THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Dayo Olomu, a London-based human capital development and business transformation strategist, writes on this year’s festival celebrating Nigeria’s adire cloth in the Austrian capital Vienna
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After a two-year break, the Adire Carnival returned with a bang to the Austrian capital city of Vienna on Saturday 25 June 2022. The festival celebrates Adire (Yoruba for tie and dye) textile is the indigo-dyed cloth made in southwestern Nigeria by Yoruba women, using a variety of resist-dyeing techniques.
Tagged “Carnival of Peace and Unity”, the traditional parade commenced with a gathering of all the participants at 12 noon in front of the Nigerian Embassy in the 3rd district of Vienna.
The participants waved the Nigerian and Austria flags. At exactly 13.00 hours the parade started with a fanfare. The lead trumpeter, Richmond Ojobor, blew the trumpet and the drummers joined with the beat of the African drums.
Participants from the Nigerian communities from other parts of Austria such as Salzburg, Graz, Karten and Linz joined the celebration as well as visitors from Nigeria, Brazil Ireland, UK and USA.
The Carnival parade route passed through Rennweg street, Schwarzenberg square and the Vienna ring road in the city centre.
The parade terminated at Hoffburg in front of the Welt Museum Vienna near the office of the Austrian President. The event continued with a stage show in the big ceremonial hall of the Welt Museum Wien.
Dr Johnathan Fine, Director of Weltmuseum Wien, delivered the welcome remarks followed by the opening address by the Nigerian Ambassador to Austria who was unavoidable absent but was represented by his deputy, Mr Ibrahim Hamidu.
HRM Oba Abdularazeez Oluwatoyin Akinde, the Olodo Ekun of Igbesa Aworiland, delivered the royal remarks. Nollywood superstar Lateef Adedimeji later spiced up the event with a scintillating performance. The event, organised by Egbe Omo Oduduwa, was sponsored by Ethiopian Airlines and Zillenium.
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Editor’s Note: Adire, an indigo-dyed cloth made in southwestern Nigeria by Yoruba women, using a variety of resist-dyeing techniques, is one of the famous indigenous African fabrics embraced worldwide.
