The 13-man international Jury of All Africa Music Awards, (AFRIMA),
which represents the five regions of Africa, the Diaspora and the
African Union Commission arrives Lagos, Nigeria on Tuesday August 1,
2017, for a week-long adjudication process for the awards’ fourth
edition.
Arriving at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, the highly experienced music professionals are as follows; Charles
Tabu, a versatile Congolese music management guru, representing
Central Africa alongside Cameroonian media executive Robert E.
Ekukole. Southern Africa representatives include Delani Makhalima from
Zimbabwe and Christian Syren from South Africa.
Others are Western Africa representatives David Tayorault, the Ivorian composer of many rave songs like ‘Coupe Decale’, ‘Zouglou’ and
‘Yousomba’ and Olisa Adibua, a renowned Nigeria media and music
industry personality. Tanzania’s Joett, a 90’s music comeback buff,
composer and member of the American Society of Composers, authors and publishers will sit in for Eastern Africa in addition to Tabu Osusa,
CEO of Ketebul Music who is one of Kenya’s music authorities.
Representing the Africans-in-Diaspora realm are Hadja Kobélé Keita, a
US-based music executive with Universal Music Africa/Island Africa and
Rita Ray, a UK-based BBC Radio 3 Presenter and popular Club DJ.
Moroccan Omar Es Saidi is representing Northern Africa and Angela
Martins, sits in for the African Union Commission, AUC.
Commenting on the adjudication process being embarked upon by the
AFRIMA Jurors, Robert Ekukole stated “This is a crucial stage in the
AFRIMA Awards process. The objective of adjudication is to access
well-deserving artistes and music professionals for nominations in the
regional and continental categories and eventually to emerge as
winners through public voting”.
The adjudication process includes the responsibility of screening,
categorizing, assessing and selecting nominees from the total of 4,816
works submitted for 2017 awards consideration from African music
artistes, songwriters, music directors, producers and entertainment
journalists at the closure of the two-month entry submission window in
July this year.
Speaking at the arrival hall, AFRIMA’s Associate producer, Adenrele
Niyi stated that “We can’t over emphasise to the Jury that the core
values of the awards with acronym FACE-IT, which are fairness,
authenticity, creativity, excellence, integrity and transparency, must
reflect in the adjudication process, pre-selection process, auditing
phase, nomination process and the eventual public voting process”.
Africa’s biggest music event, All Africa Music Awards, (AFRIMA), with
support from the African Union Commission (AUC), in its fourth edition
is soaring high by showcasing the best and rewarding great musical and
cultural efforts with the 23.9 karat gold plated AFRIMA trophy. The
main awards events are scheduled to hold from November 9 to November
12, 2017 and broadcast to over 80 countries around the world.
