It was a very busy day in Long Island’s Hempstead Lake State Park on Saturday, July 8th.
Nigerians in America representing the Edo Organization of New York celebrated themselves in the lovely park, which was the venue for a variety of groups including: African Americans hosting birthday parties, Hondurans, Southeast Asians, and Arab families enjoying food and games.
Nayaba Arinde photos
The Edo Organization hosted their annual picnic with families based in New York. Every year, the group brings homemade Nigerian dishes like jollof, iyan, dodo, roasted corn, assorted meats, and stew. With their president, Efe Okuns, and secretary, Wahab Bello-Osagie, members meet monthly and talk weekly to further their mission to keep the Benin community functioning and growing. Members also celebrate students who have graduated from elementary, middle, high schools and college with a financial gift.
“We come together every year to celebrate our family, and our friends, and our culture. We eat food together, we laugh,” Henry Obadiaru, co-founder of the Edo Organization and one of its longest serving members, told the Amsterdam News. “We talk about politics and family, and how to strengthen our community together. And we encourage our youth as we remind ourselves that we are strong, proud Nigerians living in America.”