There are some definite days when his restaurant proves there was a need for a restaurant like his. He looks around, usually during the weekend shifts, and feels like he’s found a home as other Africans dine under his roof, enjoying his food.
Now, he wants to do something bigger for Lansing’s African community and others with a curiosity to learn more. about different cultures.
“I’ve seen people come in (Tatse) and they just want to eat African food and I see white people and I share the culture,” Adeleye said. “So I feel like this event should bring people from Kalamazoo, from around Lansing to downtown, which is very good for downtown.”
Adeleye has been planning the city’s first Capital Afrofest, which is set for 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. From inside his restaurant, 221 S. Washington Square, and on the sidewalks outside, he hopes to have 40 African and African-American vendors, plus music, food and clothing recognizing their cultures.
“Bringing in African and African-American vendors or a kind of restaurant under one canopy would strengthen the goal of Tatse, which is to share the culture,” he said.
The event is free to attend, but Afroball and the nightly parties require tickets. Adeleye’s restaurant is hosting the 8 p.m. Friday Afroball fashion show. Creations with African textiles will be showcased while people feast on a three-course African-style meal. Tickets are $50.
Celebrity stylist Oliver Brown and Michigan State University Professor Dennis Ikpe are two of the few guests of honor at the Afroball fashion show.
“The fashion show is about showing the style of Africa to showcase how Africans use the textile to mobilize it into different outfits that you can comfortably wear casually or formally,” Adeleye said.
Adeleye planned the second day of the festival to be about entertainment. There will be an instructional Afrobeat class, board games and competitions among various age groups.
An African parade, with possible road closures, starts at 6 p.m. Saturday. Adeleye invites parade-goers to bring their country’s flag.
“If you’re a visitor and see someone with their flag, you can ask them about their country, learn about their foods and how they do things,” he said.
In the midst of the fun planned for the two days, Adeleye said there will be panel discussions on investing in real estate and other investments to grow generational wealth. Real Estate Agents Oddie Sira and Mohamed Abukar will moderate the noon panel on Friday.
The event is scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on both Sept. 23 and 24 along Washington Square. There will be 40 African and African American vendors for the event who will be selling food, clothes and other items. It is free to attend, with the exception of ticketed indoor activities.
