…Submission Of Songs To Commence On May 25
The All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, experienced the
warmth of the music and culture industry of Ghana on Monday, May 21, 2018 when
the calendarof events for the 5th edition of the biggest awards event on
thecontinent was unveiled by the African Union following a meeting andcourtesy
visit to His Excellency, the President of Ghana, Nana AddoDankwaAkufo-Addo.
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| President and Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mr. Mike Dada |
Welcoming the visiting delegation led by the Head of
Culture, African Union Commission, Mrs. Angela Martins, at the Presidential
Office, Jubilee House, Accra, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,
lauded the initiative of AFRIMA in conceiving a platform that showcases Africa
positively to the world through the creativity of the music talents and the
distinctive African cultural heritage.
“The people of Ghana are proud to host the 2018 AFRIMA
World Media Calendar Unveiling event and to receive the delegation of officials
of AU and AFRIMA as well the talented artistes and the media. I’m excited to
hear AFRIMA is engaging the rest of the world on an intellectual platform with
conferences and the music awards. We hope you have had a remarkable experience
of Ghanaian hospitality. Our hope is that we will host the main awards
ceremony”, the President stated.
Other officials of the government of Ghana who
received the AU-AFRIMA delegation included the Honourable Minister of Tourism,
Arts and Culture, Hon. Catherine Abelema Afeku; Executive Secretary to the
President, Nana Asante Bediatuo; Principal Personal Assistant to the President,
Saratu Atta: Chief Director, Ministry of Tourism, Arts &Culture, Dr.
Joel Sonne; Director, Tourism Council, Ghana, Chief Nana Anim and celebrated
Ghanaian music artistes such as veteran Nana Kwame Ampadu who joined artistes
from other African countries for the courtesy visit.
The President further prompted the Honourable Minister
of Tourism, Catherine Afeku to see to the completion of the formalities
required to enable Ghana ratify the Charter on African Culture Renaissance.
Earlier, while delivering the AU’s remarks to
President Akufo-Addo,Mrs. Angela Martins expressed gratitude to the government
and people of Ghana for the commitment and support displayed towards hosting
the 2018 AFRIMA Calendar Unveiling.
“We cherish the partnership with the government of
Ghana since it will enhance the pan-African nature of the AFRIMA initiative.
The AU also uses the AFRIMA platform to voice key messages related to the Arts
and Culture and other social issues for example the campaign on Ebola in 2014”,
she buttressed.
The international Committee of AFRIMA was represented
at the courtesy visit by President and Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mr. Mike
Dada; Director, Brand Communications, AFRIMA, Ms. Matlou Tsotetsi; AFRIMA
Regional Director, Central Africa, Mr. Ernest Ewane; AFRIMA Regional Director,
West Africa; Mr. Don Obilor; AFRIMA Co-Producer/Country Director Nigeria, Mr.
Kingsley James; AFRIMA Country Director Ghana, Mr. Francis Doku, AFRIMA Jury
Member (West Africa), Mr. OlisaAdibua and AFRIMA Consultant, Regional
Partnerships and Sponsorship, Dr. Bukola Bello-Jaiyesimi.
Meanwhile, the Calendar Unveiling of the 5th AFRIMA
took place later in the day at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra where
the theme of the awards “Africa is Music” was also revealed to the large gathering
of African and international media.
The ceremony, well-attended by record label owners,
culture industry practitioners and music artistes such as Sarkodie (Ghana);
2Baba(Nigeria); Victoria Kimani (Kenya); Becca (Ghana); Ahmed Soultan
(Morocco); Stanley Enow (Cameroon); Seyi Shay (Nigeria); Emtee (SouthAfrica);
Falz (Nigeria); Fancy Gaddam (Ghana); Stanley Adjetey (Ghana);Dark Suburb
(Ghana); Zeynab (Republic of Benin) and Jah Phinga (Ghana), among others,
featured a two-part interactive discussion session on the theme “Enhancing
Music Business in Africa”.
This conference preceded the formal unveiling of the
2018 AFRIMA Calendar by Mrs. Angela Martins and Director, Brand Communications,
AFRIMA, Ms. Matlou Tsotetsi, The 5th AFRIMA Calendar details build up and main
events activities leading up to the 5th AFRIMA Main Awards ceremony slated for
November 25, 2018. Build up events include musical conferences and concerts
around the different regions of Africa but more importantly, on May 25 (Africa
Day), the 2018 AFRIMA opens the call for submission of works/song by African
music professionals released within the eligibility period to compete for
possible nomination in one or more of the 36 categories of the awards. The
submission will end on August 1, 2018.
Panel discussants including Ghanaian artistes and
artistes from different African countries and culture/creative industry
executives, professionals and practitioners discussed the challenges faced by
the creative industry in Africa while also proffering inventive solutions to
enhance the future of the music business on the continent. Some creative
industry discussants included President, Creative Arts Council, Ghana, Mr. Mark
Okraku Mantey and AFRIMA Regional Director, West Africa, Mr. Don Obilor.
According to Kenyan music diva, Victoria Kimani,
“Before now, the world of music, fashion and arts were not being taken
seriously unlike politics, but the progress that have been registered in
today’s music industry makes it easier to have a more confident ecosystem that
encourages the production of good music around the continent”.
Nigerian Afro pop singer, Seyi Shay, shared how the
African music industry has empowered her as an artiste and how the system has
given most artistes the control over their music.
Encouraging artistes to focus on building an authentic
music brand, Ghanaian rap star, Sarkodie, talked about increasing the numbers
of professionals in the music business that can provide structure and technical
music production where everybody can in turn make more money through music
business.
Nigerian artiste Falz encouraged artiste to not only
have musical collaborations with fellow artistes but also with huge brands with
whom artistes can share ideas and initiatives for support to help them grow in
music business.
Giving his submission on the discussion theme,
Innocent ‘2Baba’ Idibia said proper structure must be put in place to ensure
that investors in the music industry can get returns on their money.
The AFRIMA 2018
Calendar Unveiling event was hosted by the government and people of Ghana as
part of the AU policy to achieve its objective of promoting social integration
in the five regions of Africa. The 5th AFRIMA will
also feature high-octane music concerts tagged “Turn Up Africa” which objective
is to connect fans and followers of African music with their favourite Africa
music stars of the traditional and contemporary genres.
In
partnership with the African Union, the All Africa Music Awards is a music
property that recognizes and rewards the work and talent of myriad of African
artists from the old to the new generation of musicians.Through its conference,
AFRIMA also stimulates conversations among Africans and between Africa and the
rest of the world about the potential of the creative arts for real humanizing
enterprise on the continent contributing significantly to social cohesion, national,regional
and continental integration as well as sustainable development in Africa. It is
broadcast live to over 84 countries.
- National Encomium
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