Shalom Ogoh provides a friendly smile and a delicious menu at Suya To-Go. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

A stronger community

A land of opportunity: the stories from Prince Albert’s black community

Feb 9, 2024 | 5:00 PM

February has been proclaimed as African-Canadian/Black History Month in Saskatchewan and over the past ten years, Prince Albert’s black community has seen a significant growth in population.

As a way of paying tribute to them, paNOW is sharing the stories of three local community members.

Shalom Ogoh has lived in the city for about 10 years and runs a successful restaurant at the Gateway Mall known as Suya To-Go.

“I’ve always had the passion for being creative and having that sense of fulfillment, as well as being a leader,” she explained.

While she initially moved to Canada to pursue her education, and had a fondness for the quieter campus at the University of Saskatchewan, Ogoh explained her reason for opening the restaurant came down to an opportunity that arose and a desire to accomplish a personal goal.

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“I felt like there was not enough ethnic food in Prince Albert and that was a problem in the sense that there’s a growing size of ethnic groups here,” she said.

As a result of her success, Ogoh has received a lot of opportunities to mentor other people with similar ambitions. However she also confirmed one of the biggest challenges when she first started was the resistance from some people who were not so open minded.

“It’s not something that really would scare me. I am someone who is good at making friends with strangers so I can make people feel comfortable around me,” she said.

Ogoh explained she’s been able to use her business to teach people about her culture and where she is from.

Ibukun Ogundari moved to Canada last August, and is from the western part of Nigeria. Describing feelings of feeling caged, she told paNOW she wanted to see what life was like outside Nigeria.

“I’m an adventurous person. I like to try new things,” she explained, adding she’s known other people who came to Canada for great opportunities.

Currently attending Sask Polytech and pursuing a degree in business management, Ogundari aims to one day to be a projects manager and possibly own her own consulting firm.

As a black person living in Saskatchewan, she acknowledged some early fears about moving to a new country, but added those feelings washed away she was embraced by Prince Albert’s Nigerian community.

“I think that is the bright side of my being here. That’s what gives you hope. That’s what makes you feel at home,” she said.

And when asked what she enjoys most about living in Saskatchewan, she explained it’s the people, adding it’s almost therapeutic being able to share her personal life with a random stranger on the bus.

Ibukun Ogundari and Gbenga Adebayo(Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

That sentiment about Saskatchewan was also shared by Gbenga Adebayo, who has lived in Canada for about 11 years and works as a family physician. He said one of the first things he noticed was what he now refers to as the Saskatchewan smile.

“The fact that when you walk on the streets in Saskatchewan, somebody greets you with a smile. They don’t have to know you,” he said.

Adebayo came to Canada to study and completed his Masters degree in public health at the University of Saskatchewan. He described his journey as a roller coaster ride

“Being at a particular stage of life and working and you come here as a student, you have to navigate the path back to what you used to do. I think that for me was a huge shock,” he explained.

Commenting on how the black community in Prince Albert has grown over the past ten years, he said it speaks to the prosperity of the province, but also the value of the people to society.

“I recall when I first moved here I was in Montana’s and somebody came up to me asked where’s your clinic,” he said, suggesting too that when people come to a community and thrive, they will invite other people to come and join them.

With respect to celebrating black people in Canada, Adebayo suggested more could be done such as having black history included in the school curriculums.

According to a press release this week from the provincial government, African-Canadian/Black History Month is an opportunity to learn more about the many accomplishments and contributions made by persons of African heritage to Saskatchewan and the rest of Canada.

“In Saskatchewan, our provincial motto: From Many Peoples Strength, emphasizes the importance of reflecting on the strong history and legacy of diverse communities who have helped build our great province,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Laura Ross said. “Persons of African Heritage have contributed greatly to the strong economic, social and cultural fabric that we proudly enjoy in Saskatchewan today.”

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell