Minutes:
The Mayor began by saying it was wonderful to be back and that she would speak from her heart.
The Mayor thanked everyone for being there and welcomed them all to the meeting.
The Mayor said that she was proud to be part of this great, vibrant and diverse borough. That it was a great privilege and responsibility to be able to take on the role of Mayor and she sincerely appreciated the trust that her fellow councillors had put in her. She was committed to serving the people of Enfield with enthusiasm and compassion.
The Mayor had grown up the eldest of seven children, two girls and five boys, but her father at a time when girls were not educated, had believed in gender equality and had sent her to school. She thanked her father for this and for enabling her to come such a long way from Nanka, her small town in the state of Anambra in Nigeria, with only 40,000 people.
At this point the King and Queen of her home village, Nanka, entered. They had come from so far away, with their cabinet to celebrate with her. The Mayor welcomed them with a traditional greeting.
The Mayor had served 40 years in the National Health Service at North Middlesex Hospital. As a midwife she had bought many children into the world, many who were now mums and dads themselves. She had valued the support she had been able to give women over these years including women suffering from domestic violence.
Enfield had been a second home to her. She had been widowed when her youngest child was 18 months old, bought up her family of two boys and two girls as a single parent and so had a soft spot for single parents. It was not always easy to keep children honest and on the right path, but she believed that God did not give you what you cannot carry, and she had not given up.
Her father and her husband had supported her in her training to become a nurse and she had been determined to make the best use of her profession. However it was her father who had wanted her to become a nurse, she herself had wanted to be a lawyer, and so once she had achieved his ambition she had later studied for a law degree at the University of North London. This was at the same time as working full time and bringing up her four children.
After completing her degree, although continuing as a midwife, she had used it to help others by working as a shop steward at the hospital. This had eventually led her to becoming a councillor.
As a councillor she had been able to help many people. In 2014-18 she had taken a break from the Council and had set up two groups: a forum for African Caribbean and Asian women and a group to support women into politics. She had also worked with young mothers.
In 2007 the Mayor had been awarded the freedom of the borough and in recognition of her work, the people of Nanka had given her the title of Chieftain. Whenever she visited Nanka she would always encourage them not to leave women behind. She believed that if you educate one woman you can educate the nation. She had wanted to give something back and had travelled widely giving talks about women and their role in society.
During her travels, she had met a councillor from Barking and Dagenham who had inspired her with the idea of introducing a young mayor to represent young people. She was very pleased to have been involved in introducing the appointment of the very first young mayor and young deputy mayor in Enfield.
Finally, the Mayor thanked everyone for coming to the meeting. She said that there was so much happening, and she was concerned that everyone should do the right thing and make Enfield a Better place.
She gave special thanks to Councillor Nesil Caliskan, the Leader of the Council, Ian Davis (Chief Executive) and Jeremy Chambers (Director of Law and Governance) for their belief in her and her ideas.