Geerard Adriaen

Geerard Adriaen (Bruges, 30 May 2000) is a Belgian journalist and documentary filmmaker. In July 2025, he became headman in a kingdom of the South African amaNdebele people.[1][2]

Belgian journalist Geerard Adriaen

Activities

Adriaen studied Journalism at Artevelde University of Applied Sciences and did an internship at VRT in Rudi Vranckx's editorial team.[2][3]

Between May and June 2024, he made a documentary in Sierra Leone for the VRT CANVAS TV-show Nomaden, about the synthetic drug kush.[4] After negotiating with local drug dealers, he gained access to several gangs, which he could film.[5] While on location in Sierra Leone, he spent a month living in a slum in Freetown and suffered a hand injury during a machete attack.[2][5] His documentary Lost in Smoke raised donations that saved 29 kush addicts.[6][7] Among the donors was the Belgian Princess Pauline de Merode.[7][8]

Headman Geerard Adriaen, Princess Kelelo Dlamini and King Ndzundza Kamusi II (26 July 2025)

Between June and July 2025, he made the documentary Men with Glasses for Nomaden in Zimbabwe, about eye problems in people with albinism.[9][10] He was assisted in this by Princess Kelelo Dlamini of Swaziland.[2][6][11] Adriaen helped organizing the project Eyes for Zimbabwe, in which more than a thousand visually impaired people received free glasses from Eyes for the World.[2][6] Due to the lack of press freedom in Zimbabwe, Adriaen filmed undercover.[11] He pretended to be a volunteer for Eyes for the World, but was nevertheless forced to work under police supervision.[9][11]

Geerard Adriaen during his initiation ceremony as headman in Mpumalanga, South Africa (26 July 2025)

In July 2025, Princess Dlamini introduced him in South Africa to King Ndzundza Kamusi II – one of the three kings of the amaNdebele people, which has 2.1 million members.[2][6] In appreciation of what Adriaens' documentaries have meant to communities in Africa, the king conferred upon him the noble title of iNduna (headman).[1][2][6] The ceremony took place on 26 July 2025 in Stoffberg and was attended by several kings from neighbouring tribes.[2][6] He was offered a polygamous marriage with two princesses, but he rejected the proposal.[2][12] At the time of his appointment, Adriaen was the only European iNduna in Africa.[2][6] As headman, he advises the king and can represent him abroad.[1][2][6]

Sources, notes and/or references

  1. 1 2 3 TV-reportage: Geerard Adriaen wordt hoofdman in Zuid-Afrika. Retrieved 2025-11-24 – via www.youtube.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Hoornaert, Axel (25 October 2025). ""Ik had met twee prinsessen tegelijk kunnen trouwen": hoe Vlaming Geerard (25) hoofdman van stam met 2 miljoen Zuid-Afrikanen werd". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  3. ↑ Radio 1: Interview over kush in Sierra Leone. Retrieved 2025-11-24 – via www.youtube.com.
  4. ↑ Lambrechts, Jani (3 March 2025). "Slechte economie drijft jongeren in Sierra Leone naar drugs: "Politieke instabiliteit is het echte probleem"". VRT NWS (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  5. 1 2 Cobbaert, Bieke (27 February 2025). "Reporter Geerard Adriaen maakt reportage voor Canvas in Sierra Leone: "Ik zag alleen nog die machete"" (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cobbaert, Bieke. "Documaker Geerard (25) benoemd tot hoofdman van Afrikaanse stam: "Ik sta de koning bij als raadgever"". Krant van West-Vlaanderen (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  7. 1 2 Hoornaert, Axel (2026-02-21). "Belgische prinses steunt project in Sierra Leone na pakkende documentaire van Geerard (25): "Ik zag benen die weggerot waren"". HLN (Het Laatste Nieuws). Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  8. ↑ Cobbaert, Bieke (2026-01-16). "Belgische prinses helpt verslaafde afkicken dankzij Geerard Adriaen: "Abdul stuurt me geregeld foto's van de vooruitgang"". Krant van West-Vlaanderen. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  9. 1 2 Nollet, Kasper (29 October 2025). ""Een bril verandert levens": opticien Koen uit België brengt betaalbare brillen naar mensen met albinisme in Zimbabwe". VRT NWS (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  10. ↑ Geerard Adriaen (2025-11-22). Klara: Interview over documentaire Men with Glasses. Retrieved 2025-11-24 – via YouTube.
  11. 1 2 3 Cobbaert, Bieke (21 November 2025). "Reporter Geerard Adriaen gaat undercover voor Canvas in Zimbabwe: "De aandacht van de politie vermijden mislukte al op de eerste filmdag"". Krant van West-Vlaanderen (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  12. ↑ De Voogt, Siebe (2025-12-29). "2,1 miljoen keer bedankt! Deze verhalen uit Jabbeke beroerden jullie in 2025 het meest: van een uiteengespatte droom door ChatGPT tot een tragische dood en een hoofdman van een Zuid-Afrikaanse stam". HLN (Het Laatste Nieuws). Retrieved 2026-03-28.
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