The ThisDay Africa Rising Festival in Washington DC was a great affair. With appearances by Youssou N’dour, John Legend, and Jay-Z, and the wonderful fashions by Deola Sagoe, Momo, and Chris Aire, it was a night to remember.

The show started about 45 minutes late due to some technical difficulties. Emcees Washington Post columnist and Associate Editor, Eugene Robinson, and newscaster Paula Zahn, kept the flow going between performances. My only peeve was that, although this was called Thisday Africa Rising Festival, the emphasis was on Jay-Z and John Legend. I thought the idea was to present the talent that is rampant in Africa. I was surprised to note that the people seated around me (press, no less), were unaware of the fame and respect the African performers on the roster command. It appears that Eugene Robinson and Paula Zahn weren’t completely aware either. I wasn’t the only one who thought so.

Youssou N’dour was the first act of the evening and, with barely an introduction (the emcees got the crowd riled up about Jay-Z and John Legend and then stated that first there would be ‘other performers’ and then they would come out to sing) he came out and made a statement. He said, ” I might not be a headliner, but I am Africa and THIS is AFRICA rising”. He gave a rousing show and had the crowd on their feet when he sang about Africa.

Next was a great fashion show featuring the Resort 2009 collection by Momo. Flowing elegant clothing with lots of sweepingly stylish lines ruled the runway. Liya Kebede started it off to a rousing cheer, but the favorite female model of the night was definitely Alek Wek who had people chanting her name and cheering for her when she walked onto the stage. Deola Sagoe, whose clothing and design are influenced by Victorian times, showcased her collection of very unique styles. The doors to the changing rooms had to be locked when armored guards brought in Chris Aire’s collection valued at a whopping $450 million. Some pieces had their own guards, including the $20 million dress. Tyson Beckford had women swooning in their seats as they watched him model pieces of Chris Aire’s jewelry.

John Legend had the ladies ready to swarm the stage with his songs and energy. His song, ‘Good Morning’ that will be featured on his new album, coming out soon, was a hit. Jay-Z wowed the crowd with several of his songs in rapid succession, keeping the entire audience on their feet. He was impressed with how many people knew all the words to his songs, and graciously thanked several people in the crowd for being true fans.

D’banj and 2Face Idibia were supposed to be at the show, but unconfirmed reports stated that they had some issues with visas and their flights. Overall the show was wonderful and the Africans who performed or showcased their collections did a great job of showing that we have abundant talent in Africa, and yes, we can compete, and beat, anyone, anywhere with our talent.