Unveiling Ernest Ezeajughi, Nigerian who became first black Mayor of London Bureau of Brent

Unveiling Ernest Ezeajughi, Nigerian who became first black Mayor of London Bureau of Brent

It is no longer news that Nigerian, Ernest Ezeajughi, precisely from Anambra State has made history by emerging the first black Mayor of the London Bo

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It is no longer news that Nigerian, Ernest Ezeajughi, precisely from Anambra State has made history by emerging the first black Mayor of the London Borough of Brent, United Kingdom. He was elected Mayor by the College of Councillors of Brent, London, on April 16, 2019 and was sworn into office on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. The Mayor is the first citizen of the Royal Borough. He acts as an ambassador at public affairs and at civic and ceremonial events.

What many perhaps do not know about Ernest Ezeajughi is that prior to his election as Mayor, he was a strong member of the Labour Party and won the election for a Councillor position representing Stonebridge ward at Brent Council in 2014. He was again re-elected in 2018, retaining his seat in the all-white dominated political environment after a very keenly contested election and elected Deputy Mayor of Brent within a year.

Born in Awgbu Town, in Orumba North, Anambra State, Ezeajughi had his primary, secondary and tertiary education in Anambra. He attended Aguata High School, Aguata, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, where he studied Applied Microbiology. Ernest Ezeajughi was actively involved in student union politics, representing the departmental student union body.

After graduation in 1998 and on completion of his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), he worked briefly in the private family business, Koval Linkworld Agencies Ltd, before migrating to England to join his wife. While there, Ernest Ezeajughi obtained a Master’s degree in Science (M.Sc) from the prestigious Kings College, London.

A Scientist by profession, he worked with Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). A father of four children, Ezeajughi was one of the founding fathers of a major Nigerian political party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) UK Chapter and was the Chairman between 2010-2012. He soon joined UK politics and rose to became a strong member of the Labour Party.

Ernest Ezeajughi joins Olugbenga Babatola who was elected the first African Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich in 2016. Like Ezeajughi, Babatola served as Councillor of the Greenwich district, before he was elected Mayor.