Activist and radio host ‘Brother Dougie’ dies

Tributes paid to community stalwart who gave people a voice

RESPECTED: Douglas Williams

DOUGLAS WILLIAMS, the well-known community radio show host, unapologetic Pan Africanist and black people’s rights activist, as well as an inspirational agitator of black health and wellbeing passed way suddenly in London on Monday, March 30. He was in his early 60s.

Known affectionately as ‘Brother Dougie’, Williams has been described as a mentor and encourager to many who have launched their business enterprises especially in the West Green Road, Seven Sisters areas of Tottenham, north London.

Through his popular radio programme Find Your Voice on SLR radio, he allowed many people to rise and shine and find their voice every Tuesday night at 10.30pm.

Brother Dougie did his last show on Tuesday, March 24 and in it, even touched on the coronavirus crisis gripping the nation, but his death has come as a shock to many radio colleagues and friends who said he was in generally good health up to the time of his passing.

Efforts

Williams has been involved with north London community work from the 1980s and was much loved for his efforts to bring African Caribbean people together to promote enterprise as well as arts and culture rather than being taken advantage of by the big established entities which took money off the earnings of the community.

He was best known for successfully leading a campaign to stop gaming and betting firms like Paddy Power, William Hill and Ladbrokes from setting up shops in the Seven Sisters and West Green Road area.

He had raised a groundswell of support from the community and was backed by the council to block a betting chain from taking over premises where the iconic Body Music Records had been located for over 40 years.

The government commission had overruled the council, allowing Paddy Power to place a branch there but the campaign against, led by Brother Dougie and backed by MP David Lammy and other councillors, was won in the High Court.

The campaign was fought on the grounds that too many betting shops were being deliberately placed in black areas like Tottenham.

This was just some of the campaign work which Williams had undertaken over the years.

Mdandaka, otherwise called Brother Leader, from the the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement in Leyton east London, remembers Williams’ early campaign years.

“He was a great advocate of African history – knowing our history and culture as a people”

Mdandaka

He said: “Brother Dougie was more than an activist, he was a freedom fighter.  He was someone who worked and fought for the unity and liberation of all African people.

“He was a great advocate of African history – knowing our history and culture as a people. He supported many organisations in our community, including the Alkebu-Lan Movement when we first started.

“I had known Brother Dougie for over 40 years as a fellow activist which started with the Broadwater Farm campaign after the police killing of Cynthia Jarrett and the uprisings that took place from it.

“He was one of the people that joined the Broadwater Farm Action Committee and worked vigorously to help to support the people of Broadwater Farm and to push the establishment to ascertain the truth about the death of Ms Jarrett.

“We were also involved in the Brixton Defence Campaign after the uprisings in 1985 following the shooting of Cherry Groce.

“These were some of the many campaigns Brother Dougie and I worked on together and I certainly remember him as an activist who had engaged himself in seeking justice for the African and Caribbean people who have suffered injustice at the hands of the state.”

Campaigner

Mdandaka said activism ran through Brother Dougie’s blood as he was a seasoned and well-blooded campaigner who stood the test of time.

He added: “I sure Brother Dougie would credit his initiation into activism from the many years he spent at the Head Start Sunday meetings at 25 West Green Road where the Pan African Congress Movements were held upstairs the Head Start Book Shop.

“At these Sunday meetings we used to hear a variety of well-informed erudite speakers who covered black history, black culture and current affairs.

“People like Tony Martin who was an expert on the life of Marcus Mosiah Garvey, and Leonard Jeffries and his wife Rosalind were some of the most powerful names in global Pan Africanism who were featured at Head Start.

“These meetings used to teach us how to take the message to the streets and host meetings at town halls supporting groups like the Hackney Black People Association, making people aware about issues affecting them.

“As young men we would also gather at each other houses and ‘reason’ into the wee hours of the mornings about conscious things which widened our knowledge. We weren’t drinking or smoking, just reasoning and using books to verify facts.

“Brother Dougie was well into that, he loved his knowledge, he loved receiving it, sharing it and just loved his people and committed to their liberation.

“He transformed this passion into his radio programme where he invited a variety of speakers covering many areas, including health and wellbeing, because he was also a true believer that a level of awareness would empower people to take control of matters to do with their own health.

“He became very concerned about certain illness and diseases which were affecting our people and the community and he wanted to raise people’s consciousness about health practices from a naturalist point of view that could help to avert many of the conditions affecting black people disproportionately. This was a very valuable contribution.

“In addition to this he was a very nice person, very amiable, very personable,” Mdandaka concluded.

“Brother Dougie was a great community man, he used his radio programme to organise and galvanise the community”

James Beckles

Other SLR radio colleagues who paid tribute to Williams included James ‘Buzzin Bee’ Beckles who also did events with Brother Dougie and worked alongside him on the Paddy Power campaign.

He said: “Brother Dougie was a great community man, he used his radio programme to organise and galvanise the community and he was giving people a voice. 

“He not only wanted to inform and educate, he wanted to inspire people. Before I had my show, he would invite me on to his programme all because he was interested in what I had to say and he wanted to share it with listeners.

“We would be having a normal conversation and he would say, ‘James I want you to come on the radio and share that.’ He was all about elevating people.”

Also paying tribute was former SLR presenter Sonja Scantlebury-Camara who hosted the 100% Spa Show.

She said: “The contribution made by Brother Dougie is noted and appreciated and as a community we aim to continue the good work he started around health and wellbeing, community cohesion and what he really wanted to promote was love for the community.

“It was very important to him that people came together collectively to focus on issue like parenting, health, arts, culture and working with the elders. 

“He was very diverse, but it was all about the people for him.”

Comments Form

23 Comments

  1. | Brother Nia Imara

    Elder Brother Doughie is sorely missed already throughout the Afrikan Heritage community.
    He was awarded for his community activism by the National Association of Black Supplementary Schools in 2017 and was becon of hope, joy and wisdom through his radio show, his events and his friendship.
    Actions are in progress to make sure his legacy lives on and he is never forgotten.

    Reply

  2. | Sista Judah

    Another one of our Greatest has left.. we pray that the offspring of his works continue to build on the foundation he has created ??✊?Asè,Asè Asè -O??

    Reply

  3. | Dee

    He was a great example of quiet humility but passionate about Black History. Your legacy will live in King. My condolences to his family.

    Reply

  4. | Kayo Anosike

    Thank you forvthis wonderful tribute. I was shocked to hear of his passing. He befriended me in 2004 at the London Yes Group when I joined them and became their DJ. As a black woman he was so supportive of me in all that I was doing. I would love chatting to him on the streets of Tottenham when I’d be visiting my Mum. He would ask of her as if he knew her perdonally. May his soul rest in perfect shining. This was a very special person.

    Reply

  5. | Colin Simms

    Thank you for paying tribute to either Dougue William’s. I feel he would have been most appreciative and very humble about your acknowledgment of him. He gave me a voice on the radio to spk on health issues especially relating to pain management. He enabled me to secure a clinic space in London away from my Wolverhampton home clinic as he believed Londoners should experience what he was fortunate to. May his spirit rest in eternal power.

    Colin Simms

    Reply

  6. | Carol Wiliiams

    Wonderful tribute to my elder Brother.
    He would of been proud.
    Thank-you

    Reply

    • | Beverley Robinson

      So So Sorry For Your Loss. Bro. Dougie Was A Good Friend of My Husband and He Never Sees Me Without Asking For Him and Never See Him and Not Ask For Me and The Girls. We Last Saw Him About 3 weeks Before His Passing At Bobo El Numero Uno Cousin Funeral. He Looked So Well So His Passing Has Been A Shock. May Hos Soul R.I.P and The Family Be Comforted! Sorry We Can’t Be There To Give Our Support!

      Reply

    • | Evertonherbert

      We are all proud of him . From 1969 till now and he never changed no matter what . Miss him no matter what

      Reply

  7. | Kehinde Ogunlabi

    Rest in power Dougie Williams:

    Legend, teacher, inspiring individual??this brother helped the community so much?a real force of high intelligence and charisma. One that was unselfish in his needs. One who put unity on his agenda as a staple diet????????sad news but I give thanks for knowing him and being in his presence??

    Reply

  8. | STEPHEN PAUL DELSOL

    I am deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of Brother Douggie. Like me Brother Douggie was a member of Haringey Black Pressure Group on Education. It was this group that pressurized Haringey Council to close down all of its Pupil Referral Units in the 1980s because the majority of the students were Black.

    The Black Community at that time did not want its Black children to be in Pupil Referral Units. We wanted them to be in mainstream schools.

    Brother Douggie was actively involved in that campaign.

    Reply

  9. | Asari St-Hill

    Dougie, was so committed to his community. I remember joining him on the protest to stop Paddy Power. We spoke often on his radio show, promoting ALD and other African community events. He will also be remembered for his African Markets which gave an opportunity for African stall holders to sell their goods and services in our community. I’ll always remember his warmth and big smile.

    Reply

  10. | Jomo Sankara

    R.I.P. Brother Dougie.

    Dougie was a warrior, a true leader who fought for his community. He was selfless – a true legend. He will be missed and should be an inspiration to all.

    Reply

  11. | Chukuma Wagadugu

    I first met Dougie at Headstart bookshop 30 years ago where we were both very active in the community with PACM and ALD. Despite not seeing each other on a regular basis, whenever we met up it was as though we had seen each other only the previous day. His smile was infectious.
    What a caring and considerate Brother. A selfless man who truely cared about his community. A consummate activist. He will be solely missed.

    Reply

  12. | Teena Lashmore

    Dougie was both amazing and inspirational. He gave a platform to many and was always there – supporting his/ our communities. My time debating African intellectuals through to contemporary contributors on SLR radio was professional and virtuous. He challenged were appropriate and accepted new visions when tabled.
    Travel well Dougie

    Reply

  13. | Carline Ikoroha

    Dear Aunt Rose,
    Condolences to you and the whole family.
    A beautiful write up for Douglas – May he rest in perfect peace.
    Nuff love and respect

    Carline and Family xx

    Reply

  14. | Andrew Ogunremi

    Dougie…the good times we had…the uplifting impromptu conversations…the joy experienced from tales regaled…your infectious smile and laughter…Thank you Dougie…Thank you!
    Sleep In Peace.

    ❤️SPREADLOVE❤️

    Reply

  15. | Merouti (aka Sharon) Gaynes

    His loss will and have been amplified by the community at large that he so well served selflessly. We have lost a hero who has now taken his place alongside the Ancestors.

    In Love and Light

    Merouti, Kimari and Family

    Reply

  16. | Caroline Newman

    Dougie was a great advocate of truth and his passion was to inspire people. I was exchanging texts with him last month. Rest in peace Dougie.

    Reply

  17. | James Messam

    Brother Dougie was a warrior who fought with grit and gumption, not with guns and bullets but with words, positive activism and dynamism. He was extremely passionate about the welfare of our people in every way.
    He advocated for wholesome health, adequate educational opportunities and community engagement and development. He was very articulate, thoughtful and responsible. His commitment to community work was unparalleled, akin to that of Bernie Grant one of the first black MP in Tottenham. Brother Dougie you work will carry on. The seeds you have sown will bear fruits that will nourish generations to come. Young lives will be blessed from your works and they intern will propagate the truth that you have helped to disseminate.
    May your soul Rests In Power.

    Reply

  18. | Tony Malcolm

    What a shame for his mother his family and his friends.
    I just heard about his death and I agree with many of the comments that others have made
    He shall be sadly missed.

    Reply

  19. | Malik Ayman

    A true legend, legacy and left a Blueprint for MANY through Brother Doughie contributed, instigated and impacted LIFES of many of us ALL ! Locally Nationally and Globally ! ! !

    One love always PEACE and LOVE

    Thank you for over 4 decades of continuous support guidance assistance

    GOD IS GREAT
    GOD IS LOVE

    Brother Malik Ayman & family

    ????? RESPECT always ☝?

    Reply

  20. | Sue Penny

    I will miss seeing Dougie’s friendly face around here. Sue Penny

    Reply

  21. | Lorna Reynolds

    Dear Dougie
    I have only just heard of your passing. You and I communicated often but because of my own mum passing, I was distracted. I didnt notice we had stopped communicating. I am truly saddened and shocked that I was unaware.

    How can our black community press on without your zest, your ongoing enthusiasm, your tremendous input, your energy, your reassuring presence, your patience, calmness quiet strength..? I’m so sorry we lost touch during those crucial weeks..

    May God receive you with open arms and may we who are left behind, continue to acknowledge your many years of absolute devotion to the cause of our black community, that we may use your example and carry on with even added strength, acute awareness, solidarity and determination.
    God Bless Lorna

    Reply

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