CULTURE & SOCIETY

The Nigerian-German band BANTU is touring Germany. The 5-city tour begins in Hagen on 18 July and will end in Cologne four days later. The other cities where the band will perform are Recklinghausen, Muelheim a.d. Ruhr and Bochum. The shows, according to band founder and front man Adé Bantu, will feature the complete members of the group, promising “a …

Universal Music Africa opens new division in Côte d’Ivoire, kicking off an expansion of live music activity throughout the continent in partnership with Vivendi and CanalOlympia. Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, has announced a significant expansion in French-speaking Africa, with the launch of a new strategic division in the regional market with a focus on …

The third edition of the Nigerian Cultural Festival /Adire Carnival took place in the historic city of Vienna on 29-30 June. The event showcases the rich Nigerian cultural heritage and promotes the country’s tourism potential. It also helps to foster the friendly relationship between Nigeria and Austria. The event started with the African drums exhibition on Friday, the 29th of …

“What’s New?” an exciting weekly TV programme BBC News, for young people in Africa launches on 23rd June.  Aimed at 11-16 year olds the show is an informative, entertaining and fun programme which will keep young people up to date with what’s happening in the world they live in. Nisha Kapur, BBC Commissioning Editor, said: “What’s New? is for and …

Renowned Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong’o has been in Germany, reading from his work at the event “Voices of Africa.” He spoke to DW about the crucial role of African languages in empowering the continent. DW: What do you see as the role of young people in taking Africa forward? Ngugi wa Thiong’o: Young people are always the future of …

The African festival in Germany’s federal capital opens on 7 June with a wide-ranging programme including live concerts, dance workshops, bazaar and workshops at the popular Alexanderplatz in the city centre. The Festival is visited by around 5,000 people daily! Kenako Afrika Festival, from 7-17 June, parades established and up-and-coming artists, including Afrikadelle, a group that combines the best of …

Ziggy Marley, the son of reggae music legend Bob Marley, has released his seventh solo album, Rebellion Rises. The 49-year-old Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter is currently touring the United States and Europe. He said he took lessons from his father’s “Exodus” as he was crafting the album. “It is a rebellion of love, rebellion of more peace, the rebellion of more …

It was thirty years ago when Dr Stefan Oschmann and Ali Schuster, two young German men, initiated the International Afro Roots Festival, popularly known as  International Africa Festival, with the aim of bringing the music and culture of Africa to Germans. The story of the event, which has meanwhile become the biggest of its kind in Europe and last year …

After years of hashtags and outcries, Twitter now recognizes Swahili, one of East Africa’s most common languages. The social media platform now offers translation for the language spoken by tens of millions in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and some parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Most African languages for the past decade and over of social media platform Twitter’s existence …

Some of the best-known Black actors in Europe gathered in Tarifa at the just-concluded Tarifa-Tangiers African Film Festival to discuss their situation in different countries in a session moderated by Spanish journalist Lucía Mbomío. Last Saturday (5 May), nine actors shared their experiences, as well as the difficulties and challenges they face, calling for greater visibility and the normalisation of …

At the just-concluded Tarifa-Tangiers African Film Festival (Festival cine africano de Tarifa or FCAT), international critics have voted for the best African films of all time. FCAT, which takes place in the Spanish town Tarifa and the Moroccan city of Tangiers, celebrates its 15th year of promoting and subtitling cinema productions from Africa into Spanish from 26 April to 5 May. …

There is a “critical period” for learning a second language, with people remaining adept learners until the age of 17 or 18, when their ability drops, according to a new study. Conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the study suggests that the “critical period” for learning a new language is much longer than scientists had previously thought. “It was …

A group of artists have started a journey across West Africa in a rickety school bus. They want to bring culture to the region with their rolling art space while collecting inspiration for their own works. Adrian Kriesch reports from Lagos. Nigerian-born artist Emeka Udemba looked annoyed. The yellow Mercedes school bus, his new home for the next six weeks, …

For the first time, a literary festival devoted to the work of African writers will hold in Germany. From 26-28 April, more than 35 African writers will gather in Berlin for the African Book Festival, featuring readings, poetry, spoken word and theatre performances, panel discussions, book signings and networking events. Among the writers expected in the German capital city are …

The BBC today officially opened its new bureau in Lagos, home to three new services in Igbo, Pidgin, and Yoruba. The bureau boasts a new state-of-the-art TV studio and two radio studios and can house up to 200 people. The BBC’s investment in Nigeria has created over 100 new jobs in Lagos and means that BBC News is now available in five …

Founding Women is a collection of the inspirational, first-hand accounts of 20 African women who are defying the odds to build successful businesses in technology on the continent. Among the successful entrepreneurs interviewed in the book are Rebecca Enonchong – CEO of AppsTech ( Forbes 10 Female Tech Founders To Watch In Africa) and Hilda Moraa – Founder & CEO …

Digitalback Books has announced that it has signed a digital license agreement with the African Writers Series publisher, Pearson. The agreement will allow readers from participating institutions to access and download the African Writers Series titles from the innovative Africa focused digital platform. The iconic Heinemann African Writers Series was launched in 1962 and played a crucial role in publishing …

Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi is the latest recipient of the US$165,000 Windham Campbell Prize. The Prize is awarded every year to eight artists. Makumbi – who’s from Uganda and moved to the UK 17 years ago – is the author of Kintu, a novel based on Buganda oral history and myth. The African writer also won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize …

The BBC has launched its new Igbo and Yoruba services, as part of an expansion in local languages aimed at more in-depth reporting of countries around the world. The digital-only services went live online and on social media on Monday (19 February), joining a platform for Pidgin speakers that was launched last year and has attracted widespread interest. The Igbo …

A monument will be erected in honour of Bob Marley in Harare, Zimbabwe. In 1980, the world-renowned reggae icon performed during the Independence Day celebrations of the country. On 17 April 1980, Marley took to the stage and launched the young country of Zimbabwe into revolutionary reggae songs. For many Zimbabweans, it’s a night they still reflect on with much …