The theme for Black History Month 2025 (BHM) —“Standing Firm in Power and Pride”— celebrates the profound contributions of Black people who have not only shaped history but continue to build a future rooted in empowerment, unity, and growth. While many high-profile figures have led campaigns and movements for equality, there are countless others whose everyday actions strengthen the fabric of our society. In celebrating BHM over the years, TogetherintheUK has focused on the quiet champions — the everyday warriors — who remind us of the power one person has to build community, connection, and hope.
One such person is Akua Deaba, a woman who channels her two great passions — cooking and dancing — to nourish both body and soul, creating spaces where people come together, celebrate life, and rediscover joy.
Roots of Resilience
Deaba was born and raised in Ghana, a nation that at that time endured the turmoil of multiple coups and the deep scars left by political instability. As she recalls, it was “a reign of terror,” a time when false accusations could destroy lives and personal vendettas often became political. Her own father was one such victim — wrongfully imprisoned for two years because of false allegations. It pleases her that now much has improved and from 1992, Ghana has enjoyed regular and free elections and the peaceful transfer of power.
Despite the early turbulence, Deaba’s determination never wavered. She completed her education in Ghana, earning a BA in History from the University of Ghana, and fulfilled the country’s National Service requirement. Afterwards, she travelled to America, where she obtained her secretarial qualifications before returning home.
However, Deaba knew her journey was meant to continue elsewhere. In 1981, she moved to London, joining family members and beginning a new chapter. She worked first as an Editorial Secretary at The Sunday Telegraph for eight years, followed by a role as a Licensing Officer at Westminster Council. Though her career was successful, Deaba felt a deeper calling — a yearning to do something that touched hearts and built community.
In 2009, she followed that calling and founded Deaba’s Catering and Food, turning her lifelong love of cooking into a mission to connect people through food.
Creating Sunshine Through Food
Deaba’s love of cooking began in childhood, inspired by her mother. She remembers that whenever she was given a small gift of money, she would run to the local market, buy ingredients, and cook a meal for her family — her way of giving joy.
In the UK, Deaba continued to share traditional Ghanaian dishes, adding her own creative twist. She began blending flavours from Africa, Europe, and Asia, crafting what she lovingly calls “creating my own sunshine”. Her home soon became a gathering place filled with laughter, appealing aromas, and stories shared over delicious dishes. One of her fondest memories is of her young niece, who has since sadly died, who said with endearing sincerity, “I love everything you do — even your water.”
Encouraged by family and friends, she turned her gift into a business. Today, Deaba’s Catering and Food provides for corporate events, weddings, workshops, and private gatherings, earning her not just loyal clients but lifelong friends.
One of them, Charles Dorin, wrote to her saying:
Thank you for your delicious lunches and all the friendship that goes with them.
I hope you have a wonderful time in Ghana.
Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.”
Among Deaba’s proudest achievements is the Community Lunch at the Devas Club in Battersea, which she founded in 2014. What began as a small idea to bring people together over an affordable, home-cooked meal has become a beloved monthly event. For just £10, diners — or as Akua calls them, friends — enjoy a two- or three-course lunch filled with conversation, laughter, and warmth.
As Brenda Ferry, a regular guest, beautifully put it:
Friends who meet at Deaba’s Friday lunches enjoy not only excellent food with a varied menu but also good company. This neighbourhood goodwill event, of long standing, brings together those who would like to learn more of the work of the Devas Club in an informal setting.
For Deaba, food is far more than nourishment — it’s a bridge between people and cultures. She invites her guests each month to suggest what they’d like to eat, ensuring that the menu reflects diverse traditions and memories. Through this, she brings flavours from across the world to one table — a celebration of heritage, unity, and belonging.
Forget Your Troubles and Dance
Bob Marley must have had someone like Akua Deaba in mind when he wrote those words in Them Belly Full (But We Hungry), because dancing is Deaba’s second great passion. “I have no inhibitions when I’m dancing,” she says, “I feel on top of the world.”
Yet Deaba knows that not everyone feels comfortable dancing in public. Many love music but feel too self-conscious or think they’re “too old” for the nightclub scene. So, she decided to create something special — a space where everyone could let go, move freely, and feel alive again. That’s how the Disco Dance Club was born.
Held at the Devas Club in Battersea on the third Saturday of every month from 8 pm. to midnight, the event features a professional DJ, a friendly atmosphere, and a bar serving both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and snacks. Everyone who loves to dance is welcome — singles, couples, and friends of all ages.
At last, something for us oldies. — Esua Goldsmith
A place to unwind, and people are so friendly. — Angelina Liam
Now a registered Community Interest Company (CIC), the Disco Dance Club offers more than just music and dance — it offers community. Deaba has created a safe, inclusive environment where everyone can feel free to dance, smile, and reconnect with their joy. She believes that dance gives energy to both body and soul, and that anyone can dance if they simply listen to the music and let go of fear.
One of her regular “disco queens,” an older woman with limited mobility, often sits at the side, “shaking” to the music from her seat. Deaba laughs fondly, saying, “There are times she still wants to get up and dance — and when she does, it makes her so happy… and that makes me happy too.”
For Deaba dancing — like cooking — is a form of connection. It reminds us that community is built not just through words, but through shared joy.
Standing Firm in Power and Pride
Akua Deaba’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and compassion — a life dedicated to building bridges through culture, food, and dance. From her early years in Ghana to her flourishing community work in London, she has stood firm in her purpose. She embodies the true spirit of Standing Firm in Power and Pride — a celebration not only of identity and resilience, but of the unshakable belief that together, we can create a more united, joyful, and compassionate world.
Read the stories of other everyday warriors as TogetherintheUK celebrates Black History Month over the years.
To read more about the lives and impacts of migrants on UK society, go to TogetherintheUK.
To contact Deaba for further information on Deaba Catering or Disco Dance Club email her at deabacic2@gmail.com
Photo by mark@faze.co.uk.
