In France, singer, AYA NAKAMURA faces a virulent campaign against the way she sings, the way she dresses, and her language. We ask art curator and film maker, RABI YANSANE what have so many French people got against the most listened to Francophone pop superstar?

Migration, particularly from Africa, is being portrayed as a modern day scourge by many western politicians.Yet as DR NICK WESTCOTT of SOAS explains, many Africans who’ve settled abroad are contributing successfully to their new communities and are becoming increasingly influential. Just like AYA NAKAMURA, who was born in Mali.

PATRICK SMITH, in Accra, updates us on a rather relaxed approach Ghanaian candidates are taking to December elections.

And DONU KOGBARA taps into the BOBRISKY affair. Has Nigeria’s celebrity cross-dresser been unfairly penalised for spraying, or ‘naira abuse? And is BOBRISKY’s tough prison sentence softening Nigerian attitudes to LGBQT matters?

QUESTION: Is ‘spraying’ practiced anywhere else on the continent? The practice of plastering cash on dancers at parties or events to show approval. Let me know.

Contact: martine@africahereandnow.com

www.africahereandnow.com

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Africa Here and Now is back for it's second season with episode one coming next week!

We’ll continue looking at the major political and security challenges facing the continent, but we’ll also be looking at what else is going on in Africa including sport, art, film and music, in fact anything that we think you’ll find interesting!

Get in touch, let us know what you’d like to hear more of: martine@africahereandnow.com

Find us wherever you get your podcasts and on Youtube, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Africa Here and Now – the conversation you’ve always wanted to have about the continent.

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In this, our 12th Episode we showcase African classical music. TUNDE JEGEDE is a musical maestro who has mastered the cello and the west African kora. He explains how his training in both instruments has inspired him to produce a style of music that combines elements of African and western classical genres resulting in a unique sound that is thrilling global audiences.

Along with some of the finest young musicians on the continent, like DAVID ETIM and VINCENT HAASTRUP, Tunde has created the NOK Orchestra which was recently performing and recording in London. He has given Africa Here and NOW exclusive access to some of the extraordinary tracks before they are released. You can hear them in this, the final Episode of Season One.

The tracks included in this episode are all by the NOK Orchestra:

Jairaby Ballad

Jairaby Le

Kaira

Let Elements Mov. III

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