Nigerian Tony Iwobi Becomes Italy's First Black Senator

Italy elects Nigerian-born Dr. Tony Iwobi as Senator and this makes him the first black man to be elected as a Senator in Italy.

Dr. Iwobi, 62, was elected on the platform of Matteo Salvini's anti-immigration league. He was born in Nigeria. In the 1970s, he left Nigeria with a student Visa to Italy. He later married an Italian woman.

Prior to his running for senatorship, he was a municipal Councillor in Spirano, and more recently headed Salvini’s national committee on immigration, The Local Reports.

Dr. Iwobi broke the good new via his Facebook page and it read:

"Friends, it is with great emotion that I inform you that I was elected senator of the Republic

"After over 25 years of battles in the great family of the league, it is about to start another great adventure. My thanks go to Matteo Salvini, a great leader who led the league to become the first centre-Centre force of the country.

I have to thank then my National Secretary Paolo Grimoldi, my now former provincial secretary and new Congressman Daniele Belotti, the whole team of the department for work done over these years, the great league militants and all facebook friends for their support.

I can’t forget my family, without them I wouldn’t have come here today because they never stopped supporting me and being close to me.Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’m ready, friends.