Hundreds of believers attended Gospel singer Patient Bizimana’s annual Easter Celebration concert which was held at Kigali Convention Centre, Radisson Blu Hotel on Easter Sunday.
Hundreds of believers attended Gospel singer Patient Bizimana’s annual Easter Celebration concert which was held at Kigali Convention Centre, Radisson Blu Hotel on Easter Sunday.
The good organization and a convenient venue made the event stand out as hundreds of Rwandans came out to show their love for gospel music.
The venue was packed to capacity before the concert started at 6pm. A couple of upcoming gospel artistes did the curtain raising before Bizimana performed.
Clad in a fitting black suit, and a blue tie, the gospel maestro stepped on the stage at about 7:15pm and performed for an hour and 15 minutes.
After an enchanted reception from the audience, the artiste first led the revellers into an intense session of praise and worship through songs such as Yicayeiburyobwa Data, King of Kings, Ubwobuntu, Menyaneza and Hillsong’s You lived among others.
Backed up by the experienced Restoration Church Choir Masoro, Bizimana without a doubt stunned as he did almost all of his songs from his first album Andyoheracyane to IgitambaMbuga, his latest.
He also performed Iyo neza his collaboration with Gaby Kamanzi. Though she was not on the list of people who were meant to perform, Kamanzi joined Bizimana on stage to the delight of the crowd.
The faithful also received God’s Word as Restoration church’s Apostle Joshua Masasu preached about the importance of Easter and its meaning to the Christians.
When Burundian gospel music icon Apollinaire Habonimana’s turn to take on stage came, he proved himself as one of the best in the region as far as gospel music is concerned.
As usual, he came on the stage with the saxophone, his trademark instrument. The maestro enjoyed an evening of real support from his fans.
Since his songs are well known in Rwanda, it was easy for the audience to sing out loud along with him and obviously you could see that he enjoyed every second of it.
Apostle Appollinaire, as he is commonly known, put up a thrilling performance as he mixed singing with skilful blowing of the saxophone.
His songs like Umvicyatumye, Umvaukoyankunze, Nzahorandirimba, MuriWowe, Ndacafiseimpamvu and Ukwiyeamashimwe were all on the cards as he got the audience in high spirits.
Kenyan gospel artiste Marion Shako wound up the performances of the night at about 10pm. Bizimana introduced her as "a worshiper and not a performer.”
She performed some of her tracks like Nasongambele, Kama mvua, Milele to give the concert an epic ending to the event.
The concert also featured screening of a video about patient Bizimana’s life and musical journey. Among other exciting events during the concert was when Bizimana invited his dad Leonard Munyaribanjeto to sing. His father went on to prove that talent runs in the family when he sang NiweUhoraho hymn.
Bizimana noted that he is looking to take his music beyond the region to continental and international level.
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