University News Last updated 23 October 2024
Ade Adepitan MBE hopes his appointment as Chancellor of 探花直播 (BCU) will allow him to 鈥渃hange a lot of lives鈥� and become 鈥渁 torchbearer for disability rights鈥�.
The television presenter, journalist, disability campaigner and Paralympic medallist, 51, was officially installed as successor to Sir Lenny Henry CBE at a ceremony at The Grand Hotel in 探花直播 on Tuesday evening.
In front of more than 150 guests, including the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of 探花直播, Ade called Sir Lenny his 鈥渉ero鈥� and 鈥渁 trailblazer鈥� in an emotional and rousing speech, adding that the 66-year-old actor, comedian and writer would be a very tough act to follow.
Sir Lenny, who served as Chancellor for eight years and will remain involved with the University via the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity, described his role as 鈥渙ne of the most wonderful things I will ever do鈥� and backed Ade to be a huge success.听
Sir Lenny added: 鈥淏CU took a risk with me - and I鈥檒l always be grateful for that.鈥�
Ade, who uses a wheelchair after contracting polio as a child, will serve as Chancellor for an initial period of three years, working alongside Vice-Chancellor Professor David Mba, Chair of the Board of Governors Anita Bhalla OBE, and the University鈥檚 leadership team.
鈥淟ike Sir Lenny before me, I never thought there would be a day where I would lead a university,鈥� Ade told guests at the 鈥楶assing The Baton鈥� ceremony.
鈥淧eople of my background, my experience, my ethnicity鈥� this isn鈥檛 where we usually get to sit. At the top table, in a position of authority, and of influence.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to get all 鈥楽pider-Man鈥� about this, but I am very aware that with 鈥榞reat power comes great responsibility鈥�, and my immediate responsibility is to be an advocate for thousands of dedicated colleagues, and a representative for tens of thousands of students.鈥�
Brought up in East London after moving to England from Nigeria at the age of three, Ade described 探花直播 as a 鈥渃ultural hotspot鈥� and vowed to be an advocate for the city.
He also pledged to stand up for disability rights.听
鈥淲hen it comes to sport, or culture, or education, it鈥檚 so important that people can see someone that looks like them,鈥� said Ade, who helped Great Britain鈥檚 wheelchair basketball team win a bronze medal at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens.
鈥淐urrently, this isn鈥檛 always the case when it comes to disability representation. It鈥檚 2024, and it鈥檚 still true that, if the Paralympics isn鈥檛 on screen, disabled people are invisible to the majority. We don鈥檛 appear on billboards. We don鈥檛 promote perfume. We鈥檙e not in the public eye.
鈥淎nd by not being in the public eye, we consequently don鈥檛 get the same opportunities. Services aren鈥檛 designed with us in mind. Policies are drafted with disability as an afterthought.
鈥淚t shouldn鈥檛 be like this. It鈥檚 why me becoming Chancellor is a step into the unknown. Historically, Chancellors don鈥檛 look like I do.鈥�
Ade, who was joined at the ceremony by members of his family, including his wife, Linda, and three-year-old son, added: 鈥淚 have the potential to make a difference.
鈥淚鈥檝e always spoken strongly about diversity, but I鈥檝e never done this from a position of authority. Nor have I done it with a wealth of knowledge and research to back my beliefs.
鈥淭hat all changed when Sir Lenny gave me my robe. Not just because it was my chance to try on some slick new ceremonial threads. But it鈥檚 because this is when I start helping BCU in its ambitions to be a force for good.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the point I can help steer the University in its mission to create and share knowledge for a better - and more inclusive - society.听
鈥淚t is the moment that BCU can think about becoming a torchbearer for disability rights.鈥澨�