There’s indeed a new mayor in town. Olugbenga Babatola. He is the mayor for the Royal Borough of Greenwich, south east London, a Nigerian who happens to be the first African mayor of Greenwich.
Babatola, a Nigeria-born British citizen, was a councillor in the district, representing Thamesmead Moorings Ward.
He was first elected councillor in 2014 due to his inspirational leadership style, within the area, known to be dominated by Africans.
In 2015, Babatola became the first African to be elected deputy Mayor to the current Mayor, Norman Adams.
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Babatola, who says he believes in politics without bitterness, is also a strong believer in kids and power of the youth.
In 2015, when youths in the Royal Borough of Greenwich renovated one of the facilities in the county back in 2015, Babatola was full of praise for them, expressing his believe in giving to the society.
“The young people have worked really hard and to get to this stage is brilliant,” he said.
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“Our children are getting to the point now where they don’t ask what their community will do for them but what are they going to do to support their community.
“I think it’s very inspirational and is leading by example so that the younger ones will follow them by seeing their contributions to their community.”
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John Fahy, a Labour Party Chieftain, who has been a Greenwich councillor for 25 years and deputy leader of council, considers Babatola’s feat, a worthy one.
In a meeting with the Slovenia Prime Minister in 2015, Fahy said: “Delighted to join Deputy Mayor Olu Babatola at Europe House to meet the Prime Minister of Slovenia.”
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“We were delighted that he was fully up to date on our Twinning Link with Maribor. Met up with some interesting people.”
Babatola, who was born in 1957, is due for an inauguration on May 25, 2016 in Greenwich.
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