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AU, AFRIMA releases 5th Awards Nominees List …Public voting to commence Monday, August 27

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The globally-anticipated Nominees List for the 5th All Africa Music
Awards, AFRIMA, has been unveiled by the African Union Commission, AUC,
and the International Jury of AFRIMA, during a World Media announcement
held on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, at the Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria
Island, Lagos.

The released nominees list covers the five Regional Categories divided
into Female and Male categories as follows: Best Female Artiste in Central
Africa; Best Male Artiste in Central Africa; Best Female Artiste in
Eastern Africa; Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa; Best Female Artiste
in Northern Africa; Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa; Best Female
Artiste in Southern Africa; Best Male Artiste in Southern Africa; Best
Female Artiste in Western Africa and Best Male Artiste in Western Africa.

A total of 79 songs made it to the Regional nominees list.
Cameroon takes up four of the eight spots in the category for Best Female
Artiste in Central Africa, followed by DRC (2), and Angola (2). In the
category for Best Male Artiste in Central Africa, Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) takes the lead with five spots followed by Cameroon 2 and Chad
1.

From Eastern Africa, the female category Kenya holds three spots while
Uganda takes 2 with Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania occupying one nomination
slot respectively. In the male category, Kenya and Tanzania maintain three
nominations each Tanzania ties with Ethiopia & Tanzania registering one
nomination apiece.

The Algerian female artistes have a lead ahead of their male counterparts
as they took four out of the six spots in the category for Best Female
Artiste in Northern Africa, with Tunisia and Egypt holding one spot each.
The Male category has Moroccan artistes occupying four of the eight spots,
Algeria 2, Egypt and Tunisia earning one nomination each.

The Southern African region is dominated by South African artistes both in
the male and female categories, with a total of nine spots, followed by
Zimbabwe- 3, while Swaziland, Namibia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe take 1 spot
each.

The Western region Male category is having great contenders between
Nigeria and Ghana. Holding up 4 spots is Nigeria, closely followed by
Ghana (3), while Guinea and Cape Verde hold 1 spot each. The Best Female
Artiste in the Western region has Nigeria and Ghana in a tie of 2 spots
respectively, with Benin (1), Mali (1), Senegal (1), and Cote d’Ivoire
(1).

While providing insights into the process by which the entries were
reviewed and graded, the spokesperson for the International Jury of AFRIMA
and the Programme Director, Cameroon TV and Radio, CRTV, Mr. Robert
Ekukole (representing Eastern Africa) explained that tasked with the
responsibility of carefully and mindfully sieving through 8,009 entries
submitted by African music professionals within the awards validity period
of August 1, 2017 to August 1, 2018, “the jury members have no choice but
to be thorough and deliberate about their work because we will be doing
artistes and creators of these works a great injustice if we don’t accord
them the review their works deserves”,
“The AFRIMA Nominees list we arrived at reflects and represents the
top-notch creative expressions of music talents and professionals within
the relevant regions and validity period. However, we also have a
challenge where some artistes failed to enter for the awards and as such
missed the opportunity to be evaluated or possibly nominated for AFRIMA”.

The AFRIMA adjudication is carried out electronically via the proprietary
AFRIMA Adjudication Software, which was designed by AFRIMA in 2014, has
been deployed for use since the 2015 annual adjudication process.

When public voting opens on the AFRIMA website on Monday, August 27, both
continental and regional nominees in the 38 AFRIMA award categories will
compete against one another for the coveted 23.9 carat gold-plated AFRIMA
Trophy. Nominees will now depend on votes from their fans and followers
spread across the globe to vote for their songs in an open voting process
via the AFRIMA website, www.afrima.org

From August 7, when the annual adjudication process began, the 13-man
AFRIMA Jury worked painstakingly and tirelessly in assessing and grading
the submitted entries which was an astronomical increase of 63% against
the 2017 entries received by AFRIMA.

Speaking on the parameters considered by the Jury during the adjudication
process, Jury member representing Diaspora (North America), Hadja Kobélé
Keita, a music executive with work experience in international music
companies like Universal Music Africa and Island Africa, reiterated the
AFRIMA objective, which is about rewarding and promoting talents and
creativity in Africa.
“AFRIMA has specific guidelines they follow in considering musical works
that are nominated yearly, besides these guidelines, we also look out for
the quality of works submitted. An artiste’s popularity will not influence
the Jury’s verdict, just because an artiste has 100 million views on
Youtube does not guarantee making the list, unless such works are produced
with high quality and represent the continent properly. Other guidelines
the Jury considers are the current trends and market position”, she
further explains.

The AFRIMA’s open voting process will occur via the AFRIMA website,
www.afrima.org. Music lovers will be empowered to decide which
artiste/song emerges winners of the 23.9 carat gold-plated AFRIMA trophy.

The 5th AFRIMA is scheduled to hold in November 2018, other activities
scheduled for the main awards events is the Africa Music Business
Roundtable, a combination of musical conference and trade expo where
stakeholders in the creative and arts industry come together to discuss
the business of music in Africa, also the AFRIMA Music Village, a music
concert and cultural festival that accommodates over 40,000 music lovers
across the continent who witness live performances from their favourite
African artistes.

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Fuji Icon Remi Aluko Set to Thrill Fans at Ojez Railway Recreation Center Ebute Metta on Friday

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Fuji music legend Remi Aluko is set to bring the house down at the highly anticipated Toitoi Concert this Friday, December 20, at the Ojez Railway Recreation Center, Ebute Metta. Returning to the heart of Lagos, where his storied career began over two decades ago, Aluko is ready to deliver an electrifying night of rhythm, energy, and nostalgia.

 

Known for his mastery of blending traditional Yoruba melodies with modern Fuji vibes, Aluko has built a reputation for high-octane performances and a soulful connection with his audience. At the Toitoi Concert, fans can expect a lineup of his classic hits alongside fresh, unreleased tracks that showcase his continued evolution as a Fuji icon.

 

Speaking at a media briefing, Aluko shared his excitement:

“This concert is personal for me. Ebute Metta holds so many memories, and I can’t wait to give my fans a night they’ll never forget. Come early for some surprises—it’s my way of showing appreciation for the love and support over the years.”

 

Chief Joseph Odobeatu, Chairman of Ojez Entertainment Group, echoed Aluko’s enthusiasm, highlighting the venue’s significance as a cultural hub:

“The Ojez Railway Recreation Center is more than just a venue—it’s a place of history and celebration. We’re thrilled to host this landmark event and are committed to providing a secure and festive atmosphere for all music lovers.”

 

The Toitoi Concert promises to be more than just a musical event—it’s a celebration of Fuji culture, bringing together fans from all walks of life. Whether you’re a long-time follower of Aluko’s career or a newcomer to Fuji music, this concert offers an immersive experience into the rich heritage and modern vibrancy of the genre.

 

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to groove with Remi Aluko in an unforgettable evening of music, dance, and celebration. Dust off your dancing shoes and get ready to make memories at the Toitoi Concert!

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Photos From The Star Studded Bodex Social Media Hangout 5.0

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COSON MEMBERS CELEBRATE BUMPER =N=465.5 MILLION ROYALTY DISTRIBUTION!

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It was singing, jubilation and merriment this Tuesday, December 10, as members of Nigeria’s No 1 copyright collective management organization, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), approved a 2024 royalty distribution of a whopping =N=465.5 million for COSON members and associates. Following the approval, the distribution which is the highest in the history of the organization, began immediately as several COSON members started receiving bank alerts on their phones while still at COSON House.

They came from the East, the West, North and South of Nigeria: gaily dressed musicians who stormed Oluwaleimu Street, in the Allen Avenue Area of Ikeja where the magnificent COSON House stands sparkling in the sun, and in which COSON’s 2024 Annual General Meeting took place.

The AGM practically turned into a carnival as the former President of PMAN and Chairman of COSON, Chief Tony Okoroji, who presided at the General Meeting, delivered a moving address which he titled, “the COSON Spirit”.

 

The celebrated copyright warrior was praised repeatedly by joyous COSON members after delivering his speech in which he said, “We have deployed the law, like no other organization in the history of Nigeria, to form a bulwark against the people, in and out of government, who have tried everything to hijack and plunder COSON or if they fail, to kill COSON. You know the modus operandi of the vampires among our citizens: they grab every good thing in Nigeria for themselves, their friends and families with no thought for the millions of other people in our country. They are not satisfied with owning one house. In a nation where millions do not own even a hut, they grab what belongs to all of us and build 735 duplexes for themselves alone and want more as if they have a contract with the Almighty that they will never die.

“I wish to state that I have been to practically every court in the land, have mounted the witness box and testified, and have won victories on behalf of COSON that many had thought were impossible. We have retained the services of four first class senior advocates and several other senior lawyers.

“Without the decisions of those distinguished Judges of the Courts who remain committed to truth and justice, COSON, this great pan Nigerian organization that has become the nation’s most formidable agent of strength, unity, progress and growth for the creative industry, would have since been sucked dry and wiped away.“

With sadness in his voice, Chief Okoroji said, “Fellow members of COSON, let me state that I verily believe that in these hard times, we could have done more, much more for the musicians of Nigeria. It is a paradox that the institution established by the state to enable us to soar and achieve great results for our nation, conspired with carpetbaggers and fraudsters to become the greatest obstacle to our progress and success. But… we continue to fly, due to the unbreakable COSON Spirit”.

In his speech, the COSON Chairman thanked the Management led by General Manager, Mrs. Bernice Eriemeghe Ashibuogwu, for their contribution to the success of the society,

Identified at the AGM were such persons as the President of the Creative Industry Group, Amb. Felix Duke; President of the Music Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MUPMAN), Eng Sharon Wilson; Afro Juju music super star, Sir Shina Peters; Reggae Music giant, Righteousman Erhabor; celebrated female singer, Stella Monye; Pop Music sensation, Alex O; Gospel Music Minister, Kenny Saint Brown; Showbiz Impresario, Koffi Da Guru, Popular entertainment die-hard, Steve Black and many more.

Also present were members of the COSON Board such as Abuja based, Chief Uche Emeka Paul, a workhorse of the Catholic Charismatic Music Ministry; Enugu based music toaster and publisher, Angus Power Nwangwu; Oge Kimono, first daughter of the unforgettable Rub-A-Dub Master, Ras Kimono who himself was a COSON die hard, before his death; renowned drummer, Richard Cole, famed producer Zdon Paporella and Gospel Music Minister, Evangelist Olusegun Omoyayi.

Hundreds of COSON members joined the jubilant AGM on-line via Zoom.

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