The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc celebrated this year’s Africa Day with the fourth edition of its annual Africa Conversations, which was held at the UBA House, Lagos.
The UBA Africa Conversations is a yearly event that started in May 2019 as a hallmark initiative in a series of celebrations for Africa Day.
The conversations provide a platform for African and global audiences to connect with thought leaders both in the private and public sectors on their African journey to change the narrative of the continent.
Africa Day is an annual event dedicated to celebrating the diversity of Africa as well as highlighting the cultural and economic potential that exists on the continent.
This year’s conversation was themed ‘The importance of reflecting our African culture in global success stories and highlights the tremendous shift in Africa’s cultural influence from Afrobeat to African films, fashion labels, authors and entertainment and culture stars. The African continent is creating a positive impact globally.
Deputy Managing Director, UBA, Oliver Alawuba, said that UBA, as Africa’s global bank, remains at the forefront of supporting businesses across the continent.
He said: “It is from Africa that UBA Africa was set up, you see it in our name. UBA has invested so much in Africa. We are in 20 African countries and four countries outside Africa. Our idea has always been on driving investments and growth into Africa and beyond through conversations such as this.”
As a yearly ritual, UBA brought together a rich and diverse panel including legendary African musician and songwriter, Youssou Madjiguène Ndour, who gave the keynote address virtually at the event.
He said: “Young people in Africa have a lot of questions and we have to listen to them and see how together we can be a solution for Africa. We need to understand that there is a lot to do. Together we can make it.”
The Namibian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Humphrey Desmond Geiseb, talked about how globalisation has been generally good for Africa.
“Of course, there are still some gaps, there are still a lot of things about Africa that are not known, and I believe that culture and Arts can help to get it right for us. When you look at the last world cup, you look at the influence of Africans although no African country won the cup, you cannot deny the influence of football players that are of African origin. What this implies is that either way, Africa is still winning,” he said.
Also speaking, the former information commissioner, Lagos State, Steve Ayorinde, noted: “As Africans, we are at the point where no one denigrates African culture anymore. We are redefining what it is to be African from our fashion to our music even to our weddings. We are taking back our heritage and we are unapologetic about it. Indeed there is still a gap, but we are bridging that gap.”
