A Nigerian-born American, Shirley U. Emehelu, has emerged as Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey in the United States.
With the swearing-in, Emehelu becomes the first person who came from another country to occupy that seat in the state.
Governor Mikie Sherrill made the appointment public, making Emehelu the fifth person to serve as Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey.
According to the announcement, apart from her new office, Emehelu will keep her job as Secretary of State.
It was gathered that she had been doing that job in an acting capacity since September. The role places elections, business services, tourism and cultural programmes under her watch.
The swearing-in took place at the New Jersey Statehouse in Trenton, where Chief Justice Stuart Rabner administered the oath while her husband, Ikenna Emehelu, and their children stood by her side.
Speaking after taking the oath, Emehelu said, "As a Black woman and Nigerian American, I'm proud of what this appointment represents for our state, and especially for the communities that share my heritage."
Emehelu was born in Nigeria and left for the United States when she was just three years old.
She later went to Yale University and Yale Law School for her education. Her career before now was built in the courtroom.
For nine years, she worked as a federal prosecutor in the US Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, where she handled big financial fraud cases.
From 2022 to 2024, she served as Executive Assistant Attorney General in New Jersey, the third most senior official in the Attorney General's Office, and later held the office of Acting State Comptroller, where she led the fight against fraud, waste, and misuse of public money.
She is taking over from Rev. Dale Caldwell, who stepped down in September after he was found to have breached sexual harassment and ethics rules.
Governor Sherrill praised Emehelu as a seasoned public servant whose work over the years has shown honesty, accountability, and a strong commitment to protecting the people of the state.
New Jersey: What to know about Nigerian-born Lieutenant Governor Shirley Emehelu