governance and youth active participation in shaping the affairs of our nation. I mentioned the invitation to him at night, and by the following morning he had made himself available to participate and share his insights. That was typical of Soyode. Once he saw the importance of the subject, he was ready to contribute.
He believes strongly in pragmatic leadership and sound values, and his interest in young people is closely connected to that belief. Soyode encourages young people to develop themselves, take responsibility and become people who can make a difference in their communities.
He is particularly interested in seeing young people become transformers who can create opportunities for others rather than waiting for opportunities to come to them. His satisfaction appears to come from seeing people he has encouraged make progress, establish themselves and eventually help others.
Agriculture is another area close to his heart. He sees it as a serious opportunity for young Nigerians, not simply as a means of producing food but as a sector capable of creating businesses, employment and wealth when young people approach it with the right mindset.
My own interaction with BEN TV has also given me a closer appreciation of what Soyode built. On different occasions in the past, I linked high-profile individuals for exclusive interviews on the station’s morning show and for other news events. I have also identified with the BEN TV brand because of what Soyode built and the space it created for African voices in the diaspora.
His work has also taken him into diaspora affairs and community development, including his involvement with the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe. He has consistently encouraged Nigerians abroad to maintain strong links with home and to use their experience, resources and networks to contribute to Nigeria’s development.
Soyode has received other recognitions for his work. In 2025, he was honoured with the Triangle Award for his pioneering work in Black and ethnic media and youth and diaspora empowerment.
As Nigeria marked its 66th Independence anniversary, Soyode also sent greetings to Nigerians and friends of Nigeria, urging people to make good use of their time, remain positive and work towards stronger families, better communities and a better country.
That message reflects his long-standing interest in Nigeria. His life in Britain has not separated him from what happens at home. He visits regularly, follows national developments closely and remains interested in questions of leadership, youth development, agriculture and the future of the country.
Soyode’s contribution to Black media is already an important part of African broadcasting history in the diaspora. His contribution to people is another part of his story that deserves attention. He has spent years encouraging young people, opening doors and helping others find platforms from which they can grow.
His greatest joy appears to be seeing people he has encouraged succeed, including those who may eventually achieve more than he has. He does not seem threatened by that prospect. Rather, he welcomes the success of others and takes satisfaction in knowing that something he helped to start has produced another person capable of making a difference.
Nigeria needs more people who are willing to invest in people, encourage enterprise, mentor young minds and promote values that can produce responsible leadership. In that sense, Alistair Soyode is a great agent of transformation that Nigeria needs.
The London honour celebrates his pioneering work in Black media, but his story is also about the people he has encouraged, the opportunities he has helped create and the strong connection he has maintained with Nigeria and the African community.
