Ireland elects first black mayor
Rotimi Adebari
Mr Adebari said it was a great honour
A Nigerian man who arrived in Ireland as an asylum seeker seven years ago
has become the country's first black mayor.
Rotimi Adebari has been elected as first citizen of Portlaoise in County
Laois.
The 43-year-old fled from Nigeria in 2000 because of religious persecution.
After a few weeks, he and his family settled in the County Laois town.
In 2004, he was elected in the local elections as an independent councillor
and on Thursday he became mayor.
The move was the result of a voting pact between Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and
independent councillors.
The father-of-four has completed a masters degree in intercultural studies
at Dublin City University and now works for Laois County Council,
co-ordinating an integration project for local immigrants.
Mr Adebari said it was a great honour to become Portlaoise's first citizen,
but that praise should be given to the people who elected him three years
ago.
"Ireland is really changing. The immigrant community in the town has been
growing, especially since the accession countries joined the European Union
on enlargement in 2004," he said.
However, he added: "That is not to say that I did not have my own share of
the prejudice that would be out there against maybe Nigerians, or immigrants
or asylum seekers."
"But I don't let the attitude of a very small minority over-shadow the fact
that the people are wonderful."
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