Helen Ogbu, a proud Nigerian from Imo State, has made history by becoming the first Black mayor, the first African woman mayor, and the first person of migrant background to lead Galway City Council.
On Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Galway City Council Annual General Meeting in City Hall, Councillor Helen Ogbu was elected as the 72nd Mayor of Galway City.
SEE ALSO: Hilda Baci Named Guinness World Records ICON; A Title Held by Only 1 Other African 
Helen Ogbu’s Journey From Nigeria to Ireland
Helen Ogbu hails from Imo State, Nigeria, and was born to a police officer. Ogbu spent her childhood in a police barracks, where her father’s career shaped a disciplined home environment and a strong commitment to education. Being the middle child in a family of eight children, seven girls and one boy, she grew up learning the importance of structure, responsibility and hard work.
After retiring from the police force, her father, Isiguzo Ogbu, turned his passion for music into a brief career as a producer before establishing a successful electronics distribution business in Lagos. Her mother, Ezinwanne, popularly known as Comfort, ran a small shop selling textiles, dry goods and traditional African wrappers.
Ogbu is a graduate of History and Diplomacy from the University of Port Harcourt. In 2006, the 53-year-old left Nigeria with her young daughter, seeking safety amid political dangers linked to her husband’s ambitions.
Her husband, Nze Sunny Ogbu, also known as Sunny Orji-Ogbu, was an aspiring politician from a prominent business family in Imo State. He was actively involved with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Orji-Ogbu was campaigning for a federal constituency seat when he was tragically assassinated in 2010 in Nigeria.
According to the Galway Advertiser, Ogbu says the assassin was a man pretending to need assistance at the side of the road. Sunny’s car slowed, then stopped to help and was shot in the head.
Together, they had a daughter, Chichi, who was born prematurely during a visit to friends in Dublin, nine years before the murder. She ended up raising her child in the Eglinton Hotel, Salthill, Galway, for three years under Direct Provision.
Over the following two decades, she rebuilt her life in her adopted city, transforming personal adversity into community advocacy and service.
SEE ALSO: How AI Helped Nigerian Conjoined Twins See Each Other for the First Time
Building a Life of Service in Galway
In Ireland, Helen became deeply involved in community development, family support, and refugee advocacy. She has fostered 30 children over the years, showcasing extraordinary dedication to vulnerable young people. Ogbu has worked in various roles supporting families while pursuing further education, being a doctoral researcher at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, University of Galway.
Her political journey began with the Labour Party. In the 2024 local elections, she was elected as a city councillor for the Galway City East ward, making her the first person of colour to hold a seat on Galway City Council. Just over two years later, she has been chosen as Mayor through a cross-party pact involving Labour, Independent, Sinn Féin, and Fianna Fáil councillors.
In her acceptance speech, Helen said:
“Today is indeed a historic day. I have the privilege of becoming the first person of migrant background to serve as Mayor of Galway City. While I recognise the significance of that moment, I do not view it as solely a personal achievement, but rather as a reflection of Galway, the city that I now call my home.
She has pledged to focus on belonging, support for young people, community cohesion, housing, and cost-of-living challenges during her one-year term.
About The Author
