Inaugural Africa Heritage Awards And Concert Launched In Kigali

Awardees at Kigali Marriot Hotel

The maiden Africa Heritage concert and awards have been launched in Rwanda with former presidents of Nigerian, Botswana, Liberia and Tanzania among recipients recognized for promotion of peace, democracy and development on the African continent.

The gala dinner, concert, and awards ceremony organised by Heritage Times (HT) Africa was held April 1, 2023, in Kigali city at a ceremony that was presided over by Rwanda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Manasseh Nshuti, on behalf of the Rwandan government.

Heritage Times (HT) is the fastest growing Pan-African medium committed to promoting transparency and accountability in governance and fostering a sustainable democratic Africa.

Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (left) red carpet entrance.

The event was also attended, in person, by Former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and Former President of Botswana, Lieutenant General Serêtsê Ian Khama.

HT Chairman, Moses Siloko Siasi, said that the first edition of the awards was brought to Rwanda because of its milestones of development in a short time and setting the pace for Africa despite its past history of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi- that he personally learnt of as child and cried for almost one week.

The Awardees

Dr. Jonathan received the African Democracy and Peace Icon Award, and Lt Serêtsê Ian Khama received the African Philanthropist Award while Late President John Pombe Magufuli received the African Icon Award (Posthumous) and Liberian Vice President, Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor received the African Humanitarian award.

Former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, received the African Democracy and Peace Icon Award

Dr. Jonathan, who only served 5 years said that being recognized for his contribution is a challenge to other African leaders to lead citizens peacefully and democratically keeping in mind their legacy after leaving power.

“I always say this to politicians, especially the privileged ones. Will the world remember you for killing people, jailing them, destroying their systems. What will the world remember you for?” Jonathan asked.

Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba who got the Africa Advancement Icon Award for his role in promoting and living Pan Africanism, said that no African should rest in the Pan-African movement to stop the continent from being re-colonised again in this century.

Former President of Botswana, Lt Serêtsê Ian Khama, received the African Philanthropist Award.

Former President Nigerian Bar Association, Olumide Akpata Esq received the African Legal Icon Award for his role in transforming and setting up the legal system in Nigeria with over 128 branches affiliated to Templars law firm.

Akpata said that he plans to expand the firm into an African one, starting in Ghana but called on legal practitioners to uphold the law and hold leaders accountable against all odds.

Hamzat Lawal, the Chief Executive Officer of Connected Development and founder of Follow the Money- a movement that holds leaders accountable on taxpayers’ money in 40 countries received the African Humanitarian Award.

PLO Lumumba.

The Champion of Local Content Development in Africa Award was Simbi Kesiye Wabote, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board.

Recipients of the African Humanitarian Award included Rwanda’s Christelle Kwizera, who founded the first water access social enterprise in Rwanda, Uganda’ retired sports female journalist Victoria Nalongo Namusisi for educational support and providing shelter to homeless children, Dr. Ifie Sekibo (Nigeria) for enterprise development in Africa and Amb. Emmanuel Osadebey (Nigeria) for the fight against poverty and eliminating hunger in Africa (SDG2).

On African security promotion, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), received the African Security Advancement Award.

Victoria Nalongo Namusisi (right) received the African Humanitarian Award

The maiden edition of the Afri-heritage Concert and Awards was filled with excitement, deep gratitude and so much entertainment as several artists and dance groups from across the continent who participated in the award ceremony showcased the beauty in Africa’s diversity.

Among these were the Triplet kids – Ghetto Kids from Uganda who performed to thrill the spectators with their magic dance moves and choreography.

Triplets Ghetto Kids is a dance group founded in 2014 by Daouda Kavuma and composed of children from the Katwe slum in Kampala, Uganda.

Ugandan Dance group, Triple Ghetto Kids received the African Entertainment Award.

They have been on major platforms across the world. Like they featured on French Montana’s song, “Unforgettable, performed at the 2022 World Cup opening event in Qatar.

Triple Ghetto Kids received the African Entertainment Award for their bravery and talent exhibition on the global stage even when they are children.

Ahead of the the Afriheritage Concert and Awards participants and recipients of the awards paid a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial where they paid homage to victims of the 1994 genocide agaisnt Tutsi, which claimed over a million lives.