BHLA, Rolling Stone Africa Partner for 10th Anniversary

Iyke Bede

In commemoration of a decade of celebrating Black excellence, arts and culture, the Black History and Lifestyle Awards (BHLA) has partnered with Rolling Stone Africa as part of activities marking the platform’s 10th anniversary.

The collaboration leverages Rolling Stone Africa’s ‘Culture on Culture’ series, which explores nightlife, creative expression and local connections across African cities through the experiences of public personalities reconnecting with the continent’s history, arts and cultural identity.

As part of the anniversary activities, American model and influencer Olandria Carthen was selected for this edition of ‘Culture on Culture’ to experience Nigeria’s culture, food and lifestyle, while also participating in a community outreach initiative involving the distribution of school bags and sanitary products to students through a collaborative effort.

BHLA will also present Carthen with a special recognition award in acknowledgement of her participation in the initiative and her role in promoting cultural engagement.

“We are projecting our culture outside the country. I want our stories to leave the shores of Africa,” CEO of BHLA and House of SOTA, Sade Balogun said, expressing confidence in the continued growth and global recognition of Africa’s entertainment and creative sector.

She added: “We’re telling our stories ourselves. We’re not waiting for people to tell our stories. I can say authoritatively that Rolling Stone has been doing that for a long time, so there’s no better platform to partner with.”

Editor-in-Chief, Rolling Stone Africa, Gwen Madiba, expressed confidence in the collaboration with BHLA and House of SOTA, describing it as an opportunity to further amplify the African experience and empower creative voices across the continent.

“The reason why we chose each other is because of the same values and love that we share for the continent and for Nigeria’s cultures. The work of BHLA doesn’t stop here in Nigeria; it continues to evolve in the United States and Europe. What we and House of SOTA do is empower young creatives,” Madiba said.

Ultimately, organisers say this collaboration serves as an extension of projecting African stories and lifestyle to the world, one genuine connection at a time.