Ireland looks beyond race - Adebari

Seven years ago, Rotimi Adebari arrived in Ireland with his wife and two young children. A Christian, he had been forced to flee his home town in Nigeria because of religious persecution.

Within weeks, the family settled in Portlaoise.

Romini wanted to work, but under Irish law, he wasn't allowed. Whatever skills and talents he had to offer could not be put to use in paid employment. He says these were difficult times for him.

Mr Adebari didn't - because he couldn't - have a job description. His lot in life was to be known as an asylum seeker, and to put up with the variously held misconceptions that go along with that.

Now, seven years on, Rotimi has a different title: he is known as mayor of Portlaoise. He made history last week when he was elected Ireland's first black mayor.

Today, with two Irish-born additions to the family and a master's degree from DCU under his belt, the 43-year-old is being held up as a symbol of how European countries can successfully adapt to rapid rates of immigration.

His achievement was recognised at national level yesterday, when the Ceann Comhairle, John O'Donoghue, hosted a lunch in Leinster House for Rotimi and his wife Ronke.

Welcoming the couple to "the heart of Irish democracy", Mr O'Donoghue hailed Mr Adebari's election as "a significant moment in Ireland's development". The law banning people awaiting decisions in asylum applications from working has often been raised in the Dáil, with calls for the relaxation of the regulation.

Yesterday, the Ceann Comhairle didn't refer to the legal situation which prevents people such as Rotimi from seeking employment during this time. Instead, he spoke of how Mr Adebari worked successfully in the local community after he arrived in Portlaoise, doing everything from setting up a support group for the unemployed to joining the Abbeyleix Tennis Club.

His community involvement saw him elected to Portlaoise Town Council in 20004.

Since then, Mr Adebari, who was granted asylum when his third child was born in Ireland, has set up a consultancy business specialising in cross-cultural awareness. At the moment, he is involved in a nationwide project called "Fusion", aimed at integrating immigrants.

This last week has been a busy one for the new mayor, whose election made news around the world. "It's exactly a week since I was elected. Since then, I have given 69 interviews to newspapers, radio and television stations - it's unbelievable. The first thing they ask is: 'Where is Portlaoise?'" And that suits Rotimi just fine, because one of his main objectives during his term of office is to raise the profile of the town, and encourage investment.

While challenges remain, Mr Adebari describes Ireland as "a country that looks beyond race, a country that looks beyond creed, a country that looks beyond religion".

In terms of politics, he remains resolutely independent. While he has been courted by a number of political parties, he has decided not to join any of them.

Mr O'Donoghue, meanwhile, looked forward to the local elections in two years' time and hoped there would be a greater cultural diversity at council level. "I am sure it is only a matter of time before we see some 'new Irish' elected to the Houses of the Oireachtas," he added.

"As Ceann Comhairle, I am above party politics and cannot say which party the future new Irish TDs and senators should seek to represent," he said. "However, I am sure they will choose wisely," he concluded with a knowing grin.

They don't call Fianna Fáil a catch-all party for nothing.