I’m Nigerian, and I’m African, and I’m a Bradfordian.

Being a Bradfordian doesn’t mean that I lose my identity as an African. I’ve been in Bradford for just two years, and coming here makes me feel like I belong because I don’t look out of place. I could be myself. I don’t need to fight for my identity. I just blend in and, you know, that feeling is outstanding.

With the advent of social media and all, you see all those negative comments about Bradford, but I think it’s just from people that have their own personal issues. Yes, Bradford, like every other borough, we have our deficiencies, but I think the positive in Bradford is more than the negative.

We’ve got a lovely City Park, we’ve got the malls. We’ve got the city, we’ve got the woodlands, we’ve got everything. We’ve got nature around, so you could decide to leave nature and come and enjoy the concrete and then go back into nature and just be at peace. It’s just synchronised together and that’s just perfect.

What we’re here today to do is to celebrate the independence of Nigeria. So, we’re here as members of Nigerian community to have the time for us to reflect on our country, in the community that is home to me, which is Bradford.

Seeing Nigerians, it reminds me of my parents back in Nigeria and it makes me remember them, you know. But stepping out of this place, this building, I’m still home, because being in the UK has been the best thing that ever happened to me and my family. I’ve been in Bradford for two years now. I came for my masters and Bradford is like, it’s home. Because of the culture, the food and the friendliness of the people in this place. It’s a beautiful place, yeah.

I volunteered and I worked for Bradford 4 Better. My project was called Don’t Mess With Bradford. Mostly our role was to get Bradford cleaner, hence the name. Because how how you present yourself, it goes a long way, it says a lot about you.

Bradford, this city is our city. It’s our pride, and we should take pride in how we present ourselves, the aesthetics of our city. It’s fundamental. It enhances well-being, it enhances health, it enhances how you feel about a place. When it looks beautiful, you feel more at home, you feel safer. It does a number of things and it’s so important for us to maintain our environment and make it clean.

To be honest, I think the heart of Bradford is what attracts me the most to her.