Students Celebrate Nigerian Independence Day at Annual Gala

UPDATED: October 20, 2015, at 5:02 p.m.

Celebrating Nigeria’s 55th year of independence, the Harvard Nigerian Students Association organized spoken word and dance performances on Saturday, offering a chance for Nigerian students on campus to reconnect with elements of their culture while introducing them to others.

At the Sixth Annual Nigerian Independence Day Gala, women wore geles—traditional Nigerian head wraps—and many wore patterned outfits. NSA board members wore clothing decorated with green and white designs, the colors of the Nigerian flag. Many of the performances focused on the theme of Nigerian identity.

Spoken word artist Simone Abegunrin ’18 recited an original poem, starting with the question, “What does it mean to be Nigerian?”

“I think everyone here is a child of Nigeria in some way,” she said to the audience at Harvard Law School’s Wasserstein Hall.

Comedian Abdulazeem Dulo Harris, the event’s master of ceremonies, made many references to Nigerian culture, singling out attendees and asking them personal questions.

“Some of you have forgotten where you’re from,” Harris said, addressing the whole audience, Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike. “Own where you are from.”

Students from neighboring universities also attended the event. Joanah Sylla from Tufts University performed with the Tufts African Dance Collective. “Being able to dance and incorporate parts of my culture into what I’m doing [is] hard but rewarding,” Sylla said.

Another dance group, the NSA Dance Team, debuted at the gala with their first live performance. With matching colorful skirts, black tops, and face paint, the team of six Harvard freshmen women danced to a medley of Nigerian music.

Keynote speaker Bunmi Adekore added a more serious note to the evening’s celebrations. He discussed the challenges facing Nigeria today and expressed hope for the young generation, pointing out the fact that 62 percent of the Nigerian population is under 25 years old.

“Can young people come up with innovations?” he asked the college students in the room. Adekore stressed the importance of improving energy access and sanitation, urging the audience to use the resources at hand to apply their skills and get to work.

“I’m very proud to be Nigerian,” NSA vice president Simisola Tani-Olugbemi ’17 said, reflecting on the event. “I love having that experience with people on campus who also share the same feeling.”

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

CORRECTION: October 20, 2015

An earlier version of this article misstated the name of the vice president of the Nigerian Students Association. In fact, Simisola Tani-Olugbemi, not Similolu Akintorin, is the vice president.