Video: Our Women & Marriage - The Promise

Trailer: ‘The New Black’ Shows Battle Between Gay Marriage, Black Church

AFI DOCS (formerly Silverdocs) announced today its distinguished Audience Award winners, culminating a five day festival including the screening of 53 films representing 30 countries.

This year's Audience Award for Best Feature went to THE NEW BLACK directed by Yoruba Richen. The film examines how African-American voters have become bitterly divided on the issue of gay marriage because of homophobia rampant in one of the pillars of the African-American community - the church. Focusing on the fight for marriage equality in Maryland, it argues that this hot-button issue is a matter of civil rights.

I’ll never play music that supports same sex marriage – Bongos Ikwue

Music icon, Bongos Ikwue, shares his experiences with JOHN AMEH

 How does it feel to be 70 years old?

I don’t feel any difference at all. I don’t know what it feels like to be 70 years old. When I turned 30, I didn’t know what it felt like. I am just living and doing my everyday thing and enjoying every bit of it.

At a point, you simply disappeared from the music scene. Why?

Well, I have not been living in any kind of hiding. I think people, or journalists, have not been reaching out enough. You are the one to go and find out what is happening. I shouldn’t go and knock on everybody’s door and say, ‘Hey, here I am; my name is Bongos’. It is up to you to find out about whom you want to find out and tell it to the people. I have been as busy as anybody can be. I don’t like to talk about myself.

How was growing up?

I attended primary school in Otukpo, Jos and Kaduna. I had my secondary school education in Zaria and my Higher School in Okene (Kogi State). Then I ended up in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. I think that sums it up completely. Growing up, I spent a little time in Otukpo with my parents, but moved to live with my brother, who was a policeman in Jos from 1953 to 1956. Most of my growing years were with my brother were at the police barracks in Jos. He listened to music a lot.