Anionwu was appointed dean of the School of Adult Nursing Studies and a Professor of Nursing at University of West London. Here she created the Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing Practice at the University of West London until her retirement in 2007. In 2001, Anionwu, along with Professor Atkin, wrote the book "The Politics of Sickle Cell and Thalassemia". In 2005, she wrote a book, "A Short History of Mary Seacole". In 2003 she became a Trustee and subsequently Vice-Chairperson of the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal. Following the unveiling of the statue at St Thomas' Hospital in June 2016 she was appointed a Life Patron of the Mary Seacole Trust.