Rotimi Adebari made history yesterday, becoming the first black mayor elected in Ireland, winning the election to lead Portlaoise, a busy commuter town just west of Dublin.

Adebari, 43, a native of Nigeria, migrated to Ireland in 2000 with his wife and two sons, claiming political asylum based on religious persecution, although his application was rejected because of insufficient evidence.

He was later granted citizenship because his youngest son was born in Ireland. In 2004, Ireland stopped granting citizenship to parents of children born in Ireland, one of the few countries in Europe that had such a law.

Rapid immigration has changed the landscape of the Emerald Isle. More than 30,000 asylum seekers, mostly from Nigeria, have come to Ireland because of its booming economy and its relatively lax immigration rules. West African shops are abundant in Dublin and other cities in Ireland, and the immigration debate continues to stir passions in both Ireland and the European Union.

Because of his success, Adebari has encouraging words for other immigrants. "I want to encourage immigrants to be a force in their communities, to engage with their communities," he said. "People will get to know you. Their perception of you will change just like that. That's what happened to me."