By Charles Mgbolu

A ceremony has taken place in Rwanda where 23 newborn mountain gorillas were given new names.

The annual Gorilla Naming Ceremony, known locally as Kwita Izina, was held on Friday on the foothills of the Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi.

World celebrities, including Hollywood stars Idris Elba and Kevin Hart, Nigerian songstress Asa, and Zimbabwean-American actress Danai Gurira, were among the guests who named the baby gorillas.

It was 19th time Rwanda was inviting celebrities to name newborn gorillas as part of conservation efforts involving local communities

The colourful event saw the celebrities robed in traditional warrior outfits as they boldly called out the gorilla names after each other.

‘’He is Gakondo,'' boomed the voice of Kevin Hart in a pre-recorded video that was played at the event.

Asa named her gorilla 'Inganzo', which she said was ‘’in commemoration of conservation and for the health of our planet.’’

Idris and his wife Sabina Elba named theirs ‘Narame', which means ‘long life’.

According to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda’s gorilla tourism was the best-performing segment in 2022.

Virungu National Park's website says there are only 900 mountain gorillas in the wild, and despite intense conservation efforts, gorillas remain under threat.

Gorillas are killed for trophies or their meat is eaten for status.

The annual event attracts the big names in every industry, including conservation champions, celebrities, leaders, sports legends, and ordinary people.