African Drum Festival: MTN reverberates support for African Arts and Culture

We live in exceptionally modernised times where we have to make a conscious effort to hold on to our African heritage and culture. Folklore, music, dance, and the likes which were a form of entertainment for Africans have now been replaced with television, video games and social media. Seeing as we are Africans, there is a need to revive our culture via any means necessary.

The significance of drums to Africans cannot be overemphasised. Music formed a part of the African experience before many, if not all, other civilisations were even born. Music is deeply woven into the fabric of African life, and drums are the primordial musical instruments. The use of drums do not belong to any one culture or tribe; it is an African Heritage.

In a bid to preserve our African Culture through drums, MTN Nigeria, a firm supporter of African arts and culture sponsored the 3-day annual African Drum Festival which was held in Abeokuta, Ogun state, Nigeria in April. The African Drum festival was created majorly to promote cultural ties among Africans.

This year’s festival had as its theme, ‘Drumming the Future’ and featured many master drummers across the continent. Drummers like Dennis Kirimi Ngurwe, Luc Yatchokeu, Landry Louoba, Ara and many others, performed live at the African Drum Festival. A total of 23 African countries, 18 states, and 71 independent troupes are participating in this year’s festival.

Since its inception, the African Drum Festival has continued to engender cultural reawakening in Africa on shared values, and fraternal solidarity within the African region and MTN has always been a keen supporter of the festival.

 

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