LIFESTYLE - The African Mirror

Jun

06

2023

Taking Nollywood to the next level with Aki and Pawpaw

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

IN 2002, Nigeria's film industry - widely referred to as Nollywood - presented Africa with a comic relief movie called Aki na Ukwa. The film stars Chinedu Ikedieze and Osita Iheme as two mischievous brothers (Aki and Pawpaw) who cause chaos at home, in their village, and at school. It is widely considered one of the funniest films to come out of Africa. It has been over twenty years since the much-loved characters first appeared on screen but now they are making a comeback in the form of a mobile phone game. On April 28, 2023, Play Network Studios announced…

Jun

03

2023

By MELISSA WANJIRU-MWITA

Kenya at 60: how the British used street names to show colonial power

LIFESTYLE

PLACE names, along with other urban symbols, were used as a tool of control over space in many African countries during the colonial period. This strategy was epitomised by the British, who applied it in Nairobi and other parts of Kenya from the late 1800s. Very few African names were used on the urban landscape. This was a strategy to actively alienate the native Africans, who had little or no say in the city’s affairs. Spatially, colonial street names dominated the central part of the city, while African names were used mainly in the peripheral residential neighbourhoods. Author MELISSA WANJIRU-MWITA,…

Jun

03

2023

By ROGER SOUTHALL

Harry Oppenheimer biography shows the South African mining magnate’s hand in economic policies

LITERATURE

IN Harry Oppenheimer: Diamonds, Gold and Dynasty, his outstanding biography of the South African mining magnate who died in 2000, Michael Cardo shows that there is still mileage to be made in the study of dead white males who played a role in the making of South Africa. Based on a remarkable depth of research, it is written in an elegant style which makes for a delightfully easy read. Author ROGER SOUTHALL, Professor of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand It is rendered the more impressive by the author’s deep conversance with the debates over the relationships between mining capital, Afrikaner…

Jun

01

2023

By ANGE KUMASI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Côte d’Ivoire: Cosmetic queen strikes gold

BEAUTY AND FASHION

27-YEAR-OLD Mouahié Kouassi is in a hurry to get to her cosmetics store in the upmarket suburb of Cocody in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. She needs to urgently take stock of her inventory and review the sales from the previous week, as she's worried about a possible delay in stock deliveries. "Our production plant is undergoing renovation, and we have taken all necessary measures to ensure our products are still available in our commercial spaces. But I still need to confirm that we have enough remaining stock to fulfil client orders," she explains. Kouassi, who holds degrees in biological engineering and…

May

30

2023

By The African Mirror

BOOMTOWN confirms the freshest lineup for the ‘July’

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

WITH less than 6 weeks to the most anticipated annual horse race event of the year, BOOMTOWN organizers have finalized their lineup for the much-coveted lifestyle experience at the Hollywoodbets Durban July this past week. BOOMTOWN presented by Heineken®, over the past two weeks have announced the 2023 lineup on their social media platforms. This includes the multiple award-winning Afropop music outfit Mafikizolo, platinum-selling artist Prince Kaybee, hip-hop royalty Blxckie, dance duo sensation Murumba Pitch, superstar DJ Fresh, local fav Okmalukoolkat and newcomer singing sensation TenOceans. Also set to dazzle the attendees with fresh tunes are DJ duo No Comply,…

May

30

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigerian architect Demas Nwoko on his award-winning work: ‘Whatever you build, it should suit your culture’

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

DEMAS Nwoko, born in Nigeria in 1935, has been awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale, arguably the world’s most prestigious architecture event. At the Stirling Pavilion in the heart of the Giardini venue, Nwoko generously gave us an interview amid a display of his works. Nwoko’s multidisciplinary practice includes architecture, sculpture, painting, design and writing. This expanded notion of an “architect” has kept his name off the radar of the discipline. Until now. Author PAULO MOREIRA, Researcher, Universidade de Lisboa Nwoko has always blurred boundaries between industry and craftsmanship, between geographies and creative…

May

30

2023

By ATIENO ODERA, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Using radio to save the ocean and create jobs – online station started by two students shows how

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

"JAMBO listeners, Karibuni sana to the Blue Drive show. We know it's been a long day at work, and you can't wait to get home. We are here to ease your stress with good music, good vibes…" Diana Wambui's voice reverberates from the radio as the music slows to a stop in the background. "Kama kawaida here at Blue Drive, we talk about all the opportunities available in the Blue Economy. As young people, it's good to know and explore the many opportunities we can venture into, don't you agree, Shirley?" says Wambui as she hands the baton to her…

May

30

2023

By The African Mirror

Abdellah Taïa is Morocco’s first openly gay writer – his work reimagines being Muslim, queer and African

LITERATURE

ABDELLAH Taïa was born in 1973 in Rabat, Morocco. He currently lives in Paris. He is the first writer from North Africa – and in fact the Arab world – to openly declare that he is gay. In 2006, he came out in a highly publicised article in the Moroccan magazine Tel Quel. This was considered scandalous by conservative Muslims. Authors GIBSON NCUBE, Lecturer, Stellenbosch University ADRIAAN VAN KLINKEN, Professor of Religion and African Studies, University of Leeds Being queer is often seen as conflicting with being religious. Yet, in African contexts – as in other parts of the world…

May

27

2023

By The African Mirror

Musicians launch drive for more funding for arts in Africa

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

PERFORMERS from Ghana, Ethiopia and Tanzania have helped launch a five-year project to try to secure more funding for arts and culture, aiming to persuade African governments to allocate at least 1% of their budgets. The project, called Connect for Culture Africa (CfCA) has been started by the African Union in collaboration with Selam Ethiopia, a non-governmental organisation that uses film, music and circus performances to address issues such as women's rights. "We want to empower artists. A lot of artists want to participate in these discussions about good governance, human rights but they are scared of the consequences," Lucy…

May

27

2023

By The African Mirror

Beans and violins – orchestra blends classical roots with modern Nigeria

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AT a Lagos cultural centre, a rapt audience listened to baritone John Onosolease perform an operatic song in the Yoruba language about a hapless soldier being admonished for his failure to cook a flavoursome dish of beans. It was the latest show staged by the Vesta Orchestra, founded in 2017 by violinist Rosalyn Aninyei, which has enlivened the classical music scene in Lagos by performing new works by contemporary Nigerian and African composers. "He cooks and there's no pepper, no oil, no salt, no onions. It is bland. What sort of food is this?" sang Onosolease, drawing laughter and cheers…