Houston is home to the largest population of Nigerians outside of Nigeria. A 2020 report from the U.S. Census Bureau found that 34,937 Nigerian Americans live in Houston. Many of them live in Alief, said Councilwoman Tiffany Thomas, who represents District F.
“There’s something magical going on at Alief,” Thomas said. “I often say that the F District, especially Areef, is the cultural currency of the city of Houston. It gives the city a flare. There are many places in the city where you can come for a different flavor of jollof rice or a variety of African markets. There is no other place that I know of.”
Thomas said she and city leaders are working on opening direct flights to Nigeria and a consulate to accommodate the Nigerian community.
“It is important that we represent the largest number of Nigerian Americans here at Alief, and we want to make sure they have access to all the resources available to them as Nigerians and Houstonians,” Thomas said. he said.
Lilwan: What is special about Alief and why does it mean so much to you?
Councilman Thomas: Well, this is home for me. I went to high school here. I bought a house here. There’s a reason my parents bought a house here. When I was young, I walked the halls of Alief ISD with people from all different backgrounds.
Lilwan: What do you think about the business side of things that makes people feel like they can be successful in this field?
Councilman Thomas: I think that’s part of the grit of the community. In addition to these economic principles, they also have dreams of coming to America, especially Houston, and know that this is an economic opportunity for them.
Ivy Okoro was born and raised in Areef. Her parents immigrated to the United States for her education, and then she found a community and moved to Texas.
“Alief is really our gathering place. It basically represents a familiar cultural ethos. A familiar family community connection,” Okoro said. “This is a place where we all really recognize each other.”
Lilwan: Describe your growth with Alief.
Ivy: Growing up in Alief was a great experience. I see so many people from different walks of life. People who look like you and people who don’t look like you. Areef definitely represents a melting pot.
That melting pot is why Tunde Fashina opened Wazobia African Market 11 years ago.
“We realized that Africans, Nigerians and other peoples need access to food in favorable conditions,” Fasina said.
Lilwan: Please explain the word Wazobia itself. This word is used here because it also represents different groups of Nigerians in the Alief community.
Hwashin: Three words from three different societies. “Wa” means “coming” in Yoruba. “Zo” means “to come” in Hausa. And “Bia” means originating from the Igbo community. Basically it’s coming, coming, coming. Using that name has made the instance recognizable within our own community. That’s why we chose that name. ”
Fasina opened a market selling African products and food in 2013. He quickly realized he had found a niche with a growing customer base. In 2017, there was a boom, with “volumes increasing by 100% and we began importing products directly from local communities in Africa,” the company’s website states.
“I’m excited to be here. I’m proud to be here in my community and the entire Houston community,” Fascina said.
Councilman Thomas previously said he felt District F, which includes representatives from the AiLeaf area in west Houston, was often forgotten. However, recently she has changed her attitude.
“We are definitely the future. We are not forgotten anymore. That’s one of the reasons I’ve been working to change the narrative that the west side of Houston is the best side, and that One of the reasons is because we are cultural currency,” Thomas said.
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