Yemi Adenuga

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oluwayemi Adenuga
Meath County Council
Assumed office
May 2019 (2019-05)
Personal details
BornNigeria
Political partyFine Gael
Spouse(s)Deji Adenuga
EducationLiverpool John Moores University, University College Dublin

Oluwayemi "Yemi" Adenuga (née Solaru) is a Nigerian-Irish politician. In May 2019, she became the first elected black female public representative in Ireland when she was elected to the Meath County Council, and has since become a local and national anti-racism advocate. She has also founded a variety of mentoring programs for women and youth, starred on the television show Gogglebox Ireland, and worked as a radio and television broadcaster.

Early life and education[]

Adenuga was born in Nigeria,[1] and raised in a town outside of Lagos.[2] She was the sixteenth of 27 children of a father with seven wives.[1] In 2020, Adenuga told the Irish Independent, "I grew up in circumstances where, as a girl, I wasn't given a chance."[1]

Adenuga completed a Diploma in Business Studies in 2008, a Bachelors of Business Studies in 2010, and a post-graduate certificate in 2016 from the University College Dublin.[3] She completed her MBA at Liverpool John Moores University.[4]

Career[]

Adenuga worked as a radio and television broadcaster in Nigeria for ten years before moving to Ireland in 2000.[5] After moving to Ireland with her family,[6] she was not able to find work in the media industry, and encountered challenges in work she found that applied her accountancy degree.[5] She settled in Navan in 2004.[7]

Adenuga starred on the reality television show Gogglebox Ireland for four years before deciding to run for elected office.[8][9] After being active in the community of Navan, she initially declined an offer from Fine Gael to become involved in politics, but later changed her mind and in 2019, became the first elected black female public representative in Ireland,[5] and the first migrant councillor on the Meath County Council.[8] Adenuga has said she did not consider race when she agreed to run for office, but encountered bigotry while campaigning "That in itself was the very reason why I was even more determined to win."[1]

Soon after the election, she joined with councillor Hazel Chu in calling for urgent action to address racism.[10] In 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, the Meath County Council approved her motion to fund an educational initiative and become the first county in Ireland to openly take action against racism.[11] She has also advocated for hate crimes legislation in Ireland[12] that includes penalties for online harassment,[9] and helped organize an online rally against racism.[13]

Adenuga has launched several community initiatives, including the mentoring programs Sheroes Girls club and Sheroes Boys-to-Men project, the Meath Stand Against Racism education campaign,[5] Sheroes Global, to support women and youth,[14][8] and the Yemi Adenuga Mentorship and Leadership Program (YAMAL), to mentor women and youth.[9] She also serves on the board of Cultúr, a community organization that supports migrants, asylum seekers and refugees.[14][15]

Adenuga began the Sheroes program in 2012,[14] and in 2018, formally launched the program in Nigeria after conducting projects in the country for two years.[16]

Adenuga and her husband also manage Nigerian Carnival Ireland, a theatre company that performs in Ireland and Nigeria.[17]

Personal life[]

Adenuga is the mother of four children[1] and is married to Deji Adenuga, a Nigerian actor, who was also her campaign manager.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Coyne, Ellen (August 29, 2020). "'I won't put up with any bullsh*t from a man telling me I'm a token seat'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  2. ^ "The BIG Interview; Yemi Adenuga; Ireland's racist problem begins at home". Meath Live. February 15, 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Class Acts 2020 Alumni Achievements". UCD Connections Alumni Magazine. University College Dublin. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Cllr Yemi Adenuga". Fine Gael. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Okoh, Joseph (March 13, 2021). "Yemi Adenuga and Uruemu Adejinmi: Making a mark in Irish politics". The Irish Times. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  6. ^ McCann, Nuala (May 28, 2019). "Irish election: Winners and losers take centre stage". BBC News. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  7. ^ Nugent, Ryan; Lavery, Callum (May 27, 2019). "Making history: Gogglebox star elected as 'Ireland's first black female councillor'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d Walsh, Louise (May 27, 2019). "#Elections2019: Gogglebox star becomes first migrant Councillor in Meath". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  9. ^ a b c Lynott, Laura (February 15, 2021). "Yemi Adenuga: 'Racist trolls said I wasn't Irish and demanded money'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  10. ^ Ryan, Philip (June 13, 2019). "The Floating Voter: New Irish councillors demand action after racism on campaign trail". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  11. ^ Donohoe, John (July 22, 2020). "'I was insulted so many times, the easiest thing to do would have been to give up and quit'". Meath Chronicle. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  12. ^ O'Mahony, Kevin (June 4, 2020). "Yemi Adenuga: 'We need more minority voices in Irish politics'". FM104. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  13. ^ Walsh, Louise (June 12, 2020). "Five black mothers unite to stamp out racism in Ireland". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  14. ^ a b c Staff (May 28, 2019). "Reality TV star becomes first black woman and first migrant elected to Irish county council". Irish Central. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  15. ^ "Cultúr Board". Cultúr. Cultúr Celebrating Diversity Ltd. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  16. ^ "Why we are celebrating ordinary women – Yemi Adenuga". Vanguard. March 24, 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  17. ^ Ajeluorou, Anote (April 25, 2018). "Of demons, ghosts in Yeats: The Only Jealousy of Emer on stage in Lagos". The Guardian Nigeria. Retrieved 16 June 2021.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""