\u201cEdouard Nganga\u2019s works will stand the test of time. People celebrate their creations. Already people consider his work timeless. Until he was 86 years old, he was on stage. The last time I saw him dancing on stage was at the French Institute of Congo with the Bantus of the capital.\u201d<\/blockquote>\r\nFriends Pay Tribute To Edo Nganga<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nAfter the death of Edo, many of his long-time allies said words of praises to him. One of the friends is known as Mermans Passy who was a guitarist and one of the members of the Bantus. Passy always looked up to Edo as his bigger brother. Moreover, he says that Edo was a great composer, singer, and well-mannered man. Mermans says that there is great sadness in his heart after the demise of his friend Edo.\r\n\r\nKosmos Mountouari, also a guitarist and ally to Edo, says that his heart too is full of sadness after he knew Edo was dead.\r\n
\u201cIt is with great sadness that I am commenting on his death. When you learn that an ally or a relative has passed away, it is very difficult to accept that they are no more. That is the sadness that has filled my heart. Honestly, he was a great person to be with.\u201d<\/blockquote>\r\nIndeed, Edouard Nganga was an icon in the Republic of Congo. His sudden death has brought sadness to the African culture. As a way of remembering his name and promoting the African culture, other Africans also need to embrace and appreciate the great works of African stars.","post_title":"Edouard Nganga; Greatest Rhumba Artist Passes Away","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"edouard-nganga-greatest-rhumba-artist-passes-away","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-10 17:43:06","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-10 17:43:06","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/africaotr.com\/?p=17619","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":17241,"post_author":"17","post_date":"2020-05-30 09:38:11","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-30 09:38:11","post_content":"Music is a result of the combination of instrumental sounds to produce, release, and express emotions. Musicians use the power of notes, tones, sound, and melody to create the perfect music. Different genres act as the perfect food for the human soul and mind. The evolution of music from traditional to modern levels is amazing. Traditionally, as well as modern times, people use and express their emotions through music in various ways such as dancing.\r\n\r\nAfrican traditional musicians used rich African traditional music to express various aspects of life. The instruments such as drums and xylophones depending on regions would represent a given aspect of human life. Mostly traditional communities would hold gatherings and play music whereby people would dance and even perform spiritual rituals such as animal sacrifices.\r\n\r\nAfrican traditional musicians would sing orally and not in written form as Western music. The main reason why musicians sang orally was to pass an important message of the community. The coming generations would know the history of their communities through those songs.\r\nWho is Mory Kante?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nMory Kante was a professional player of the traditional kora harp and Guinean musician. Internationally, his singles would hit and his albums would sell greatly in the continent. For example, Akwaba Beach sold many records at his time. The artist was born in French Guinea on 29th March 1950. His father was called El Hadj Djell and his mother, who was a singer too, was called Fatouma. Mory Kante went to the country of Mali when he was almost 8 years and he learned to play the harp there. His religion was Islamic.\r\n
The Career Of Mory Kante<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nDuring the 70\u2019s Kante was a member of a band called the Rail. Mory Kante became the singer of the band years later. In the 80\u2019s he produced a hit song that sold millions of copies and Europeans acknowledged it in the European countries. In the 2000s, the public nominated Mory as Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN. His albums include Courougnegne, N\u2019Diarabi, A Paris, 10 Cola Nuts, Akwaba Beach, Touma, Nongo, Tatebola, Sabaou, and Best Of.\r\n
Death And Burial\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nMory Kante died in Conakry on 22nd May 2020 at the age of 70 years. Reports confirm that the artist died because of untreated health issues. Mory Kante was to go overseas for specialized treatment but it was impossible. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has caused several countries to close their borders inclusive of Guinea.\r\n\r\nBefore his burial, a lot of women broke into tears as they were watching his casket. Friends, close relatives, and government officials attended the burial ceremony in large numbers. Alpha Conde, the president, and other musicians sent tributes to Kante\u2019s family. Indeed, the death of Mory Kante has left a gap in African cultural music and it may take a long time for the African culture to heal. As he rests in peace, may his spirit in music continue and reach the ends of the earth.\r\n\r\nMore:\r\n
\r\n \t
- Uganda\u2019s Queen of Katwe star Nikita Pearl Waligwa dies aged 15<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- Tony Allen: World\u2019s Greatest Drummer and Afrobeat Pioneer Dies<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","post_title":"The Demise Of Mory Kante, Face Of African Music","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-demise-of-mory-kante-face-of-african-music","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-30 09:38:11","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-30 09:38:11","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/africaotr.com\/?p=17241","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":16677,"post_author":"17","post_date":"2020-05-02 06:20:20","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-02 06:20:20","post_content":"Greatest Nigerian drummer Tony Allen, died in Paris aged 79. He is a co-founder of the Afrobeat musical genre. Eric Trosset, his manager, confirmed that he died from a heart attack, and his death is not linked to the coronavirus. In addition, Allen was a musical director and a drummer of musician Fela Kuti\u2019s famous band Africa \u201970 in the 1960-70s.\r\n\r\nFela, as he was popularly known, died in 1997. He once said that without Tony Allen, afrobeat would not be in existence. Afrobeat is a combination of elements from West Africa\u2019s fuji music and highlife styles with American funk and jazz.\r\n
Renown stars pay their tributes<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nBriano Eno, a UK musician, described as possibly as the greatest drummer who has ever lived. Trosset shared tributes in a Facebook post, saying his eyes saw what most couldn\u2019t see. Also, just like he used to say \u2018There is no end\u2019. Beninois singer Angelique Kidjo confessed that she had been struck by Allen\u2019s and Manu\u2019s death. Flea described him as one of the greatest drummers to ever walk this earth and his hero.\r\n
\u201cWhat I want to remember about them is our musical conversation, the laughter, our joy. They are dead, but they are not dead for me,\u201d Angelique Kidjo said.<\/blockquote>\r\nTony Allen\u2019s story.<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nThe Nigerian drummer\u2019s career and life story were recorded in his 2013 autobiography Tony Allen: Master Drummer of Afrobeat. He was born in 1940 in Lagos. Playing drums was self-taught at the age of 18. He revealed he learned his style by listening to Max Roach and Art Blakey drumming. He then crafted a unique polyphonic rhythm of afrobeat and was said to be able to play four different beats with a piece of his limbs.\r\n\r\nIn 1964, Allen met Fela, and they went ahead and recorded dozens of albums in Africa in the \u201970. This album included Gentleman and Zombie. Later in 1979, Allan left the band after claimed disagreement with band leaders over royalties. Allan required four separate drummers to fill the gap. In 1984, he moved to London and later to Paris. During his music career, Allen collaborated with various artists, and drummed in The Good, the Bad & the Queen, with Simon Tong, \u00a0Damon Albarn, and Paul Simenon.\r\n
An instantly recognizable sound<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nThere is a beautiful, unique bounce to Tony Allen\u2019s drumming style that makes any track he played instantly recognizable. However, that is not to say he stagnated. He always learned, forming a new musical relationship and advancing his sound. The combination of the snare, bass, and hi-hat is uniquely Tony Allen-styled. Despite you listening to him as a driving force or playing live last year together with Damon Albarn.\r\n\r\nAllen once said Art Blakey was probably a magician because it sounded like more than one person was sitting behind the drum kit. I recently got a chance to stand at the stage to study the movement of Tony Allen\u2019s hands and feet carefully. However, I was fascinated by magic. He didn\u2019t seem to age a lot and looked prepared to keep drumming for many coming years.\r\n
In addition, as he said it: \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to the future for it\u2019s a long, long way to go. There\u2019s no end. I\u2019m very certain of that.\u201d<\/blockquote>\r\nMore:\r\n\r\n \t
- Meet Tendaness, the Swazi Award-Winning Musician<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
- Giant of African music: Olomide, Angelique Kidjo mourn Manu Dibango.<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","post_title":"Tony Allen: World\u2019s Greatest Drummer and Afrobeat Pioneer Dies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"tony-allen-worlds-greatest-drummer-and-afrobeat-pioneer-dies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-02 06:20:20","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-02 06:20:20","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/africaotr.com\/?p=16677","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":16512,"post_author":"15","post_date":"2020-04-30 17:28:11","post_date_gmt":"2020-04-30 17:28:11","post_content":"Waist beads or abdominal waist beads are a customary African beautification that consists of little glass dots on a string or wire. And are put-on around the midsection or the hips. The waist beads come in various colors and shapes and may also incorporate decorative stones or charms.\r\n\r\nHave you ever thought of having an abdominal beads beautifully worn on your waist? Well, traditional reasons aside, this is a fantastic sign of beauty that can blend perfectly with your skin. Men are attracted to them, and this can be a beautiful dress to surprise your man!\r\n\r\nWaist beads have been worn for a long time by ladies in many West African communities. In the last years, abdominal beads have been picked as notoriety among young and old ladies in the West. They are also known as waistline dots, stomach globules, or beaded midriff chains.\r\n
Why do African ladies wear them?<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
Weight Measure<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nAbdominal beads are commonly used to measure weight changes. Most ladies don't like to step on the weight scale on the city streets, and if you are one of them, this is best for you. Many ladies would prefer to have the abdominal beads on to determine weight changes or any changes in your belly sizes.\r\n\r\nHaving midriff chains is a perfect way to understand your weight changes. If you, at any point, add weight, the strings will sit higher on the midsection or feel tight on your waist. On the other side, if you happen to lose weight, the globules will loosen up and fall to the hips. As a result, ladies are compared to the weight gain and losses that are necessary for keeping a beautiful body.\r\n
Sign of Maturity<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nIn the communities where putting on midriff dabs is a cultural norm, the globules are seen as a sign of womanhood, maturity, and development.\r\n\r\nIn Ghana, small babies are embellished with midriff dots at naming ceremonies. Same thing with the young ladies. The waits beads as they grow gives them the identity of moving from one stage of life to another.\r\n\r\nThe wearing of midriff globules also signifies the progress in one's life. The globules a young lady wears at adolescence changes. This will be different from the waist dots she will put on as a mature lady and later as an older adult.\r\n
Intimacy and ripeness<\/strong><\/h5>\r\nMany ladies around the world use the waist beads to show their exotic nature. Some ladies wear the explicit globules during sex to spice things up around their waist.\r\n\r\nCustomarily, according to the Ashante and Krobo communities in Ghana, the bigger dots or chimes are added to a lady\u2019s waist once when she is wealthy. She will use the dabs as a sign she makes demand when she strolls to caution the potential husbands who are seeking hand in marriage.\r\n\r\nAlso, some single midsection dabs are used by pregnant ladies. They are used to give assurance to the mother and the developing child as she grows in the mother's womb.\r\n
Sign of heritage and pride<\/strong><\/h5>\r\nWearing the abdominal globules have a lot of heritage and pride of African roots. The midriff dabs are popular among the ladies in the diaspora. They are associated with progenitors and receive praise in ladies in their legacy and social practice of Africa heritage.\r\n\r\nToday, the wearing of the waist globules by dark and beautiful ladies in the Western countries has developed into a social convention. It is a kind of social beautification that mirrors diasporic experience.\r\n
Gives ladies posture<\/strong><\/h6>\r\nThe hippy globules give ladies a perfect posture when sitting. It enables an individual to turn out to be carefully mindful of their stomach and position.\r\n\r\nMore:<\/strong>\r\n
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- Rocking Your African Fashion with these 7 Tips<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t
- South Africa Triumphs at Africa Fashion Week London<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","post_title":"Top Five Secrets Why African Ladies Wear Waist Beads","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-five-secrets-why-african-ladies-wear-waist-beads","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-04-30 17:28:11","post_modified_gmt":"2020-04-30 17:28:11","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/africaotr.com\/?p=16512","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":15556,"post_author":"33","post_date":"2020-04-10 08:43:03","post_date_gmt":"2020-04-10 08:43:03","post_content":"The First Lady of Ethiopia, Zinash Tayachew, has released a gospel song. The song is to console her country people after her husband declared a national state of emergency. The 5-month emergency period is for helping stop the spread of COVID-19 in Ethiopia.\r\n\r\nTitled Maren, which is Amharic for \u201chave mercy on us\u201d, the First Lady calls unto God to have mercy on His people. She sings in a church set up with a cross in the background where she tells God to not abandon His people.\r\n\r\nThe 6-minute song<\/a> does not explicitly mention the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ethiopia. However, she tells God not to abandon His people. This is especially now when the world is \"terrorized by bad news\u201d.\r\n\r\nThe song has come just after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ethiopia caused the government to declare a state of emergency.\r\n\r\nPrime Minister, Abiy Ahmed declared the state of emergency on April 8. It is expected to last up to September. During this time, all the land borders will remain closed. Public transport will also remain suspended.\r\n\r\nWith the declaration, the office of the Attorney General further clarified that the constitutional rights of Ethiopians are now suspended.\r\n\r\nThis is by far the most severe action Ethiopia has taken in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19.\r\n
Not taking any chances<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nNotably, cases of COVID-19 in Ethiopia are not as many as in the neighboring countries.\r\n\r\nFor instance, Kenya \u2013 its southern neighbor, has more than 170 cases. It has recorded at least 6 deaths. Despite this, the country has only declared a localized cessation of movements in the most affected regions.\r\n\r\nBut the government of Ethiopia has said it will not take any chances hence the drastic measures.\r\n\r\nBy the time the national declaration was being made, regional governments had already made some moves.\r\n\r\nFor instance, the Tigray region even without having a confirmed case had declared a state of emergency. It also became the first region to have testing facilities outside of the federal facilities in Addis Ababa.\r\n\r\nOther regions had also made moves by banning most forms of public transport. This was especially in the capital city which has the most cases of COVID-19 in Ethiopia.\r\n\r\nAs of April 9, Ethiopia had 55 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Four patients had recovered while two had died.\r\n\r\nTo motivate the health workers at the forefront of the fight against the virus, the government has promised them houses.\r\n\r\nAt least 645 of these are ready for handing over to the workers while another 600 are being prepared.\r\n\r\nThe government has also pledged to continually provide personal protective equipment. These are crucial in protecting the health workers from the virus while they attend the patients.\r\n
Domestic and gender-based violence<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nReports from all over the world indicate that domestic and gender-based violence is on the rise during the COVID19 lockdowns.\r\n\r\nTo help mitigate such occurrences in Ethiopia, the Chief Justice, Meaza Ashenafi has said<\/a> the courts will be ready to listen to such cases.\r\n\r\nBefore that, the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ethiopia had forced a partial closure on federal courts. Only cases treated as urgent were being heard.\r\n\r\nBut with the state of emergency, cases of domestic violence will be treated as urgent.\r\n\r\nMore\r\n