MOBO honours Idris Elba OBE with’Paving The Way’ stone at Barking & Dagenham College ahead of 30th anniversary celebrations

MOBO paid tribute to global icon Idris Elba with the unveiling of a commemorative paving stone at Barking & Dagenham College, the place where the acclaimed actor, musician and activist first studied and began his creative journey.

The tribute forms part of MOBO’s Paving The Way award, which celebrates cultural pioneers who have made a lasting impact while continuing to uplift and give back to the communities that helped shape them.

Elba joins a distinguished group of recipients including Dame Denise Lewis OBE, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill DBE, Sir Lenny Henry CBE, Nicola Adams OBE, Wiley, and Ms Dynamite MBE. The paving stones are chosen by award-recipients to be placed in locations that hold deep personal meaning. Choosing to lay his stone at his former college, where he studied for a BTEC in Performing Arts in the early 1990s, Elba’s tribute marks a symbolic return to his roots and a powerful gesture of inspiration to the next generation of creatives.

Speaking on the honour, Idris Elba said: “Coming back to Barking & Dagenham College, the place where I first started to shape my creative voice, and being recognised by MOBO in this way is a full-circle moment. MOBO has always stood for more than just music; it’s about visibility, opportunity and pushing culture forward. To be honoured with a Paving the Way stone here, where my journey began, is deeply meaningful. I hope it stands as a reminder to every student walking through these doors that greatness can come from anywhere.”