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In Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, Shrine is the iconic concert hall of the Afrobeat, a protest rhythm that fuses funk, soul, jazz and African tunes. Created by the great Fela Kuti, inventor of this music, the place was revived by his son, Femi Kuti
Emmanuel Macron had discovered both in 2002, while he was doing his internship. ENA at the French Embassy in Abuja, the capital of this country of 180 million inhabitants, the most populated of Africa. "This is an iconic place," "vibrant," greeted the French president Tuesday night, returning to attend a concert of Femi Kuti celebrating African creativity.
"We must give to see the vitality of the African culture, of which Nigeria is a showcase ", declared the French president before going to the famous hall of the historic center of the Nigerian megacity.
Changing protocolary evenings
First French president to go to Lagos The head of state wanted to return for a festive meeting to change evenings, often formal and starched, trips abroad. For the occasion, he has exceptionally dropped jacket and tie.
"It's great to see that the French president has such a personal interest for the city of Lagos," said Nigerian actor Ozzy Agu . "We have the feeling when we see him here that we can go for a drink with him and chat.
Launching the Season of African Cultures in 2020
For Emmanuel Macron, the evening at Shrine was an opportunity to launch the organization of the Season of African Cultures to be held in France in 2020. He announced end of 2017 the holding of this event of several months lo his "founding speech" in Ouagadougou, outlining his strategy to revive relations between France and Africa
The aim is to deploy "a cultural and artistic strategy that puts Africa back" in the center, entrusted the French president. For, he added, "we need Africans to speak for themselves about Africa."
"We're still talking about Africa from before, but too rarely from Nollywood (industry Nigerian cinema is the second in the world in terms of production), contemporary music ", carried especially by Nigerian artists on the rest of the continent.
Wednesday, after a meeting with young Nigerian entrepreneurs, the president must inaugurate the new Alliance Française, which aims to become a center of cultural democratization in Lagos. He must also meet young Nigerian entrepreneurs, and assured to weave economic and student ties between France and Nigeria.
Coming from Nouakchott, Mauritania, where he took part Monday in African Union summit, Emmanuel Macron made this short stop in Abuja to talk with his counterpart Muhammadu Buhari. Anxious not to limit the action of Paris to francophone Africa, the French president believes that Nigeria is "a country must." In the fight against the jihadists of Boko Haram, he reiterated the commitments of France for support in the "defense and stabilization of the Sahel region", particularly through the joint force of G5 Sahel. The host reminded that, since all the border countries of Nigeria are French-speaking, France's assistance is essential for the proper coordination of this struggle. Emmanuel Macron underlined that "the heart of this visit is to widen the partnership between France and Nigeria on cultural, economic and sporting topics", in order to give "perspectives and opportunities to the youth" so that it do not join the jihadist movements. Nigeria remains an indispensable partner for France. Its production of oil reaches 2 million barrels a day, 10% of that of Total
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