By Matthew Shaw/se news editor
Reggae, dance and hip-hop by Nigerian musician Duncan Mighty blared in the North Ballroom for students coming to Africa Unleashed, a showcase sponsored by the SE African Culture Club April 3.
Many of the songs played were contemporary, including “Caro” by Wizkid, “Alkiyida” by Guru, “Nek-Unek” by MC Galaxy and “Skelewu” by Davido.
“Those are the songs that are hot right now,” disc jockey George Luke said.
A drum performance by SE student Ian Asibey had some people in the audience standing up and clapping in beat. Asibey played drums to “Sunshine Girl,” a reggae song by J Boog.
“[Reggae is] a genre that’s really popular among Africans,” he said.
A group called The Azonto Boys did a dance performance. Princess Opoku, who danced with the group and is currently a senior at Bowie High School in Arlington, said Azonto is a style of dance from Ghana.
Opoku said the audience kept her nerves under control.
“They kept my energy up,” she said.
A “Skelewu” dance competition drew some members of the audience onto the stage, including SE student Jennifer Okafor.
“Skelewu” by Davido, is a “show-your-stuff type song,” Okafor said. The basis of the dance is putting one hand behind one’s back and putting the other in front as if pushing something back, she said. Okafor compared it to break dancing, so that if one knows the basics, they can add whatever they want to the dance.
“It’s your stage,” she said. “You can do what you want.”
After some musical performances by SE student Adjoa Boateng and poetry readings, the climax of the show, as SE student Ignatius Onsando put it, began. It was the fashion show.
SE student Ndey Secca, who took part in the fashion show, said she wore a feminine version of a masculine Gambian outfit. The difference was the lack of a skirt that would be tied around the waist, called a malan. Secca said she took inspiration from traditional clothing.
“But we modernize it,” she said.
African Culture Club vice president Ignatius Onsando said the event will help set up for next year’s.
People did not have to be African to be drawn to the event, as SE student EJ Allen demonstrated.
“I’m not natively from Africa,” he said. “I’m from Fort Worth!”
