This year’s edition of the World Music Day party organised by Alliance Francaise in Lagos at the Freedom Park was as thrilling as it was interesting. What with Lagbaja, who headlined; Sound Sultan and Wura Samba thrilling the mixed crowd of Nigerian and foreigners.
To begin the party celebrated worldwide and with the theme of ‘Music Unites People’, this year was Wura Samba on African drums with his band calling the people to dance with his rhythms. The crowd that was initially docile, perhaps because the event expected to begin at 6pm started at 8pm, eventually loosened up. Maybe it was the drops of champagne and red wine during the cocktail that preceded the show. In any case, once the stage was set – two stages actually – there was no going back for the night.
The cocktail and Wura Samba’s performance took place at the small stage by the Food Court, while the Main Stage in the park hosted the big masquerades (pun intended) that is, Sound Sultan and Lagbaja.
But before the two, there was Folabest, Squad One, an all female traditional group and then Sound Sultan, who all heightened the anticipation for Lagbaja.
Perhaps, performing for the first time in Nigeria since his recent tour of the United States of America (U.S.), Lagbaja gave his all, then some more. His performance so overwhelmed a member of the audience that he mounted the stage and held the leg of the one referred to as ‘Omo baba mu’komu’ko’.
Lagbaja went far back into his repertoire to perform songs that not only took the audience down memory lane, but also permitted them to freely express themselves.
Princess hosted the event that has both the directors of Alliance Francaise Nigeria, Christine Deuve, and Goethe-Institut, Nigeria, Marc-Andre Schmachtel ,as well as filmmakers, culture advocates, publishers and a host of others.
