Stories from Nzuko Ndi-Igbo Dundee
Nzuko Ndi-Igbo Dundee was established in 2015 as an association of ‘Ndi-Igbo’ or people of Igbo decent and their relatives. The Igbo people in Nigeria currently comprise around 15% of the country’s population and NNID is currently the largest black community group in Dundee.
NNID’s motto is ‘Igwe bu Ike’, meaning ‘Unity is Strength’. Their aim is to promote and foster togetherness, cultural awareness, co-operation, respect and unity among its members and their families, their host community and people of other nationalities. Three members of the association have kindly shared their stories with us for this blog.
Professor Joseph C Akunna – Academic and Community Leader
I arrived in Dundee on 15th November 1993 to take up at position of lecturer within the Department of Civil Engineering at the now Abertay University and currently hold a Personal Chair of Water and Environmental Engineering. My expertise is in water and environmental engineering. More direct contribution includes advising officials on appropriate strategies for the City’s municipal waste management. Amongst my numerous activities in this area is leading the scientific work that led to the restoration of the Dundee Riverside Landfill to its current use as a Nature Reserve.
A lot has changed within the Black Community in Dundee since my arrival. From a handful of permanent residents to hundreds currently. As one of the longest continuous permanent Black residents in the City, I have been playing a leading role in providing guidance and mentorship to new arrivals to facilitate smooth and effective integration within the community for over 30 years.
I am one of the founding members of Nzuko Ndi-Igbo Dundee. NNID was founded in my residence in 2015, representing a handful of people. It currently represents around 500 people of Igbo ethnic origin of Nigeria residing within and around Dundee. The members are predominantly students and former students, those involved in religious and social work, and medical and educational professionals. My role since arriving in Dundee, and subsequently the aim of NNID, has always been to promote effective social integration via appropriate guidance and mentorship based on the experiences of older residents from the wider Black Community.
NNID grows from strength to strength from its pioneering root in Dundee to its status as one of the leading voices for the Black Community in the UK.
Mrs Stella Digba – Senior Charge Nurse, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee
My name is Stella Digba. I am a mother, mentor, nurse, wife, and charity trustee. I have lived in Dundee for over two decades and consider it home in every sense. I arrived in Dundee in 2001 to join my husband, who had moved here in 1998. Together we have raised our three wonderful children in this city, and they have completed all their education here. Dundee has shaped our family, our identity, and our sense of belonging.
I am a nurse with over 20 years of experience, and throughout my career I have grown into a leadership role as a Team Leader in one of the busiest hospital settings. Beyond my clinical responsibilities, I have used my position to support many international nurses offering guidance, sharing lived experiences, and encouraging them during moments of doubt or transition. My journey as an international nurse has given me a deep understanding of the challenges faced by Black and minority ethnic nurses, and I have made it a personal mission to uplift others so they can thrive.
A proud moment in my career came in 2023, when I was nominated to attend a gathering of international nurses at Buckingham Palace. King Charles delivered a speech acknowledging and appreciating the contribution of international nurses to the health service. Being present at that event was a powerful reminder of the value of our work and the strength of our community.
I have been privileged to make a positive impact within the Black community through my professional, charitable, and community service roles. As a Senior Charge Nurse, I have mentored and supported many Black and internationally educated nurses, encouraging career development, confidence, and leadership. Beyond my healthcare work, I actively contribute to community development through my involvement as a charity trustee, helping to shape initiatives that support vulnerable individuals, promote inclusion, and strengthen opportunities for diverse communities.
Through leadership, advocacy, mentoring, and service, I remain committed to empowering others and creating lasting positive change within the Black community and beyond.
My lived experience in Dundee has also allowed me to support many international families as they settle into the city. Some arrive with very little support, and I have been privileged to walk alongside them offering practical help, advice, and encouragement. For families welcoming new babies, I have been there to help with bathing, newborn care and emotional reassurance, sometimes supporting them straight from the hospital. These moments of connection and care have strengthened my commitment to ensuring that newcomers feel seen, supported, and welcomed.
I have also served as a Trustee with Signpost International for over seven years, supporting both local and overseas projects. I have been actively involved in fundraising initiatives, including the Kilt walk, and I am passionate about the organisation’s commitment to tackling poverty and supporting vulnerable communities.
In addition, I serve as an Elder in my local church, a role that allows me to support people spiritually, emotionally, and practically. I consider it an honour to serve God and my community in this way.
Across nursing, charity work, mentoring, and faith leadership, my heart has always been to support, encourage, and empower people especially within Dundee’s Black community. My lived experience, my professional journey, and my long-standing presence in the city have shaped the way I contribute to community wellbeing, representation, and positive change.
Finally, I have been able to impact the black community having brought up three kids in Scotland who have demonstrated good ground and are very responsible.
Dundee has been my home for 25 years, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving and uplifting the community that has embraced me.
Dr Daisy Nwaozuzu – President of Nzuko Ndi-Igbo Dundee
I arrived in Scotland (Edinburgh) in December 2001 on a honeymoon, having wedded in Nigeria shortly before making the trip to Scotland. I subsequently had to resign from work (PPMC, a subsidiary of NNPC) to be able to move to Dundee the following year (2002) to support my husband who was starting a postgraduate programme at the Centre for Energy, Petroleum, Mineral Law & Policy, University of Dundee. Our marriage is blessed with three lovely boys, who are proudly Dundonians.
As wife of an international student in 2001, I faced a few challenges while navigating motherhood in Dundee. There were several times when I felt lonely, isolated and in need of a black community. I missed African food, friends and extended family members. There were also activities in my immediate environment that I missed because I didn’t have the information at all, or on time or perhaps had the wrong information completely. These experiences have informed some of my current activities as a community leader in Dundee.
As the leader of the biggest black community in Dundee, recognised by Dundee City Council, I have used the NNID platform to sensitise as well as support the African community, provide information and guidance to Nigerians arriving in Dundee, stimulate social integration in our community, helping them to live meaningfully and thrive locally. Activities range from regular webinars on important subjects such as Child Protection, Neglect and Abuse, Healthy Living and Nutrition, the Law and avoiding crime. Other activities include home visits, community representation at all levels and providing material support to cushion the effect of hardship experienced by new African migrants.
Through my leadership at NNID, I have set up a few initiatives that are aimed at addressing social isolation among young African teenagers and perinatal mental health issues in women. NNID Youth Wellness and Teen Connection is an intervention group that provides support to young Africans in Dundee as they chart their ways through the environmental challenges and transition towards a positive destination. The approach employed is usually through a buddying and mentoring system, where an older adult already in a positive destination provides a lived experience that encourages the younger adult to emulate positive behaviours. In addition, the Youth Wellness and Teens Connection addresses social isolation through indoors and outdoors activities that encourage social integration while stimulating positive wellbeing. This project is funded by CEMVO and Lotto Community Fund.
Another initiative at NNID is the Maternal Mental Health peer support group. This is an intervention group for black women experiencing perinatal mental health challenges. This group provides support through the sharing of lived experiences by its members who are migrant mothers, mostly health professionals, psychotherapist and educationist, signposting women to sources of professional mental health support as well as organised activities that enhances their general wellbeing. This group is currently researching more on Maternal Mental Health among black women and how best to support them. The project is funded by Dundee Volunteer & Voluntary Action.
Other beneficial initiatives brought to the black community include an invitation to the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, aimed at enlightening the black community on the importance of blood donation, particularly as Africans are underrepresented in blood donation. The increasing requests for blood transfusion from the black community further justify the importance of this sensitisation exercise as an increase in the number of African donors will contribute meaningfully towards having a closely matched blood type for black patients in need of blood transfusion and care.
NNID, through my leadership, continues to seek ways to support the black community through partnerships and relational approaches with other organisations. It has been an interesting journey for me to watch NNID grow from strength to strength and to adopt a leadership model that provides a springboard for the black community in Dundee to engage with stakeholders, access the right information and support, necessary to thrive in the city.
See also
Comments