The African Union Commission, AUC, and the International Committee of the
All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, has bestowed the special award of
Supporter of the Arts on His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr.
Akinwunmi Ambode at the recently concluded 5th AFRIMA, the annual music
awards held in Accra, Ghana, on Saturday, November 24, 2018.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was honoured for his contributions and support
towards the growth of arts and culture in Africa. Mrs. Amira Elfadil,
Commissioner for Social Affairs, AUC, in her letter to the Executive
Governor of Lagos State, she noted “this recognition is in accordance to
the pivotal role the Government of Lagos State played as the Official Host
City of AFRIMA awards in 2016 and 2017 which impacted on the overall
AFRIMA objectives of using the awards platform to unify the African
continent, while celebrating its music and cultural uniqueness”.
The Lagos State government, under the leadership of Governor Ambode has
demonstrated an undeniable commitment to the music and entertainment
sector of Nigeria, paving way for the growth and recognition of indigenous
talents, promoting the heritage and culture of the people of Lagos state,
while expanding the business of arts and tourism in the state.
Representative of the Governor, Honourable Commissioner for Tourism, Arts,
and Culture, Lagos State; Steve Ayorinde, who received the award on the
governor’s behalf congratulated AFRIMA, AUC, and the government of the
Republic of Ghana, “I am pleased to be receiving this special recognition
on behalf of the Art loving governor of Lagos State who sent his apologies
for not being able to make it tonight, but also sent his warm courtesies,
because to him Ghana is also home. We have a saying in Lagos, we say ‘One
Lagos’, and he knows that in Ghana too, it is One Ghana”. The Commissioner
also noted that nothing has brought Africans closer, bigger than what
AFRIMA is doing, and pleased that AFRIMA has moved to a sister city after
four great editions in Lagos, and he looks forward to the next editions
which he believes will be hosted in Ghana.
The special recognition is a unanimous agreement by the AUC, International
Committee of AFRIMA and the esteemed 13-man AFRIMA Jury- made up of
African music, media and culture experts from the five regions of Africa
(2 representatives each); one from Europe and North America respectively
(representing the diaspora) and a representative from AUC to recognize
individuals who have contributed to the creative economy of Africa.
The awards night also saw honours going out to other recipients of the
AFRIMA special recognition awards. Other honorary awardees include
internationally recognised South African singer, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, who
received the 5th AFRIMA Legend Award, and Ghana’s music veteran, Teddy
Osei, founder of the famous Osibisa group, an Afropop band created in
1969. Similarly, winners also emerged from the popularised 36 awards
categories (regional and continental), where music artiste had to battle
it out in each genre to emerge winner of the 23.9k gold-plated AFRIMA
trophy. Full list on www.afrima.org
AFRIMA, in partnership with African Union, is a music property that
recognises and rewards the work and talent of myriad of African artists
from the old to the new generation of musicians. AFRIMA also stimulates
conversations among Africans and between Africa and the rest of the world
about the potential of the creative arts for real humanising enterprise on
the continent contributing significantly to social cohesion, national,
regional and continental integration as well as sustainable development in
Africa.