Ibrahim Maiga
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ibrahim Maiga | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 January 1963 Mopti, Mali |
| Other names | Ibi Maiga |
| Occupations |
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Ibrahim Maiga, also known as Ibi Maiga,[1][2][3] (born in Mopti, 3 January 1963),[2] is a Slovak singer, actor, comedian, and politician.[4][1] The BBC describes him as a "celebrity in Slovakia".[1]
Maiga moved to what was then Czechoslovakia in the late 1980s as a student at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava and subsequently obtained Slovak citizenship. He "quickly became famous as a singer and actor".[1] The BBC describes him as "a well-known figure" through his "infectious humour and songs about his homeland, Mali".[4]
He stood as a candidate for the European Parliament during the 2009 elections, representing the Party of the Democratic Left (SDL).[4][2] As a pro-European, he has stated: "Particularly now, in a time of crisis, we see how important the European Union is. Without its existence, several states might have suffered collapse".[2] Explaining his choice to run for the European Parliament, he also stated: "I really want to fight this election just to show Europe that Slovakia has a great future in Europe. If I'm elected and for the first time in history a black man represents Slovakia, that's going to be obvious to all of Europe."[4]
In 2019, Maiga announced his return to politics and ran for a seat in the 2019 European Parliament election in Slovakia as a representative of the Priama Demokracia party.[5]
Maiga speaks six languages.[1] He has two children, a son and a daughter.
