CULTURE & SOCIETY

Remembering Stephen Osita Osadebe, 15 years on

Our contributing editor, Frank Stenner, pays tribute to one of Nigeria’s musical giants, Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe, fifteen years after his demise —–      “In my life and my creations,       I have tried to follow my destiny       which is my music.       That is my journey.       I live with the gift of God.”       [from Osita Osadebe: “Ana Masi Ife Uwa” (“Sound Time” 2001)] Chief …

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Nigerian cultural festival holds in Germany on Saturday

An event celebrating the culture of Africa’s most populous country will hold in the German city of Potsdam on Saturday, 13 August. Organised for the first time by Deutsche und Immigranten e.V., ‘WAZOBIA Nigerian Day 2022’ will feature, among others, music and dance performances, a fashion show, culinary specialities of Nigeria, an exhibition of products from Nigeria and a children’s …

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Remembering Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, 25 years on

The founder of Afrobeat died on 2 August 1997. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his death, The African Courier remembers Fela Anikulapo-Kuti – musician, crusader for social, economic and political justice, and Black emancipation. Our contributing editor, Robert Ajani*, discusses the life of the legend.  —————————————- The making of Fela Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, musician, Africanist, humanist and politician, …

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Nollywood Festival Germany holds in Frankfurt

Ehizoya Golden Entertainment will once again showcase the Nigerian film industry in Frankfurt am Main at the 2022 Nollywood Film Festival Germany (NFFG). The Festival and its sister event, Nollywood Europe Golden Award (NEGA), holding from 29 to 31 July, will feature screenings of Nollywood films, panel discussions on issues surrounding the Nigerian film industry, music concerts and an award …

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Nigeria’s Adire Carnival Vienna 2022 – Special report

After a two-year break, the Adire Carnival returned with a bang to the Austrian capital city of Vienna this year. The festival celebrates Adire textile made in southwestern Nigeria by women who use a variety of resist-dyeing techniques. Oluyemi Ogundele* writes about the festival, its history and what it seeks to accomplish—— The Adire Carnival, a Nigerian cultural festival, was …

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Nigeria, Germany to sign agreement for return of Benin bronzes in Berlin

An agreement between the governments of Germany and Nigeria on the return of the Benin artefacts in German museums to Nigeria will be signed on Friday in Berlin. The historic signing of the ‘Joint Declaration on the Return of the Benin Bronzes and Bilateral Museum Cooperation between Germany and Nigeria’ is the culmination of years of agitation for the return …

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Nigeria’s Adire festival returns with a bang in Vienna

Dayo Olomu, a London-based human capital development and business transformation strategist, writes on this year’s festival celebrating Nigeria’s adire cloth in the Austrian capital Vienna —– After a two-year break, the Adire Carnival returned with a bang to the Austrian capital city of Vienna on Saturday 25 June 2022. The festival celebrates Adire (Yoruba for tie and dye) textile is …

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Experiencing Angélique Kidjo live in Dortmund

Our contributing editor, Tina Adomako, narrates her impressions of a prestigious concert featuring multiple award-winner Angélique Kidjo when she performed, accompanied by a full symphony orchestra, to a sold-out house in the western German city of Dortmund on Wednesday — I rush through the busy Brückstraße, where Dortmund shows itself in all its diversity, and arrive just in time at …

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Award-Winning Chigozie Obioma to Host Masterclass on Creative Writing 

African Media Agency today (22 June) announced its creative writing masterclass hosted in partnership with Chigozie Obioma as part of AMA Academy. The partnership aims to upskill journalists on fiction storytelling.  AMA Academy is a free-to-use pan-African online learning platform dedicated to upskilling journalists and media personnel across the continent. The first cohort boasts 200 journalists and has hosted three …

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Lagos hosts Adire cultural festival

Ecobank Nigeria, an affiliate of the leading Pan-African banking Group, Ecobank Group, is extending its promotion of culture and tradition to the Lagos community through Adire festival. Themed ‘EPAC Adire Lagos Experience’, the exhibition will be held at the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC) in Lagos from Friday, June 10 till Sunday, June 12, 2022. Originating from Abeokuta in Southwestern …

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Virgin Music launches African label

Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, today (7 June) announced the launch of Virgin Music Label & Artist Services in Africa, a new dedicated distribution service for independent African artists and labels across the continent. The label services division launches with more than 15000 titles, 50 label partners and 100+ artists from more than 25 African …

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Stonebwoy, Nkulee Dube, others to rock German town of Emmendingen

The German town of Emmendingen will host the 20th anniversary of the African Music Festival from 4 to 7 August. And the organisers are leaving no stone unturned to make the anniversary a special, memorable one. Among the many artists billed to perform in Emmendingen is Livingstone Etse Satekla, better known by his stage name Stonebwoy. The multiple-awarded Ghanaian Afropop, …

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Africa Centre London reopens after £5.6 Million facelift

After years of planning and a little over 12 months of building and refurbishment work, The Africa Centre – an establishment that celebrates contemporary African culture and heritage – is finally ready to welcome its patrons and supporters to its new home in Southwark, London on 9 June. “It will continue to act as a bold and transformative bridge between …

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Ukraine: African groups hold peace concert in Munich

As the war in Ukraine rages on, many Africans and People of Colour fleeing the country are still stuck at its borders with its neighbours while those lucky to make it to Western Europe are facing different kinds of challenges. To draw attention to the travails of the non-Ukrainian victims of the war in Ukraine, a coalition of African groups …

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