This article is from page 16 of the 2009-03-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
INDEPENDENT councillor Taiwo Matthew has confirmed that he will be running as a candidate in June’s local elections.
Speaking yesterday Cllr Matthew said he is seeking to retain his seat in Ennis Town Council.
The Nigerian born doctor made history when he became the first im- migrant to be elected to local office in Ireland in 2004.
At the time of his election in 2004, Cllr Matthew addressed his support- ers in Ennis. “You have written the name of Ennis in gold in the book of history,’ the former Nigerian asy- lum-seeker said proudly to the sup- porters who helped elect him to En- nis Town Council.
“By electing me, the Ennis people have looked beyond the colour of my skin and accepted me on my indt-
vidual merits.”
Cllr Matthew said he is looking forward to again contesting the elec- tion.
[have had a great experience in the council. I have learned a lot in these last five years. I will be running for Ennis Town Council again.”
While he says that he is looking for- ward to getting out and meeting vot- ers, Cllr Matthew admits that regain- ing his seat in Ennis Town Council is going to be a tough challenge.
“Tam looking forward to it. It was a great experience when I first ran for office in 2004 and it is a process that I am looking forward to taking part in again. But I know that it will hard and that it will be very challenging to get elected again. But as I said, I am looking forward to the election,’ said the councillor.
Cllr Matthew explained that he had just moved house and was now con-
centrating his energies on the elec- tion campaign.
‘‘T have just moved house so things are very busy at the moment.”
Cllr Matthew’s election to Ennis Town Council occurred in the same year as the election of fellow Nigeri- an, Rotimi Adebari in Portlaoise. Mr Adebari made history when he was elected Ireland’s first black mayor in 2007.
In the same year Cllr Matthew missed out on election as Ennis’s first black mayor when he was defeated in a vote by fellow Independent coun- cilor Tommy Brennan.