With FG Backing, AFRIMA Gears Up for an Exciting Sixth Edition

With FG Backing, AFRIMA Gears Up for an Exciting Sixth Edition

Vanessa Obioha

Despite the late change of host country from Ghana to Nigeria, the sixth edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) is gearing up for a memorable event. It recently secured support from the federal government which was announced by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

Mohammed praised the international organising committee of the awards for what it represents in the continent, noting that the country has recorded the most successful editions of the award due to the visa on arrival policy.

”All Africa Music Awards is one of the biggest awards for the music industry in Africa, and what the government has done in the past is to provide an enabling environment for the awards to take place. We provided support services for AFRIMA, we gave them the backing they need and I think it’s on record that the AFRIMA editions that have been held in Nigeria have been among the most successful. This year again, we are ready to partner AFRIMA professionally, give them the maximum support such as effective media coverage and also help them in reaching out to other critical stakeholders,” the minister said.

With this exciting news, the organisers have rolled out the series of events that will be held this year. In its usual tradition, the four-day event will kick off with a Welcome Soiree scheduled for Wednesday, November 20 at the poolside of Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. The reception is in honour of arriving AFRIMA nominees, delegates, African Union officials and other expected guests.

The next day will see the AFRIMA delegates paying a visit to a public primary school in Lagos to donate educational and musical instruments as part of its social responsibility initiative. The initiative was launched in Gambia in 2015 as a way to raise consciousness for the African child’s education and literacy on the continent.

The AFRIMA-styled music village will be held in the evening of the same day at the Agege Stadium, Lagos, where a slew of upcoming artistes and music stars will entertain music lovers for 12 hours.

Each edition of AFRIMA engages music professionals and executives, government officials as well as other stakeholders in the music, media and financial sectors of Africa on ways to harness the socio-economic gains of the music industry in Africa in a one-of-its-kind Africa Music Business Summit (AMBS). That discussion will take place on Friday, November 22 at the Grand Ballroom, Eko Hotels and Suites, and in the evening, the AFRIMA Nominees party will hold. Tagged ‘Fire and Ice’, the exclusive party for this year’s nominees has a few surprises in store for the guests.

The main awards ceremony themed ‘Feel Africa’ will eventually take place on Saturday, November 23 at Eko Convention Centre. The event will be broadcast live and is conceptualised to celebrate African creativity and culture in all its splendour as well as reward African artistes who emerge winners in the 36 AFRIMA continental and regional categories ranging from the classic, contemporary to traditional genres of music. The awards ceremony programme will specially recognise and honour African music veterans with the 2019 AFRIMA Legend Award.

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