Week of 30th September: Soweto Kinch’s The Legend of Mike Smith, The Governors Story, Black History Month, Carleen Anderson, Rwanda under the RPF, Beauty in Business African Boutique, Flavour N’Abania, The Harder They Come

Kedu!

Eka le!

Sannu!

Greetings in the languages of Nigeria’s largest tribes unfortunately there is not enough space for all 300 but as this week see’s the Federal Republics 53^rd birthday I thought why not!

This week sees film screenings from The Harder They Come, The Runner, Nothing but a man, Talk To Me.
To seminars on Rwanda, South Sudan, Afro Europeans, Mining and risk management, Black History Walks at the Imperial War Museum,  

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Fashion with the Beauty in Business Contemporary Africa Boutique and Nigeria Independence Fashion Show

Music with Soweto Kinch’s epic The Legend of Mike Smith, The Bukky Leo Quartet, Flavour N'abania, Fela Kutis 75th Birthday, The Soul Caribbean Band.

An extremely full week.

Enjoy!! 

Monday 30^th September

At 6.30pm the High Commission for Grenada presents a Book Launch of The Governors Story Dame Hilda Bynoe by Merle Collins in the Waldegrave Drawing Room, St Mary’s University, 268 Waldegrave Road, Twickenham, TW1 4ST. This authorised biography of the first Caribbean black female Governor General in the Commonwealth. Register for this FREE event here. 

At 6.30pm Harrow Black History Month Group presents 2013 African History Season Launch at Harrow Civic Centre, Station Road, Harrow, HA1 2XY. An intergenerational presentation by Lee Jasper and a Q&A based on this year’s theme ‘African British Civil Rights Since the 1960’s’ in the presence of the Harrow Mayor Councillor Nana Asante. Register for this FREE event here.

At 7.00pm is a screening of Talk To Me at Whirled Cinema, 259-260 Hardess Street, Loughborough Junction, SE24 0HN. This biopic of Ralph Waldo ‘Petey’ Green is set against vibrant should music in mid to late 60’s Washington DC, starring Don Cheadle, Chiewetel Ejiofor and Taraji P. Hanson. Tickets are £8.00 from here

Tuesday 1^st October (Nigeria Independence Day)

From 8.30am to 5.00pm the Canada-Southern Africa Chamber of Business presents The 10^th Risk Mitigation and CSR Seminar at Canada House, Trafalgar Square, SW1Y 5BJ. This seminar explains in detail how companies can mitigate their risks in multiple jurisdictions with expert speakers, Q&A’s and case studies by successful Canadian companies. Tickets are $225.00 ($185.00 for members) from here. 

At 12.30pm is AfroEurope@ns IV: Black Cultures and Identities in Europe: Continental Shifts in Perception at Senate House, Malet Street, Russell Square, WC1E 7HU. This interdisciplinary Conference running till Friday 4^th October will have papers covering literature, history, music, art, translation, politics, immigration, youth culture, European policies, and perceptions of North Africa and will feature keynote speakers Susheila Nasta, Caryl Phillips, Anna Rastas, Ribka Sibhatu, Dominic Thomas and Ngugi wa Thiong’o. Registration ranges from £35.00 per day (£25.00 concs) to £125.00 for the full conference from here. 

At  7.30pm is Soweto Kinch’s The Legend of Mike Smith at The Albany Theatre, Albany Way, Deptford, SE8 4AG.the award winning saxophonist and hip hop star will be performing a live theatrical  performance of his critically acclaimed album ‘The Legend of Mike Smith’, inspired by Dantes Inferno and the 7 deadly sins with choreography by Jonzi D the show tells the story of Mike Smith an aspiring MC caught in a world of temptation as fantasy and reality collide. Running till 5^th October, tickets are £12.00 from here.

At 9.00pm The Bukky Leo Quartet will be jamming at The Silver Bullet, 5 Station Place, Finsbury Park, N4 2DH, with Lance Ross on bass, Emiliano Franco on bass and Jonathan Gee on Piano. FREE entry, more details here. 

Wednesday 2^nd October

From 9.45am is South African Township Singing at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, 35 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8EP with Joyce Moholoagae and Paul Bartholomew this practical day of songs in Zulu, Sesotho and Xhosa, where you will receive tips and techniques on how to teach the songs as well as translations and guidance in pronunciation and the background to the songs. Admission is £80.00 including refreshments and lunch from here. 

At 12.30pm is Day 2 of AfroEurope@ns IV: Black Cultures and Identities in Europe: Continental Shifts in Perception at Senate House, Malet Street, Russell Square, WC1E 7HU. In the evening  is the John La Rose Memorial Lecture by Ngugi wa Thiong’o. Registration ranges from £35.00 per day (£25.00 concs) to £125.00 for the full conference from here or £5.00 for the lecture only.

At 6.30pm the Black Solicitors Network hosts Inspired To Succeed at Linklaters Auditorium, 1 Silk Street, EC2Y 8HQ.Chaired and moderated by Zeinab Badawi (Channel 4 News), speakers include Sandie Okoro (Baring Asset Management) and Ravi Chand (Home Office). RSVP for this event by email           

Thursday 3^rd October              

       

At 12.30pm is Day 3 of AfroEurope@ns IV: Black Cultures and Identities in Europe: Continental Shifts in Perception at Senate House, Malet Street, Russell Square, WC1E 7HU. In the evening is the Wasafiri Poetry Evening: Putting International into National Poetry Day. Registration ranges from £35.00 per day (£25.00 concs) to £125.00 for the full conference from here or £5.00 for the poetry evening only. 

At 1.00pm SOAS presents Food Security in Africa in Room 116, Russell Square College Buildings, 40 Bernard Street, WC1N 1LJ. Chaired by Dr Michael Jennings this event asks if Africa can be efficiently and profitably fed and how. Register for this event here.

From 1.30pm to 6.00pm Mine Africa present’s the 3^rd Focus on West Africa: London UK Seminar at Herbert Smith Freehills, Exchange House, Primrose Street, EC2A 2HS. This seminar features updates by mining companies on their West African projects band technical presentations on doing business in West Africa. Tickets are C$60.00 (about £36.00) from here. 

At 5.30pm Stevie Ray’s presents The Soul Caribbean Band featuring Carleen Anderson, Zara McFarlane and Richard Blackwood at Shaka Zulu, Farm Road, Camden, NW1 8AH. Hosted by Richard Blackwood, with diva Carleen Anderson (Brand New Heavies) and young singer Zara McFarlane, the live band led by Kevin Robinson will be playing standards as well as new arrangements mixing soul, reggae, ska, salsa, calypso and RnB. There will also be a Q&A with Carleen Anderson. Admission is £22.00 from here. 

At 6.30pm UnLtd presents Dream. Act. Inspire! Start Something That Matters at Google Campus, 5 Bonhill Street, EC2A 4BX. This event features an exciting line up of social entrepreneurs who have ‘started something that matters’ featuring Kresse Wesling (Elvis & Kresse), Edwin Broni-Mensah (Give Me Tap), Honor Evans (Once Loved Shoes), Angga Kara (Yorkshire Tee/ Hantu), Rob Drake-Knight (Rapanui) and Jodie Brown (TOMS). With complimentary light refreshments register for this FREE event here.

At 7.00pm is BREIS makes National Poetry Day Special at Deptford Lounge, 9 Deptford Lounge, Giffin Street, Deptford, SE8 4RW. The acclaimed, poet, rapper and spoken wpord artist will perform and compere a showcase of young voices. This is FREE event is part of Lewisham BlackHistory Month.

At 7.30pm Muntu Valdo and his Band will be performing at The Vortex, 11 Gillett Square, Dalston, N16 8AZ, they will be performing new material and supported by the sublime Bumi Thomas. Tickets are £12.00 from here. 

Friday 4^th October

From 9.00am to 5.00pm is Rwanda under the RPF: Assessing Twenty Years of Post-Conflict Governance in the Brunei Gallery, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, WC1H 0XG. This 2 day conference analyses the twenty years that have passed since the Rwandan genocides and the political, social and economic changes that the policies of the Rwandan Patriotic Front have brought about, speakers include Gerald Gahima, Jean-Paul Kimonyo, Filip Reyntiens, Shyaka Anastase, Fred Golooba-Mutebi, An Ansoms and David Booth. Register for this conference here. 

At 5.30pm Purple Pages presents the African & Caribbean Relocation and Investment Summit 2013 at the University of Westminster 309 Regent Street, W1B 2HW. Hosted by Andrew Mohammed this summit provides a common platform for African and Caribbean land and property owners, buyers, firms and corporate entities to showcase themselves. Register for this FREE event here.

At 6.30pm Harrow Black History Month Group will have a Surprise African British Civil Rights Screening at Flash Musicals Youth Theatre, Metheun Road, Edgware, HA8 6EZ. Followed by a post screening Q&A with Imruh Bakari (University of Winchester), light refreshments available. Admission is £5.00 event here, £7.00 on the door. 

At 9.00pm is Fela Kuti’s 75^th Birthday at the New Cross Inn, 323A New Cross Road, New Cross, SE14 6AS. Featuring Afrobeat band Kalakuta, 3Quency and DJ Boogie Bush. Tickets are £5.00 (£3.00 concs) with more details here.

Saturday 5^th October

From 9.00am to 1.00pm is Rwanda under the RPF: Assessing Twenty Years of Post-Conflict Governance in the Brunei Gallery, SOAS. This 2 day conference analyses the twenty years that have passed since the Rwandan genocides and the political, social and economic changes that the policies of the Rwandan Patriotic Front have brought about, speakers include Gerald Gahima, Jean-Paul Kimonyo, Filip Reyntiens, Shyaka Anastase, Fred Golooba-Mutebi, An Ansoms and David Booth. Register for this FREE conference here.

At 9.30am The Royal African Society hosts the Annual Symposium and AGM of the Sudan Studies Society of the United Kingdom in the Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS. The conference will feature a variety of South Sudan experts such as Dr Chris Morton (Pitts River Museum), Ahmed Elzobier (blogger), Dr Douglas Johnson (Chair SSSUK), Professor Wendy James, Jane Hogan (Durham University), and Helen Young (Feinstein International Centre). Full programme and registration  for this FREE event here. 

From 12.30pm to 6.00pm is Beauty in Business Contemporary Africa Boutique at Candid Arts Gallery, 5 Torrens Street, EC1V 1NQ. This pop up boutique will be showcasing creativity from the African diaspora and local African artists as part of the Fashion4africa project which aims to train, mentor and develop creative skills in Africa with the next trip to Gambia planned for 2014. Register for this FREE event here. 

At 5.45pm is ‘Nothing but a man’ at BFI Southbank, The Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XT. This depiction of black life in early 1960s Alabama is about the railroad labourer Duff and teacher Josie and their struggles to settle into their life together. Directed by Michael Roener, tickets start from £8.50 from here. 

At 6.30pm Miss Igbo UK presents The Nigeria Independence Fashion Show at D Plaza Lounge, The Plaza, 234 Trafalgar Road, Greenwich, SE10 9ER. The event will feature Nigerian designers and models, Nigerian music and history, Nigerian snacks and special performances. Tickets from £7.00 from here. 

At 6.30pm Screening Africa presents Saeed Taji Farouky’s The Runner at 1 Andrews Road, E8 4QL. Part of Yinka Shonibare’s Guest Projects Africa and curated by Joseph Adesunloye, this film about Western Saharan champion long distance runner Salah Hmatou Ameidan will be followed by a directors Q&A and a directors workshop. Tickets start from £8.00 from here.

At 7.00pm is the Miss Black Africa UK 2013 Grand Finale at The Royal Regency Hall, 501 High Street North, Manor Park, E12 6TH. With Head Judge Adebayo Jones and guest judge Ini Edo. Tickets start from £25.00 from here. 

At 7.30pm is the last day of Soweto Kinch’s The Legend of Mike Smith at The Albany Theatre, Albany Way, Deptford, SE8 4AG.the award winning saxophonist and hip hop star will be performing a live theatrical  performance of his critically acclaimed album ‘The Legend of Mike Smith’, inspired by Dantes Inferno and the 7 deadly sins with choreography by Jonzi D the show tells the story of Mike Smith an aspiring MC caught in a world of temptation as fantasy and reality collide. Running till 5^th October, tickets are £12.00 from here.

At 9.00pm Elefest hosts The Harder They Come 40^th Anniversary Screening at Hotel Elephant, Newington Causeway, 40-42 Newington Causeway, Elephant and Castle, SE1 6DR. This classic starring Jimmy Cliff as a musician from rural Jamaica who travels to Kingston in search of fame and fortune but ends up an outlaw. Followed by a ‘70’s inspired DJ set by Don Letts. Tickets are £5.00 from here. 

Sunday 6^th October

From 11.00am to 4.00pm is Yam Yam Launch Day at The Albany, Deptford, featuring a petting zoo all day, a BBQ from 12.00pm. Family gardening workshops, growing up club, Art workshops and Mazi Mas cooking workshops, groundnut workshop, Poetry Performance and Live Music from 6.00pm from Good Evening Arts. This is a FREE event more details here.

From 2.00pm to 4.30pm Black History Walks presents What were Black People doing in World War 1 at The Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, SE1 6HZ.  This event presents a comprehensive overview of the African and Caribbean presence and contribution to the Second World War including interviews with Jamaican WW1 veterans, this is a FREE event.

 At 6.00pm Cokobar presents Flavour N’abania at the indigO2, O2 Centre, Peninsula Square, Greenwich SE10 0DX. One of the most popular Nigerian solo afrobeats artistes with a huge stage presence, Flavour will be performing his repertoire of hits fresh from a sold out 10 city US tour Hosted by Eddie Kadi and featuring Olamide and Sean tizzle, with guests DJ’s tickets from £25.00 from here. 

At 7.00pm is Tell Hell I Ain’t Coming at The Broadway Theatre, Catford Road, SE6 4RU. Marcia Samuels gospel musical is about Pastor Allgood. Its Sunday morning and he’s going to hell! Tickets start from £20.00 from here.