October 2020 - Page 2 of 2 - Capital City College Group
Accessibility & Translation

Former Performing Arts student to appear on ITV’s Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club

A former Westminster Kingsway College student will be showcasing his talent for stand-up when he appears on Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club on ITV this month.

Babatunde Aléshé is fast becoming one of the most popular names in black British comedy and will be seen on the show for up-and-coming comics on Saturday 10 October.

The comic and actor studied Performing Arts at WestKing from 2002 to 2005.

Babatunde, 34, said: “I was always the class clown in school and was inspired by Eddie Murphy. When I was at college I met a comedian by the name of Kojo made the decision to step into comedy.

“Whenever I was acting, I would always try to make the audience laugh, even when it wasn’t a comedy. Stand-up seemed like the only option for me.”

Babatunde made his stand-up debut at the Upfront at Comedy Club in Croydon in November 2003 and has gone on to perform at venues across the UK including The O2 and Hackney Empire.

He is also a talented actor whose TV and film credits including Waking the Dead, Doctor Who, EastEnders, Pelican Blood and The Naked Poet.

His stage work includes Iya Ilé at Soho Theatre and Requiem for Tomorrow at Shaw Theatre.

“I love acting, but stand-up will always have a special place in my heart,” he said.

“The real highlight of my career so far is having my son show his grandmother me on the TV whenever he goes to her house!”

Despite his comedic leaning, Babatunde recalled the performance he considered his best at WestKing was in a serious role, as John Proctor in The Crucible.

He said: “I loved my time at college and had the pleasure of being trained by Rob Alexander, who was an awesome teacher. Because of him I was able to get into Central School of Speech and Drama and become a comic. Within three years I was there. I can honestly say that my time at WestKing wasn’t wasted at all.”

Giving his advice to future performers, he added: “Don’t overthink it, just do it. Trust the process and don’t be scared to fail. If you can withstand failure, over and over again, it makes you stronger. For a comedian it’s where our best material is made.”

Babatunde won Best Newcomer at the Black Entertainment Comedy Awards and was also the winner of the Amused Mouse National New Comic Award.

In 2018 he was chosen to appear alongside American stand-up Dave Chapelle on his live comedy show The Process.

Earlier this year he was seen on Celebrity Gogglebox on Channel 4 with fellow comic Mo Gilligan, and in September he appeared on Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports.

Rob Alexander, Lecturer in Drama, said: “Babatunde was a fabulous student to have in the classroom and showed great comedic potential from the off. From his early scenes in EastEnders to where he is now, I am very proud of his achievements.”

“What’s equally wonderful is how open and approachable he is, and how willing he has been to talk to our students about his work and career.”

WestKing Student Wins Nursing Degree Scholarship

A Westminster Kingsway College student has won a £6,000 scholarship to study for a degree in nursing at the University of Leicester. Hawa Olabanji, 19, was chosen to receive the scholarship after achieving a Distinction on a Health and Social Care Level 3 Diploma at the college.

The scholarship is worth £2,000 a year for three academic years of her four-year MSci Nursing degree, which she started in September.

Hawa said: “I am excited to be attending Leicester because I know what I am going to study will result in me doing my dream career as a nurse.

“When I went to the open day at Leicester University I really fell in love with the place and knew it was where I wanted to study. I was so impressed with the medical equipment and the practical facilities they provide. They have everything you need.”

Hawa initially wanted to become a doctor before looking at midwifery and finally settling on nursing.

“I am a very caring person by nature and wondered how I could use that professionally,” she said. “I decided I wanted to do something in the healthcare sector and chose to focus on becoming a nurse.”

While on her course at WestKing, Hawa completed a work placement at Whittington Hospital in north London.

She said: “I was really inspired by people working at the hospital and what I saw there and the tasks they asked me to do. I don’t like just waiting around and it seemed like an exciting and busy place to work.

“It’s a very rewarding profession and a job where I feel I can make a difference to people’s lives and be proud of myself. If I can help someone who might be having a difficult time and put a smile on their face, it makes me smile.”

Hawa was full of praise for her teachers at WestKing and the support she had from the college’s Careers Service in helping her get a place at university.

“The teachers really made sure we understood what we were doing. I am the type to always ask questions and they provided information and guidance for the coursework we had to do.

“They were very knowledgeable and were able to share a lot of their experience with us. When it came to choosing a university, the staff were very helpful in narrowing me down to one future goal and supporting me with my application.”

WestKing offers a wide range of Health and Social Care courses from Levels 1-3, as well as Access to Higher Education Diploma courses in Nursing, Midwifery, Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, and Psychosocial Studies.

Sally Edozie, Lecturer in Health and Social Care, said: “Hawa is a determined and confident young lady who was very clear from the very beginning of her course that she wanted to enter the nursing sector. Her scholarship is well deserved and recognition of the work and effort she put into her studies at WestKing.

“It always brings me joy to see my learners succeed and to have their hard work acknowledged. I have no doubt that Hawa’s drive will enable her to excel and succeed at university and her goal to become a nurse.” 

Sarah Tompkins, Global Recruitment Officer at the University of Leicester, said: “We really enjoy working with students at WestKing to support them on their path to Higher Education. We’re pleased to welcome Hawa to our campus, and we hope this scholarship supports her aspirations – we are sure she will be hugely successful in her MSci Nursing course.”

CANDI Alum Daniel Nikolla Named Top Young Marketing Professional in the Midlands

CANDI alum, Daniel Nikolla, 27, has been named the Future Face of Sales, Marketing and Communications in the Future Faces Awards 2020. The awards, run by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, recognise the top talent aged 35 and under across the region’s business community.

Daniel, who is Marketing Manager for Hardy Signs in Burton upon Trent, received the award for launching a new marketing strategy focusing on digital transformation and content marketing, which has had a huge impact on sales for the company.

He was announced the winner at an online ceremony, which was beamed from Chamber House in Edgbaston and hosted by Heart West Midlands Drivetime presenter Gemma Hill.

Daniel said: “I am ecstatic and really pleased, and I feel honoured that the work that myself and our team have been doing over the last two years has been recognised. This award means a lot and has motivated me to continue learning and work even harder. It will ultimately boost my career prospects in every aspect.”

Daniel joined Hardy Signs in 2018 as a Marketing Executive and was promoted to his current position of Marketing Manager at the beginning of 2020.

He studied an HND in Creative Media Production at CANDI from 2014 to 2016 and went on to graduate from the University of West London with a BA (Hons) Film Production, before completing a CIM Diploma in Professional Marketing at Nottingham Trent University.

“It was only my second year in the UK when I joined CANDI, and it genuinely felt like home,” said Daniel, who was born in Tirana, Albania and moved to London in 2013.

“The international team, my teachers and the student engagement team, among others, were fantastic. They helped me take all the classes successfully and progress to university. 

“There was a really good blend of theory and practice on the course and the college provided us with plenty of opportunities and activities, to give us hands-on experience in our subject and improve our soft skills. 

“I can talk about my studies at CANDI endlessly, and recommend it to everyone that asks me.”

While at CANDI, Daniel was elected President of the Students’ Union, during which time it was awarded runner-up FE Student Union of the Year at the National Union of Students Awards in 2016.

He was also recognised for his student activism with the National Union of Students. 

Sally Ingrey, Lecturer in Media at CANDI, said: ‘Daniel struck me as energetic and sociable as soon as I met him at his college interview, and I knew that he would make a success of the course. 

“I am still in touch with him and am delighted that he is making a name for himself in marketing and wish him every success in his career.”

Daniel has also been shortlisted in Generation Next – Young Professional of the Year category at the East Midlands Chamber Business Awards 2020. The awards, run by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, recognise top talent aged 35 and under across the region’s business community.

Queen's Award for Enterprise