It’s not every day that I receive a letter from the Prince of Wales. Landing on my desk a couple of weeks ago, I opened the weighty white envelope to discover invitations to St James’s Palace for his reception in celebration of Britain’s West African community. RSVP? Don’t mind if I do.
I accompanied ARISE chairman Nduka Obaigbena and ARISE international managing director Penny McDonald to the intimate gathering on Wednesday evening, where we joined 150 other guests drawn from the fields of politics, the arts, media, science, faith and business. It was a joy to catch up with some familiar fashion faces, among them Duro Olowu, Joe and Charlie Casely-Hayford, Bunmi Koko and Ozwald Boateng. I also spoke with ITV news reporter Ronke Phillips, who I’d first met at ARISE Magazine Fashion Week – Lagos 2011, architect David Adjaye, Powerful Media’s Michael Eboda and my local MP Chuka Umunna. Prince Charles worked the room, meeting and greeting us all with a firm, friendly handshake.
Entertainment came courtesy FELA!’s Sahr Ngaujah and Paulette Ivory, who sang songs from the Tony award-winning musical currently in residence at Sadler’s Wells. Ghana’s Nana Tsiboe and his Supa Hi Life Band and Nigeria’s Ayan de First of the Master Drummers of Africa also performed. Prince Charles had a go on a drum himself but admitted that he may need a few lessons. Perhaps next time he’ll try on a traditional wrapper, too.
Helen Jennings | ARISE Magazine, editor