Tuface, Amikaeyla thrill at U.S. independence celebration

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Tuface, Amikaeyla thrill at U.S. independence celebration

It was a night of fun, dance and laughter last Saturday at the Embassy of the United States of America, Abuja in celebration of the nation’s 239th Independence Day. On hand to entertain guests were Amikaeyla Gaston, an American award-winning singer, activist, and executive director/founder of the International Cultural Arts & Healing Sciences Institute (ICAHSI). Also sharing the stage with her was Nigeria’s multiple award-winning star, Tuface Ididbia, who sent guests nostalgic as they chanted in admiration of his rendition of the evergreen, ‘African Queen,’ which he sang along with Gatson.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador James F. Entwistle described it as a night to celebrate heroism.
“Tonight we celebrate the heroism of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, a list of the 26 grievances that led them to declare themselves a free and independent people,” he said.
Entwistle said their stepping forward, signing their names to a public document was a very brave thing to do: “They launched an experiment in self-governance that many - if not most - thought would likely fail.  They risked everything; their lives, property, and reputations, because they believed they could make the world a better place.  Events in the past now, of course, seem inevitable but at the time their success was anything but inevitable.  As one of the most famous signers of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin said at the time:  “We must all hang together or, assuredly, we will all hang separately.”
Referring to the US as the only friend Nigeria has, Entwistle said: “As friends, we are here to support the Nigerian people and the government they have chosen and you have before you this evening a tangible symbol of that support. We have maintained a robust engagement in Nigeria for many years, and our partnership with your great nation runs deep.  Over the years, we’ve worked with the government of Nigeria on a host of issues; on elections, security, the Niger Delta, fighting infectious diseases, and spurring broad-based, inclusive economic growth, just to name a few.”
For guests like Kemi Yesuf, it was a colourful and well attended event which was just semi-formal enough with the interactions and entertainment climaxing the event.
“I enjoyed Amikaeyla Gaston’s jazz performance and her mix of popular American tunes with some African elements as she did with Makeba’s ‘Kpatakpata.’ It was even more exciting for me, when she sang along with Tuface. ‘African Queen’ is a song dear to very many Nigerians, and have someone like her whom we could describe as an African queen sing the song as she did, I would say ended the night on the best note. I only wish the performances lasted a little longer,” she quipped.