The City of Playford proudly welcomed 155 new citizens at its February citizenship ceremonies held on Wednesday last week, providing another opportunity to celebrate the cultural diversity of our community.
Families and individuals from across the globe became Australian citizens, including those from Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Qatar, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Türkiye, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.
Mayor Glenn Docherty believes these ceremonies are an opportunity to celebrate the unique journey of our newest citizens.
"Becoming an Australian citizen is a proud milestone and one that creates a lifelong connection to our community and our country. Congratulations to everyone who took part in the ceremonies. We are honoured to walk alongside you as you begin this new chapter as an Australian citizen," Mayor Docherty said.
Seun Oyetunji, his wife Modupe and their children Deborah, Samuel and Daniel arrived in Australia in 2019.
The Nigerian family migrated to Qatar for a decade before deciding to call Australia home. Seun, a civil engineer, was drawn to Australia by strong career opportunities and the chance to build long term stability for his family.
Since settling in Playford, the family has built a home in Virginia and embraced the opportunities available to them.
"We chose Virginia because it is quiet and not overcrowded. It is a wonderful place to raise our children and build a home," Seun said.
"Nigeria and Australia also share similar weather, which made the transition easier for us. After living in the Middle East where the climate was quite extreme, we really love living here. We hope to continue establishing our family here for many years to come."
The next City of Playford citizenship ceremony will be held on Wednesday, 18 March.
