IT WAS A NIGHT when their contribution to Barbados was celebrated, and the 19 honorees acknowledged by the Pan African Commission at a glitzy awards event last week, were overjoyed that someone took notice of their work in this way.
Historian and educator Trevor Marshall, businessman Rawle Brancker, Monsignor Vincent Blackett of the Roman Catholic Church; media personality Rosemary Alleyne; educator Dr Myrna Belgrave; the Rev. Wayne “Onkphra” Wells and poet Adisa “Aja” Andwele were among those honoured with the Oshe Emeka Award.
Oshe Emeka originates from the Yoruba word Oshe, which means thanksgiving.
The elaborate ceremony at Sandalwood Estate, Hothersal Turning, was hosted by the Ministry of Culture and the Commission of Pan African Affairs, and attended by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley.
The buzz while guests chatted over cocktails after the formalities was mainly about Lashley’s words: “We continue to secure hard-won freedoms, even as we fight to win new ground. But we must be firmly rooted in solving existing challenges and will indeed determine the future of emerging generations of Barbados.”
