NAIROBI'Z BLOGAZINE: November 2012

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Ngoma Africa Band, a German based Tanzanian band is now one of the oldest and most successful Africans bands in Germany

Many African bands in Europe hardly survive for more than a year. Yet Ngoma Africa Band, founded by Ebrahim Makunja aka Ras Makunja in 1993, is still growing stronger.

The band plays "Bongo Dance", which is a unique combination of traditional and modern Tanzanian rhythms with Soukous and Rumba. All theirs songs are in Kiswahili.

Ngoma Africa Band has released several successful hits including “Mama Kimwaga” (Sugar Mummy), “Anti-Corruption Squad” and “Apache wacha Pombe” (Stop over drinking).

In 2010 Ngoma Africa Band released a single in praise of Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete. The song titled “Jakaya Kikwete 2010” praises Mr. Kikwete’s good leadership skills and commitment to fight corruption.

On 12th August 2012, Ngoma Africa Band received the International Diaspora Award (IDA) at the International African Festival Tubingen 2012, Germany, for their hard work in promoting East African music throughout Europe.

Ms. Susan Muyang Tatah, CEO of the International African Festival Tubingen 2012 said Ngoma Africa Band was also chosen for the Award because of their creative performance on stage. It’s difficult to resist dancing at their concerts, she said.

This year the band released a new CD titled "Bongo Tambarare" featuring "Supu ya Mawe" and "Uhuru wa Habari". The new release is already dominating air waves in Tanzania.

"Supu ya Mawe" advices the listeners to work hard and be patient while pursuing their objectives in life. It also appeals for generosity towards the needy.

"Uhuru wa Habari" praises African journalists who are bold enough to speak out the truth in environments where freedom of speech is quite limited.

Ngoma Africa Band is famous for staging thrilling shows in festivals in different parts of Europe. The band’s joyful female dancers, wearing traditional costumes and dancing vigorously to their tunes, always leave fans asking for more.

Ngoma Africa Band is composed of talented young musicians including soloist Christian Bakotessa aka Chris-B, Said Vuai, Matondo Benda, Jonathan Sousa, A-Jay, Richard Makutima, Bedi Beraca "Bella" and Jessy Ouyah.

For further information about Ngoma Africa Band and to listen to their music, please visit

www.ngoma-africa.com.

Monday, November 19, 2012

LIKE FOOTBAL; KENYAN RUGBY CAN ATTRACT FANS BACK TO PLAYING GROUNDS

SOCCER IS A GAME PLAYED BY GENTLEMEN AND WATCHED BY HOOLIGANS…RUGBY IS A GAME PLAYED BY HOOLIGANS AND WATCHED BY GENTLEMEN!”

-Kenyan Prime Minister; Raila Odinga.

I recall hearing the above saying. I don’t know what he meant by that and though I’ve thought about it long enough, I’ve not been able to unravel the full mystery of those words.

Now, today, this very moment, I remember reading a piece on the Daily Nation by Clay Muganda-“Like Football, Cricket Can Attract Fans Back to Playing Grounds” (Monday November 12Th; 2012). And I wish by his personal permission to borrow some insights from him.

After 232 matches, the league chase was finely balanced on a needle point going into the final day of the season. Even though chaos erupted after the football match between Gor Mahia and Thika United at Nairobi’s City Stadium; there is no denying the fact that there was much excitement across the country on Saturday for the climatic end.

Scenes that were witnessed in different football grounds around the world in different football grounds around the country were unimaginable a few years ago, when people lost both the faith in local football and the verve to go to stadia during matches.

For a moment there, local football had more or less died a natural death; suffocated by the unending wrangles and poor management by selected officials of both the clubs and the federation.

But gradually, people started streaming into the playing grounds, and corporate bodies saw the need to put their names on jerseys and local football resurrected.

As it rose from the dead; it awakened the pan-African TV channel Super sport which saw the business end of the local league and brought in its equipment so that the rest of Africa could join in the party.

With the entry of shirt sponsors and the broadcasters, local football has become fun and those who used to avoid the grounds for fear of violence are now treating local encounters as social events.

The same statements were echoed by Mr. Peter Abuoga- an administrator for the Kenya Harlequins Rugby club. The reverse is true about rugby. I sat with Mr Abuoga and heard his heart-wish to see rugby return to its glorious years.

The grounds rarely fill up even though charges are affordable. A match pitting Kenya Harlequins at the RFUEA grounds is levied at 300 bob-with a free lunch pack attachment. RFUEA can comfortably host over 2,000 fans and that is proof that as long as there is no hype, even promises of free entry or free lunch packs will not draw crowds.

It is not that rugby is a hated sport- on the contrary Safaricom Sevens is a good proof that Kenyans indeed love rugby but any rugby enthusiasts will tell you that back of any country is not in their sevens rugby but in their fifteens because that is where literally “ real men are separated from the buys.”

It is not that rugby is difficult to understand- a complicated sport of flankers, scrum halves, tries or set pieces- but it is either because people rarely know when the matches are played, or whether they are played at all.

A lot has been said about ways through which crowds can be “enticed “back to rugby grounds. And with this, I take time to put a call to Mr Arigi of the Ministry Of Rugby website on the need to revive back the website and the famous Elliptic awards. What about the planned fans’ retreats? We need to see more of that! But top of the agenda, still remains proper publicity, not only from the media side but also from rugby enthusiast out there via social media sites and blogs. But this alone cannot work unless there is some “value added services” in the grounds.

Granted rugby, like cricket is a gentleman’s game with drinks and lunch breaks, but even the gentlemen and their beautiful ladies can do with a little bit of extra fun on the sidelines, socializing and entertainment on the by-stands.

I long to see the sideshows that the football season had this year make a comeback to rugby- helmets with graffiti to urge the boys on to greater heights of performance; the braggadocio display of jerseys like the “K’ogalo Green Army”; the dancing and attractive sweeties like those of Sofapaka; the loud and sexy K’orgilo Divas or the pretty Ingwelets.

But above all; it will be a great joy to see the new phenomenon; the genesis of the “travelling fan” and the owning of our community rugby clubs by fans; where fans will come out with zeal and passion. Where fans will weep tears of pain after a loss and tears of joy after an overwhelming win; then we will culminate again over drinks and celebrate the win and the loss.

Let us return the “golden years” of this golden game of ours called rugby!

Friday, November 16, 2012

K’OGALO FANS PUT WORDY PROSE ON SHIRTS

By Tom Osanjo

Sportsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com

While Gor Mahia were a prominent part of a powerful three- figure cast that starred in a dramatic season-ending battle; their fans provided a vivid supporting troupe that would be fit for an Oscar award.

There is no other team in this part of the world whose fans are so full of braggadocio, fully displayed on their favorite jerseys than Gor Mahia’s.

Where else would you find a lady donning the white and green jersey with the words “jaber” (the beautiful one) proudly displayed at the back? And next to her yet another declaring that she was a “Diva”?

In the beginning there were just names at the back of the jerseys. So you could go to the stadium and find names like Otieno; Onyango; Kisero or Jacky written in bold.

But then the creative ones came to town and the face of the jerseys changed forever. The bold ones called themselves all manner of names. That is how you would find a “Governor” seated side by side with “Jakom: (chairman).

In Gor matches; you would find men and women declaring the names of their spouses on their jerseys. For those with special attachments to their children; you would find names like “Baba Denno” and such like on their jerseys.

If you wanted further proof that men are usually proud of their mothers, then you needed to attend a k’ogalo match.

“Wuod Adhiambo” (Adhiambo’s son) is one guy who was always present at the matches. Some however wanted to tell the world their roots; “Nyar Kateng” is one I spotted and the lady was just saying that she was the daughter of a place called Karateng’.

As U.s president Obama won re-election, Gor supporters were basking in the glory of their kin extending his stay at the White House for four more years. One jersey read;

G or

O bama

R aila

At the weekend, jersey written “Jakogelo” 9the man from kogelo) or simply “wuod gi Obama” (Obama’s Kinsman) were all over town. “Tin to Ler” is a name you would find emblazoned on many women’s jerseys. Although sounding English, the name is as Luo as they come. What the lady was declaring was that she was small but very neat.

And then there are those that came with whiff of anti-conformist messages; “Atar lakini aliet” (I might be dry- skinned but am hot) were just but a few examples. And if you thought the messages are only meant for one community; you are mistaken.

There was this one of a white guy that read; “Mlami Mambo Bad” which is sheng for the Whiteman who is “bad news”.

-this story first appeared on the Daily Nation Newspaper; Monday November 12^th 2012.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

NADIA COLLECTIONS: TELLING THE AFRICAN STORY THROUGH AFRICAN ATTIRE FASHION DESIGNS

o some Nadia may be an upcoming talented fashionista but to her peers and lovers of her design work, Nadia is an enigma, a household name and a force worth reckoning. Today we feature some of her highly profiled designs. With her roots traced in the Congo, Nadia has found an acceptable fashion home away from home here in Nairobi Kenya. Today, we tell her story with valve and passion, the best way we know how to!