African Man competes for a Council seat in Lowell, Mass.
“If you were born in the United States and you’re 18 years or older or a naturalized US citizen, go out now and register as a voter, then come out on November 3 and vote for me,” Ben Opara has told African voters in Lowell, Massachusetts.
Ben Opara, an African man of Nigerian descent, left, greets excited supporters after delivering a speech to launch his campaign for a council seat in the city of Lowell, Mass. The elections will be held on Novermber 3, 2009 . H.Maina/Ajabu Africa News |
Ajabu Africa News
By Our Staff Reporter
LOWELL, Mass., AUGUST 22_A naturalized US citizen, Opara has joined the bandwagon for candidates to contest for a local council seat in Lowell.
He swears to stop at nothing short of victory that would make him the first person of African descent to hold an elective office in this city rich in cultural diversity. More than 54 percent of the population in Lowell are immigrants.
Opara, 51, who hails from Nigeria has been a resident of Lowell for19 years and is running against seasoned political veterans in a race high in stakes.
That however, did not seem to bother Opara during the launch of his campaign at the East End Club on 15 West Fourth St in Lowell on Friday, August 15, 2009.
He seemed determined to do everything at his disposal to bring the long overdue representation of the large African community in Lowell in the local council.
Speaking to dozens of supporters who turned up to attend the campaign launch, Opara said he decided to run because he saw many problems in the city of Lowell that were not being addressed, adding that it is about time someone addressed them.
“I am running because I have something better to offer, said Opara. People are not represented and things are not getting done, which I think needs to be changed,” added the confident and smartly dressed aspiring politician.
Ben Opara, contestant to a Lowell City council seat during the launching of his campaign at the East End Club in Lowell
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He told the enthusiastic supporters that Lowell is a lovely city that has done very well for all its residents regardless of their background, adding though that it can do a “whole lot better”.
Founded as a textile center along the Merrimack River, northwest of Boston on land sectioned from neighboring Chelmsford, it was a thriving industrial zone during the 19th century, attracting many immigrants and migrant workers to its mills.
But with the decline of its manufacturing in the 20th century, the city fell into deep hard times. It has only begun to rebound in recent decades.
According to the 2002 census, Lowell had 105,167 people, 37,887 households, and 23,982 families residing in the city. Out of these, the racial makeup of the city was 68.60% white, 16.52% Asian Americans; 14.21% African American; 0.24% native Americans, 0.04% Pacific Islanders; 6.48% other races and 3.92% from two or more races.
The city runs on a "Plan E form" Council manager government. There are nine city councilors all elected at large in a non-partisan election. The City Council chooses one of its members as mayor, and another as vice-mayor, and the mayor serves as chair of the council, and performs certain ceremonial duties.
During the recent 2009 Annual Lowell African festival, the current mayor of Lowell, Edward "Bud" Caulfield, said that there are roughly over 4,500 African immigrants in Lowell out of the total population.
However, even with the growing number of Africans in this city, there is currently no representation of this highly educated and vibrant community.
“Lowell does everything possible to showcase diversity especially during the folk festival and the increasingly popular African folk fest. However, if you look at the school committee, you don’t see the diversity, yet we have hundreds of our children attending schools here,” said Mr. John Dike, a guest during the Opara 09 campaign launching ceremony.
“We work here, we pay taxes, buy houses, go to school and own businesses. It therefore extremely important that we are represented,” added Mr. Dike when urging all Africans and their friends everywhere to come out in large numbers and vote for Opara come election time.
Mr. Dike said that he saw Opara as a person who can win into the city of Lowell and that is why he was so excited to support him. “For the first time, I was holding that campaign sign at the corner of a street and I could not believe it was me,” he added, to the amusement of all present.
John Dike, holding a campaign sign at the junction of Mammoth road and Pawtuckett Blvd in support of Ben Opara. pic by B.Oparah |
He said that Opara is a person who can deliver a person worthy for the position and therefore it was the right time for him to emerge into the role he is seeking within the council.
“This is a time of change. This is an idea whose time has come. It is time for you and I to rally behind Ben without looking back,” John urged all Africans living in Lowell.
Opara campaign treasurer, Mr. Jeff Lambert, called on all people to come forward and support Opara with the funds necessary to enable him run a successful campaign that will usher him into office.
“I think it is a great tribute for Ben to be offering himself to the community. As the treasurer, I would ask for money,” said Lambert.
He said that much more than just money was needed to support Ben in his campaign to the Lowell council seat. “It’s not just money, is also time. I hope Ben will be elected and sworn into office in November,” added Lambert.
Opara has served as the Warden of Saint Anne’s Episcopal Church in Lowell for two years. He has served in several boards in the city including the Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership, Ministry-At-Large and African Cultural Association. He is currently the chairman of the board of the Nigerian Association of Merrimack Valley—a non-making profit organization.
Other speakers during the launch praised Opara as a very humble and responsible family man who fears God and would live up to the expectation for the entire residents for the city of Lowell
Jeff Lambert, treasurer to the Opara 09 campaign. H.Maina/Ajabu |
They all asked Africans to go out and talk to as many qualified voters as possible so that they can support a, African son
“There are many of us qualified to vote but we do not register, moaned one of the speakers. It is time for you and I to rally behind him, do the leg work, and do the connection,” said another supportive speaker Mr. George (Bowa) Tucker.
““This is just a start. It is the harbinger of things ahead”, so let’s vote for Opara, added another speaker.
Opara’s political ambitions started way back in his native Nigeria.
Born and raised in South Eastern Nigeria in 1958, Ben Opara attended the University of Nigeria where he graduated with Bachelor of Engineering in 1985.
He was heavily involved in the students’ wing of the defunct Nigerian People’s Party and was the president of the Civil Engineering Students’ Association.
The then young Nigerian moved to the USA in 1986 and lived in Somerville, Mass. for several years before moving to Lowell to join Umass Lowell where he graduated with a Masters degree in Structural Engineering in 1992.
As soon as he graduated, Ben married Valerie, a beautiful lady of Jamaican descent who was born and raised in Boston This was in 1993.
A year later, they were blessed with their first child, a son named Ukachukwu, 15 who attends Lowell high school. Over the next several years, the couple gave birth to two more children, a daughter, Adarema, 12 and a last born son, Chikere, 9, both of whom attend school at Saint Michael’s school in Lowell.
His wife, Valerie, is serving as the campaign manager, a major blessing, according to Opara.
 Valerie Opara, wife and campaign manager for Ben Opara. H.Maina/Ajabu |
“She is the most effective campaign manager I can ever hope to get”, said Opara during the campaign launching.
Opara became a naturalized US citizen five years ago.
During the 19 years that Opara has lived in Lowell, he has been a very active and productive member of the community.
In 1992, he founded Princeton Ritz Industries, a Personal care manufacturing outfit in Lowell. Princeton Ritz Industries would later become Duziem Labs after the death of his beloved brother, the late Dr. Duziem Opara who passed away of cancer in 1998.
During the same year, he went on to found M&E Beauty Supply store on 444 Bridge St with the help of his wife.
To this day, both companies are still in operation even during the hard recession, employing seven people. During an interview with Ajabu Africa News, Ben attributed the success and resiliency of his business operations to great attitude and determination to succeed even when things are tough.
As for the campaign to the Lowell council seat, Ben told Africans that it is in their best interest to elect someone to represent them during the deliberations of the council.
“If you own property in Lowell, and you want to do modifications, you might run into a lot of trouble, and that is why I want to represent you to bring the government services closer to the people,” added Opara.
He advised Africans who are eligible to vote that they should register.
The candidate told those who have no idea how to register as voters that his campaign is helping people out.
“We can help. We have the registration cards and packets”, said Opara. Call our campaign office on
(978) 458-4700 or our Treasurer, Jeff Lambert on (978) 835- 1159.
Delivering his closing remarks during the campaign launch, Opara told Africans that “it is our responsibility as immigrants, as residents of this city, to let people know that we are here to contribute, not just take. I will charge you to go into the community, let them know that this movement has been born tonight”.
“As for me, I will do everything possible to see that we win and when we will be cheering in November, we shall all be proud of what we achieved,” he finished to great applause, before hugging people and kissing babies in attendance.
To contact the Opara campaign, call on (978) 458-4700 or email: info@opara09.org.
For more info, visit the opara09 website: www.opara09.org
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