The 13th West Africa Afro-Latin Dance Festival Nigeria has concluded with outstanding success, strengthening its reputation as one of West Africa’s most influential cultural and artistic platforms. The festival is organised by Dance & Art Alive.
The festival brought together dancers, diplomats, cultural leaders and wellness advocates for three days of performances, workshops, competitions and impactful community outreach. The Dance & Art Alive Abuja was convened by renowned dance innovator, Buddy Doubara Agedah.
Abuja Salsa Championship delivered a thrilling showcase of talent from across the country. The winning team, made up of three male dancers, Vincent Harrison Okereke, Kenneth Ugochukwu Ifeanyichukwu and Francis Eteng Davies, took first place, impressing the judges with their skill, precision and chemistry as a unit.
Teams from Jos also made a remarkable impact, securing second and third positions in the competition. Their strong performance highlights how the Buddy Dance Cup is providing dancers in the northern region with an international platform to train, grow and showcase their talents to the rest of the world.
This year’s edition welcomed several distinguished members of the diplomatic corps, including the Ambassador of Cuba to Nigeria, Ambassador Miriam Morales Palmero; Maricel Romero, representing the Honorary Consulate of Colombia in Nigeria, and others. Their presence reflects the festival’s continued role in promoting cultural diplomacy between Africa, Latin America and global partners.
Apart from celebrating arts, the organiser also carried out a free breast cancer screening and counselling sponsored by Century Group in partnership with the Greenfield Cancer Care Foundation. Participants were screened, educated and counselled, an initiative made possible through the generous.
Agedah received a major international honour as he was named the Best African Dance Innovator in Nigeria (2025) by Best of Best Review.
The award acknowledges his groundbreaking contributions to African dance innovation, cultural development and regional integration.
This achievement adds to other recognitions Agedah has earned across Africa, further establishing him as a leading figure in the Afro-Latin and African dance communities.
Under Agedah’s leadership, the West Africa Afro-Latin Dance Festival Nigeria has evolved into a flagship creative event uniting dancers from Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Benin, Togo and beyond. It continues to boost tourism, create employment in the creative economy, foster regional cultural collaboration and demonstrate how dance can inspire unity and drive social change.
Following the success of the Abuja edition, Buddy Doubara Agedah reaffirms his commitment to expanding the reach of dance, strengthening African cultural identity and advancing health-focused community initiatives across the continent.
