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On the day we highlighted a report that showed the percentage of senior BME personal in top Whitehall departments is falling, the only Black local authority CEO in London and possible the country has announced he’ll be standing down.

Derek Anderson has been at the helm of Lambeth Council as its Chief Officer for over a decade. In 2012 he was awarded Leader of the year by the Guardian newspaper.

In his resignation letter he said:

Globally the oil and gas industry is overly-dominated by men. However, in Nigeria a handful of women are staggering ahead to make a change. Nigeria is the 14th largest oil producing country, who has taken on steps to open its oil industry to the locals; a policy known as ‘indigenisation’.

A carnival of protest descended on the Barbican over the weekend. Hundreds of people, some with African drums and placards claiming ‘I am somebody’ and ‘I’m not an object’, first marched from Moorgate station before pitching up outside the Barbican to hear awe inspiring poetry and inspirational speeches from activists, academics and poets alike.

A powerful report delivered yesterday by Trevor Phillips with his Green Park consultancy into public institutions In the main if refers to the big and very powerful public bodies which are falling behind even the private sector which has never been a standard bearer for equality and diversity.

We all must welcome this report.

On Saturday 13th of Sept, BME activists will be protesting at The Barbican against their plans to show Brett Bailey’s Exhibit B. We’ll also hand in the petition of the many thousands of signatures. We need you there to show our strength and disgust at being used and abused as objects for Bailey's vanity project, which despite his proclamations’ of helping Black people continues the theme of colonialism and exploitation.

We will be assembling at 1pm. The address is: The Barbican Exhibition Centre, London.

One of the most encouraging elements I’ve seen across Europe in recent years has been the strong and proud resurgence of African/European identity. The UK and France has always had a long standing African identity which has demanded greater equality and social justice, but other Africans across Europe are beginning to find a unique African voice; A voice that is rooted in multifaceted identities, pride, fairness, and the courage to fight for it. One of the latest groups to emerge is the Afro-Swedes.

Having the great fortune to be in the US capital for the last 3 months, front row seats to the 2014 midterm elections has revealed much by way of indirect and discreet campaign strategy and organising. Everything, from the release of autobiographies by notable politicians, to the preferred holiday location of political candidates has been meticulously scrutinised by eager journalists and critics.

Informally known as the “Grand Old Man of India,” last Thursday marked the 189th birthday of Dadabhai Naoroji, the first Asian to be elected to the British Houses of Parliament.