Magid Magid Is Stepping Down As Lord Mayor Of Sheffield
If you are having a bad day you may want to stop reading now.
Magid Magid, Lord Mayor of Sheffield, will not be seeking reelection after his current term comes to an end. And we’re sad about it.
Magid, who became the city’s youngest mayor at age 29, said it had been an “absolute honour and privilege” to represent the Broomhill and Sharrow Vale ward but was stepping down to focus on other projects.
Magid Magid received national attention when he was elected in May 2018 thanks to his unorthodox approach to mayoral duties.
The Green Party politician dressed like a Soundcloud rapper and played the Superman theme tune at his swearing-in ceremony; he wore t-shirts with slogans like ‘IMMIGRANTS MAKE BRITAIN GREAT’ and custom designed Doc Martens; and, in one of his finest moments, he rocked a sombrero “in solidarity” with Mexico and banned Donald Trump from visiting the city of Sheffield.
But best of all, Magid represented an immigrant success story characterised by resilience and positivity.
Born in Somaliland, Magid came to the UK aged five having spent six months in an Ethiopian refugee camp with his mother and five siblings.
The family ultimately settled in the Burngreave area of Sheffield. As a youngster, Magid had a difficult time adapting to a new culture and language, yet he still managed to do well in school thanks to a curious mind and passion for music. He later attended the University of Hull, where he was elected president of the student union—his first political success.
After University Magid joined the Green Party, where he served on a number of community-focused committees. This experience saw him rise through the ranks of local politics, right up until his successful nomination as Lord Mayor.
While the position was largely ceremonial, it did require Magid to represent the council and the city at a variety of official functions. And it was in this role that he gained the attention of the nation with his, quite frankly, wonderfully refreshing approach to local politics.
Magid’s Instagram alone is enough to make you want to put your name on the ballot:
Following his election, Magid wrote on social media: “Me and my family came to Sheffield from Somalia to look for a better life and this city has truly welcomed me and many others with open arms.
“This is one way of giving back to this incredible city. It really is an honour and privilege to hold this role and I will most definitely be bringing a different approach to it with the hope of engaging with all the hard to reach communities as well as celebrating/championing all that is great about Sheffield.”
It was a message that connected to a lot of people. Magid was a true individual, and his unique brand of citizenship was born out of a willingness to let people know they had a say in the political system—no matter their background.
After announcing he was stepping down, Magid said being mayor was the “most rewarding thing” he had ever done.
“One of the reasons I wanted to be a councillor was to play a more active role in my community and represent those voices that I believed weren’t being represented in the council.”
We hope it won’t be too long before we see the next Magid shaking up the political scene.
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