The African Gala evening was held at News Café in North Riding on 9 May. The event was geared toward uniting Africans against xenophobia and finding peace.
Organiser of the evening Eternal Mbamara expressed his passion for uniting Africans by asking everyone who attended the event to just enjoy each other’s company .”We are ultimately from the same mother – mother Africa, and we should unite together with the vision of loving, caring and finding peace,” said Mabamara.
Attendees of the event feasted under an umbrella of unity as they listened to poetry, encouraging words from author Portia Keletliwe and music from various African artists.
Master of ceremony Nicolas Bereng explained how he felt that people should not hide behind a hashtag. He believes people should rather push the message of love, hope and brotherhood.”People should be reminded that we are all equal and should be able to express and be ourselves,” said Bereng.
“In my country there is a certain impression about South Africa, there is almost a feeling of disappointment. My feeling is that Nigerians and South Africans are brothers and we need to build bridges,” said chief executive officer of Angel Works Ronke Macaulay.
Actor, singer and producer Nicholas Nkula said that he is African before he is South African and xenophobia affects him because the people hurting are his brothers and sisters. “Let us find solutions. Let us talk about finding peace. Killing one another will not solve anything,”expressed Nkula.
Wife of a Nigerian, Chioma Obinng, said the main reason she attended the event is to share that South Africans can be happy with someone outside the country.
Details: africansgalaevening@gmail.com