Legendary Burundian musician Khadja Nin has revealed that she had chosen Rwanda as her forever home just before naming a baby gorilla.
She said this while a baby gorilla during the 20th edition of Kwita Izina held in Kinigi, Musanze District, on Friday, September 5.
"I was born and raised in Burundi but today I have chosen Rwanda as my forever home,” she said while naming her baby gorilla ‘Garuka’ which translates to "return or come back.”
ALSO READ: PICTORIAL: Glamour as Kwita Izina marks 20th anniversary in Kinigi
Khadja named a baby gorilla from a family of ‘Kwisanga’ born in October 2024 to mother ‘Nchili.'
"I wish that you will come back to visit Rwanda to discover all the wonders that this beautiful country has to offer you. Happy 20th anniversary,” she said.
Khadja Nin is a Burundian singer and musician born in Burundi as the youngest of a family of eight. Her father was a senior diplomat and Minister of the Interior of the Kingdom of Burundi.
She studied music at an early age like most of her brothers and sisters.
ALSO READ: Gorilla namer with visual impairment: Disability cannot limit our dreams
With her exceptional singing voice, at the age of seven she became one of the lead vocalists in the Bujumbura choir and performed in the local cathedral.
About Khadja Nin
Khadja Nin successfully used a blend between African rhythms and modern pop to create her own unique brand of music. One of her most popular songs is Sina Mali, Sina Deni, a translated cover version of Stevie Wonder’s song Free.
The annual conservation festival brought together conservationists, dignitaries, and international guests, with 20 distinguished namers taking part. The event, attended by senior government officials, was graced by First Lady Jeannette Kagame and Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva.
Since its inception in 2005, Kwita Izina has been held at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi, Musanze District. It reflects Rwanda’s conservation success, where mountain gorillas, once critically endangered, have flourished alongside the socio-economic development of local communities.