The Mamdani Nigerian Day Parade appearance on Saturday saw New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani join thousands of Nigerians marking the country’s 66th Independence Day anniversary.
The Uganda-born mayor addressed the carnival crowd alongside Nigeria’s Consul-General in New York, Abubakar Jidda, and Ambassador to the UN, Jimoh Ibrahim. He later posted a tribute to Nigerian New Yorkers on X.
According to the event listing, the parade ran from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on October 3, around 2nd Avenue and East 54th Street. 
Mamdani tells crowd: “I don’t want any wahala”
Mamdani drew laughter and loud cheers when he explained why attending was unavoidable. Someone had asked whether he would come, he said, and his answer was that he didn’t want any “wahala.”
Nigerian creator Petahjay had publicly invited the mayor ahead of the parade. He also admitted to being starstruck. Runtown, Patoranking and BNXN were billed as the headline performers.
Mamdani, born in Kampala, said he grew up listening to Runtown’s “Lagos to Kampala” and mentioned Patoranking’s “My Woman, My Everything.”
He said Africans look to Lagos and Nigeria for a sense of self and belonging, and that Nigerian food, music and footballers are part of New York life. He cited Brooklyn-born US international Folarin Balogun, whose parents are Nigerian, as an example.
The Mayor also thanked the Organization for the Advancement of Nigerians and the Nigerian Independence Committee.
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Mamdani Nigerian Day Parade post on X celebrates the diaspora
In his post, the mayor opened with “New York City, wetin dey sup?” and called the day a joy. He credited Nigerian New Yorkers with filling the city “with life.”
He pointed to entrepreneurs who strengthen neighbourhoods, Afrobeats pouring out of graduation parties in Southeast Queens, and the smell of Agege bread drifting past passersby in Brooklyn. Mamdani also wrote that the impact of Nigerian New Yorkers is felt across the five boroughs.
In his words, the city is richer in culture, stronger in community and more vibrant because of their contributions.
Diplomats urge diaspora to stay involved
Jidda said October 1 recalls the courage and sacrifice of those who secured independence. He praised Nigerians in the US for excelling in medicine, education, business and science, and urged them to contribute knowledge, skills, networks and investments to national development.
Ibrahim said Nigeria’s diplomatic presence at the UN has entered a renewed phase. He described the diaspora as integral to the country’s global strength.
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Why the Mamdani Nigerian Day Parade appearance matters
The parade is a long-running fixture of the city’s calendar. It began in 1991 and is co-hosted by the Organization for the Advancement of Nigerians. Jidda said last year that Nigeria is the only African nation hosting a full-scale independence parade and carnival in New York City.
Against that backdrop, the Mamdani Nigerian Day Parade moment gave the community a high-profile endorsement from City Hall. For many attendees, the mayor’s mix of humour, pidgin and fluency in Nigerian pop culture was the highlight of the day.
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