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The son of a Black immigrant father and a white mother, who had divorced when he was young, Will Jawando grew up largely disconnected from his Nigerian heritage. To read about his parents' meeting at university and his early childhood in Montgomery County, see the first part of his story in Student Stories.
The son of a Black immigrant father and a white mother, who had divorced when he was young, Will Jawando grew up largely disconnected from his Nigerian heritage. To read about his parents' meeting at university and his early childhood in Montgomery County, see the first part of his story in Student Stories.
During his teen years, Will met and befriended Deen Sowoola, a Nigerian colleague of his mother's, who spoke to him about Nigerian culture and life. When Will was 19 years old, Deen offered to accompany him to Nigeria for a visit. While there, Will reconnected with his Uncle Segun and other family members, as well as coming to a deeper understanding of his heritage.
During his teen years, Will met and befriended Deen Sowoola, a Nigerian colleague of his mother's, who spoke to him about Nigerian culture and life. When Will was 19 years old, Deen offered to accompany him to Nigeria for a visit. While there, Will reconnected with his Uncle Segun and other family members, as well as coming to a deeper understanding of his heritage.
When he returned from his first trip to Nigeria, Will felt more connected to his family's culture than ever before. He describes some of the changes he made in his life to reflect that connection.
When he returned from his first trip to Nigeria, Will felt more connected to his family's culture than ever before. He describes some of the changes he made in his life to reflect that connection.
Will, as a freshman at St. John's College High School in Washington, D.C., 1996
Click arrow at right for transcript.
So that's how I first get to Nigeria and kind of.. and when I come back from that trip, I am even more determined. I sign up for Yoruba classes at college and I stopped using William as my name. So my name is William Opeyemi Taofik Alabi Jawando. So Opeyemi is my Yoruba name. so I kind of have this journey with my name, which is connected to my immigration story. I reclaimed that back, when I go to college. I have this big dramatic moment. I go to the registrar and I officially change it. I'm on the basketball team at Catholic University and go to the coach, I'm like, “I need to [make a] change to the program.” So, but that's all after this trip, and that really kind of kicks off a journey I'm still on– to learn more about my culture, because I had a lot of catching up to do.
A few years later, Will and his father took another trip home-- this time together. It had been 30 years since his father had been back to Nigeria. Click arrow at right to see transcript.
We end up taking a trip two years later, which is a very transformational trip: we go visit my grandparents’ grave, the house he grew up in, visit people I didn't visit the first time, so it was a big… It helped me understand him more. And you know, what he had left and lost in Nigeria and what his disappointments and struggles had been, and, and it made me a little more, I think, sympathetic to him. And it helped us kind of kick off the starting process of reconciliation, getting to know each other better.
After traveling together, Will and his father continued to improve their relationship over the next several years. As Will's children got older, they spent time with their grandfather, who in his failing health eventually moved in with Will's family .
Olayinka Jawando passed away in 2017 from cancer, but his legacy and heritage live on in his son and grandchildren.
After traveling together, Will and his father continued to improve their relationship over the next several years. As Will's children got older, they spent time with their grandfather, who in his failing health eventually moved in with Will's family .
Olayinka Jawando passed away in 2017 from cancer, but his legacy and heritage live on in his son and grandchildren.
"[My kids] have a connection to him that I didn't even have, in that they understand him in the context of being their grandfather--baba agba--and Nigerian. They all have Nigerian names, you know, middle names, Yoruba names. They know what they mean, they know what they are."
"[My kids] have a connection to him that I didn't even have, in that they understand him in the context of being their grandfather--baba agba--and Nigerian. They all have Nigerian names, you know, middle names, Yoruba names. They know what they mean, they know what they are."
In 2019, Will was elected for the first time to the Montgomery County Council as an At-Large member. At the inauguration ceremony, he wore a traditional Nigerian agbada, the formal dress of the Yoruba, to simultaneously honor the memory of his father and his Nigerian heritage.
In 2019, Will was elected for the first time to the Montgomery County Council as an At-Large member. At the inauguration ceremony, he wore a traditional Nigerian agbada, the formal dress of the Yoruba, to simultaneously honor the memory of his father and his Nigerian heritage.
Will Jawando (third from left), at the County Council swearing in ceremony in 2019, wearing a traditional Nigerian agbada in honor of his father.
Will shares some parting thoughts on what it is to be American and how we can fully embrace what makes our county great. Click the arrow at right for a transcript.
But, you know, when I wore my agbada when I was sworn in, it was a very emotional moment. My dad had just passed. I wanted to do it to honor him. I wanted to do it to honor the one in three people who were foreign-born– 45% of us who are either the kids of immigrants or foreign-born, that make up our county. And also say that you can be both things, you can be taking the oath of office here in the United States to represent everyone in the county, but you can also be a Nigerian American, or Indian American, or Salvadoran American, or Chinese American. I had so many people come up to me–and still do–and just say, "Thank you for doing that."
I think oftentimes this assimilation pressure is so great and that to be American is to be an immigrant. And I think we forget that and we have to continually remind ourselves about that. And embrace all the different kinds of immigrants from all, every country. Not just the ones that have maybe been favored for some of our history. And so that's what I would say is just embrace it and seek it out and learn it and learn about it and have it be fully who you are. And one doesn't subtract from the other. You can be fully an immigrant, you can be fully American. You're a human being. It's all a part of what makes our country great, what makes you great. And I just hope that people continue to learn that lesson and continue to value it.
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