During the Africa Night 2026 event, “East to West, With Love,” hosted by the Oregon State University African Student Association (ASA), attendants witnessed the symbolic union of East African and West African cultures. 

Africa Night is an annual celebration of African heritage and culture through on-stage performances. This year, the event was held on May 31 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the LaSells Stewart Center, and the show’s overarching theme was a wedding uniting the entire African continent. 

The show featured a multicultural fashion show representing a variety of African countries, Afrobeat and East and West African dance performances, and a one-act play depicting the joyous wedding between the symbolic characters of a West African bride, Kosi, and an East African groom, Henok.

After all the performers did a group line dance in costume and took their final bows of the night, ASA organizers served the Nigerian dish of Jollof rice, chicken, and plantains outside of the auditorium. 

This year in particular, the ASA event organizers faced more obstacles in planning Africa Night than in years past.

ASA student president Joshua Chilango, an international student majoring in finance, explained that the club has gone through some leadership changes this year. He became the new president later in the term, which he claimed left him and his team with only two months to plan the entire Africa Night event. 

Chilango also said that the ASA was working with a smaller budget than usual, and that if they didn’t put on a cultural event this year, they wouldn’t be eligible for a larger budget until 2029. 

“It’s a lot of pressure. But pressure’s just a part of life; either a person makes diamonds or breaks, and I don’t plan on breaking anytime soon,” said Chilango, before the event.

After the performances were over, Chilango said, “It was a very scary situation that me and my team found ourselves in. But we’re just happy that we were able to get over the hump, and despite some delays, we were able to produce something, and I think that’s a success in my eyes.”

For Prince Masiye, a first year mechanical engineering major and Africa Night performer, the audience size and full-hearted participation were his signs of success. 

“The crowd was pretty receptive, way more than I expected, and a ton of people showed out,” said Masiye.

Chilango said that he still thinks this year’s event was a win, but he guarantees next year’s will be even better.