Week of 19th May: Focus: Gina Yashere Live, Best from Africa, Yomi Bashiru and Naija Grooves, Numbi’s Night of Afro-Futurism, The 2nd Nigerian Events Awards UK and Events Expo, SMES: Leading Nigeria into the Next Century Project 100, Remembering Angola’s Forgotten Massacre, Spoken Word Hysteria, Flight Club: PIWOSA, African Market

Hello

The sun is out and Proud to be African Clothing hopes while you are soaking up the rays you get to share in this vast array of seminars, films, expos, shows and more.

Have a great week and make sure you enjoy the sunshine in your Proud to be African T shirts

Monday 19^th May

Tuesday 20^th May

From 9.30am to 1.00pm Developing Market Associates hosts SMES: Leading Nigeria into the Next Century Project 100 at Lancaster House, Stable Yard, St James’s, SW1A 1BB. This event brings together entrepreneurs from the financial services, fast moving consumer goods and oil and gas value chain to share insights and focus on ways to increase profitability. This is a FREE event, RSVP by emailing James Martin or phoning 0203 117 2500

At 6.00pm The Royal Anthropological Institute screens Future Remembrance: Photography and Image Art in Ghana at the Royal Anthropological Institute, 50 Fitzroy Street, London, W1T 5BT. This film by Tobias Wendl and Nancy du Plessis portrays a wide and vibrant range of contemporary and historical images by Ghanaian artists and photographers. Register for this FREE event here. 

At 7.00pm the Royal African Society presents Remembering Angola’s Forgotten Massacre: 27 May 1977 in the Brunei Suite, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, WC1H 0XG. Chaired by Mary Harper (BBC), Lara Pawson will discuss her new book ‘In the name of the people’ with a panel consisting of Ngola Nyunji (Angolan journalist) and Keith Sommerville (University of Kent) about a small demonstration against the MPLA in 1977 that led to the slaughter of thousands of people. RSVP this FREE event here.

At 7.00pm Uncle Errol presents Spoken Word Hysteria at Hysteria: Dalston, 578 Kingsland Road, Dalston, E8 4AH. This third instalment features three top female performers, Golden Blue, Uniq Sistar and Letitia Mckie with Raggo Zulu Rebel as MC and open mic. Admission is £5.00 more details here. 

Wednesday 21^st May

From 1.30pm to 6.30pm is the Global Corporate Venturing Africa Summit 2014 at Millennium Hotel London Mayfair, 44 Grosvenor Square, W1K 2HP. The event features panel discussions, and presentations to showcase best practice and industry opinion on the state of corporate revenue capital. £150.00 from here.

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At 5.30pm The Royal Anthropological Institute presents The RAI Research Seminar at the Royal Anthropological Institute. Laura Bishop John Moores University) will discuss how our early ancestors were able to exploit opportunities and confront challenges using findings from excavations East Africa. Register for this FREE event here.

At 6.00pm is Flight Club: PIWOSA at The Roof Gardens, 99 Kensington High Street, W8 5 SA. This wine tasting features wines from 15 Premium Independent Wineries of South Africa. Themed Flight Club, with check in, passport control, and 5 flights throughout the night with a mix of red and white wines. Hidden in each mix of wines is a rogue French wine, if you can correctly pick out the imposter twice you win a flight to South Africa. A traditional all you can eat braai and music from 9.00pm. Admission is £40.00 from here.

At 7.00pm the Oloip Maasai Dance Troupe will be performing at The Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, SW7 2AR. This event is in support of community work for villages in the Rift Valley and will feature dancing and an opportunity to interact. Tickets are £15.00 from here. 

At 8.00pm Yomi Bashiru and Naija Grooves will be performing at the Vortex Jazz Club, 11 Gillett Square, Dalston, N16 8AZ. The legendary Nigerian drummer and percussionist and his 9 piece group Naija Grooves will be fusing Fuji, Juju and Afrobeat rhythms. Tickets are £12.50 from here

At 8.00pm Apples and Snakes presents Telling Tales at The Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford, SE8 4AG. Patience Agbabi’s new poetry collection remixes Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales with 21^st century characters, featuring spoken word talent such as Francesca Beard, Michael brome, Kyrill Potapov, Shane Solanki, Steve Tasane and Pete the Temp as the modern pilgrims. Tickets are £10.00 (£8.00 concs) from here 

Thursday 22^nd May

At 7.00pm is Perspectives from Algeria at The Mosaic Rooms, A.M. Qattan Foundation, Tower House, 226 Cromwell Road, SW5 0SW. This panel discussion with Dr Hamza Hamouchene (Algeria Solidarity Campaign), Imad Mesdoua (Algerian political analyst) and Dr James McDougall (Oxford) will discuss the issues facing Algeria today in the context of its past and the contemporary uprisings in Tunisia and Algeria. RSVP this FREE event by email. 

At 9.00pm the Udderbelly Festival presents Gina Yashere: Live in London in London Wonderground, Jubilee Gardens, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX. the multi award winning comedienne is back with a new show performed in this upside down, purple inflated cow. With shows till 24^th May tickets are £17.50 from here. 

Friday 23^rd May

At 6.00pm Freedom Friday presents The Eritrean Film Screening at The Keyworth Centre, London South Bank University, London Road,  SE1 6LN. Screening 2 films that depict the realities of Eritreans life.  Followed by a Q&A with Meron Estefanos (Journalist) and Professor Gaim Kibreab (London South Bank University) ‘Sound of Torture’ follows Meron Estefanos as she investigates the plight of thousands of Eritrean refugees fleeing the dictatorship. ‘Siuwe Tezaribu’ is a musical that depicts the reaction of 2 parents who lost their children in the war of independence and the refugee crisis.

At 8.00pm Numbi presents a Night of Afro-Futurism at Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, E1 6LA.  Hosted by Elmi Ali this night of futuristic rhythms, African diasporic vibrations and stunning performers such as DJ Tillah Willah from Trinidad via Nigeria, DJ Lynnee Denise from LA, St Lucian poets, filmmakers and writers Kendel Hippolyte, Davina Lee and Vladimir Lucien. Singers YuniQ Soul, Tesega Tebege, Feeddy Macha and Nadia Al Faghih Tickets are £12.00 on the door, £10.00 from here and £5.00 conc. 

Saturday 24^th May

From 11.00am to 5.00pm Open the Gate hosts The African Market at Old Spitalfields, Commercial Street, EC1 6EW.  Featuring accessories, fashion, shoes, clothes, books, cosmetics, food, arts and much more. FREE to attend, more details here. 

From 12.30pm to 6.00pm is the 2nd Nigerian Events Awards UK and Events Expo at the Hilton Docklands Riverside, 165 Rotherhithe Road, SE16 5EH. This expo will feature a series of workshops, stands and seminars from the creative, artistic, event planning and entertainment industry. The Awards Dinner will follow at 7.00pm with nominees in 19 categories, hosted by Victor Oluwole and Daizy Fini, with a champagne reception, comedy, dance, raffle draw, performances by Dele Achiever, Tosyne, and Deoba Authentic and a Buffet Dinner. The expo is FREE to attend. The Dinner is £50.00 register for both from here.

At 7.00pm Focus Organisation hosts Best From Africa: Senegal meets Zimbabwe at Passing Clouds, 1a Dalston Road, E8 4AA. Featuring Zimbabwean Afro-funk band The Heritage Survival Band, Senegalese afro jazz and blues from Abdoulaye Samb and Minnjiaraby. DJ sets from JP Kairo and Yaaba Funk DJs. FREE before 9.00pm, £5.00 before 10.00pm and £10.00 thereafter or £8.00 in advance from here.

At 7.00pm is the Grand Finale of the Top Model of Colour Season 8 in the Grand Connaught Rooms, 61-65 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5BZ. With over 30 models competing, there will performances from traditional dancers and singer and European and Caribbean food. Tickets start from £15.00 from here. 

Sunday 25^th May

At 5.00pm is the 3^rd Annual Afro Model Awards at The Crown Moran Hotel, 142-152 Cricklewood Broadway, NW2 3ED. This event rewards and recognises the contributions of individuals and organisations that have contributes towards the growth and development of fashion, style and modeling. Tickets start from £20.00 from here.