“Trump, Turn the Volume Up!”
Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first African-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet
Chido Nwangwu is the Founder of USAfrica multimedia networks
On November 4, 2025, Zohran Kwame Mamdani, made history with his election as New York City’s first Muslim Mayor. Also, he has become New York City’s first person of Indian descent/heritage to lead the iconic city popularly known as “the Big Apple.”
A few years ago, he was a little-known councilor in the State Assembly of New York. He moved to New York with his parents when he was 7 years. He was born on October 18, 1991; that is, only 34 years ago in the city of Kampala, Uganda, in the African continent.
His middle name, Kwame, I believe, was given as an affirmation of respect and honor to the late pan-Africanist, Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah, former leader of Ghana!
Mamdani, an only child, will grow to become the Mayor of the most influential, colorful, diverse city with almost every ethnicity, faith and calling.
New York continues to draw a vast mix of people, enlivened by their political ideologies, cultural rhythms and social pageantry of their heritage!
As the votes were counted on this historic November 4, Mamdani’s victorious position became evident as he defeated the former New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, and several other candidates.
Among others, the President of the United States, the apex Republican leader, Donald Trump, has repeatedly called Mamdani “a communist” who will destroy this country.
Here’s Mamdani’s counterpoint, three days ago:
“If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him. And if there is any way to defeat a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power.”
The oratorically impressive politician added that: “This is not only how we stop Trump ‒ it’s how we stop the next one. So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up!”
Mamdani’s audiences, within the hall, around the world, on tv sets and handheld devices, took additional notice of the brilliant and sometimes controversial man.
Mamdani was goading Trump to keep attacking him…. It was already known to him that Trump, ideally and ordinarily, should have No useful interest in making it seem like they’re in some sort of “competition.”
Most of the controversial issues emerged from the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in 2024 and the consequent war in Gaza. USAfrica News Index (October 2, 2024 to November 5, 2025), shows that Zohran has faced accusations of being “anti-Israel”, being an alleged “Hamas supporter” who is said to “engage in anti-Semitism.”
He dismisses those as reflective of what he sees as his accusers’ Islamophobia and refusal to accept the rights of all people to exist.
Mayor-elect Mamdani’s economic proposals, such as a four-year rent freeze, have been attacked by some of the capitalist leaders of New York as “not good for New York.”
His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a distinguished Professor of politics, government, colonialism, post-colonial studies, genocide, and human rights in Africa. He is a highly respected scholar at Columbia University in New York, and at Makerere University, in Uganda.
Prof. Mamdani is the author of several books, including ‘Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War and the Roots of Terror’ and ‘When Victims Become Killers: Colonialism, Nativism and Genocide in Rwanda.’ He has written many journal publications and presentations. I became familiar with Prof. Mamdani’s critical analyses and expositions while I was a student of political science and public administration at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and afterwards.
Zohran’s mother, Mira Nair, is an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker and mentor to many.
I think that the physical range of American presidential, gubernatorial and mayoral leadership is getting closer to Africans in the diaspora and their heritage roots.
Remember, 2008-2009, there was Obama’s Kenya; and now in 2025, Mamdani’s Uganda!
What next?
Who’s next?
Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the forthcoming book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity., is the Founder of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, and established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He served as an adviser on African business to Houston’s former Mayor Lee Brown. Follow him on X @Chido247
This is an excellent write up.
Please keep up the great job Chido!
You are indeed a treasure to the African diaspora community.