A Nottingham author says she has turned down an MBE because of its 'negative connotations of empire'. Panya Banjoko, a writer and PhD researcher at Nottingham Trent University, said she took the "hard decision" to reject the honour due to its historical links with the British Empire, and the effects it still has on equality in society.
Ms Banjoko received a letter, seen by Nottinghamshire Live, from the Cabinet Office notifying her she had been recommended for Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) award in the 2023 New Year Honours List. However, the author said she wrote back saying she could not accept it.
"It's about the fact that the name is outdated, 'empire' has real negative connotations," she explained. "For us as black people it was empire that enslaved us and took away our language. And we still suffer the consequences of that today.
