WHO: FOSE

WHAT: African Fashion Week

WHEN: October 20- October 23, 2016

WHERE: Houston, Texas

Modern, opulence and style are three words we would use to describe African Fashion Week Houston (AFWH). 

We had come in contact with the CEO of African Fashion Week Houston (AFWH) Nkem Oji-Alala last year through mutual friends and he told us about his vision for the African community through AFWH. We admired his tenacity and determination, so we knew we couldn’t miss this year’s event. African Fashion Week was a 4-day event from October 20th to 23rd showcasing pieces from rising and established African designers, workshops and lounge events. It serves as a display of a combination of cultural African materials and attires with a trendy influence. A few of the designers spotlighted this year included Tribalot, Tribe of Dumo, Backseat Love, Kastoji Kouture, House of Takura and Detola Designs.

Due to our crazy schedule, we were only able to attend The Unspoken Narrative- A Fashion Showcase event that took place on October 23rd at the Ayva Center. The event was hosted by award-winning Nigerian artist, Emma Nyra and Nigerian personality, Tobi Nwigwe. They kept the event highly engaging and upbeat.

 We collaborated with Nigerian designer, Izu Madubueze of Uhuru Designz to display one of his kente blouses at the event. The blouses spoke for themselves, as people continuously inquired about them throughout the night. Uhuru Designz offers highly chic and classy African outfits and accessories. Izu is such a talented and hard-working young man with a passion for fashion. You can purchase one of his designs online from www.uhurudesignz.com

There wasn’t a single item that came down the AFWH runway that we didn’t like! The outfits were stylish and of such high quality/ intricate design. A job well done to the designers. Now…where do we place our orders?

WHO: African Muzik Magazine

WHAT: African Muzik Magazine Awards

WHEN: October 15, 2016

WHERE: Dallas, Texas

If you weren’t at AFRIMMA 2016, we don’t know where you were oh!

The African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) is a yearly event organized by Mr. Anderson Obiagwu (CEO of Big A Ent and African Muzik Magazine) to acknowledge African and International artists and personalities in the entertainment industry.

We made our way to Dallas on October 14th and were greeted by the fabulous AFRIMMA team with a plate of Aso Rock restaurant’s jollof rice and chicken. Deliciousness!

After resting our eyes for a few hours, we got an early start to the morning. We got a sneak peek of Nigerian award-winning choreographer Kaffy’s dance rehearsal with the latest Igbo rapper on the scene Zoro. All we remember is that the footwork and dance moves were so intricate that we clearly understood why we were behind the camera. Lol!

We made our way to The Black Academy of Arts and Letters where the awards ceremony was being held later in the evening. We set up our interview spot on the red carpet and were ready to roll! We got to interview artists such as 2 Baba (Nigeria), Bisa Kdei (Ghana), Stanley Enow (Cameroon) and much more! Oh…yal know we had to ask Kaffy about that rooster for her House of Maliq magazine cover shoot. Lol! As we were just able to get the full gist, one uncle who was coordinating the red carpet interviews started shouting “One question only!” Jesuit! He cut the interview and warned us severely about the 30 second interview time per artist. Why he no warn us earlier nah? Chai! Even though he caught us off guard, we quickly learnt our lesson and were able to execute the rest of the interviews flawlessly.

After the red carpet session, we made our way into the awards ceremony and caught the rest of the performances/ award presentations. Big ups to the boys of Sauti Sol who stole our hearts with their breathtaking performance! It was an outstanding show and we were elated to cover this spectacular event.

WHO: NOFF

WHAT: 27th New Orleans Film Festival

WHEN: October 12 - October 20

WHERE: New Orleans, Louisiana

We attended the opening ceremony of the 27th New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF) that took place on October 12th at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, LA (our home base). The New Orleans Film Festival is organized by the non-profit organization; New Orleans Film Society in an effort to seek out bold and passionate storytellers. 

Rob Reiner (Actor/ Director) who snagged the NOFF Career Achievement Award 2016, Woody Harrelson (Actor/ Emmy Award winner) and Terry Dale Parks (Actor) were a few A-list guests that attended the opening ceremony. Guests were ushered into the event space for the screening of LBJ.

After the movie screening, the Kinfolk Brass Band escorted guests with a second line performance to the Palace Café for dinner which was led by Woody Harrelson. Second line is a traditional New Orleans mini parade that incorporates brass instruments and a native dance style. Even though we no fit dance because we dey snap photo, it was a surreal experience to be a part of! It was quite a thrilling and enjoyable experience.

WHO: Nigerians in New York

WHAT: 56th Nigerian Independence Celebration

WHEN: September 29th - October 1

WHERE: New York, New York

Hands down! This was our best Nigerian Independence Celebration yet! My oh my…where do we begin? The Organization of Advanced Nigeria (OAN) organize a massive yearly 3-day event to celebrate Nigeria’s Independence Day in New York. It kicks off with a mixer, followed by Cultural Night and finishes off with a Parade. We were blessed with the opportunity to attend the event this year.

We had plans of attending the Welcome Mixer on September 29th, but were honestly too tired to get up when we made it to our hotel. We arrived in the evening and the ride to the hotel was way too strenuous. We got a fresh start to the morning with an interview with the highly entertaining Danish/ Afro-inspired comedian Ellen (popularly recognized as ellenbaby89) and the Instagram fitness sensation Scott Bernard (body_by_burnhard). We chatted about what they’ve been up to and future plans in New York. Stay tuned for the videos on our YouTube channel: dashikidiaries

Since we missed the first night’s festivities, we knew we had to be at the Cultural Night which took place at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center later that evening on September 30th. Now…that was a show! Young ladies and gentlemen competed for the OAN Mr. and Mrs. Nigeria competition. They performed cultural dances, poetry and had an African fashion show segment. Congratulations to Mr. Edo and Miss. Lagos! How dare we forget that the best MC in town; Young Prince kept the night ever so entertaining with his engaging and quite humorous performance.

Now…we were most excited about the Nigerian Independence Parade which kicked off at 10:00AM between 54th Street and 2nd Avenue. Our friends over at Africalabash Entertainment (New York’s #1 Nightlife Producer) hosted us on their float and made it an experience never to be forgotten. Prince Ademola (popularly referred to as the King of African Parties) emceed during the ride down New York streets and DJ Manny O kept us on our feet all the way through with the baddest Afrobeats jams! We were so happy to get somewhat of a tour on the float, since we hadn’t toured around the city much with our busy schedule for the weekend. We got to see the Consulate General of Nigeria in New York for the first time which was filled with our fellow brothers, sisters, cousins, aunties and uncles waiting for us to pass by.

 After we got off the float, we made our way to 44th Street where the Nigerian festival was being held at. There were various vendors with food, drinks and Nigerian apparel. Walaahi, it was the closest thing we’ve experienced to Wuse Market and we loved it! Various Nigerian dignitaries were recognized during the festival for their works within the Nigerian and New York community. Nollywood legend, Clarion Chukwura was also acknowledged during the event. Nigerian heartthrob, Ayo Jay was the special guest performer and gave an outstanding show. You know it’s real when the young girls want to jump past the barricades! 

Some people may have thought that we would call it a night and head off back to New Orleans, na lie be that! Once again, our friends at Africalabash Entertainment couldn’t let that happen. They organized the annual Green Passport Afterparty with a few other African promoters in the city and made it clear that it was an event not to be missed. How could we disappoint our friends nah? We made our way back to the hotel and quickly switched up our outfits. When we tell you those brothers, sisters and cousins we met earlier at the Consulate of Nigeria were partying with us that night, you wouldn’t believe it. It was a fully packed event! After a few adult beverages in our system and partially losing our minds on the dancefloor, we knew closed out our New York weekend properly.

New York don’t owe us nothing!

WHO: African Leaders Council (ALC) & Africans In Orlando (AIO)

WHAT: ALC Gala/ Awards & AIO Social Africana

WHEN: September 2nd – September 3rd

WHERE: Wyndham Resort Hotel, Orlando, Florida

WHY: We must start off by applauding Mr. Austin Okai of Africans In Orlando (AIO) and The African Leaders Council (ALC) for putting together this exclusive event. Rumor had it that Mr Okai puts his best foot forward once the clock strikes midnight and we came to realize that this was no joke! The Labor Day weekend kicked off for us at the ALC Gala/ Awards ceremony that took place on Saturday, September 2nd. This invite-only event took place at the City Hall in Orlando, Florida. It comprised of various African acts; poems, dances, drumming and Afrobeats music by DJ Baboo of Nigeria based in Tampa, Florida. ALC gave recognition to several African businesses/ enterprises for their outstanding performances within the United States. There was also a vast range of African cuisine from Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Liberia and much more, so you know say we chop well well.

Social Africana organized by AIO brought in several familiar faces from the ALC Gala/Awards night on September 3rd. It took place at Kokino Tapas and Cocktails located in the heart of Orlando, Florida. Kokino is known for their fusion of international flavors and upscale ultra-lounge scenery. The night was led by Afrobeats DJ Romaric of Togo based in Tampa, Florida.

Catch more of the official photos/videos & recap on the link below.

WHO: Ovacom Media

WHAT: Ibadan Descendants Union INC Convention 2016

WHEN: Thursday, Sept 1st to Mon Sept 5th

WHERE: Wyndham Resort Hotel, Orlando, Florida

WHY: The Dashiki Diaries team served as official media partners for The Ibadan Descendants Union INC Convention 2016 organized by Ovacom Media. This event is a bi-annual gathering that brings together Nigerians from the Ibadan state of the Yoruba tribe around the United States. The event featured a hospitality night, chapter meetings and gala night. There were various dignitaries from Ibadan State in the United States, Nigeria and beyond who were recognized at the event for their accomplishments and efforts to within the Nigerian community. 

Aunty (pronounced An-tee) Victoria of Ovacom Media did an outstanding job with this event. Conventions can honestly be quite dulling at times, but not this one! She had an answer to every question and a solution for every challenge. How dare we forget the energetic Ibadan crowd that made this a fun-filled gathering? We shared numerous outbursts of laughter and comedic stories with one another during those few days at the convention. This family affair was an experience like no other. Let's not forget, we did find some time to “actually” get our jobs done. Remember the saying “All work and no play, makes the Dashiki Diaries team a dull duo”? 

Catch more of the official photos/videos & recap by clicking on the link below.

WHO: N-K Entertainment. Instagram | @nk_entertainment

WHAT: N-K Entertainment organized the “First Ever African All White Party” in New Orleans, LA. The event featured the DJ Duo- EelSauce and KA2A who played Afrobeats, Soca and Afro-Caribbean music.

WHERE: The event took place at The Venusian Gardens which is one of the top rental spots in downtown New Orleans, LA. The space is recognized for its luminous jellyfish accents and neon glass artwork.

WHEN: The exclusive event took place on May 26, 2015 between the hours of 9pm-2am

WHY: Everyone loves a party and there’s nothing more exclusive than an “All White Party”. What did we not get into that night? From the atmosphere, to the photo booth from Booth504, to the classy all-white attire, this event was one that couldn’t easily be forgotten. DJ EelSauce and KA2A kept the dance floor buzzing throughout the night with a broad selections of international music and beats. The Venusian Gardens is one of the most unique and colorful event locations with a rustic feel located in downtown New Orleans and definitely made this event stand out from the rest.