Cymrodoriaeth er Anrhydedd i Brif Weithredwr Cyngor Hil Cymru

Y Gwir Anrhydeddus Arglwydd Thomas o Gwmgïedd, Changhellor Prifysgol Aberystwyth, yn cyflwyno yr Athro Uzo Iwobi yn Gymrawd Anrhydedd

Mae Prifysgol Aberystwyth wedi cyflwyno Cymrodoriaeth er Anrhydedd i’r Athro Uzo Iwobi CBE FLSW FRSA, sylfaenydd a Phrif Weithredwr Cyngor Hil Cymru.

Cymhwysodd yr Athro Iwobi i fod yn gyfreithwraig ac yn fargyfreithwraig ac fe'i galwyd i’r Bar yn Nigeria.

Ar ôl symud i Gymru, sefydlodd ‘Race Council Cymru’ y mae hi'n Brif Weithredwr arno, yn ogystal â sefydlu Canolfan Gymunedol Affrica Cymru ac arwain rhaglen Hanes Pobl Dduon Cymru.

Yn y gorffennol bu'n gwasanaethu fel Cynghorydd Polisi Arbenigol ar Gydraddoldeb i Lywodraeth Cymru, Cynghorydd Strategol Tîm Amrywioldeb Cenedlaethol yr Heddlu, Comisiynydd gyda Chomisiwn Cydraddoldeb Hiliol y DU, ac mae wedi bod yn aelod o fwrdd sawl mudiad gwirfoddol.

Fe'i hanrhydeddwyd yn Swyddog Urdd yr Ymerodraeth Brydeinig (OBE) yn Anrhydeddau Pen-blwydd y Frenhines yn 2008 am wasanaethau i gysylltiadau hiliol cymunedol a chymunedau’r De, ac yn Gadlywydd Urdd yr Ymerodraeth Brydeinig (CBE) yn Anrhydeddau Pen-blwydd 2022 am wasanaethau i gydraddoldeb hiliol a hyrwyddo amrywioldeb a chynhwysiant.

Cyflwynwyd Yr Athro Uzo Iwobi yn Gymrawd er Anrhydedd gan yr Athro Anwen Jones, Dirprwy Is-Ganghellor Cyfadran y Celfyddydau a'r Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol ym Mhrifysgol Aberystwyth, ddydd Mawrth 16 Gorffennaf 2024.

Mae’r cyflwyniad llawn ar gael isod, yn yr iaith y’i traddodwyd.

Yr Athro Jon Timmis, Is-Ganghellor Prifysgol Aberystwyth, gyda'r Athro Uzo Iwobi

Cyflwyno Yr Athro Uzo Iwobi gan Yr Athro Anwen Jones:

Canghellor, Is-Ganghellor, graddedigion a chyfeillion. Pleser o’r mwyaf yw cyflwyno Uzo Iwobi yn gymrawd Prifysgol Aberystwyth.

Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, graduates and supporters.  It is an honour and a privilege to present Uzo Iwobi as a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

Here at Aberystwyth University, we talk about how we can make a difference – to our students, through our research and through our civic mission, and so it is a joy to present this fellowship to someone who has dedicated their life to helping others.

Originally from Nigeria, Uzo holds a law degree, she is qualified as a solicitor and a barrister, and was called to the Nigerian Bar.  After qualifying as a Barrister, Uzo moved to Wales where she founded, and now serves as Chief Executive, of Race Council Cymru.

Among her many roles, Uzo has been a Strategic Advisor to the Police National Diversity Team based at the Home Office, a Commissioner to the Commission for Racial Equality UK, and she was appointed a trustee of the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning, and is the first Black person to be appointed as a Specialist Policy Adviser on Equalities to Welsh Government -advising the Minister for Social Justice and the First Minister. 

Uzo is also a founding member and coordinator of Black History Wales 365 and produced the legacy film of the Windrush Generation in Wales called Windrush Cymru @75. And she has served as project director of the Windrush Exhibition called Our Voices, Our Stories, Our History which is touring Wales now.

Uzo has been recognised for her many contributions, including being ranked the 6th out of 15 most influential Black Icons in Wales by WalesOnline, and being one of only two people from Wales to have their image highlighted on Stonehenge in honour of her contributions to culture and heritage in Wales.

Uzo was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours for her services to community race relations and South Wales communities. She has an Honorary Fellowship and was appointed a Professor at Practice at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and is a fellow of Royal College of Arts, fellow of Glyndwr University and fellow of Bridgend College.

In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II honoured Uzo in her Platinum Jubilee Honours List with a CBE for her services to race equality and championing diversity and inclusion. That year she also became a fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. 

Uzo was appointed an Independent Adviser to the Senedd Parliamentary Commission in 2023.

This year, Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales highlighted Uzo on International Women's Day as one of the UK women worthy of note on their official Twitter and Instagram pages.

Chancellor, it is my absolute pleasure to present Uzo Iwobi to you as a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

Canghellor, mae’n bleser gen i gyflwyno Uzo Iwobi i chi yn Gymrawd. 

Anrhydeddau Prifysgol Aberystwyth 2024

Bob blwyddyn, mae Prifysgol Aberystwyth yn dyfarnu Graddau er Anrhydedd i nifer fach o unigolion nodedig er mwyn cydnabod eu cyflawniad a’u cyfraniad rhagorol.

Dyma Gymrodyr er Anrhydedd 2024:

• Yr Athro Syr Stewart Cole KCMG FRS, microbiolegydd o fri rhyngwladol sy'n gweithio ym maes iechyd byd-eang
• Jess Fishlock MBE, pêl-droedwraig a hyfforddwraig broffesiynol, a enillodd 150 o gapiau rhyngwladol dros Gymru
• Clare Hieatt, cyd-sylfaenydd yr ŵyl syniadau fyd-enwog The Do Lectures a chwmni Hiut Denim Co
• David Hieatt, cyd-sylfaenydd cwmni jîns Hiut Denim Co o Aberteifi a The Do Lectures
• Yr Athro Uzo Iwobi CBE FLSW FRSA, Sylfaenydd a Phrif Weithredwr Cyngor Hil Cymru
• Dr Anna Persaud, Prif Swyddog Gweithredol a Sylfaenydd y brand moethus gofal croen a lles, This Works
• Manon Steffan Ros, awdur arobryn, colofnydd a sgript-wraig

Rhannu