Detroit -- The number of African immigrants living in southeastern Michigan has grown fast in the past decade, and businesses are springing up to bring them the flavours of home.
The number of African immigrants in metropolitan Detroit stands at 9 532, according to US Census figures. That is about twice the number of 10 years earlier.
Businesses owned by African-born residents of the area include hair-braiding shops and supermarkets that carry imported traditional African food products such as cassava roots and dried meats.
"A decade ago, the population of Africans here was very small," said Kwaku Adwini-Poku, an automotive engineer and secretary of the United African Community Organisation.
"Now that the population is bigger, there is a need to have more African stores, so people recognised that and are setting them up," the native of Ghana told The Detroit News.
Historically, most African immigrants have been students or professionals who have sought careers in engineering and medical fields. But Adwini-Poku says many of the new immigrants are merchants and laborers who have come to the area because of its job opportunities.
"They have found that there is a lot of employment here and they don't have to be professionals to do it," Adwini-Poku said. "The biggest challenge people face is the transportation. Many of the people who come here have never driven before."
Clothing retailer Larry Alebiosu came to the United States in 1982 from Lagos, Nigeria, to attend college. Five years later, he moved to Detroit to work for a cellular phone company.
He now owns his own retail clothing business, Fashion International, in Southfield.
Alebiosu says the Detroit area is attractive to Africans because of the area's racial makeup.
"I blend in very well with the African-American community because we are black people," Alebiosu said. "It's easy to get along with people that are the same as you are. And you have a lot of African-Americans here who are interested in Africa."
Africans traditionally have been drawn to cities like New York, Houston and Atlanta. But now, they are moving to smaller cities and the Midwest.
"They are now very visible," said Jacob Olupona, a Nigerian and director of African-American and African studies at the University of California at Davis. "The numbers have doubled, if not quadrupled."
Civil wars in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Rwanda are driving many Africans to other parts of the world, Olupona said.
"In Kenya, there are a number of refugees waiting to come to the United States," he said.
Public relations executive Chinyere Ubamadu (33) says he felt welcome in metropolitan Detroit after living in Boston.
"The diverse environment ... and the attitudes seem to be more welcoming," said Ubamadu, who is a native of Nigeria and lives in Southfield.
