General News
NativeLand and AfroNation: A Tale of Two Cultures?
By Austin Okere
As we start a new year 2020, it is expedient to take stock of the gains in the bourgeoning creatives industry in West Africa’s two biggest economies; Nigeria and Ghana, given their increasing contribution to the GDP of both countries.
Austin Okere
Penultimate December 2018 was a groundswell period in the evolution of young African Artistes in the region. It was also the great year of collaboration between local artistes and their international counterparts of African descent.
The major musical concerts in Lagos and Accra were NativeLand and AfroNation respectively. NativeLand, whose traditional home is the Muri Okunola Park in Lagos is in its fourth year. It is put together by lifestyle platform Native Magazine, founded by Seni Saraki and Teezee to cater mostly to teenagers and young adults, many studying overseas and returning home for the holidays.
AfroNationon the other hand is billed as the first festival to celebrate the African Diaspora and is organised by 34-year-old Nigerian promoter from Dagenham who goes by the name SMADE – real name Adesegun Adeosun Jr. alongside his business partner, Obi Asika.
They rotate their concerts in different countries. The debut event which held on the beaches of Portimao, Portugal, saw 20,000 people of African descent gather for four days of festival, featuring live music from Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Jamaica, the UK and the US.
To consolidate on the solid foundation laid in the penultimate year 2018, both organisers advertised much bigger versions of their shows for Dec 2019. AfroNation opted to host their festival at Laboma Beach at Accra, Ghana, while NativeLand opted to continue at their traditional location in Lagos.
First off the block was NativeLand with a supposed star studded event at the Muri Okunola Park. Like the previous edition in 2018, where the advertised headliner Burna Boy was a no-show, many of the major acts advertised in 2019 also did not show up.
Some claimed that sound quality and other technical issues forced them to cancel . Just for context, this park is at a very busy traffic intersection with very limited crowd capacity and no provision for parking.
It is at best a good location for small to medium sized outdoor events. For some strange reason, the organizers oversold tickets by multiples of the park’s capacity.
The inevitable happened. The park was full to the extent that there was no blade of grass left for an extra person to stand on, and there was still a very large crowd outside waiting to be admitted. In fact, the VIP tickets were so oversold that the stage housing them collapsed, sending them onto an inelegant mangled sprawl on the ground.
The crowd outside surged in a throng and the gate fell. The security personnel hired to man the single gate serving as entrance and exit, went into overdrive, hitting and kicking the paying customers, aka “the crowd” with horse whips and boots.
A stampede ensured, many people fell and were trampled, many lost their eye glasses. Mobile phones, wigs and other customer valuables were snatched. The scenario could best be described as luring people to a rendezvous and then inviting mayhem upon them. Many went home with bruises and lot more ended up in hospitals with broken bones.
The AfroNation event at Accra was an entirely different matter. It was a four day show packed with local and international artistes and timed to coincide with the “year of return” theme of the government of Ghana, wherein Africans in Diasporas are encouraged to return to the continent.
According to Wikipedia, up to 1.5 million tourists were expected in Ghana by the end of the year 2019, with up to 1.9 billion dollars also expected to be accrued in revenue as a result of the Year of Return activities.
The event was very well advertised and organised and was so popular that you could hardly get a flight or hotel room in Accra if you left your booking till three months to the event. The huge success of the 2019 version of Afronation was no surprise.
In their debut in Portugal, no expense was spared when it came to acts, and it boasted performances from Afrobeats and Bashment icons such as Burna Boy, Davido, Busy Signal and Buju Banton. Notable black British artists also graced the stage, such as J Hus, Ms Dynamite, Stefflon Don, Octavian, Mostack and Ms Banks. All the acts advertised in 2019 showed up to perform. This will no doubt solidify the platform for a successful AfroNation 2020; but wither NativeLand 2020?
The major puzzle is that both events were organized by Nigerians; one at Accra, Ghana and the other in Lagos, Nigeria. Is this down to a tale of two cities and their cultures? The Sahara Reporters’ headline; “Police Dismiss Officer Over Killing Of Man At Wizkid’s Concert” was very telling.
The victim attending the Starboy concert at the Eko Atlantic Energy City at Victoria Island, Lagos was shot dead after a heated argument outside the premises. The fact that the same Wizkid performed at AfroNation at Accra without incident fully makes the point.
I attended the AfroNation concert on Sunday Dec 29 at Laboma Beach. The set up was very much like any large concert in Europe or America. There were ambulances, enough conveniences and a generally pleasant party ambiance. Oh! I forgot to add that I did not encounter a single “area boy” or miscreant at the event or in the car park when I was leaving at 3.30am. There was no report of stampede, shooting or death.
While I commend the entrepreneurial spirit of the young men behind NativeLand, they have to learn the ropes about patience in building a brand, offering customer value and reaping full benefits sustainably. The flawed shortcut mentality of maximizing profit at all costs and taking customers for granted is not sustainable in the long-term.
The organisers of NativeLand put out a revised apology statement on twitter a day after the event which was still generally regarded as short on remorse and with no genuine intention to recompense. Without restitution, how can they learn to be accountable, and ensure that this disaster does not repeat in the future.
“Our Youth are our future, we cannot afford to play ostrich while they fall astray. It is not too late to do the right thing. Their progenitors and anybody who wishes them well should advise them to robustly come forward and be the men they want to become when they “grow up”.
As a nation, we need to re-examine the culture of aggression and lawlessness in our cities that has become a major disincentive to tourism and badly needed investments.
Austin Okere is the Founder of CWG Plc, the largest ICT Company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange & Entrepreneur in Residence at CBS, New York. Austin also serves on the Advisory Board of the Global Business School Network, and on the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Innovation and Intrapreneurship. Austin now runs the Ausso Leadership Academy focused on Business and Entrepreneurial Mentorship
The Nigerian government has launched the Virtual Privacy Academy, a new digital training platform designed to deepen data protection and privacy policies in the private and public sectors.
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, unveiled the initiative during the 8th annual conference of the Network of African Data Protection Authorities, which began yesterday in Abuja.
The three-day conference, titled “Balancing Innovation in Africa: Data Protection and Privacy in Emerging Technologies,” drew attendees from over 30 African countries, as well as Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States.
Dr. Tijani emphasised that the academy is part of Nigeria’s strategy to capitalise on the benefits of the digital economy by providing actors with the tools they need to navigate hazardous data governance landscape.
According to Tijani, this project would provide Nigerians with the opportunity to gain practical skills in data protection.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, highlighted Nigeria’s recent data governance milestones during his address.
He stated that the Commission had completed over 5,000 compliance assessments, opened 223 investigations, and assisted 12 organisations with rehabilitation.
Dr. Olatunji urged African countries who have yet to pass data protection laws to do so, emphasizing that “strong data protection frameworks are not barriers to innovation, but enablers of a resilient and inclusive digital economy.”
Treepz, Africa’s leading corporate mobility startup, has announced an exclusive partnership with Miva Open University, Nigeria’s premier open university. Under this agreement, Treepz becomes Miva’s official transportation provider, delivering services across key cities, including Lagos, Abuja, Uyo, Port Harcourt, and Jos.
L-R: Sani Chanchangi, Business Development Manager, Treepz; Godwin Okpe, Community & Engagement Manager, Miva Open University; Florence Sulyman-Boboye, Global Vice President of Business Development and People, Treepz; Oluwole Adeniji, Manager, Corporate Services, Miva Open University
As Miva Open University expands its academic and administrative presence across Nigeria, Treepz will provide on-demand access to premium vehicles for staff transportation, guest logistics, special events, and official university functions. With a fleet that includes SUVS, Coaster buses, and luxury vehicles, Treepz ensures that all mobility needs are handled with reliability and professionalism.
“This partnership is a strategic move that helps us stay focused on what we do best—delivering accessible and flexible education,” said Oluwole Adeniji, Admin Operations Manager at Miva University. “With Treepz handling our transportation across the country, we can scale confidently, knowing our staff, guests, and stakeholders are moving safely and efficiently.”
On Treepz’s end, Johnny Enagwolor, Co-Founder and President at Treepz, noted that the partnership comes at a pivotal moment, allowing Miva, a forward-thinking institution, to prioritise its core mission of delivering quality education, while Treepz efficiently manages a wide range of its inter-city mobility needs.
“By providing a tailored transport service, Treepz aims to alleviate the logistical burdens of institutions, ensuring Miva University operate at its best.
“At Treepz, we understand the importance of reliable and efficient transport services in driving organisational success. Our goal is to provide Miva with the most comfortable, safe, and convenient transportation solutions possible,” Johnny added. We are committed to providing high-quality, safe, and reliable transportation solutions that support Miva’s mission and contribute to its ongoing success.
Furthermore, we recall that Treepz commemorated its fifth anniversary on September 16th, 2024. Over the past five years, the startup has made notable progress in addressing the continent’s transportation challenges through innovative, tailored solutions.
Treepz has also established itself as a key player in the African mobility industry, with more than 6 million customers served, consistently expanding its services and strategic partnerships to meet the evolving needs of corporate clients.
Recent partnerships with industry leaders such as Parallex Bank and KingMakers (owners of BetKing) have enabled Treepz to provide efficient transportation solutions to complete millions of employee commutes with their shared transportation service.
These accomplishments highlight Treepz’s growing influence and its commitment to revolutionizing corporate mobility and enhancing transportation experiences across the continent.
For more information about Treepz and its corporate travel services, kindly visit www.treepz.com
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said that the Afreximbank would invest $19 billion to fund the African Energy Bank.
He said the $19 billion would go a long way toward tackling and overcoming energy poverty, driving economic growth, and improving the lives of millions of people.
The minister disclosed this while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Pavilion, hosted by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, U.S with the theme “Africa’s Energy Renaissance: Leveraging Innovation and Natural Gas for Sustainable Development.”
He said that by pooling resources, African countries can invest in large-scale energy projects.
Also, the minister stressed the need for Africa to develop cohesive policies tailored to its unique circumstances, warning that fragmented approaches would be ineffective in addressing the escalating energy deficit.
“This conference is not a jamboree. It is a platform for Nigeria, and by extension, Africa — to showcase its vast potential,” Lokpobiri said.
He underscored the importance of regional collaboration, highlighting the Africa Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) as a strategic entity established to devise shared solutions for the continent’s energy challenges.
According to him, the prevailing global discourse on energy transition is largely influenced by geopolitical considerations.
In response to this challenge, he announced that APPO is in the process of establishing the African Energy Bank to bridge funding gaps and ultimately free the continent from energy poverty.
During a meeting with his Ghanaian counterpart, Lokpobiri advised Ghana to draw lessons from Nigeria’s past experiences in the energy sector, particularly in avoiding early missteps.
In his address, Ghana’s Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Mr John Abdullahi, acknowledged Nigeria’s leading role in the region.
He stated that while Ghana is a relatively new player in the oil and gas sector, it is eager to learn from Nigeria’s experiences and reforms, especially in the areas of local content development and climate policy.
“We will continue to consult Nigeria as we build a successful oil and gas industry. The collaboration between both countries remains strong. For his part, PETAN Chairman Wole Ogunsanya emphasised the significance of Nigeria’s presence at OTC.
He said: “This year’s event, under the Nigerian Pavilion, is set to highlight Africa’s growing role in the global energy sector.
“OTC 2025 promises to bring together top-tier industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders at the world’s largest energy event.”
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