Six long hours away from the big bank shake up, never-ending hustle and bustle, ASUU strike, power outage and poor roads, thousands of patriotic citizens gathered to hoist the national flag and celebrate the virtues of a grossly misunderstood and mismanaged nation.
It was at the 2009 edition of the Nottinghill Carnival, reputed to be the biggest ‘street party’ in Europe. Nigeria has not had any major representation at the carnival since 2006 following cases of reported violence and petitions which led the London Metropolitan Police to cordon off the regular meeting point for Nigerians – Ladbrooke Grove- in 2007. That year, there was no Nigerian float or stand or corner, except for a private kiosk run by Obalende Suya (Obalende Suya had run what was known as the Nigerian corner in oartnership with R70 and DJA Music before bith parties fell apart).
In 2008, a ‘balcony’ arrangement put together by London-based Blacknight Entertainment and Grafton Entertainment attracted major Nigerians and served as a meeting point of sorts, until Police ordered the music stopped and dispersed the growing crowd.
So when Abisoye Fagade’s Sodium Brand Solitions and Reve Entertainment announced early this year that they had secured all rights to host an official Nigerian corner at the Carnival, it looked like everything would change for once. ‘‘We’ve gotten all the rights, licenses and everything. We’ve sorted security and entertainment. Nigeria deserves better representation at Nottinghill, and we’ll make it happen this year’’, Fagade told SHOWBIZPLUSMORE in May.
As the crowd whirled and wiggled; screamed and scrambled, raising their green-white-green flags high and brandishing all patterns and colours of proudly Nigerian mementoes, it was easy to see that Fagade and his partners have kept their promise.
Displaced for nearly three years, with no tent to converge; Nigerians -the weird and the wonderful; the beautiful and the brave; the funny and the fabulous; the queer and the quiet- were finally back; shinning blindingly at the Nottinghill Carnival.
‘‘It’s important to thank those who believe in this, and recognise platforms like this as a potent vehicle to project, market and rebrand our country’’, Fagade told showbizplusmore at the carnival ground. ‘‘We worked with Primetime Entertainment, DJA music, R70 and Digiprints to make this happen’’.
With DJ Jimmy Jatt dishing out 100 percent Nigerian sounds (including brief performances by El dee, Lexzy Doo, Seyi Shodimu, Steel and Toba Gold), and Wale Gates working the crowd up, revellers partied freely, even feverishly, tempting residents and passers-by to leave their own activitie and join in the fun. There was barbeque smoke in the air, it was threatening to rain, and officers constantly warned about noise levels not exceeding 135 decibels, but nothing would deter the party from partying wild, while ‘repping’ their motherland and networking.
And, whereas many countries came out half-nude, with many puffing marijuana and breaking into violence, the Nigerian corner was clean and free of violence. of all the 222 arrests made at the carnival this year, none was from the Nigerian corner. ‘‘The success excites me’’, CEO of Reve Entertainment ‘Layinka Oyedeji told e-Punch hours after the festival ended. ‘‘Everyone comported themselves, and it’ll show even the police that Nigerians are peaceful people. We did not record any case of fight or violence’’.
The roll call of guests this year includes: Bunmi Oke (of 141 Worldwide), Keke Ogungbe, dayo Adeneye, Eldee, Steel, Julius Agwu, JJC, Azuh Arinze, Kunle Bakare, akin Olusola, Ayo Animashaun, Joke Jaiyesimi, DJ Jimmy JATT, Princess, Ayo shonaiya, DJ Abass, Kingsley James, Yibo Koko, Tamilore Kuboye, Kevin Orifa, Dele Esan, John Ukhuelegbe, ‘Tony Agenmonmen, Cashino, De Waves, Toba Gold, Wale Gates, Seyi Shodimu and Lexzy Doo.
pictures courtesy- FRANJAPINS
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