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.
The 2024 edition of the Yoruba (Nigeria) Cultural Festival takes place in Austria on 26-29 June.
Organised by Egbe omo Oduduwa Austria, the festival, which holds annually in the capital city of Vienna, showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people of Nigeria and promotes the country’s tourism potential. It also helps to foster friendly relations between Nigeria and Austria.
The 2024 Festival begins on 26 June with a 2-day exhibition of Yoruba arts, hosted by the Susanne Wenger Foundation, in Krems. The Foundation keeps alive the artistic heritage of Susanne Wenger (a.k.a. Aduni Olorisha), the well-known Austrian artist who lived in Nigeria for nearly 60 years mostly in Oshogbo. The work of Chief Wenger, an Osun devotee who died at the age of 93 in 2009 in Oshogbo, will be presented at the exhibition.
On 28 June, several events will take place in Vienna as part of the festival. These are a workshop on Yoruba language for children, a trade fair of Yoruba clothes (including Adire) and artifacts and a business summit/dinner, which will feature an awards ceremony and a cultural beauty pageant. The fair offers networking opportunities with entrepreneurs, shoppers and everyone who is interested in the making or trading of Adire.
The climax of the festival is on 29 June when the Adire International Carnival takes place in Vienna. Originating from Abeokuta in Southwestern Nigeria, Adire textile is an indigenous indigo-dyed cloth made by using different wax resist methods to create dazzling designs.
The procession of participants at the “Carnival of Peace and Unity”, who will be beautifully dressed in Adire, will start in front of the Nigerian Embassy in Rennweg and proceed through the city to end at the Heldenplatz in Hofburg.
The parade, accompanied by drumming and singing, is expected to be led by the Acting Nigerian Ambassador to Austria and Slovakia alongside the Olota of Ota, Oba (Prof) Adeyemi Obalanlege, who is the special guest of honour at the 2024 Festival.
The second part of the event will be the stage show, featuring performances of cultural groups representing Nigeria and other countries, and will be concluded with a Yoruba cultural dance by the Egbe omo Oduduwa group.
The festival will feature exhibitors and attract members of the African communities in Austria, Austrians and other internationals in the country and visitors from abroad.
Sola Jolaoso
