From Lagos to Leadership: Mayor Yemi Mobolade’s Black History Month reflection
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — In a historic stride that reverberated across the city and beyond, Mayor Yemi Mobolade emerged as the first elected Black and immigrant mayor of Colorado Springs last year. As we are in Black History Month, Mobolade reflects on his journey and how his culture has shaped the way he leads the city today.
Blessing Adeyemi Mobolade, Mayor Yemi, as he is affectionately known, was born in Lagos, Nigeria. His earliest memories are steeped in his father’s mantra that, “the sky’s the limit.”
His journey to the mayoral office was far from conventional, as he became a U.S. citizen only six years ago. This transformation from an immigrant in Colorado Springs to the city’s mayor wasn’t just a political ascent; it was a testament to the resilience and determination inherent in the immigrant experience.
“I don’t think about being a Black mayor. I don’t think about being an immigrant mayor. But when I take a moment to stop and think, I remember how incredibly profound it is,” Mobolade shared, acknowledging the weight of his role.
Growing up in Nigeria, as the second of four siblings, Mobolade witnessed the importance of community and family. He says his upbringing was shaped by the proverbial notion that “it takes a village.”
Yemi Mobolade and his mom as a child in Nigeria, Courtesy: Vanessa Zink, City of Colorado Springs Communications Officer Yemi Mobolade and his elementary school in Nigeria (1984), Courtesy: Vanessa Zink, City of Colorado Springs Communications Officer Yemi Mobolade’s parents’ wedding in Nigeria, Courtesy: Vanessa Zink, City of Colorado Springs Communications Officer
His experience at the Nigerian Naval Academy where he served as a cadet from seventh to tenth grades instilled in him a love for leadership, laying the foundation for the journey that brought him to the forefront of Colorado Springs’ civic leadership.
27 years ago, Mobolade ventured to the United States at the age of 17, to pursue education at Bethel University, a small Christian liberal arts school in Northern Indiana. Upon arriving in the United States, Mobolade confronted the stark reality of cultural dissonance.
Recounting those early days, he candidly shared, “I had a very thick Nigerian accent. I remember being made fun of. So that stood out. I remember what it felt like not to fit in. Maybe I even subconsciously worked extra hard to fit in, become more American because I wanted to belong to the village.”
Yemi Mobolade as a student at Bethel University, Courtesy: Vanessa Zink, City of Colorado Springs Communications Officer Yemi Mobolade as a student at Bethel University, Courtesy: Vanessa Zink, City of Colorado Springs Communications Officer Yemi Mobolade as a student at Bethel University, Courtesy: Vanessa Zink, City of Colorado Springs Communications Officer Yemi Mobolade as a student at Bethel University, Courtesy: Vanessa Zink, City of Colorado Springs Communications Officer Yemi Mobolade as a student at Bethel University, Courtesy: Vanessa Zink, City of Colorado Springs Communications Officer
Learning the normal and navigating the intricacies of American culture, proved to be difficult at first. However, the greater struggle lay in the quest to define his identity. Wrestling with the clash between two disparate cultures.
“The dissonance between two different cultures – Am I American? Am I Nigerian?… For the longest time in my life, I always felt like I didn’t fit in, and that translated into not knowing who I was,” he confessed.
However, in the crucible of this internal conflict, he found himself.
“When I began to realize part of my uniqueness, ‘what makes Yemi, Yemi?’ it also has to do with [my] origin. I began to lean into it,” Mobolade shared.
As the 42nd mayor of Colorado Springs, Mobolade leads with a perspective deeply influenced by his communal upbringing. Incorporating the ethos of the village into city governance he says he constantly questions who is at the table and who is not.
“I’m a leader that thinks in terms of the village,” Mobolade asserted. “It’s been neat to disrupt politics through some of the early values that were shaped and formed in me.”
Mobolade recognizes the profound significance of his position and that it gives hope to those who, like him 27 years ago, grappled with a sense of not belonging.
His message resounds with clarity, “Take time to explore your unique identity. Our world needs you, what you have to bring, and what you have to offer. And you too can do it. The sky is the limit.”
Yemi Mobolade and his parents at his mayoral inauguration, Courtesy: Vanessa Zink, City of Colorado Springs Communications Officer Yemi Mobolade and his children, Courtesy: Vanessa Zink, City of Colorado Springs Communications Officer Yemi Mobolade and his family, Courtesy: Vanessa Zink, City of Colorado Springs Communications Officer
As we commemorate Black History Month, Mobolade’s journey stands as a testament to the diverse tapestry of immigrant experiences, highlighting the unique and varied nature of each individual’s journey. Mobolade hopes that his story, alongside those of other impactful Black leaders, encourages others to embrace their own narratives and contribute to the rich legacy of resilience and achievement.
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