The city of Brooklyn Park celebrated the second year of its relationship with Udu, a Nigerian urban center that became a sister city in 2023.
The ceremony, which took place recently at Hennepin Community College, featured various performances including dance, spoken word, and a townhall-style conversation with award-winning Nigerian actor, writer and producer, Richard Mofe-Damijo. Mofe-Damijo, who in the past served in government as Delta state’s commissioner for culture and tourism, was also honored for his service as an ambassador in the relationship between the two sister cities.
Mayor Hollies Winston said the relationship with Udu was the third Brooklyn Park had established with a city from the African continent. The first was Kakata, Liberia in 2012, followed10 years later by Banjul, the capital of The Gambia.
“These partnerships are based on mutual respect, cultural exchange, and a shared commitment to growing together,” Winston said. “This means creating opportunities for our entrepreneurs and learning from each other’s experiences. Celebrating our communities [with] events like tonight’s strengthens our ties and bring us closer together.”
Located in Nigeria’s Delta state, Udu became Brooklyn Park’s sister city on Feb. 27, 2003, when the government of the Minnesotan city signed documents approving the relationship. The two cities agreed to have a relationship that promotes cultural, professional, and innovation exchange. They also agreed to co-operate on tackling issues like climate change, international migration crises, pandemics, and conflicts arising from scarcity of resources.
Brooklyn Park is one of the most diverse cities in the United States, with more than 60% of its population being people of color, according to Minnesota Compass, a research organization that analyzes census data to help policymakers make informed decisions. In 2022, more than 29% of residents of the city identified as Black or African American, the analysis shows. There is no specific data on the number of Nigerians, but the city hosts Minnesota’s largest Igbo Fest, a cultural celebration of Igbos, one of Nigeria’s largest ethnic groups.
“Brooklyn Park is no longer a city that is landlocked in the state of Minnesota,” Winston said. “We are blessed to have that wonderful mix, and this is what it looks like to have people from across the world [living] in our humble city.”
After cultural performances of dance and spoken word, Dr. Angel R. Smith, the assistant city manager of Brooklyn Park, sat down for a conversation with Mofe-Damijo, who talked about his decorated decades-long career in film and public service.
“For young people aspiring to enter public service or government roles, what advice would give them about navigating the complexities of those careers?” Smith asked.
Mofe-Damijo said his main concern was that many youths might be discouraged from seeking leadership positions in government because it was a “tough terrain” to navigate.
“Young people are not in the least attracted to public service, yet it is one of those areas we must get into because they say people get the leadership they deserve,” he said. “So, if you feel like there is a need to have a better society, you must throw your weight in by participating in governance.”
Mofe-Damijo said mentorship played a significant role in the success of his career. He said he emulated his mentors and followed their values. He urged young people to do the same, adding that technology had made it much easier to find and follow mentors than it was during his youth.
“Thank God for social media, you don’t have to meet [your] mentors,” Mofe-Damijo said. “Find someone who is in your profession that you look up to … keep studying and looking at what kind of life they’ve led professionally and from the point of view of family.”
But Mofe-Damijo challenged young people to go far beyond what their mentors had achieved.
“There is a prayer we [say] in Nigeria when somebody says, ‘Oh, I want to be like you when I grow up,’” he said. “We say, ‘No, when you grow up, you will be bigger than me. You will be better than me.’”
The celebration of the sister city relationship followed a recent city council proclamation declaring Oct. 1, 2024, as Nigerian Independence Day in Brooklyn Park. In a written statement to Mshale, Smith, the assistant city manager, said that in 2023, the city council of Brooklyn Park reviewed its annual holiday calendar to consider adding several holidays for official recognition through proclamation. Nigerian Independence Day was identified, reflecting the growing community of people from the west African country who call Brooklyn Park home, she said. The sister city partnership with Udu, was also a key factor, according to Smith.
“We plan to continue this tradition in the years to come.”
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About Edwin Okong'o - Mshale Contributing Editor
Edwin Okong'o is a Mshale Contributing Editor. Formerly he was the newspaper's editor.
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