Echoes of the Landfill: Turning Ghana’s Plastic Waste into Art

ECHOES OF THE LANDFILL

Art from the Margins of Environment and Economy

Curatorial Statement by Beatrice Bee Arthur

Echoes of the Landfill is not another art exhibition. It is a radical reclamation where plastic waste is reimagined as both medium and living testimony to our callous disregard for the environment. A collaborative effort by the Museum of Science and Technology (MST) and ArtfullyYours, Bee Arthur Creative Productions for World Environment Day 2025, this exhibition convenes six Ghanaian eco-conscious artists—Obed Addo, Beatrice Bee Arthur, Essilfie Banton, Andrea Ghia, and Salim—who excavate the hidden politics within discarded plastic: narratives of colonial residues, neoliberal excess, and quiet acts of African resilience.

Landfills are the unmarked graves of globalisation. Here, Accra’s streets and shorelines become archives of abandonment—water sachets like shed skin, flip-flops as fossilised footprints, toy limbs tangled with fishing nets. These are not inert objects but silent accusers, materialising the violence of an economy that treats both people and land as disposable.

The artists in this exhibition do not recycle—they resurrect trash. Through sculpture, installation, painting, poetry, and photography, they force plastic to confess: as a relic of extractivism, a marker of climate injustice, and paradoxically, a medium for African futurity. Indigenous philosophies of circularity collide with the toxic immortality of synthetic materials, asking: What does it mean to "dispose" when there is no "away?"

Without institutional funding, this project embodies its own thesis: resourcefulness as resistance. The artists’ grassroots mobilisation mirrors the informal economies that already transform waste into worth across Africa. Echoes of the Landfill is thus both mirror and megaphone—refusing the neoliberal spectacle of sustainability to center community-led epistemologies.

This is NOT an exhibition about waste. It is an intervention in time. A demand to rewrite the lexicon of value: that a bag is not "single-use" but a generational artifact; that those who scavenge are archivists of the Anthropocene.

ARTISTS

Obed Addo

"My work is about dignity—finding it in discarded things, and in ourselves."

Beatrice Bee Arthur

"This exhibition is the toxic truth where plastics and capitalists lie."

Salim

"When I sculpt from trash, I think of ancestors. Would they forgive us?"

Andrea Ghia

"In painting about plastic pollution, I am confronting the ability of permanence to outlive memory."

Essilfie Banton

"Each artwork I make is a conversation with discarded materials. I want the viewer to see the soul of what we discard."

Nii Noi Candos

---“We are not just picking up plastic—we are picking up the pieces of a broken system. Every salvaged fragment is a challenge to the world that discarded it.”

Data Point: Ghana generates 1.1 million tons of plastic waste annually—less than 2% is recycled.

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NEW EXHIBITION ALERT

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Plastic waste. Radical art. African futures.

#EchoesOfTheLandfill

📍 Museum of Science & Tech, Accra

🗓 June 5 – July 5, 2025

🎟 Free Entry

🛞 5 artists. 1 million tons of plastic. 0 excuses.

🔥 Obed Addo

🔥 Beatrice “Bee” Arthur

🔥 Essilfie Banton

🔥 Andrea Ghia

🔥 Salim

💬 “This isn’t an art show — it’s a plastic protest.”

— Curator, Bee Arthur

🌍 World Environment Day launch

♻️ Ghana’s 2% recycling rate exposed

✊ Grassroots resistance celebrated

📸 Share your plastic shame stories:

#EchoesOfTheLandfill

Supported by

@CreativeArtsAgencyGH | @MSTAccra | @ArtfullyYoursBeeArthur

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Steps Toward Investment-led Strategy In U.S-Africa Relations

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Senior Bureau Official Troy Fitrell’s Commercial Diplomacy Trip to West Africa

Digital Press Briefing

The Senior Bureau Official for the Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs, Ambassador Troy Fitrell and U.S. Ambassador to Cote D'Ivoire, Ambassador Jessica Davis Ba.  Ambassador Fitrell reviewed his commercial diplomacy trip to West Africa and outlined the State Department’s new commercial diplomacy strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa. 

You can find the full transcript of the briefing here:

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A Group Exhibition of Art and Poetry on Wate

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Now Live! The Mmiri bụ Ndụ (Water is Life) Exhibition Documentary 🌍💧

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IAS-UNN announces that the official documentary of the Mmiri bụ Ndụ art and poetry exhibition is now available. The exhibition, curated by the Institute of African Studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in collaboration with Our Water and Health Network Africa, formed part of the 4th International Conference on Water in Africa. Through powerful visual art and poetry, Mmiri Bu Ndu examines the presence, absence, social history, and state of water in Africa and in African life.

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DELA Screening At UNN: More Photos

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Photos by IAS-UNN: DELA SCREENING & UNN CAMPUS

More images of the DELA Campus Tour at the esteemed University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). The screening and exhibition event was hosted by the Institute of African Studies (IAS) in their modern new venue, which was packed with an enthusiastic audience.

Special Guest: The paramount traditional ruler H.R.H Igwe George ASADU, The Okpe Udo of Ihe Nsukka, who in 2015 conferred the title "Ikedire of Nsukka" (“power which is effective”) on Prof. EI Anatsui.

DELA: The Making of El Anatsui is a biographical documentary about one of the world's greatest sculptors. The Campus Tour aims to bring art and film students closer to the film's subject. It has so far, screened at Pan-Atlantic University Lagos, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). In Ghana, the tour will continue at the artist’s five alma mater institutions.

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The Hidden Stories Behind Old Nsukka Photographs with Chijoke Onuora

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Discover the Hidden Stories Behind Old Photographs with Prof. Chijioke Onuora, a professor of drawing and sculpture in the Fine and Industrial Arts Department, speaking on his father Mr. Joshua Chukwuemeka Onuora - the unofficial UNN photographer in the 60s and 70s.

Prof. Chijioke Onuora, a Professor of drawings and sculptor and from the Fine and Applied Arts Department.

DELA Campus Tour: University Of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)

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oyiza adaba
maurice E. Okereke

The DELA Campus Tour officially premiered at the esteemed University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). The screening and exhibition event was hosted by the Institute of African Studies (IAS) in their modern new venue, which was packed with an enthusiastic audience eager to engage with the content, highlighting both interest and meaningful impact.

Main Gate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka reading the institution’s motto “To Restore The Dignity Of Man”. Photo: Africa-Related.

To kick off the screening on April 29, 2025, Prof. Chijioke Onuora, a professor of drawing and sculpture in the Fine and Industrial Arts Department conducted an enlightening tour of the captivating photo exhibition that beautifully encapsulates the rich history and vibrant culture of the University of Nigeria.

The ground floor of the Institute of African Studies serves as a walk-in gallery of various artworks by both current and past students and teachers. Our guide was Prof. Chijoke Onuora, a former student of El Anatsui, and also the son of Mr. Joshua Chukwuemeka Onuorah, a pioneer student of Physical Health Education and the UNN unofficial photographer in the 60s and 70s. He showed us beautiful photos taken in the very early days of the university's existence, capturing various occasions such as the first graduation ceremony, and first set of female graduates etc. 

Shortly afterwards, the screening began, the atmosphere was quite pleasant. A lot of students streamed in, as the special guest the paramount traditional ruler H.R.H Igwe George ASADU, The Okpe Udo of Ihe Nsukka occupied the front row seat. He, in 2015, conferred the title "Ikedire of Nsukka" (power which is effective) on Prof. EI Anatsui.

Also seated in the packed room were Prof. Krydz Ikwuemesi, Prof. Chidi Ugwu, Assoc. Prof. Greg Mbajiorgu and Assoc. Prof. Vincent Okpara H.O.D, Department of Fine and Industrial Arts. The audience was very receptive and attentive during the viewing, one could tell on account of their humorous and enthused responses. The event concluded with a short Q and A which yielded a few comments with much praise and plenty of thanks to the production team. The organizers were quite gracious, extremely polite and very courteous. 

This happened to be the very first event since the inauguration of the new building of the Institute of African Studies, situated close to the UBA gate on campus. It also happened to be the first screening I am attending in person in Nigeria. DELA’s journey to Nsukka was extra special as it was a homecoming of sorts, not just for the film, but also for my ever-supportive husband Maurice Okereke (Words By MOE), a 1995 UNN alumnus, who worked on the film as an assistant music director - contributing original music scores from his poetic pieces, to the film’s soundtrack.

Oyiza Adaba with Nsukka DoP Michael ‘Lenix’ Onah, who filmed some of the Nsukka shots.

DELA: Soundtrack Poster with featured artists.

Other contributing artists include UNN Graduate, the late Bright Andrew Igho a.k.a B-Elect, a musician/author who contributed his track 'WAT THE OLD MAN SAID (B.I.B.L.E.)' to the film. Uchenna Ohagwu (Minista Busta), an IMT Enugu graduate is the visual/graphic artist/musician who designed the DELA icon head logo that depicts El Anatsui’s young and older face. Amarachi Attamah, a griot/chant performer composed a beautiful chant piece entitled 'EGARA EL', used in the opening sequence. Lemi Ghariokwu is the graphic artist who designed several of Fela Kuti's album covers and also designed the DELA 'walking man' logo. Two indigenous musicians DJ Robintonzz added the track 'AFRICA' Ft. New Prince, while Lake Spy composed the film's end credit track 'ASIGI II' in honour of El Anatsui.

The Institute of African Studies, UNN

Ozioma Onuzulike’s piece ‘Seed Yams of Our Land’ series drape the front entrance Institute of African Studies (IAS), University of Nigeria Nsukka. Photo: Africa-Related

New Address: Front entrance Institute of African Studies (IAS), University of Nigeria, Nsukka UNN..

Nsukka town is about eighty kilometers north of Enugu in South Eastern Nigeria, where the University campus sits on 871 hectares of hilly savannah with lush vegetation. The Institute of African Studies was established in 1963, initially as the Hansberry College of African Studies. It was named after Professor William Leo Hansberry, an eminent Afro-American Historian and Africanist, who served as its Director, and taught two African presidents - Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe of Nigeria and Ghana’s Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. 

According to A.E. Afigbo, the idea for a graduate Institute of African Studies in the University of Nigeria was channeled towards research and was designed as a rallying point for “all men of colour who can trace their descent to the African continent no matter in what part of the world they now find their habitation”. The institute’s current Director Prof. Ozioma Onuzulike has ably stepped into the big shoes left by past directors, such as Prof. Edward Wilmot Blyden III, Prof. Donatus I. Nwoga, Prof. Uche Okeke, Prof. Chike Aniakor and many others that followed.

El Anatusi’s sculptures on UNN campus

Prof. El Anatsui was a resident of Nsukka for forty-four years (1975-2020), and retired from teaching sculpture at the Department of Fine and Applied Arts in 2012. Two free-standing sculptures made of concrete with terrazzo finish titled For the Upliftment of Man (1983) and Ambivalent Hold (1983) were selected by the University, and can be found on the grounds of the Physical Sciences building. They were jointly sculpted by members of an art collective called SKEP.

Photos: DELA SCREENING & UNN CAMPUS

DELA: The Making of El Anatsui is a biographical documentary about one of the world's greatest sculptors. The Campus Tour aims to bring art and film students closer to the film's subject. It has so far, screened at Pan-Atlantic University Lagos, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). In Ghana, the tour will continue at the artist’s five alma mater institutions.

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32nd New York African Film Festival Launches in May

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER AND AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCE THE COMPLETE LINEUP FOR
THE 32ND NEW YORK AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL, MAY 7–13

Opening Night selection is the New York premiere of

Afolabi Olalekan’s feature debut, Freedom Way

Inheritance, Mweze, Black Tea, Freedom Way, and Everybody Loves Touda

New York, NY (April 9, 2025) — Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) and African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) will partner to present the 32nd edition of the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF). NYAFF features more than 30 contemporary and classic films from Africa and its diaspora screening at FLC May 7 through May 13, with 100 films in total as the festival continues at other esteemed New York City cultural venues throughout the month of May, with many filmmakers in attendance for post-screening Q&As. Since its inception in 1993, the festival has been at the forefront of showcasing African and diaspora filmmakers’ unique storytelling through the moving image.

This year’s theme, “Fluid Horizons: A Shifting Lens on a Hopeful World,” honors the resilience of African youth and the forebearers who paved the way for them. As cinema was an integral part of the African continent’s struggle for independence and the triumph of its liberation, this edition of the festival celebrates the African youth who have turned to their cameras to document their experiences and the influence of those who came before them. With a multitude of genres ranging from comedies to experimental films, the 32nd New York African Film Festival offers a multidimensional take on African culture, history, and cinema.

“In a world of uncertainty, the 32nd New York African Film Festival presents a vision of the future through the eyes of Africa’s youth—bold, determined, and endlessly creative. As the youngest and fastest-growing continent, Africa is brimming with stories that demand to be told, not just as reflections of today’s challenges but as blueprints for a future shaped by resilience and possibility,” said Mahen Bonetti, NYAFF founder and AFF executive director. “This year’s festival is a testament to the power of cinema to inspire, provoke, and remind us that hope is always in motion.”

The Opening Night selection is the New York premiere of Afolabi Olalekan’s feature debut, Freedom Way, a powerful tale of the limitless drive of Nigerian youth, which follows the lives of nine individuals set on a collision course in a fast-paced, electric thriller shot on location in Lagos. The Centerpiece film is Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine’s Memories of Love Returned, an intimate, nuanced documentary about the transformative power of photography, executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and named best documentary at the Africa International Film Festival. Closing Night will feature the shorts program “In the Arms of the Mother,” which spotlights films by or about African women from all walks of life, including the world premiere of Kounkou Hoveyda’s We Will Be Who We Are; the North American premieres of Dika Ofoma’s God’s Wife and Anil Padia and Michael Mwangi Maina’s Temple Road; the U.S. premiere of Zoé Cauwet’s Le Grand Calao; the New York premiere of Mariame N’diaye’s Sira; and Kagure N. Kabue’s Iron Fist.

This year’s NYAFF will also spotlight the Democratic Republic of the Congo through the works of veteran and emerging Congolese filmmakers such as Mwezé Ngangura, Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda, Nelson Makengo, David-Pierre Fila, Sammy Baloji, and Xavier Mwamba. Their films include the U.S. premiere of Baloji’s The Tree of Authenticity, a gripping documentary recounting the ecological destruction that began at the time of colonization through the voices of two emblematic scientists.

The festival will also host the North American premiere of Furu by Fatou Cissé, the daughter of legendary filmmaker Souleymane Cissé, which explores the impact of forced marriage on young women in Mali. Two additional features making their U.S. debuts include Awam Amkpa’s The Man Died, based on the harrowing prison memoir by Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka; and Ndar, Saga Waalo, Ousmane William Mbaye’s powerful documentary about Saint-Louis, Senegal, the port of colonial penetration into West Africa.

Special programs include a free panel presented by AFF and OkayAfrica on May 10 entitled “From Then to Now: Celebrating 15 Years of African Cinema,” featuring a discussion with four acclaimed filmmakers from this year’s festival and offering a rare opportunity to reflect on the creative shifts and enduring themes shaping African cinema today. Two free art exhibits running May 8–13 in the Amphitheater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center include “Congo RE-Vue: A Fresh Perspective by Emerging Congolese Talent,” a dynamic digital photo exhibition dedicated to highlighting the vibrant talent of the next generation of Congolese artists; and Bereket Adamu’s “All Night We Waited for Morning, All Morning We Waited for Night,” a welded steel light sculpture and animated video that reflects on African resistance, migration, and global interconnectedness.

Tickets go on sale Thursday, April 10, at 2pm ET, with an early access period for FLC Members starting Thursday, April 10, at noon. Ticket prices are $17 for the general public; $14 for students, seniors, and persons with disabilities; and $12 for FLC Members. See more and save with a 3+ Film Package ($15 for general public; $12 for students, seniors (62+), and persons with disabilities; and $10 for FLC Members), the $99 All-Access Pass, or the $79 Student All-Access Pass. Contact info@africanfilmny.org for information about attending the Opening Night Party.

The festival continues at Maysles Documentary Center in Harlem from April 15 to 18 and at Brooklyn Academy of Music under the name FilmAfrica from May 23 to May 29 during DanceAfrica, and culminates with an outdoor screening at St. Nicholas Park on May 31.

The programs of AFF are made possible by the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts,  Bradley Family Foundation, Color Congress, NYC & Company, The New York Community Trust, French Cultural Services, Manhattan Portage, Organization de la Francophonie, Essentia Water, Ministre du Tourisme République démocratique du Congo, ZOPMEDIA, South African Consulate General, National Film and Video Foundation, and Motion Picture Enterprises.

FILMS & DESCRIPTIONS
The Opening Night premiere of Freedom Way on May 7 will take place at

the Walter Reade Theater (165 W. 65th Street).

All other films will screen at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center (144 W. 65th Street).

Opening Night

Freedom Way

Afolabi Olalekan, 2024, Nigeria, 83m

New York Premiere

Faced with unfavorable laws and incessant police harassment, three young co-founders struggle to keep their start-up alive. A motorcyclist faces dark times with his family after losing his livelihood. A doctor struggles with his conscience on the job while battling outdated government policies. A police pair find themselves on different sides of the law with a difficult choice to make. The lives of nine individuals are set on a collision course in Afolabi Olalekan’s feature debut, a fast-paced, electric thriller shot on location in Lagos.

Wednesday, May 7 at 6:30pm – Q&A with Afolabi Olalekan

Thursday, May 8 at 4:00pm

Centerpiece

Memories of Love Returned

Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, 2024, Uganda/U.S., 76m

Luganda and English with English subtitles

New York Premiere

On April 24, 2002, filmmaker Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine’s car broke down in the small town of Mbirizi, Uganda. While waiting for it to be repaired he stumbled upon a small photo studio and met photographer Kibaate Aloysius Ssalongo, whose work spanned from the late 1950s to his death in 2006. This chance encounter turned into a 22-year journey documenting and exploring Kibaate’s life and photography and the profound impact it had on Ntare’s life and the lives of the entire community he documented. Executive produced by Steven Soderbergh, this intimate, nuanced documentary about the transformative power of photography was named best documentary at the Africa International Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the Pan African Film Festival. 

Saturday, May 10 at 6:30pm – Q&A with Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine

Closing Night

Shorts Program 4: In the Arms of the Mother

110m

This program of short films by and/or about African women includes Mariame N’diaye’s Sira, Anil Padia and Michael Mwangi Maina’s Temple Road, Dika Ofoma’s God’s Wife, Kagure N. Kabue’s Iron Fist, Zoé Cauwet’s Le Grand Calao, and Priscillia Kounkou Hoveyda’s We Will Be Who We Are.

Tuesday, May 13 at 8:30pm

Sira

Mariame N’diaye, 2023, France, 24m

Soninké and French with English subtitles

New York Premiere

To stay with her daughter and her husband, a young Malian woman living in France in the 1980s has to abide by one condition.

Temple Road

Anil Padia, Michael Mwangi Maina, 2024, France/Kenya, 13m

Swahili with English subtitles

North American Premiere

Inspired by childhood experiences of women-only ceremonies and family Polaroids from the 1950s to the 1970s, Temple Road recreates the spiritual and ritualistic preparation of a woman. Weaving a dreamlike narrative, it blends rituals from Kenyan Indian heritage with diverse Kenyan cultures, reflected in a multicultural cast and interwoven ceremonies. Emphasizing the reverence women deserve as the pillars of society, the film is both a tribute to the past and a call to recognize women as bearers of culture, tradition, and life amidst rising violence against women in Kenya.

God’s Wife

Dika Ofoma, 2024, Nigeria, 15m

Igbo with English subtitles

North American Premiere

A young widow is propositioned by her late husband’s brother. When she refuses his advances, he threatens to have her ousted from her husband’s home, and she has to reconcile her personal convictions and Catholic beliefs with her in-laws’ demands.

Iron Fist

Kagure N. Kabue, 2024, Kenya, 15m

Swahili with English subtitles

In Nairobi’s bustling streets, hardworking mother Wangari, haunted by trauma, discovers empowerment in a local boxing gym. Her unexpected journey sparks a transformative rebirth, fostering resilience and a thriving spirit amid life’s fiercest battles.

Le Grand Calao

Zoé Cauwet, 2024, France/Burkina Faso, 27m

Mooré and French with English subtitles

U.S. Premiere

It’s a hot day, as it often is in Ouagadougou. It’s also a very special day for a group of women taking a long-awaited getaway, a moment of discovery, and a break from the hustle and bustle of the world and their lives. A few tourists are there too, a wealthy family from Burkina Faso is lounging around, and a few soldiers are watching over the place. It’s a small world that moves slowly around the Grand Calao’s swimming pool. Until sunset, the women spend a moment out of time, talking about their lives and their problems, while exploring the new sensation of their bodies in the calm blue water.

We Will Be Who We Are

Priscillia Kounkou Hoveyda, 2024, Sierra Leone, 16m

World Premiere

In Sierra Leone, best friends Aya and Boi decide to marry each other in an attempt to escape society’s pressures to conform.

Black Tea

Abderrahmane Sissako, 2024, Mauritania/Luxembourg/Taiwan/Côte d'Ivoire, 111m

New York Premiere

Mandarin, French, English, and Portuguese with English subtitles

After saying no on her wedding day, Aya leaves the Ivory Coast for a new life in the buzzing “Chocolate City” of Guangzhou, China. In this district where the African diaspora meets Chinese culture, she gets hired in a tea boutique owned by Cai, a Chinese man. In the secrecy of the back shop, Cai decides to initiate Aya to the tea ceremony. Through the teaching of this ancient art, their relationship slowly turns into tender love. But for their burgeoning passion to lead to mutual trust, they must let go of their burdens and face their past.

Thursday, May 8 at 6:30pm – Q&A with Abderrahmane Sissako and producer Kessen Tall

Tuesday, May 13 at 3:15pm

Everybody Loves Touda

Nabil Ayouch, 2024, Morocco/France/Belgium/Denmark/Netherlands, 101m

Arabic with English subtitles

New York Premiere

Irrepressible Touda dreams of only one thing—being a Sheikha, a respected traditional Moroccan performer. Empowered by the songs of resistance and emancipation of the fierce female poets who came before her, she takes the stage every evening in provincial bars. Tired of performing under the lustful gaze of men, Touda sets her sights on leaving her small village for the bright lights of Casablanca, where she hopes to be recognized as a true artist—and secure a better future for her and her son. The latest from award-winning director Nabil Ayouch (Casablanca Beats, Horses of God) premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and was Morocco’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.

Monday, May 12 at 8:30pm

The Fisherman

Zoey Martinson, 2024, Ghana, 105m

New York Premiere

Atta Oko has spent his life as a proud traditional fisherman in rural Ghana. When he is suddenly forced into retirement his life takes a whimsical turn as he is partnered with a modern, bougie talking fish. As fishy chaos ensues, Atta and his three quirky “associates” navigate the vibrant streets of Accra, chasing their shared dream of owning a fishing boat. Filled with laughter, magic, and the rich culture of Ghana, The Fisherman is a heartwarming tale of family, resilience, and the enduring spirit of a true fisherman.

Sunday, May 11 at 1:00pm – Q&A with Zoey Martinson

Furu

Fatou Cissé, 2024, Mali, 67m

Bambara with English subtitles

North American Premiere

This powerful social drama from director Fatou Cissé, daughter of legendary Malian filmmaker Souleymane Cissé, explores the impact of forced marriage on young women in Mali. The film follows Tou, who is pressured to marry an older man after becoming pregnant, and Ami, who resists village pressure to wed in favor of her independence. Through these parallel stories, Furu examines the complex and often painful choices young women face when their futures are shaped by tradition rather than personal agency. The film confronts the enduring practice of forced marriage and its psychological consequences, offering a poignant and urgent reflection on gender, autonomy, and resistance within a patriarchal society. Preceded by a clip from Cissé’s 2022 documentary A Daughter’s Tribute to Her Father, an intimate portrayal of the life and career of Souleymane Cissé.

Friday, May 9 at 6:00pm – Q&A with Fatou Cissé

Identity Pieces / Pièces d’identités

Mwezé Ngangura, 1998, Democratic Republic of the Congo/Belgium, 97m

Lingala, Kingwana, Kikongo, Tshiluba, French, English, and Dutch with English subtitles

In Mwezé Ngangura’s modern comic fairy tale, Mani Kongo, King of the Bakongo, embarks on a trip to Belgium to find his beloved daughter, Mwana, whom he has lost touch with. Dignified and outfitted in full regalia, the African king walks into a society that neither respects his title nor values his humanity. On arriving in Belgium, he has to cope with the very best and the very worst of the Black diaspora, as well as with prejudices rampant in European society, and finds good friends amongst the poor, lower-class whites—showing that nothing is ever black or white.

Saturday, May 10 at 3:45pm

Juju Factory

Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda, 2006, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 97m

French with English subtitles

Kongo lives in the Matonge district of Brussels, where he is writing a book. His editor wants a kind of traveler’s book spiced with ethnic ingredients. However, Kongo is inspired by his vision of complex and tormented souls that he meets at all proverbial and literal crossings. His story, and Juju Factory’s narrative, follow invisible trajectories intertwined with Congolese history and Belgium’s ghosts.

Sunday, May 11 at 8:45pm – Q&A with Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda

The Man Died

Awam Amkpa, 2024, Nigeria, 105m

U.S. Premiere

Based on the harrowing prison memoir by Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, The Man Died is a powerful tale of resistance, courage, and the unyielding human spirit. Set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s civil war, the film chronicles Soyinka’s imprisonment without trial by a brutal military regime determined to silence his voice. Through solitary confinement, torture, and deprivation, Soyinka’s resolve to fight against tyranny and injustice only grows stronger. Interwoven with flashbacks to his earlier life as a writer and activist, the film reveals the profound inner strength and unbreakable spirit that drive Soyinka’s resistance. As he documents his experiences on scraps of paper smuggled out of his cell, his writings become a beacon of hope and a call to action for others living under oppression. The Man Died is not just a personal story but a universal testament to the enduring power of truth and the necessity of standing up against tyranny. It is a poignant reminder that in the face of oppression, silence is not an option, and the human spirit can never truly be extinguished.

Tuesday, May 13 at 6:00pm – Q&A with Awam Amkpa

Mweze

David-Pierre Fila, 2020, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 80m

French and Lingala with English subtitles

David-Pierre Fila’s documentary on Mwezé Ngangura—the visionary Congolese director of Kin Kiesse; Life Is Beautiful; Changa Changa; The King, the Cow and the Banana Tree; Pieces d’identités; and The Governor’s New Clothes—unfolds as a meditation on history, politics, cinema, image, and time. Shot in Kinshasa, Ouagadougou, and Brussels, it is not a biography but an introspective exploration of Mwezé’s life today in Belgium, where he has settled with his family. What emerges is a self-portrait conceived by Mwezé himself, a collage of images layered with sound impressions. From the very first frames, the film presents itself with an understated elegance and subtle charms, its subject less concerned with intellectual discourse and more with stirring the heart.

Saturday, May 10 at 1:30pm

Ndar, Saga Waalo

Ousmane William Mbaye, 2024, Senegal, 91m

French and Wolof with English subtitles

U.S. Premiere

Ndar, the original name of Saint-Louis, an island at the mouth of the Senegal River in the former Waalo kingdom, was the port of colonial penetration into West Africa four centuries ago. An economic, cultural, and political crossroads, it served as a laboratory for the “civilizing mission.” Commerce, town planning, education, and mixed heritage were the instruments for French colonists to assimilate populations, establish themselves in the country, and exploit the wealth. While some cannot deny history and have kept their Saint-Louisian way of living intact, others want to put an end to the colonial heritage. For many young people today, it is time to think about history differently. Yet everyone has managed to preserve their keen sense of living well together.

Sunday, May 11 at 6:30pm – Q&A with Ousmane William Mbaye and producer Laurence Attali

Rising Up at Night / Tongo Saa

Nelson Makengo, 2024, Democratic Republic of the Congo/Belgium/Germany/Burkina Faso/Qatar, 96m

Lingala with English subtitles

As the Congo constructs Africa’s largest power station, Kinshasa and its inhabitants are trapped in literal darkness, waiting and struggling to get access to electric light while also dealing with extensive flooding and preparing to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. Nelson Makengo’s first feature documentary, which premiered at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival Panorama, is a vivid portrait of Kinshasa’s residents—their hopes, disappointments, religious faith, and resilience. Makengo’s subtle, fragmented storytelling captures a population reinventing itself while immersed in the beauty of Kinshasa’s nights.

Preceded by

Profiling

Zaza Mon Amour, 2025, France, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 15m

French with English subtitles

World Premiere

In Marseille, a city of rich cultural diversity that still carries the deep scars of segregation, three childhood friends reunite after years apart, but what begins as a joyful gathering takes a tragic turn due to racial profiling. 

Friday, May 9 at 8:30pm

The Tree of Authenticity / L’Arbre de l’Authenticité

Sammy Baloji, 2025, Belgium/Democratic Republic of the Congo, 89m

French and Dutch with English subtitles

U.S. Premiere

Nestled in Africa’s largest rainforest lies one of the many gravesites of the West’s efforts to control nations and nature—one of the world’s largest tropical agricultural research centers. Located on the banks of the Congo River, the Yangambi INERA Research Station was a booming scientific center in its heyday, but today, it is an amalgam of jungle and ruin. Sammy Baloji’s gripping documentary The Tree of Authenticity recounts the stigma of ecological destruction that began at the time of colonization through the voices of two emblematic scientists who worked at Yangambi between 1910 and 1950, Paul Panda Farnana and Abiron Beirnaert. Their stories embody the legacies of colonial modernity and trace the origins of today’s environmental injustice.

Preceded by

The Planet of Water

Leonardo Gámez Gil, 2024, Mexico, 3m

Spanish with English subtitles

New York Premiere

In the near future, humanity—obsessed with saving water while destroying its own planet—faces a devastating environmental crisis. Humans begin to explore space in search of water, and in their absence, the Earth regenerates itself.

La Serpiente de Shelmeca

Laura Bermúdez, 2023, Honduras, 3m

Miskitu and Spanish with English subtitles

New York Premiere

The second most important rainforest in the Americas hides an archaeological secret of an ancient indigenous population, known today as Ciudad Blanca. Wildres Wood, the first biologist from the Miskitu ethnic group, embarks on a journey to the heart of the jungle to protect Honduras’ most important treasure for the world.

Monday, May 12 at 6:00pm

 New York African Film Festival Shorts Programs

 Shorts Program 1: Notions of Home

102m

This program of diaspora short films from around the globe includes Ahmed Samir’s Grandma, Hans Augustave’s Nwa (Black), Adesola Thomas’s Sister Salad Days, Devin Powell’s Where Are You From?, Shawn Antoine II’s Green Bay, Rhys Aaron Lewis’s Run Like We, and Francis Y. Brown’s Blinded by the Lights.

Thursday, May 8 at 9:15pm – Q&A with Shawn Antoine II, Hans Augustave, Daty Kaba, and Ahmed Samir

Friday, May 9 at 3:00pm

Grandma

Ahmed Samir, 2024, Egypt, 23m

Arabic with English subtitles

North American Premiere

While living in isolation, Mona and her young son await the birth of a new baby while still carrying the weight of the grandma’s recent death. When her son begins listening to her pregnant belly, convinced his grandmother’s spirit exists inside and wants to return, Mona is unsettled by his quiet certainty. As she struggles to comfort him, she confronts her own fears of failing as a mother, of being unable to fill the absence left behind, and of opening herself to the unknown. With each passing moment, the fragile balance between grief and hope threatens to collapse, forcing her to face the life growing inside her and the love she’s afraid she can’t give.

Nwa (Black)

Hans Augustave, 2024, U.S., 20m

English, French, and Haitian with English subtitles

Nwa is a candid, emotional coming-of-age film about Frantz, a first-generation Haitian-American boy, torn by the decision to get the haircut he knows his strict immigrant father would approve of, or a trendy cut connecting him to the Black American culture he’s been warned by his father not to embrace.

Sister Salad Days

Adesola Thomas, 2024, U.S., 18m

When an asexual double dutcher’s religious father forces her to get married, she enlists her friends and fiancé to stop the wedding and free her older sister whose soul is trapped on their father’s land.

Where Are You From?

Devin Powell, 2025, U.S., 13m

World Premiere

While Sherif, a 14-year-old Senegalese adolescent student in the U.S., watches international cinema, George, his 11-year-old American host, disrupts his bouts of escapism. Both characters have an issue: Sherif misses home and George has nothing to do. They solve this problem by watching movies together, but George can’t keep quiet.

Green Bay

Shawn Antoine II, U.S., 2024, 2m

World Premiere

On a green-skied shore, a woman’s dance becomes a sacred ritual that summons an extraterrestrial being.

Run Like We

Rhys Aaron Lewis, 2024, U.K., 13m

New York Premiere

It’s the 2012 London Olympics and the whole world is going crazy for the fastest man on the planet: Usain Bolt. Everyone apart from Alvin, an awkward 14-year-old who hates sports and constantly disappoints his Jamaican father, Lester, an ex-athlete who can’t understand why his son is “so soft.” So when Alvin is unexpectedly nominated to represent his class in the upcoming school sports day, it could be his last chance to make his dad proud and prove that he can be just like Bolt.

Blinded by the Lights

Francis Y. Brown, 2025, Ghana, 13m

World Premiere

A powerful and visually striking allegory, Blinded by the Lights explores the insatiable greed of the African leader and the devastating cost of betrayal. Set against the backdrop of a nation trapped in the cycle of neocolonialism, the film unpacks the illusions of power, the corruption that festers behind closed doors, and the silent suffering of a people forgotten by those meant to lead them. With bold symbolism and a haunting narrative, Blinded by the Lights is a chilling reflection on leadership, legacy, and the price of selling one’s soul for power.

 Shorts Program 2: Mzansi Moments

101m

This collection of short films from South Africa includes Ntokozo Mlaba’s The Passage, Michelle Name and Onke Meje’s Intsikelelo Yamanzi, Nduduzo Shandu’s Gogo, Phumi Morare’s Why the Cattle Wait, Hachimiya Ahamada’s Zanatany, When Soulless Shrouds Whisper, Kgomotso Sekhu’s Shap Shap, and Zoe Ramushu’s Damsel, Not in Distress.

Saturday, May 10 at 8:45pm

The Passage

Ntokozo Mlaba, 2024, South Africa, 12m

Southern Sotho and Zulu with English subtitles

North American Premiere

When Mrembula learns that Dakalo has opened a case of rape against him, he blackmails Bafana, his best friend and Dakalo’s boyfriend, into fabricating a story. Bafana tries to resist but realizes that with his hopes of making it out of the hood, it would be better to go with Mrembula’s story than to end up living his days in a jail cell. Mrembula thus sits Bafana down as they recreate the recollections of the events that unfolded on that fateful night in

the passage.

Intsikelelo Yamanzi

Michelle Name, Onke Meje, 2024, South Africa, 8m

English and Xhosa with English subtitles

North American Premiere

When Cape Town encounters an extreme stretch without water, things get desperate. Perhaps it’s a little boy who returns us to our humanity.

Gogo

Nduduzo Shandu, 2024, South Africa, 13m

Zulu with English subtitles

Introduced to storytelling at a young age from her own grandmother, Nduduzo Shandu crafted a story of a lifetime bond between a grandmother and her grandson.

Why the Cattle Wait

Phumi Morare, 2024, South Africa, 20m

Xhosa with English subtitles

New York Premiere

A folklore love story about a Nguni goddess who must find and convince her former mortal lover to return to the eternal world with her, before she destroys the earth.

Zanatany, When Soulless Shrouds Whisper

Hachimiya Ahamada, 2024, Belgium/Madagascar, 27m

Malagasy with English subtitles

New York Premiere

Majunga, Madagascar, December 1976. A wind of revolt sweeps through the city. Ali, a second-in-command in a bookbinding workshop, is raising his two daughters alone. One morning, before going to work, he witnesses what seems to be a simple neighborhood quarrel….

Shap Shap

Kgomotso Sekhu, 2024, South Africa, 10m

English and Tswana with English subtitles

U.S. Premiere

After surviving multiple attempts on his life in a dangerous village, 13-year-old Mmusi sets out to find his father in the township but is taken in by a strict Jehovah’s Witness. Homeless and judged by society, he struggles to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world. On his journey to reunite with his mother in Johannesburg, Mmusi faces discrimination but discovers hope and strength through unexpected friendships. Just as his life begins to improve, he receives a scholarship to go to the United States, but without a fixed address, his future remains uncertain.

Damsel, Not in Distress

Zoe Ramushu, 2025, South Africa, 11m

Aluta​​ infiltrates a crew of party girls who are hustling Johannesburg’s rich and powerful using charm and deception, but what the crew doesn’t know is Aluta is on a secret mission to find her missing sister. But when a job goes wrong, she’s betrayed and needs to stay one step ahead, or she’ll be the next target.

Shorts Program 3: Centennial Legacies

119m

Marking a century of history, culture, and resistance, this short film program honoring the visionaries and movements that shaped the past and continue to inspire the future includes Lou de Lemos’s The Legend of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, Paulin Soumanou Vieyra’s It Was Four Years Ago, Paulin Soumanou Vieyra’s Ousmane Sembène: The Making of Ceddo, Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda’s The Draughtsmen Clash, and Lebert Bethune’s Malcolm X: Struggle for Freedom.

Sunday, May 11 at 3:30pm – Q&A with Leburt Bethune, Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda, and cultural historian Danielle Brito

Monday, May 12 at 3:00pm

The Legend of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg

Lou de Lemos, Puerto Rico/U.S., 1986, 25m

Spanish with English subtitles

This biography tells the story of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, a Puerto Rican of African descent who dedicated his life to studying African history and collecting Black-related materials from the Americas, the Caribbean, and Africa. His collection forms the core of the collection found today at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a research center of the New York Public Library.

It Was Four Years Ago / C’était Il y a Quatre Ans

Paulin Soumanou Vieyra, 1954, France, Senegal, 9m

French with English subtitles

An African student at his desk hears a song from his homeland on the radio. He feels transported back several years to the time when he was preparing to leave for France. He sketches a few dance steps. Meanwhile, his French girlfriend arrives to continue his classical music education. Listening to the first classical record, his mind wanders back to Africa.

Ousmane Sembène: The Making of Ceddo / L’envers du Décor

Paulin Soumanou Vieyra, Senegal, 1981, 25m

Wolof and French with English subtitles

Paulin Soumanou Vieyra captures Ousmane Sembène, one of the greatest African filmmakers, during the filming of Ceddo. The Making of Ceddo was completed after four years of production, while Ceddo itself was censored by the Senegalese authorities under the Senghor regime until 1983.

The Draughtsmen Clash / Le Damier

Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda, 1996, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 40m

French with English subtitles        

The Draughtsmen Clash tells the story of the president of a fictitious African nation who spends a sleepless night playing checkers with a pot-smoking vagabond who claims to be the all-round champion. However, the rules of the game entail the opponents howling vulgar and foul obscenities at one another. The champion proceeds to insult, and trounce, the president. His reward, and his fate, will not surprise anyone.

Malcolm X: Struggle for Freedom

Lebert Bethune, France, 1964, 20m

Bethune’s film portrays Malcolm X at a time when his views were evolving to include what was going on in the world at large. It features interviews filmed during Malcolm X’s trip to Europe and

Africa shortly before his assassination in the United States, interspersed with scenes of African rebellion.

Special Programs

 Art Exhibition: “All Night We Waited for Morning, All Morning We Waited for Night” by Bereket Adamu

“All Night We Waited for Morning, All Morning We Waited for Night” is a welded steel light sculpture and animated video that reflects on African resistance, migration, and global interconnectedness. Constructed from steel, cotton, hide skin glue, ink, paint, and a lightbulb, the piece combines material and conceptual tension, with light and movement obscuring as much as they reveal. Depicting winged African figures, it explores themes of environmental disruption, self-agency, and intergenerational relationships that transcend borders. The work’s shifting figures and forms resist fixed meaning, creating a narrative suspended between presence and absence, illuminated and obscured.

The accompanying animation extends this instability, allowing figures to dissolve and reform as the object is made and un- made, while the illuminated steel structure flickers between clarity and obscurity, revealing only partial truths. Through its dynamic interplay of sculpture and animation, the piece moves beyond monumentality, capturing a fluidity of political, environmental, and personal change in an ongoing, layered rhythm that defies stand still interpretation.
Thursday, May 8 – Tuesday, May 13 – FREE
Amphitheater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center

Congo RE-Vue: A Fresh Perspective by Emerging Congolese Talent

Congo RE-Vue is a dynamic digital photo exhibition dedicated to highlighting the vibrant talent of the next generation of Congolese artists. This project focuses on young Congolese photographers who, with fresh eyes and a forward-thinking approach, are redefining how their country is viewed both within its borders and beyond. Their vision is one of progress, creativity, and optimism. At the heart of Congo RE-Vue is a dedication to contemporary Congolese culture, seen through the lens of photographers (with future editions to include filmmakers) who are reshaping the narrative of their country.

Curated by Cecilia Zoppelletto and produced by ZOPMEDIA in collaboration with ZEKE and Preston Witman Productions, Congo RE-Vue is an exploration of the artistic innovation coming out of Congo today, crafted with care and pride. This is more than just a photo exhibition—it is a movement, a statement, and an invitation to experience Congo through the eyes of its next generation.

The works featured in Congo RE-Vue are a testament to the immense talent of Congo’s young photography generation. From intimate portraits to bold social commentary, each artist brings their own unique perspective, offering a fresh lens through which to see the beauty, challenges, and triumphs of Congo. This first edition includes the works of Christelle Emulu, Arsène Mpiana, Hardy Bope, Henock Diba, Luther Lupeta, Antalya Mbafumoya, and Fortune Lula.

Thursday, May 8 – Tuesday, May 13 – FREE

Amphitheater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center

From Then to Now: Celebrating 15 Years of African Cinema — Presented by AFF & OkayAfrica
The African Film Festival (AFF) and OkayAfrica present From Then to Now: Celebrating 15 Years of African Cinema—a thoughtful exploration of the evolving landscape of African film. Bringing together four acclaimed filmmakers featured in this year’s festival, this panel offers a rare opportunity to reflect on the creative shifts and enduring themes shaping African cinema today. Panelists include Abderrahmane Sissako (Black Tea), Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda (Juju Factory), Afolabi Olalekan (Opening Night film Freedom Way), and Fatou Cissé (Furu), who also honors the profound legacy of her father, the late Souleymane Cissé. Together, they trace the threads of continuity and change across a decade and a half of cinematic storytelling, offering insight into the present moment and the future of the art form.
Saturday, May 10 at 11:30am – FREE
Amphitheater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center

FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER
Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) is a nonprofit organization that celebrates cinema as an essential art form and fosters a vibrant home for film culture to thrive. FLC presents premier film festivals, retrospectives, new releases, and restorations year-round in state-of-the-art theaters at New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. FLC offers audiences the opportunity to discover works from established and emerging directors from around the world with a passionate community of film lovers at marquee events including the New York Film Festival and New Directors/New Films. 

Founded in 1969, FLC is committed to preserving the excitement of the theatrical experience for all audiences, advancing high-quality film journalism through the publication of Film Comment, cultivating the next generation of film industry professionals through our FLC Academies, and enriching the lives of all who engage with our programs.

Rolex is the Official Partner and Exclusive Timepiece of Film at Lincoln Center.

Film at Lincoln Center receives generous, year-round support from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. For more information, visit filmlinc.org and follow @filmlinc on X, Instagram, and Bluesky.

AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL, INC.
Since 1990, African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) has bridged the divide between postcolonial Africa and the American public through the powerful medium of film and video. AFF's unique place in the international arts community is distinguished not only by leadership in festival management, but also by a comprehensive approach to the advocacy of African film and culture. AFF established the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) in 1993 with Film at Lincoln Center. The New York African Film Festival is presented annually by the African Film Festival, Inc. and Film at Lincoln Center, in association with Brooklyn Academy of Music and Maysles Cinema. AFF also produces a series of local, national, and international programs throughout the year. More information about AFF can be found on the Web at www.africanfilmny.org. You can follow AFF at @africanfilmfest on X and Instagram.

For press inquiries regarding Film at Lincoln Center, please contact:

John Kwiatkowski, Film at Lincoln Center, JKwiatkowski@filmlinc.org

Eva Tooley, Film at Lincoln Center, ETooley@filmlinc.org

For press inquiries regarding African Film Festival, Inc., please contact:

Cheryl Duncan, Cheryl Duncan & Company Inc., cheryl@cdcprnews.com

Press Release: Nigerian Center and Upwardly Global Partner to Expand Job Readiness Opportunities for Immigrants

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 11, 2025

Nigerian Center and Upwardly Global Partner to Expand Job Readiness Opportunities for Immigrants

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Washington, DC — The Nigerian Center is proud to announce a new collaboration with Upwardly Global, a leading national nonprofit organization that helps skilled immigrants and refugees rebuild their careers in the United States. Together, the two organizations will host a virtual information session on Tuesday, May 28th at 6:30 p.m. EST, to introduce job readiness and employment resources for immigrants and offer referrals to the Nigerian Center’s legal and social services.

This partnership aims to provide immigrant professionals with tools and guidance to re-enter their fields of expertise, navigate the U.S. job market, and access wraparound legal services, including support with work authorization, immigration, and family-related matters.

“Our partnership with Upwardly Global comes at a critical time when many of our community members are seeking not just survival, but the opportunity to thrive. Through this collaboration, we’re bridging the gap between legal support and economic mobility by helping skilled immigrants take meaningful steps toward professional stability and long-term success.”

     said Adejumoke Ojo, Program Director at the Nigerian Center.

During the virtual information session, participants will learn about Upwardly Global’s free job coaching, resume assistance, interview prep, and access to employer networks. The Nigerian Center will also provide information on legal aid services, including support with immigration cases, and related services that help to eliminate legal barriers to gainful employment.

“Upwardly Global’s free Career Coaching Program provides critical resources that empower immigrant and refugee job seekers as they navigate the U.S. job market. Through the coaching program, Upwardly Global works to bridge the gap between recently arrived newcomers (those who have been in the country for ten years or less) restarting their careers and employers in need of talent. Our access to these job seekers is enhanced through partnership with establishments like the Nigerian Center."

said Dr. Lillian Agbeyegbe, Program Director, Eastern Region at Upwardly Global.

To register, visit www.nigeriancenter.org/events/jobreadiness2025

For media inquiries, please contact: info@nigeriancenter.org

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Prince Alban Gogo Anyanwu: Renowned Sculptor, Educator and Administrator (1934 - 2023)

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Prince Alban Gogo Anyanwu (1934 - 2023) Renowned Sculptor, Educator and Administrator

Prince Gogo studied Fine Arts at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1961-1962) and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1962-1965) becoming one of the two pioneer graduates of sculpture at the University of Nigeria. He was a seasoned, mature, experienced professional artist and teacher especially in Creative Arts. He was deliberate in all his endeavours, manifesting unusual talent and skills.  

As a fulfilled educator with deep knowledge in all subjects, Prince Gogo taught in primary, secondary, teacher-training, and tertiary institutions as Headmaster, Principal of Colleges, Lecturer (the pioneer sculpture lecturer in the Institute of Management and Technology, IMT – Enugu, 1972-1976) before joining the Imo State Government after its creation in 1976. He was a Chief Inspector of Education for Creative Arts, Director of State Archives, and the pioneer Director of the Council for Arts and Culture, a role that created the opportunity for him to direct creative arts and culture in the old Imo State.

In his late 70s, driven by passion for quality education, Prince Gogo started a series of penetrating orientation lectures titled – ‘Revolution in Education through the Creative Arts’. The lectures were delivered to secondary schools in Imo State, Nigeria. Those lectures were documented in 3 Creative Art books which he authored and published. The books were presented to the public in 2014 during his 80th birthday celebration.

In 1981, Prince Gogo opened a big Art Studio and Gallery – known as ‘Prefab Galleries’ at Owerri, Imo State where he produced so many art works – drawings, sculptures and paintings. Since his graduation, he has executed over 200 gigantic sculpture pieces and paintings and has participated in solo and group Art Exhibitions.

 Inappropriately, Prince Gogo’s Art Studio and Gallery was demolished in a most barbaric manner in May 2010 – he lost many of his artworks (sculpture pieces and paintings) and that of his son, a graduate painter. Though in 2020, a Court Judgment was delivered in favour of Prince Gogo against the Imo State Housing Corporation (for trespassing) by a competent court of jurisdiction, the belated justice (after 10 years) cannot substitute the destroyed artworks of a renowned professional artist.

On April 2, 2023, Prince Gogo’s journey on earth ended and he returned to his Creator. To celebrate this exceptional STAR and mark one year of his passing, we immortalised him by erecting a life-size bronze bust of him mounted in front of his house in Owerri where Prefab Galleries is located. The bronze statue was produced by Dr Chile Oparaocha, a professor of sculpture at the Department of Fine Arts and Design, University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria (attached are some of the photos of the bust).

To further immortalise this Art Legend after two years of his passing, we have launched a website in his honour – www.prefabgalleries.com, where we invite everyone to watch a 2009 interview by Africa-Related https://youtu.be/tXquu6670AU aired repeatedly in a couple of Multichoice channels and photo speak https://photos.app.goo.gl/tRTFL5h6RSnTYLcx9 showcasing his art life spanning four scores and nine.

DELA Campus Tour Kicks Off With Pan-Atlantic University

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Patricia Igho, Lagos - Nigeria

The Nigeria leg of the DELA Campus Tour kicked off with the Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos on 20th March 2025. From 10:00 am, the technical crew began setting up at Benin Hall, the theatre style 60-seater venue for the screening

L-R: Standing by on of El Anatsui’s early wood works: Ayodele O. Banjo (DELA Editor/TWPC), Clement Eno, Solomon Nkwagu (Head Corporate Communications, Yemisi Shyllon Museum). and Patricia Igho ( Africa-Related). Photo by Yemisi Shyllon Museum

The DELA Team was given a tour of the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art by the Head Corporate Communications Mr. Solomon Nkwagu. The museum is situated on the campus, where some of El Anatsui's earlier works are part of the its permanent collection. 

The screening was scheduled to take place at 2:00 pm, and students began arriving as early as 1:30 pm, having completed their registration prior to the event. Those students who had classes scheduled in between the start time and the screening later joined the gathering as they were able. Additionally, several members of the staff also made their way to the venue to participate in the event, contributing to the overall atmosphere of engagement and anticipation.

Dr. Añulika Agina, an Associate Professor, Media Studies and MSc Programme Director, made the introductions, and prompted the students to observe a minute of silence for the late Dr. Tom Adaba, who also served as a Senior  Consultant on the film project. 

The screening kicked off about 2:10 pm and ran through to 4pm. The students displayed keen interest and were actively taking notes during the course. Some of the scenes elicited different reactions such as laughter and awe. 

The ‘intense’ Q&A session that followed lasted for an hour and ten minutes. It was an enlightening session, where five students were given the opportunity to ask questions. Mr. Ayodele O. Banjo, the lead editor and co-producer on the project, answered questions that centered on the technical aspects of the documentary i.e filming, music, editing, and personal motivation..  

Q & A Photos with DELA Editor Mr. Ayodele Banjo

The day ended with three copies each of books authored by two participants in the film,  presented to the PAU library and received by Dr. Ajina. The books are 'But For God' by Dr. Tom Adaba and 'A Samson In The Wild' by Bright Andrew Igho.

DELA: The Making of El Anatsui is a biographical documentary about one of the world's greatest sculptors. The Campus Tour aims to bring art and film students closer to the film's subject. The next stop in Nigeria is the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) on April 10, 2025. In Ghana, the tour will screen at the artist’s five alma mater institutions.

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International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

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New York

International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

In 2006, the United Nations General Assembly, through resolution 61/19, recognized that “the slave trade and slavery are among the worst violations of human rights in the history of humanity, bearing in mind particularly their scale and duration” and designated 25 March 2007 as the International Day for the Commemoration of the Two-hundredth Anniversary of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The following year, through resolution 62/122, it designated 25 March as an annual International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, beginning in 2008.

The Ark of Return – The Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of Slavery
and the Transatlantic Slave Trade at the United Nations

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The Ark of Return – Photo by United Nations

Water is Life group exhibition of art and poetry

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Mmiri bụ Ndụ - (Water is Life) group exhibition of art and poetry commemorating the 4th International Conference on Water in Africa by *Our Water and Health Network Africa. Opens at 2 pm Wednesday, 19th March 2025, at the Institute of African Studies Museum, University of Nigeria, Nsukka and runs until Friday, 18th April 2025, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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The long-anticipated solo exhibition Ozioma Onuzulike:

The long-anticipated solo exhibition Ozioma Onuzulike: Who Knows Tomorrow opened to an enthusiastic audience yesterday, 14th March 2025, at the Marc Straus Gallery in New York.

In Ozioma Onuzulike’s workshop in Nsukka, Nigeria, the fiery core of the kiln is a crucible of radical transformation. Within this space, the artist experiments, explores, and forges a universal language - one without a name, yet shared across borders. Here, art transcends national divisions, creating dialogues that connect rather than divide. Using pigments from the UK, clay from Nigeria, and exhibiting in New York, Onuzulike’s work speaks in a boundless, cross- cultural discourse.

A major source of inspiration for Onuzulike’s work is his mentor and teacher, Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui, particularly his series of broken pots from the 1970s. Onuzulike extends these ideas to his art making; his process - cutting, smashing, and subjecting clay to violent force - mirrors historical ruptures, evoking war and colonial exploitation. Fire, both destructive and creative, is central to this narrative, transforming materials in an irreversible act of transmutation.

A recurring motif in Onuzulike’s work is the palm kernel, symbolising Africa’s extracted and discarded resources. Whether human or material, Africa has long been exploited without regard for ethics or sustainability. His work features palm kernel shells, both natural and clay-fabricated, together with glass, evoking Venetian trade beads historically used in transactions, including the transatlantic slave trade. Once a symbol of subjugation, these beads have re-emerged as markers of wealth and status - Onuzulike reclaims them, integrating the legacy of trade into contemporary cultural expression.

Deeply rooted in local traditions that have endured for centuries, Onuzulike draws inspiration from his surroundings, incorporating material and non-material heritage, from the intricate patterns of Kente and Babariga textiles to the impermanent lines of Uli design; from naming his works after figures of political and social significance to naming his heavy creations after types of clothing and armour - a purpose they can never serve. All of this informs his practice, adding layers of historical references and semiotic relationships that are evident not only in the forms and textures of his sculptures but also in their very names.

These themes can be seen in Royal Alkyabba, Onuzulike’s most ambitious work to date, a majestic large-scale cape comprised of over 35,000 individually cast ceramic pieces and palm kernels woven into a glorious tapestry. In another more playful work, FlaMboyant Armour for Femi Falana I, Onuzulike brings new colour, reverence, and humour to his oeuvre, naming the piece after Femi Falana, an important human rights activist in Nigeria, participating in a regional custom of naming children, fashion, and other acquisitions based on the circumstances of their birth or significant events of the time.

Onye ma echi—who knows tomorrow? This Igbo maxim echoes throughout Onuzulike’s work, embodying the unpredictability of history, identity, and transformation. Through ceramics, he navigates a complex web of associations, drawing on traditional practices of making, dressing, naming, and thinking to interrogate the shifting relationships between symbols and meaning. In a world of rapid political and environmental change, his work becomes a discourse on history and resilience, asking what is lost, what is reclaimed, and what the future might hold.

The gallery is proud to present Ozioma Onuzulike’s second solo exhibition in the United States. Onuzulike (b. 1972) is Professor of Ceramics and African Art History, and Director of the Institute of African Studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. His solo exhibitions include Seed Yams Of Our Land at the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Lagos, Nigeria (2019), along with a presentation of his poetry collection of the same title also published by the CCA. His works were included in the exhibition at the Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, UK, arising from the [Re:]Entanglements research project led by Professor Paul Basu. Onuzulike is a fellow of the Civitella Ranieri Centre, Umbertide, Perugia, Italy, where he completed a residency under the UNESCO-ASCHBERG Bursary for Artists. He is a 2011 recipient of the African Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship Award from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) and a 2010 Leventis Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of London Centre of African Studies, SOAS; and an alumnus of the prestigious Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Maine, USA. His work is represented in numerous important collections, including the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, Lagos, Nigeria; Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK; Princeton University Museum, Princeton, NJ; The Design Museum, Munich, Germany; Hudson Valley Museum of Contemporary Art, Peekskill, NY; Donnersberg Collection, France.

Ozioma Onuzulike: Who Knows Tomorrow will remain open until April 26, 2025, at the Marc Straus Gallery, 57 Walker Street, New York, New York, 10013. You may follow the artist’s work on Instagram @ozioma.onuzulike.

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#GloryBeToGod

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AAZE THOMAS ADABA, (OON, KSM, KSGG). Ohi Etohueyi of Ebiraland

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Obituary: Aaze Tom Adaba

AAZE THOMAS ADABA, (OON, KSM, KSGG).

Ohi Etohueyi of Ebiraland

1941-2025

...an undeniable legacy

FUNERAL PROGRAM
(W.A. Time)

Christian Wake/Night of Tribute:
Thursday, 6 March 2025
4:30 pm
Catholic Church of the Archangels, Durumi, Gaduwa Road, Abuja

Lying in State:
Friday, 7 March 2025
8:30 - 9:30 am
45 Constitution Avenue, off Democracy Crescent, Gaduwa Estate, Abuja

Funeral Mass: 
Friday, 7 March 2025
10:00 am
- Catholic Church of the Archangels, Durumi, Gaduwa Road, Abuja
- Christ The King Catholic Church, Okene. 

Interment: 
Friday, 7 March 2025
Immediately after Mass
Gudu Cemetery - Christian Section, Opposite Defence HMO, Apo, Abuja

#tomadabalegacy

Tributes | Life | Gallery | Stories

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FACT SHEET: Designation of International Cartels

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesperson

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For Immediate Release

 FACT SHEET

February 20, 2025

Designation of International Cartels

The United States remains committed to protecting our nation, the American people, and our hemisphere by stopping the campaigns of violence and terror committed by international cartels and transnational organizations.

Today, the Department of State announces the designation of Tren de Aragua (TdA), Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Cártel de Sinaloa, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Cártel del Noreste (CDN), La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM), Cártel de Golfo (CDG), and Cárteles Unidos (CU) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs).

• TdA is a transnational organization that originated in Venezuela with cells in Colombia, Peru, and Chile, with further reports of sporadic presence in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Brazil. This brutal criminal group has conducted kidnappings, extorted businesses, bribed public officials, authorized its members to attack and kill U.S. law enforcement, and assassinated a Venezuelan opposition figure.

• MS-13 is a transnational organization that originated in Los Angeles but shifted to Central America as individuals were deported there from the United States. MS-13 actively recruits, organizes, and spreads violence in several countries, primarily in Central America and North America, including El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States. MS-13 has conducted numerous violent attacks, including assassination and the use of IEDs and drones, against El Salvador government officials and facilities. Additionally, MS-13 uses public displays of violence to intimidate civilian populations to obtain and control territory and manipulate the electoral process in El Salvador.

• Cártel de Sinaloa is a transnational organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico. It is one of the world’s most powerful drug cartels and is one of the largest producers and traffickers of fentanyl and other illicit drugs to the United States. Cártel de Sinaloa has used violence to murder, kidnap, and intimidate civilians, government officials, and journalists.

• CJNG is a transnational organization with a presence in nearly every part of Mexico. In addition to trafficking fentanyl, the group engages in extortion, migrant smuggling, oil and mineral theft, as well as weapons trade. The group has contacts across the Americas, as well as in Australia, China, and Southeast Asia. CJNG has conducted intimidating acts of violence, including attacks on Mexican military and police with military grade weaponry, the use of drones to drop explosives on Mexican law enforcement, and assassinations or attempted assassinations of Mexican officials.

• CDN, formerly known as Los Zetas, is a transnational organization based in northeastern Mexico involved in drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, human smuggling, and other illicit activities. CDN uses violence to exert its criminal control, including attacks against government officials in Mexico.

• LNFM is the successor of the La Familia Michoacana, a violent transnational organization based in the Pacific coast state of Michoacan with operations in the Mexican states Guerrero, Morelos, and Mexico. In addition to drug trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion, LNFM attacks government officials and uses violence, including drone attacks and explosives, to exert its criminal control and terrorize communities.

• CDG is a violent transnational organization based in northeast Mexico involved in drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, human smuggling, and other illicit activities. CDG employs violence, including assassinations of civilians and government officials to intimidate the public and control territory.

• CU is a violent transnational organization that formed from an alliance of multiple cartels and other groups in Michoacán, Mexico. Since its formation, CU has engaged in violent activities which have resulted in numerous civilian, military, and law enforcement casualties.

Terrorist designations expose and isolate entities and individuals, denying them access to the U.S. financial system and the resources they need to carry out attacks. As a result of actions taken today, all property and interests in property of those designated today that are in the United States or that are in possession or control of a U.S. person are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Moreover, designations can assist law enforcement actions of other U.S. agencies and governments.

Today’s actions are taken pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, and Executive Order 13224, as amended.  FTO designations go into effect upon publication in the Federal Register.

Petitioners requesting removal of those designated today from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List should refer to the Department of State’s Delisting Guidance page.

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New Book, ‘A Samson In The Wild’, Reveals Rare Insights into Men’s Struggle

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By Oyiza Adaba, New York

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A Samson In The Wild: Front Cover Design by Uchenna Ohagwu. Illustrated by Bright Igho. Published by Africa-Related

The book aims to inspire and uplift the faith community and serves as a meaningful gift to Men in the Church from the renowned artiste Bright Andrew Igho, also known as B-Elect.

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'A Samson In The Wild' (2nd Edition). Narrated by Onimisi Adaba. Available in audiobook.

'A Samson In The Wild' (2nd Edition) was released posthumously on February 19, 2025 - what would have been the 57th birthday of the multifaceted artiste Bright Andrew Igho, who is better known by his artistic name, B-Elect.

The book delves deeply into years of struggles and ultimately explores the myriad downsides faced by a character named Adrian, who embarks on a tumultuous journey through a wilderness characterized by careless living, all while grappling with his faltering belief in Jesus as his Lord and savior. This tumultuous path ultimately leads him to a final and transformative submission to his true calling.

“B’s message and mission must continue, and I hope this book motivates someone, especially young men, to rethink very important life choices.”

— Patricia N. Igho

‘A Samson In The Wild’ stands out as a powerful narrative rich in its portrayals, insightful character breakdowns, and intriguing stories that captivate the reader's attention. It serves as the author's profound testimony, guiding readers through emotional highs and devastating lows, which ultimately pave the way to redemption. Amidst the themes of defeat, shame, and weakness associated with the experience of ‘backsliding’, hope and optimism remain steadfast and ever-present constants throughout the journey.

“We revived the manuscript two years after his passing, and I made it my personal assignment to bring the book to life,” his widow, Mrs. Patricia N. Igho, said with a sense of purpose. “Imagining it on the shelves of bookstores and homes alike, his powerful message passed on to generations unborn, was my unwavering drive.” They were married for seven years before his untimely demise.

The 218-page turner is set in Nigeria and uses a variety of interesting characters and features, such as poetry, Bible verses, and music/poetry lyrics, to tell an engaging and life-changing story. It was first published in Nigeria by Worital Global and also invited collaborations from the author's friends and family. These include Verdant Zeal’s CEO, Dr. Tunji Olugbodi, who contributed the foreword, as well as Lagos-based visual artist Uchenna ‘Minista Busta’ Ohagwu, who designed the eye-catching book cover; and author/friend Maurice E. Okereke, who provided insightful commentary on the book. The audiobook was narrated by Onimisi Adaba.

Emeka Ejiofor in Nigeria praised the book, saying, "I just read the book and found it interesting with many lessons. I'll recommend it to anyone struggling with moral issues, as it clearly shows the physical and spiritual consequences of those actions.”

B-The Artiste

The Author Bright Andrew Igho a.k.a B-Elect (Photo by Uchenna Ohagwu)

Early ‘Naija Hip Hop’ heads will forever remember ‘B’ as a foundational father of the Hip Hop genre in Nigeria, with the group “Thorobreds”and their award-winning debut track “Street Hop”. The six-pack comprise Elajoe, Tobechukwu ‘Ilbliss’ Ejiofor, Obiora ‘Obiwon’ Nwokolobiagu, Amaka 'Da Chief Rocka’ Nwosu, Bright ‘B-Elect’ Igho and Ikenna ‘MGB’ Ezenriyoha.

His previous materials include “Beats Rhymes and Theology” (2006) and the ground-breaking album "Hard Listeners” (2011).

In seeming preparedness for his eternal departure, Igho delivers a complete package with the thoughtful completion of this book in 2016. That same year, he made a return to the music scene with a fresh, new sound and concept EP titled “The Gospel Truf" (2016), which he described as "a surreal, sporadic, elect-trical flow on sparse piano chords and boombap traditional drums." The material was inspired by profound Biblical insights, his rededication to faith, and served as a prelude to this book, ‘A Samson In the Wild’.

The captivating cover art features characters from the book - two pieces of striking visual paintings taken from the author’s art collection that beautifully accompany the written work.

The 2nd edition of ‘A Samson In the Wild’ is available online from February 19, 2025, in ebook, audiobook and paperback versions. New York production house Africa-Related is tagged to produce a screen adaptation of the book in 2026.

About the Author
Bright Andrew Igho a.k.a B-Elect (February 19, 1968 - June 8, 2019) left a significant impact on the Nigerian art and music scene through his multifaceted talents as a prolific writer, poet, rap enthusiast and visual artist. He attained critical success with his unique writing style and thought-provoking lyrics. His previous materials include “Beats Rhymes and Theology” (2006) and the ground-breaking album "Hard Listeners” (2011). He returned with a fresh new sound and concept EP “The Gospel Truf" (2016). His first published book, ‘A Samson In The Wild’, was released posthumously on June 12, 2024. His legacy and influence continue to be felt in global creative space, through his work and wife Mrs. Patricia Ndidi Igho.

About the Publisher
Africa-Related Inc., is the 2nd edition publisher, and is a dynamic media content production house that operates in both Nigeria and the United States. The production house is dedicated to sharing and highlighting stories from an authentic African perspective. Africa-Related consistently delivers on excellence at every stage of the process, from concept to final distribution. Author Contact

Photos: B-Elect Legacy

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MESSENGERS

Learn more about B-Elect featured in Season 4 of the TV series MESSENGERS. Coming in Q2 2025. Subscribe to @africarelatedinc for notifications. 

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HIGHLIGHTS: DELA at MoCA CT

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Africa-Related - WestPort, CT

A special screening of DELA: The Making of El Anatsui was presented as part of Black History Month event series organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Westport Connecticut. This compelling biographical documentary explores the life and work of El Anatsui, one of Africa’s most celebrated sculptors.

DELA offers an intimate look into Anatsui’s groundbreaking contributions to contemporary art, his mentorship of a generation of West African artists, and his transformative role in his local community. The film delves into the profound simplicity and complexity of his monumental creations, highlighting his journey of triumphs and trials. The title, "Dela," meaning "Deliverer" in the Ewe language, encapsulates his impact on art and culture.

Following the screening, filmmaker Oyiza Adaba had an engaging Q&A session with the audience, that covered the film’s subject and impact, production process, collaborations and storytelling.

This event kicks off the award-winning documentary’s 2025 tour of a select global art/academic institutions, including Prof. Anatsui’s alma maters in Ghana, the top art Universities in Nigeria, as well as colleges and art institutions in the South Africa, Israel, France and the United States.

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Metrópolis - DART 2024

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DELA: The Making of El Anatsui

Directed by Oyiza Adaba

Featured on RTVE Spain's Metropolis programme. (19.00-23.35). Other notable art films showcased at Dart Barcelona were, Jeff Koons: A Private Portrait, Jean Cocteau, and Renzo Marten's "The White Cube" etc.

https://www.rtve.es/play/videos/metropolis/dart-2024/16434542/

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Submission Open: One World Media Awards 2025

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Celebrating underreported stories from around the world

One World Media is looking for impactful journalism in print, digital media, audio, film and broadcast mediums, as well as feature and short documentaries that raise awareness of global and local issues, covering underreported topics or offering new approaches to more familiar stories. Additionally, since last year we opened the “Innovative Storytelling” category for media using new technologies and platforms, such as TikTok, gaming, data, VR, AR, XR or AI.

Free entries are available for students who are from and based in the global south and for organisations interested in entering the “Press Freedom” category. Discounts are available for those in the global south for all categories, please see the website for details.

You can read all about the application process and enter a submission here.

The deadline for entries is 6 February 2025 at 17:00 GMT+1.

https://oneworldmedia.org.uk/awards/

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