RichyBongo recognised by Devon and Cornwall Police for his outstanding contribution to community engagement, inclusion and cross-cultural understanding.

Richard Edoki, a Nigerian-born community broadcaster and advocate based in Cornwall, United Kingdom, has been recognised by Devon and Cornwall Police for his outstanding contribution to community engagement, inclusion and cross-cultural understanding.

Edoki received the recognition from the Devon and Cornwall Police Positive Action Team as part of its annual celebration honouring community leaders, volunteers, ambassadors and partner organisations whose work has strengthened relationships between communities and the police.

The award highlights individuals whose lived experiences, platforms and authentic voices have inspired positive change, encouraged dialogue and built greater confidence among communities that may otherwise feel underrepresented.

For Edoki, the recognition represents a wider acknowledgement of the power of storytelling and community broadcasting in bringing people together.

Through conversation, advocacy and his work as a volunteer broadcaster with CHBN Radio, a community and hospital radio station based in Cornwall, Edoki has created a distinctive platform for African voices and experiences within the region.

He hosts African Vibe With RichyBongo, a programme dedicated to showcasing African culture, heritage and contemporary experiences to audiences across Cornwall.

The programme has increasingly served as a bridge between Cornwall’s African diaspora and the wider community, providing space for voices and perspectives that are often underrepresented in mainstream regional media.

Rather than simply focusing on entertainment, Edoki’s broadcasting has become a vehicle for cultural exchange, helping listeners understand the diversity of African communities while creating opportunities for meaningful conversations across cultural boundaries.

His recognition by Devon and Cornwall Police underscores the importance of that work at a time when building trust between public institutions and increasingly diverse communities remains a key priority.

The Positive Action Team said the annual awards were designed to recognise people whose personal experiences, platforms and voices have made a meaningful contribution to their communities.

Edoki was specifically recognised for using conversation, storytelling and advocacy to build trust, confidence and engagement across Cornwall’s diverse communities.

His approach reflects the growing influence of community-led initiatives in strengthening relationships between institutions and residents.

Edoki’s work demonstrates how broadcasting can go beyond informing or entertaining audiences to become a tool for community building.

By opening his programme to African diaspora voices, Edoki has provided a space where people can share their stories, celebrate their heritage and discuss their experiences while also enabling the wider Cornish population to gain a deeper understanding of African culture.

African Vibe With RichyBongo has given Edoki a platform to bring African music, culture, heritage and lived experiences to Cornish audiences, while encouraging conversations that extend beyond cultural differences.