Known as much for his political activism as his prowess in the boxing ring, heavyweight boxing legend Mohammed Ali passed away on Friday June 3, aged 74. 

Described as one of the greatest figures of the 20th century, Ali succumbed to septic shock, after a decade’s long battle with Parkinson’s disease. His passing has since triggered a spontaneous and global outpouring of grief, admiration and affection for a man that was not only outspoken and respected, but also feared in equal measure for his strong political views.

Among black communities and other racial minorities especially, Ali was respected for the fearlessness he displayed in asserting his black identity, and his relentless pursuit of justice and equality.

It is against this backdrop that a tribute event in his honour was staged on the night of Sunday, June 5 at the Innovation Village in Kacyiru, Kigali.

Ali’s tribute was slotted into the regular Sunday Afro Music and Film, a monthly event that takes place every first Sunday of the month, and at which the strong ties between Pan-African film and music are explored.

The event involved the screening of, I Am Ali, the 2014 Clare Lewins documentary in which the boxer’s audio journals, friends, family and fellow boxers provide insight into his extraordinary life and legendary career.

The Ali documentary preceded another "Black power” themed documentary, Music Is The Weapon, which follows the musical life and political activism of the legendary Nigerian Afro Beat godfather, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

Later after the screenings, theatre-goers exchanged views and reflected on the life of the icon.

"I find it even more interesting that they had flaws, because it makes them accessible and gives us hope as normal human beings to emulate them because we ordinary people have as much flaws if not more, but on the other hand we don’t have so many accomplishments,” shared one young man who came clad in a T-shirt with the bold inscriptions –Black Power. He later revealed that he had received the T-shirt as a gift from Europe just two days before Mohammed Ali’s death.

Both were unanimously recognized as geniuses in their respective fields – sports for Ali, and music for Kuti.They were outspoken, admired, respected and feared for their strong political views.

"I think that to limit the inspirational and influential life of these great black icons to just sports and music would be restrictive,” explained Eric Soul, a Kigali-based DJ and Events enthusiast who was the event’s curator.

Kirenga further revealed that the monthly forum is a continuation of a concept he started a few years ago in London where he was based at the time, and that run for five consecutive years.

In December last year, the Innovation Village staged a similar event in honor of the noble ideals that Mohammed Ali espoused well before his death. It was a month-long art exhibition dubbed "Ali Bomaye”, by Rwandan visual artist Mucyo Mu.

At the world-famous heavyweight boxing fight between Ali and George Foreman in the then Zaire (now DR Congo), in 1974, the crowd was clearly pro- Ali. They famously chanted "Ali boma ye” (the ‘boma’ for ‘kill’, and the ‘ye’ for ‘him’.

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, Ali remains the only three-time lineal world heavyweight champion, having won the title in 1964, 1974, and 1978.

He was loved as much for the skills he displayed in the boxing ring as for the values he stood for outside of the sport; a passionate crusader for racial justice and religious freedom.

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