Fun and joy in Njube on Africa Day Drum majorettes at the Africa Day celebrations at White City Stadium in Bulawayo
Drum majorettes at the Africa Day celebrations at White City Stadium in Bulawayo

Drum majorettes at the Africa Day celebrations at White City Stadium in Bulawayo

Ngqwele Dube, Showbiz Correspondent
SINCE the conception of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963, 25 May has become synonymous with the celebration of being African, with art gaining ground in commemorating Africanness.

And one of the oldest suburbs in Bulawayo, Njube joined the rest of the continent with a music show that saw hundreds throng Salukazi Arts Centre and relish African creativity.

The second edition of the Africa Day celebration in Njube proved an event worth its while as revellers got the opportunity to sample local music acts. Hip hop singer Cal Vin, Kwaito artist, Mzoe 7, T1nda had the crowd eating out of their hands as they showcased their talents to an appreciative audience.

Cal Vin revealed he has managed stage performance as he engaged the audience and had the fans singing along throughout his act as he belted various tracks with Zkhiphani being the most popular. Mzoe7 also highlighted he can carve a place for himself in the big league with a well polished stage act and music that had the audience dancing along while T1nda’s rapping prowess won over a lot of fans, most of who seemed new to his music.

Mandla the comedian kicked off his performance by mimicking former President Robert Mugabe and it set the tone for a hilarious 15 minutes on stage.

Other acts that took to the stage include traditional dance group, Umkhathi Theatre, Cafetiria Jamz, dance act Snipers, Asher Banton, Kaisa, Sweetly M Magesh Tornadoes and Martin Khumz among a host of acts that performed.

The day began early with a photography workshop that was conducted by freelance photographer, Autony Zinyange that had eight participants who were taken through the intricacies of the profession.

On the other side children were treated to some face painting and a jumping castle that left a smile on hoards of kids from the vicinity.

One of the organisers of the event, Bruce Ncube said they were thrilled with the response from the audience, the artists and other people who came forward to assist make the event a reality.

“The second edition was an improvement from the first and we got a lot of support from people before the event and the artists who took part in the event. Working on such a big event with little finding is difficult but we managed to have artists offering their services while donations were also forthcoming. There was a lot of improvement and I believe next year we will keep on getting better,” said Ncube.

The event was started last year as a way of bridging the gap between local artists and the audiences in the western suburbs. A dearth in performances at community halls has seen music events taking place exclusively in the city centre meaning some have not been able to watch the acts live on stage.

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