Damilola’s Barbados Diary: Highlights from the GUBA Awards 2025

Hello BNers, it’s Damilola.

I had the pleasure of travelling to Barbados for the GUBA Awards 2025, and I am back with all the highlights!

The GUBA Awards celebrate and recognise Black excellence across the diaspora and the continent. This year’s event brought together inspiring trailblazers, cultural leaders, and creatives.

My journey started at Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos on November 10. I landed safely in Accra, where the GUBA Team warmly welcomed me. There that I met the lovely Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, who, in my opinion, is even more lovely in person. I also connected with the talented Nimi Princewill of CNN Africa. With the team complete, we headed to our hotels to rest for the night.

The next morning, we headed back to the airport and met the incredibly talented Ghanaian actress Nana Ama McBrown, who was also joining the trip. Alongside her were a few other GUBA Team members and attendees based in Ghana. After the usual airport routines, it was finally time to take off for Barbados, and the adventure was officially underway!.

This chartered flight was courtesy of Milvest, this year’s GUBA Awards headline sponsor.

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Our first stop was beautiful Cape Verde. We didn’t get off the plane, but the brief stop still gave us a chance to make some memories.

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Once the plane’s cabin crew was changed and a few final checks were completed, we were back in the air, continuing our journey to Barbados. We arrived just past 5 pm local time and were welcomed in style.

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We took a few pictures and then headed to the Prime Minister’s private welcome at her residence.

My home for the two-day stay was the beautiful Crane Resort. The resort felt like a scene from one of my favourite movies. It was all-encompassing, with little shops that reflected Barbados’ rich culture.

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The next day started with a quick interview with Dentaa Amoateng MBE, President of GUBA Enterprise, and Yvonne Abba Opoku, Chair of the GUBA Enterprise Board, where they both discussed the vision behind this year’s GUBA Awards and the significance of the chartered flight.

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Next stop was the university for the Asante King’s welcome. It was a beautiful reminder of how deeply connected Africans and Caribbeans are.

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Finally, it was time for the GUBA Awards! The night was filled with a rich display of African culture, beautiful connections, glitz, exciting performances, delicious food, and unforgettable moments.

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If I had to describe the experience, it would be one for the books. Just being in that room, seeing these Africans recognised and celebrated, was amazing. Even more beautiful was hearing their stories during their acceptance speeches, a true reminder of the excellence rooted in Africa. Moments like these don’t just inspire; they stay with you.

I am excited to have been on the pioneer chartered flight, to have connected with so many lovely people, to have been in a room filled with Black excellence, and to have experienced all the unforgettable moments in Barbados.