Nigerian runs for parliament in Ireland

Nigerian born Clement Esebamen is set to change the political landscape of Republic of Ireland. Election will be held this Friday, February 25, 2011. Esebamen is running for one the seats in Dublin west constituency for the Irish Parliament  called Dail Eireann which was dissolved 1stFebruary after the collapse of the coalition government. Ireland like the United Kingdom operate the parliamentary system from where members are chosen to form a government as Ministers. If elected, he becomes the first African to be voted into the highest organ of Irish government. It won’t be new to Esebamen who has continued to set a number of firsts in the Irish nation.

                              

Esebamen has lived in Ireland for 12 years and before his advent into politics, he had served as  Senior Policy Advisor to the Departments of Justice, Education and Community, as Special Adviser to previous Irish Ministers for Integration in the outgoing government. Providing specialist advise and policy options to multiple government departments, setting out a national framework on Integration, as agreed in Programme for Government 2007.

As part of a team of public officials developing policy and establishing a new government unit to address a cardinal social policy area of paramount societal interest. He  built consensus amongst disparate groups of stakeholders and also achieving the political consensus necessary to retain and progress government interest, and in outlining new costs -based proposal in times of massive economic uncertainty. The government published his policy document, Migration Nation in 2008.

From Uromi, Edo State and educated at University of Benin, with a BSc 2.1 Degree in Political Science as top graduating student. Esebamen moved to Ireland in 1999 obtaining a Masters in Economic Development Studies from University College Dublin in 2002. He is now completing  the Doctorate in Governance Programme at the School of Law, Queen’s University Belfast. He previously for and worked for 8 years in West Tallaght, Dublin with communities experiencing disadvantage having been employed by Dodder Valley Partnership where he rose to the position Equality & Diversity Coordinator.

After a decade in community sector in South Dublin leading innovative projects at local, national and EU level, he was appointed to the Irish Central Government as Senior Policy Adviser at office of Minister for Integration; he was Special Adviser to Minister in Departments of Justice, Education and Community becoming the first immigrant to hold such position. Esebamen was Ireland Coordinator for European Commission Project on Integration and Participation of Immigrants. Deputy leader  of Ministerial Delegation to European Council (French Presidency 2008) and Ministerial Delegation to Nigeria (March 2009) and Trans-Atlantic Council on Migration, Long Island, NY.

Esebamen has been a major talk point in Ireland and most especially his constituency for having the audacity to run in a constituency that parades top Irish politicians and the current Minister of Finance. Esebamen has been discussing his plans in the Irish Dail and has even invited politicians to steal his ideas. Among an articulate policy document to get Ireland back to her glorious years are; Guided by principles, and passion for service, he is born to run.

For more info on Clement: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/home.php?sk=group_196307717061599


Written By: Princess Asha Okojie,CEO of Afriqtalk