How Akon, D’banj Stole the Show at Arise Fashion Week

Vanessa Obioha

From the moment it was announced that D’banj and Akon would be performing at the glitzy Arise Fashion Week (AFW) show, the ambience at the venue, the majestic Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) became electrified.

The elegant and distinguished guests did not hide their excitement or feigned indifference. It was obvious from their cheers that they were eager to witness the performances of the two music stars. Therefore, when it was time for D’banj to take the runway, not a few stretched their necks like a red-crowned crane, their phones ready to capture his grand entry on stage.

Emerging from a side entrance to the scenic backdrop of the Burj Khalifa, D’banj dressed in a glittering jacket with matching glittering shoes got the well-heeled audience to their feet, dancing to his hit songs such as ‘Emergency’, ‘Fall in Love’ and ‘Oliver Twist’.

D’banj, known for his stage craftsmanship, took the audience on a musical ecstasy, interacting with them in his usual jovial manner as well as randomly asking guests — mostly females — to dance with him on stage. When a Ukrainian lady joined him on stage during his performance of ‘Oliver Twist’, he joked that her dance moves could easily mislead anyone that she was from Nigeria.

Of course, Nigerians love to party hard and in Dubai, where AFW came to showcase the best of Nigerian fashion and music, it was expected that the show would be like no other and with the performance of an entertainer like D’banj, the guests were certainly in for a musical treat.

By the time Akon came on the runway, the audience was already in a feverish mood. The tall international act literally brought the house down with a medley of his songs. Not a few bopped their heads to his sounds such as the hit single ‘Chop My Money’ which the newly reunited twin sensation P-Square featured him in. Akon’s performance was mostly driven by the popularity of his songs as he didn’t really bring any magic on stage.

The audience members were mostly happy to capture moments with him and join in the sing-along of his famous songs. Thus, when he performed his popular hit ‘Don’t Matter’, ladies could be seen swooning to the catchy melody of the song. Taking the tempo higher, hands swayed when he sang his 2006 hit single ‘Smack That’ that fetched him Grammy nominations.

As he brought the show to a close, a few wished the show wouldn’t come to a delightful end. However, the smiles on their faces as they exited the venue was a good indication that Arise Fashion Week met more than their expectations.