A Nigerian man Will Jawando, elected into the Montgomery County Council in the United States, has proudly displayed a representation of his culture to the world.
The young politician wore a Nigerian attire popularly called agbada to his swearing-in ceremony in a bid to promote the African culture.
He is an attorney, born to a Nigerian father and an American mother from Kansas.
Will, in a video which was shared on Twitter by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), explained why he wore the African attire to his inauguration.
He said: “We all come from different culture, it’s really important that we respect our differences even if those differences come in ways we don’t anticipate or even understand.”
“So by wearing this agbada, this traditional West African clothing in a public setting to take the public oath of office, it’s part of a bigger and public dialogue that I think it’s needed if we are to understand and respect our differences and move forward.”
Watch below:
VIDEO:
Councilmember, Will Jawando (@willjawando) narrates how he wore Nigerian attire (Agbada) when he was sworn in at-large member of the Montgomery County Council in the US.Will Jawando is an attorney, born to a Nigerian father and a white Kansan mother.
#ProudlyNigerian pic.twitter.com/DZFh25b8TV
— Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (@nidcom_gov) December 20, 2020
Will has worked with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senator Sherrod Brown, and then-Senator Barack Obama. During the 8-year Obama Administration, Will had the honor of serving as Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, pic.twitter.com/ggVRxKpcla
— Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (@nidcom_gov) December 20, 2020