Tuesday 15 January 2008

The first Afro Valentine marks a turning point in Nigerian's career

Africans and Hungarians joined the rest of the world when some of them celebrated St Valentine Day at the József Attila Müvelődési Központ on February 14.

The event tagged Afro Valentine was organised by the Afromopicx International Cultural Organisation bas
ed in Budapest, Hungary and the Nigerian Students Union. Although the turnout was low, the occasion marks a turning point in Mr. Daniel's career and probably sets the pace on how Africans and Hungarians would celebrate subsequent Lover's Day in Hungary.

The aim of the event which is the first of its kind in Hungary, according to Mr. Daniel Israel, the President of Afromopicx, is to provide an environment where married couples could have fun, deepen their relationship, and especially promote multicultural event.

"Since the large number of Africans residing in Hungary are married couples, I feel it will be proper to use this occasion so that multicultural couples will use it as a place to have fun and to know
each other more".

The event which did not start until 8 p.m (an hour before the schedule time) featured
both established and up-coming bands. The African Melody, which seems to be the sensational cultural groupe in Hungary at the moment, treated the audience with two of its tracks.

Explaining why they played only two tracks, Dava Gin, the leader, said that it was due to low attendance. "We simply love to entertain the crowd".

Slang Band featuring Henry Oyeneye also performed when he thrilled the audience with his hip hop songs. Whilst Daniella and her bevy of ladies did the Samba dance with waist twisting and body shaking that exalted the imagination of the audience.

And then Eileen Quashie, a Canadian based Ghanaian singer and song writer with her four-member band. She held the audience spellbound with he
r sweet soulful voice. On how he came all the way from Montreal to Budapest, Ms Quashie said, "Due to my charity project, I happen to be in Budapest and along the line I met Daniel Israel, the host of the event, who then invited me to participate".

Although celebrating St Valentine Day is not Hungarian culture, H
ungarians present at the event were delighted to be part of the audience because "we got lovely rose flowers from our lovers".

Me
anwhile Mr. Israel said that the involvement of the Nigerian students union in events like this is highly significant. Participating more in the society in which they live is definitely an opportunity for them to "take back home both social and academic merits," adding that he hopes to make it a yearly event.

No comments: