Councilor Victoria Obaze Nominated For The Nelas Academy Awards

Councilor Victoria Obaze is a leader who believes Jim Rohn’s assertion that “the objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better.”

Born in Nigeria, From Amauzari Okwuosu in Imo State of Nigeria. She attended West London College where she studied Business Administration, and later proceeded to Metropolitan University where she obtained a degree in Community Sector Management.

As an International Business Consultant with unstoppable zeal in charitable organization and community activities she further obtained Child Care Certification which enabled her to run one of the interesting registered charitable Child Care Centre in the United Kingdom named Vicharles Play Centre. And subsequently Victoria Obaze opened a project named Healthy Life Style for Stepney Women, East London. This project was funded by the local authority through Ocean African Caribbean Association which she and her late husband co-founded.

Victoria Obaze who established the Ocean Saturday School aimed at ensuring school attainment for children is also a member of Parochial Church Council (PCC) and Executive Council member, at St Dunstan’s Church of England Parish in Stepney.

Her political expedition started when she was elected as one of the board of directors to foresee the regenerating of her area in the 1980s. The move motivated her into politics seeing that there were no black woman in the council chambers then, hence, she decided to join Labour Party which is a socialist party with interest for less privilege people. While attending various meeting, she put her name forward for elective position within her ward and was subsequently elected as Women’s Officer, Chair/ Vice Chair, Secretary, Federal Secretary, BAME Vice Chair, Borough’s Vice Chair and Observer.

Being a very active campaigner which led to the establishment of Women only Campaign Section and the revival of Women’s Forum in her party in the Borough from where she put forward her name to be elected as a Councilor in 2010. She, however, failed to achieve her desire having lost her first election with about 100 votes.

In 2014 and 2016, she contested again and lost. At this point, she was never discouraged and continued to work with everyone including the Muslims majority from Bangladesh.

In 2018, her resilience eventually paid off, the victory was unusual as the first result declared showed that she didn’t win, but that spirit of “never say die” made her to reject the result and demand for a recount. Her mandate was immediately retrieved as the recounted votes placed her in the cruising line after which she was declared the winner.

Victoria Obaze who has lived in the Borough for over 30 years is being celebrated not only because she won an election, but because other Councilors / Executive Mayor in the Borough, knowing her capabilities and qualities she exhibited nominated her as the Deputy Speaker (Civic Mayor).

For over 15 years Labour Party has never won a seat in Whitechapel Ward but Victoria Obaze has done the unthinkable by emerging as not only as a black Mayor in the Borough but also a female Christian.

History was made when she won as a female Black Councillor, and subsequently on the 15th of 2019, in Tower Hamlets, Victoria Obaze becomes the Speaker of the Borough (Civic Mayor).

Having gone through the achievements of this great and wonderful woman, a leader in community development, International Business Consultant, philanthropist and role model the organizing committee of the 14th Nelas Academy Awards will be honoring this great woman Victoria Obaze Speaker of the Borough (Civic Mayor) with one of the Nelas Academy highest honors in Abuja on the 27th of October, 2019.