The Togolese Press Agency reports that three candidates from the Savanes region have been selected to represent their region in the national phase of the 4th edition of the Festival international Roots and Beauty Africa (FIRBA). The selection process took place on October 31, 2023, in Dapaong. The candidates, namely Ponk'nt dance group, Lando cooperative in traditional culinary art, and Yvette Coiffure in afro-hair styling, emerged victorious in their respective categories.
The pre-selection event was held under the theme "Nos racines, notre fierté, notre avenir" (Our roots, our pride, our future). It aimed to identify and promote local talents while showcasing African craftsmanship and cultural heritage. The candidates competed in three categories: traditional culinary art, afro-hair styling, and traditional music and dance. The competition allowed participants to demonstrate their skills and creativity in preserving African aesthetics and traditions.
In the traditional culinary art category, the Lando cooperative secured the top spot with 54 points, surpassing the Union des femmes actives pour le développement durable (UFA2D) with 45 points and the Association pour la promotion des droits des veuves (APDV) with 42 points. The candidates were given 45 minutes to prepare their dishes, including "Fli et Djoudjouna" made from beans, small millet, and cassava leaves.
The afro-hair styling category saw Yvette Coiffure take the lead with 53 points, followed by DDK Babershop with 46 points, Cécilia Coiffure with 42 points, and Sagesse Coiffure with 38 points. The participants had 45 minutes to style their models' hair. In the traditional music and dance category, Ponk'nt secured the top spot with 48 points out of 60, ahead of Talkoutik with 42 points and Bembate.
The selected candidates will represent the Savanes region in the national phase of FIRBA 2027, scheduled to take place from April 5 to 12, 2027, in Lomé. The event was attended by administrative, municipal, and customary authorities, as well as cultural actors and representatives of the Chambre régionale des métiers des Savanes (CRM-S).
The president of the commission des Affaires culturelles de la commune Tône 1, Oumoro, commended the initiative, highlighting its potential to promote local talents and cultural heritage. He encouraged the selected candidates to work hard and bring back all the festival's trophies to the Savanes region. Oumoro emphasized the importance of valuing Togolese craftsmanship and transmitting cultural heritage to future generations.
The national representative of FIRBA in Togo, Bagna Shaliou, noted that this 4th edition will take place in Togo after previous editions in Cameroon, Senegal, and Mali. He stated that the five regions of Togo will be visited to identify talents and ensure the event's success. The FIRBA festival aims to promote African cultural heritage and identify local talents.
Key points
- Three Togolese candidates qualify for FIRBA 2027 national phase
- The selected candidates will represent the Savanes region in Lomé
- The festival aims to promote African cultural heritage and identify local talents
