The Lion’s Bar at Sheraton Hotel was a perfect place to be on the cold damp night when the French-German friendship took centre stage. The Uganda Germany Cultural Society (UGCS) and the German Embassy together with Alliance Française (AF) and the French Embassy flew in musicians all the way from the West Indies, France and Germany.

The night was christened Afro Beat Dance Hall and the German Ambassador Alexander Muhlen was well set for a jig. He had his cap on pointing backwards and nursed a large glass of beer at the open bar cocktail before the show began last Friday. First to rock was the Germany/Nigeria group, Brotherhood Alliance Navigating towards Unity (Bantu).

Winners of a Kora Award in 2005, the group led by Ade Bantu, radiated tantalizing beats. Abi Bantu, Ade’s younger brother, sounded like a clone of reggae artist, Big Mountain. His tone voice sucked one into the ambiance while Chinaza, the lady in the group, gave the group’s sounds a fine groove.

Nevertheless, the revelers’ mood changed when the West Indies ragga and hip hop musicians took their turn on stage. Straika D, Tiwony and Typical Fefe had exceptional masterpieces. Many present couldn’t comprehend the language – a blend of Creole and French with little English – and the songs were slow, soft and sounded sweet.

Straika D could have sounded a bit like the famous Red Rat bearing in mind his high-pitched voice but he sang like he was reciting a poem.

But even with that sombre end, Bantu left a mark on the Ugandan crowd.

Actually, at the end, Ade said that he is doing some teamwork with Ugandan hip hop musicians, Abramz and Sylvester and also send-off their music with Ugandan deejays for airplay.

Entertainment is part of Uganda’s tourism and in that it is unique and one can never get out of place whilst in Uganda a factor that contributes to more tourist arrivals . Once peace is totally proclaimed, the Uganda safari industry is anticipated to double its income.

BY Tanah Hadijah

Uganda Travel news