It was a family affair, as Canadian-based gospel artiste Gentil Misigaro, staged his first concert in Rwanda.

The artiste, who has of recent rocked the airwaves in the country with his gospel tracks that are gaining more popularity among Christians, was without doubt delighted to perform at home.

Misigaro shows his fiancée Mugiraneza Rhoda to the congregation during the concert.

Apostle Yoshua Ndagijimana Masasu, founder of Evangelical Restoration Churches (in a suit), his wife (2nd right), and gospel singer Aline Gahongayire (far right) were among those in attendance. 

Misigaro’s concert at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village, was not your ordinary concert, where you wait for the main act to come last to stage and sometimes coming on very late. The performer was on stage as early as 6pm, for the concert that would end past 9pm.

Canadian Christian music singer Evan Jarrell thrilled the audience with his energetic stage act.

Rocking the stage with a huge back up team of about 30 artistes, Misigaro gave the audience a fervent touch of calm worship songs for the start, prompting the faithful to get on their feet to sing along. The concert soon turned into a worship affair, not just a concert to enjoy.

‘Ntangazwa n’urukundo rwawe’, ‘Tuzaririmba tubonye yesu’, ‘Narababariwe kubuntu’, were some of the worship songs the artiste sang, which got the entire audience involved and engaged in a session of praise and worship.

The Sunday gospel concert at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village was a family affair.

Performing alongside his younger sister Gentile, he sang ‘Umbereye maso’, one of his most popular songs currently. For a song with such touching lyrics that talk about Jesus’ faithfulness despite our weaknesses, Christians could not help but get more deep in opening up to sing with great passion.

"I missed being home in Africa. I love how the people of God here praise without holding back,” Misigaro said as he launched into the faster praise songs like ‘Mfite impanvu ibihumbi’, before giving way to Aime Uwimana to perform.

Uwimana kept the momentum of the concert, engaging the congregation into a session of worship, often stopping the music to say a short prayer and read scriptures for those who attended.

U.S-based gospel singer Adrien Misigaro, a brother to Gentil, would later come to add vigour to the concert with his ‘Ntacyo nzaba’, ‘Jambo’, ‘Ndi cyaremwe gishya’ among others.

Among the performers was Evan Jarrell, a young worship leader from Canada, who surprised the audience singing a number of songs in Kinyarwanda.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com.