Helen Ogbu : Community is everything
About this episode
Helen Ogbu shares her extraordinary journey from Nigeria to becoming Galway's first Mayor from a migrant background, discussing themes of grief, community, and public service.
Topics covered : her upbringing, her late husband, grief, mourning, rebuilding her life, fostering, community, belonging and public service. This week, I'm joined by Helen Ogbu - Labour councillor, the newly elected Mayor of Galway, foster carer, life coach and PhD student. Helen made history this year by becoming Galway's first Mayor from a migrant background. But long before politics, her life had already taken her on an extraordinary journey. Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, Helen was one of eight children in a home where kindness, generosity and caring for others were simply part of everyday life. Those early experiences would later inspire her to become a foster carer, opening her home in Ireland to around 30 children over the years. Helen also shares the deeply personal story of meeting her late husband, Sunny Orji-Ogbu, a principled Nigerian politician who believed passionately that his country deserved honest, accountable leadership. As political tensions intensified, Helen became increasingly fearful for his safety. She moved to Ireland with their young daughter, ChiChi, hoping he would follow. Tragically, in 2010, Sunny was assassinated while returning home from a…
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