A Nigerian-born lawyer Kaycee Madu has been appointed the minister of justice and solicitor-general of Alberta, Canada.
Mr Madu was previously the minister for municipal affairs. He is now the first African to be appointed minister of justice.
Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney described the appointment as a “strong statement”.
“At a time when we are all more sensitive to the reality of racial prejudice, I think it is a strong statement that Alberta will have its first justice minister of African origin; first Black Canadian justice minister, attorney-general or solicitor-general,” he said.
The lawyer had his tertiary education at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where he studied law before he was called to bar in the early 2000s.
In 2005, he and his wife also a law graduate migrated to Canada where they have been practising.
He had had a stint in public service when he served as a senior technical advisor for the Government of Alberta in areas of legislative and regulatory reviews, operational and strategic public policies, issues management and stakeholder consultation.
He was elected to the legislative assembly of Alberta in April 2019 and was later appointed minister of municipal affairs.
Madu said in a statement published on Facebook that he was “beyond humbled” over his new role.
“As I reflect upon my new appointment as the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, the importance of carrying this ministry forward amid these difficult social and economic times weighs heavily on my mind,” he said.
