Nigerian-American Wole Osibodu is no stranger to community leadership. For 27 years he served in the U.S. Army, where he managed squads of soldiers in various executive roles.
Now, he’s retired the uniform and is vying for a seat on the Brooklyn Park City Council. Amongst five other candidates including fellow Africans Teshite Wako and Ugo Ugonwayi, he is running to serve the city’s Central District. Others running include Steve Antolak, Martino Nguyen and Shelle Page.
The seat is currently occupied by Councilmember Boyd Morson whose term is expiring at the end of the year. Morson has been redistricted to the East District where he will be on the ballot in November.
Because more than two candidates filed to run in the Central District, there will be a primary election on August 13 with the top two vote getters advancing to the November 5 general election.
“I’ve always had a belief that I need to be a voice,” Osibodu said. “It’s what drives me to a career in public service.”
Though his status as a newcomer in the political sphere works against him, the military veteran believes it’s his experience as an active-duty service member that sets him apart from his opponents. Between that and serving as a leader in his church, he says he’s confident he has what it takes to bring upon the change Brooklyn Park needs.
“At the end of the day, I’ve thrust myself into positions where I have to be responsible for communities,” Osibodu said.
Despite boasting the largest community of Nigerians in Minnesota, Brooklyn Park has never had a Nigerian city council member. Minnesota is home to around 400,000 residents who identify as Black or African American, 125,000 of whom were born in Africa, according to a 2020 study published by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Between 2010 and 2020, the state’s African immigrant population grew by 78%, the same report said. With the growth in population, Africans have become more involved in Minnesota politics and have had a significant impact in the state. Over the last few elections, several African Minnesotans have been elected to various seats ranging from local government in small suburban cities to the Minnesota state legislature, and of course to Capitol Hill, in the case of Rep. Ilhan Omar, who was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2022 to her third term representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
One of the issues at the forefront of Osibodu’s campaign is public safety. A 2023 Brooklyn Park Police Department Report found that while total crime has dropped sharply from 2020, there’s still been an increase in violent crime and vehicle theft. There were 431 reported vehicle thefts in the city in 2023, and 344 incidents of violent crime. Violent crime is defined as aggravated assault, homicide, robbery, and rape. Osibodu said he’s learned about the city’s poor safety reputation the more he’s talked with residents.
“It’s still a great place to live, but we need to address the lapses in security,” he said.
But safety concerns only scrape the surface of Brooklyn Park’s issues. If elected, Osibodu plans on devoting attention to improving education. With reading and math proficiency rates at 47% and 13% respectively, students at Park Center High School, the city’s flagship high school, are lagging significantly behind their peers in nearby cities (for comparison, at Maple Grove Senior High reading and math proficiency rates are at 67% and 50% respectively, and at Osseo Senior High the rates are 51% and 26%).
“As someone with kids who have gone to schools in the area, I am really concerned about how they are run,” Osibodu said.
In talking with residents, the aspiring council member found feelings of dissatisfaction surrounding property taxes. Data from Smart Asset found that property tax rates in Hennepin County are relatively expensive. The average effective property tax rate in the county is 1.32%, compared to the national average of 0.99%.
“Are people being charged fairly?” Osibodu rhetorically asked. “We need to make sure that they’re being charged the way that they should and that they know exactly where their dollars are going.”
With multiple hot button issues to consider and a few weeks left on the campaign trail before the Aug. 13 primary, Osibodu says there’s a lot to be done. But between the Town Hall meetings, endless phone calls, and flyer and signage postings, he’s says he’s making sure to prioritize the most important aspect of campaigning: going out into communities and talking with people to get a better idea of how to serve them.
“For me, it’s never been about the titles,” he said. “The goal is to serve and be a voice for the people.”
Early voting is already underway for the August 13 primary. We have an earlier story on how to vote early and getting ready to vote at this link.
Author
About Panashe Matemba-Mutasa, Mshale Reporter
Panashe is a general assignments reporter. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and a UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Class of 2025.
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