Last week saw 20,000 people of African descent gather on the beaches of Portimao, Portugal. They were there for Afro Nation - billed as the first festival to celebrate the African Diaspora. In its debut year, the "historic" four days featured live music from Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Jamaica, the UK and the US. And who was it organised by? A 34-year-old Nigerian promoter from Dagenham, who goes by the name SMADE. SMADE, real name Adesegun Adeosun Jr, had the idea in May last year, inspired by a vision of creating an "unforgettable experience" that would "celebrate love, peace, unity and the beauty of African culture".
Alongside his business partner, Obi Asika, they started building a "strong team of people" and swiftly began preparations. But with a saturated festival market, he knew there would be pressure to pull Afro Nation off.