The All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, has recorded an impressive participation as a total of 2,025 entries were received at the close of submission of entries.
The entries were received on the AFRIMA website and Facebook page from artistes, record companies, music enthusiasts and music/entertainment journalists from across the continent and the Diaspora whose works were produced in the year under review, which is May 31, 2013 to July 20, 2014.
The call for entry was initially opened on May 15 and billed to close on July 5. However, the International Committee of AFRIMA extended the closing date to July 19 to accommodate more entries from interested participants across the continent and also to give an equal chance to many who felt disenfranchised due to lack of Internet access. The entry finally closed on July 21, 2014.
Out of the entries received, 38 were from music and entertainment journalists, others were from artistes, songwriters, video directors, music producers and record companies.
Being a continental award, music enthusiasts from across the continent submitted their works, but more exciting are the entries from non-African countries by Africans. This, the organisers said, shows the global recognition of AFRIMA, which is organised in partnership with the African Union Commission and the host country’s Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment as well as the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation in Nigeria.
Matlou Tsotetsi, director, brand communication and sponsorships, said, “The International Committee is excited about the entries received. It is a reflection of the understanding and acceptability of the vision and ideals of AFRIMA’s intent to pursue and communicate to the rest of the world.”
The submitted works will be further screened by a 13-person jury panel that are part of the AFRIMA Academy of Voters comprising of 527 members grouped into two layers of adjudicators spread across the five regions of Africa.
The jury members who have been carefully selected to represent the 5 regions of Africa and Diaspora are from the following countries: Kenya, Senegal, Uganda, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, UK and USA as well as a representative from the African Union.
A nomination list will be released to the public on a later date to vote for a winner in each of the 31 categories of the award.
The award ceremony, which promises to be a premium and star-studded event, will take place on November 9. It will be broadcast in 84 countries and on 109 television stations across the world.
The AFRIMA Village, a four-day event of music festivities featuring national pavilions, cultural/entertainment exhibitions and music concerts between November 4 and 7, will precede the award ceremony.
There will also be an Africa Music Summit (November 6-7) themed “Reviving the Business of Music in Africa”. The two-day conference will be a platform for the music industry stakeholders to engage and deliberate on how the industry can be nurtured and be a major contributor to national and continental economies.
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