Artistes, painters and other local entertainment lovers this past Sunday converged at the Car-Free Zone to celebrate arts in a night dubbed the ‘Pan African Arts Celebration’.

The show was part of other series of events, organised under the ‘Hobe Africa Festival’ to give revelers a host of activities to enjoy alongside the African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament that is currently taking place in Rwanda.

The show brought together Rwanda’s artiste Jacques Murigande, aka Mighty Popo, who is also popular for his Rwandan traditional musical touch, along with his students from his Western province based Nyundo School of Music alongside France based singer; Ruth Nirere commonly known as Miss Chanel among others.

The performers sang for over two hours, playing Afro-music songs that encourage the messages of pan-Africanism. Songs by legends of legend, deceased and living, like ‘People Say’, ‘Fire in Soweto’, ‘Get Up, Stand Up’, ‘ African Woman’, and ‘Look Up’, among others, were played to the excitement of revellers.

Spoken word artist and poet Eric Ngangare, commonly known as Eric One Key, also graced the show with his rap music performance that surprisingly seemed to be an instant with everyone if the loud screams and cheers are anything to go by.

The show was also part of celebrating Heroes’ Day, where artistes performed some of the heroism songs that takes people to the moments when people were struggling to sacrifice themselves for the nation.

As part of heroes’ day celebrations, songs like ‘Muhabura’, ‘Songa Mbere’, ‘Fourteen’, ‘Impundu’, ‘Izagishe zitashye’, ‘Tufurahi’, ‘Ingangare’, and Ndate Ubutwali, among others, were played.

"The show has been amazing; we have enjoyed playing music that represents African diversity. We have particularly performed songs that carry special and unique messages for our African people; and all the performances had a meaning. We again wanted to let the young people know that we have been somewhere as a country, but we are also determined to take on the responsibility of taking our continent to another level,” noted Mighty Popo, after his performance.

‘Hobe Africa Festival’ is coordinated by Hobe Agency in partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Ministry of Culture and Sports..

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