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HARTFORD — When Hartford City Manager Yemi Akinwale, 52, came to this
country from his home in tropical Nigeria about 35 years ago, it wasn’t
the culture that was so surprising, it was the harsh and blustery Michigan
winters.
“What was shocking was the weather. It was cold here. That first winter
here wasn’t fun at all,” Akinwale said.
Akinwale followed an older sister to the United States to study at
Western Michigan University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in 1977
and a master’s in public administration in 1979.
Once he became acclimated to the climate, living in Michigan was a piece
of cake.
“For people not familiar with Nigeria, we were a British colony at one
time. I was fortunate to go to a private school, and actually I knew quite
a lot about the United States before I came here because I had several
Americans on my teaching faculty. It was just a matter of coming here and
confirming what I had heard.” Akinwale said he had first planned to go
back to Nigeria and follow in his father’s footsteps by taking a
government job.
“Fate had it and I met my wife, Carolyn,” he said. Carolyn is from
Benton Harbor, so they decided to settle close to her family.
Before becoming Hartford city manager seven years ago, Akinwale was
administrative assistant to the Constantine village manager, then worked
as Benton Township economic development director for 15 years. He said his
previous experience gave him the where withal to locate and secure grants
for a number of important projects in Hartford, which as of the 2000
census had 2,476 people.
“You have to be aggressive to make ends
meet. I
 know our community’s needs and I
know our
limitations,” Akinwale said.
One of those grants helped pay for the new city administration building, which also
houses the police department. The city received $75,000 in grants and $762,000 in
low-interest loans to build the 5,400 square-foot building three years ago, and it is proving to be the cornerstone of the overall renaissance of
the downtown area.
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“The businesses have taken it upon themselves to upgrade their facades,”
he said.
He said Hartford is a city in transition and one
that is readying itself for growth. “Even when you don’t have major
business activities in your town, it is always prudent to prepare so that
you are ready when such an opportunity occurs,” he said.
The city did a downtown streetscape project two years ago. It included
reconstructing and beautifying the north municipal parking lot and
expanding ornamental street lighting. In addition, he said the city
continues to upgrade infrastructure, including water lines, sewer lines
and roads.
Akinwale said the Hartford school district is another valuable asset to
the larger community, and that school officials show a readiness to
accommodate new commerce.
He said an indicator that the overall preparation has been effective is
the groundbreaking this summer for a 49-house subdivision. “I expect
there to be a snowball effect,” he said.
Still, he knows Hartford will maintain the things that make it unique.
“I enjoy the small town atmosphere, and that is why I am able to stay
here. I believe I connect quite well with the people. I take my time to
understand the dynamics of the community and am always looking at
situations where I can make the most impact.” In addition to being city
manager, Akinwale serves on the board of directors for the Van Buren Red
Cross, is on the advisory committee for the Area Agency on Aging, on the
board of the Southwest Michigan Commission and on the Watervliet Hospital
Foundation board.
He is also former president of Harbor Habitat for Humanity,
headquartered in Benton Harbor. Akinwale said he and his wife are looking
forward to enjoying an empty nest. Their oldest son works in marketing,
their daughter is completing her studies in radiology, and their youngest
son will graduate with a degree in criminal justice next year. All of
their children attended Western Michigan University.
In his spare time Akinwale loves to relax, spend time with family and
read. In the future he hopes to take a trip to visit his parents and two
brothers in Nigeria, something he hasn’t been able to do since becoming
city manager.
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