Entertainment
Afropolitan Festival 2025: Focus on black artistes as agents of positive transformation
The capital city of Brussels, Belgium is set to host the nineth edition of its annual Afropolitan Festival from February 27 to March 2, 2025.
Themed: ‘Joy Is A Song Anywhere’, it will feature black and African artistes as American poet and contemporary artiste, Aja Monet, Congolese band, Kolinga, and Congolese filmmaker and director, Mweze Ngangura.
Borrowed from the line of Monet’s song, the Afropolitan Festival 2025 theme is focused on black artistes as carriers or transmitters of joy and positive transformation. It pays tribute to black communities who over generations, have overcome many hardships with unshakable resilience and a penchant for joy.
The festival will feature the three artistes in panel discussions, debates, film screening and music concerts, exhibition and performance.
The festival kickstarts on 27 February with ‘Bozar All Over The Palace – Nocturne February’ – organizer Bozar’s monthly event that promotes discuss amongst multidisciplinary artistes, with the collective Som-m-e Of Us helming the event.
An art exhibition inspired by American female filmmaker Ava Duvernay’s film ‘When They See Us’, with same title opens on the 28th. It will feature a century dated artworks of black figure painting, exploring black self-representation and global black subjectivities. The 150 works by 120 artists are grouped into six themes: ‘The Everyday’, ‘Joy & Revelry’, ‘Repose’, ‘Sensuality’, ‘Spirituality’ and ‘Triumph and Emancipation’.
There will be a ‘Sofa Session’ with Monet and Sarah Diedro Jordao and ‘Meet The Writer’ with Monet on February 28th and March 1. Kolinga will be on the STACE platform, while ‘A Close Up on Ngangura’ – will explore the filmmaker’s background and works.
From ‘Changa Changa, Rhythms in Black and White’, a documentary made in Brussels that explores intercultural exchanges and the mutual enrichment between music and encounters during the 1980s, to the film ‘Identity In Pieces’ – the story of a King who after years without news of his daughter embarked on a journey to Belgium to find her, and Le Roi, La Vache et Le Bananier- which offers a unique insight to Ngangura’s native region Kingdom of Ngweshe in Kivu, eastern Zaire. The film reveals the daily living in the kingdom as it faces up to the challenges of modernity.
The films are part of the Close Up devoted to the filmmaker who arrived Belgium at age 20, made two short films during his studies at IAD Broadcasting School: Electronic Tamtam, Rhythm and Blood.
Other events include the premiere of the documentary, ‘Villa Madjo: Tales From The Source’, Brussels-based, bi-racial photographer, videomaker and broadcaster, Elen Sylla, by Leonard Pongo. Sylla is born to African-born white father and Europe-born black mother. The short documentary explores the complex history of her family, from colonialism to their experience as an interracial couple in Europe between the 1950s to 1970s.
Popular Nigerian actress and media personality, Omotunde Adebowale-David, also known as Lolo 1, has alleged that a colleague once raped her.
The actress shared her traumatic experience of being raped by a male colleague in the broadcasting industry on her podcast “Say My Piece”, which was posted on YouTube on Friday.
According to Lolo 1, she was raped by a colleague, which has left her traumatised and experiencing momentary panic whenever she sees him.
Lolo 1 stated that naming the rapist now will bring her criticism for not speaking out earlier but doing so now that the said person is an established figure in the industry.
She noted that women often respond to sexual assault with denial and self-blaming, highlighting the complexities of trauma and recovery.
She said, “I hardly ever say this, and I am not even ready to tell the full story. The stories of sexual assault. When I discussed it with my daughter yesterday, she held my hand and said, ‘Mummy, you’ve gone through so much.’ And I said I had.
“I remember how many of those things I have to relive. I have been raped only once in my life, and I was raped by a colleague. I see him every other day. Do you know how traumatized I am? When I see him, I just get into this momentary panic.
“But if a woman of my calibre named him, he’s an established person in the broadcast industry, won’t people say, ‘How come I didn’t speak about it for all these six years until now that he’s taking a prominent TV position?’
“When sexual assault happens to women, the first thing to happen is denial. The next thing is self-blaming.”
Popular Nollywood actress Esther Nwachukwu has disclosed that she doesn’t go out wearing pant for purposes of comfort and hygiene.
Known for her controversy, Esther’s blunt revelation has put her in social media spotlight with plethora of reactions trailing her comment.
Esther spoke on a live Instagram session recently, saying that she “chooses not to wear underwear while working out, citing comfort and hygiene as her primary reasons.”
“It’s not about being seductive or trying to attract attention.
“I prioritize comfort and health. If you work out hard like I do, you will understand.
Since Esther made the statement, social media has been abuzz with some of her fans applauded her for promoting body autonomy and personal comfort, while others accused her of being unnecessarily provocative.
Reacting to some comments of her fans, Nwachukwu, known for her blunt demeanor and unfiltered opinions, responded to the criticism unfazed.
“People will always talk. I live my truth and take care of my body my way”, she stated.
Some health experts have also offered their perspectives
stressing the importance of breathable, clean workout attire to prevent irritation or infection.
As the debate continues online, Esther Nwachukwu remains firm in her stance, standing by her unconventional yet personal gym routine.
Cardi B has made explosive claims against her estranged husband, Offset, accusing him of stalking, harassment, and making disturbing threats against her life.
Cardi B and Offset separated in July 2024, during her pregnancy with their third child, it has been at the center of a publicized divorce.
In a recent social media rant, Cardi B revealed that Offset had been harassing her, leaving threatening voicemails, and even attempting to interfere with her new relationship. The “Bodak Yellow” rapper detailed how Offset allegedly sent explicit messages and made threats about both their lives. She also accused him of trying to undermine her self-esteem, stating she was tired of being tormented.
“He’s upset because I sent his girlfriend messages of him begging me, saying he was going to take away his life, saying he was going to take away my life, harasses me, leaves me voicemails, and tries to lower my self-esteem to the ground and I’m so tired of it,” she said.
Cardi B further claimed that Offset had sent messages to people she was involved with, NFL athlete Stefon Diggs. which included intimate details of their past relationship. She warned him that his actions were unacceptable and hinted at retaliating in her own way.
“He sent a text message to somebody I was dealing with of us having sex… You’ve been harassing me and the man I’ve been dealing with for months. This is my pusyy, I give it to whoever I want to. If that bytch don’t stop harassing me you gonna have the price to pay for it,” she warned.
“You know what? I’ve been letting motherfkka troll me for a long time. Leaving me crazy voicemails, telling me crazy stuff in text messages, trolling me… Now it’s my turn, Now it’s not fun, Now it’s not fun when the demon’s inside… and do you want to know how all this started? This started because he wanted to get his blog friends to troll me.”
Despite the troubling accusations, fans have shared mixed reactions. Some have advised Cardi to take legal action, while others expressed disbelief over the messy situation. The former couple, who share two children, have yet to resolve their ongoing issues, and Cardi B’s latest allegations suggest that the drama is far from over.
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