By Olubori Oduntan
Not less than 8,009 songs and videos have been received by organisers of the prestigious All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), which enters its 5th edition in 2018.
The awards ceremony is organised in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC) to promote arts and culture in Africa.
A statement issued by AFRIMA disclosed that it received 8,009 songs/videos on its online portal as entry submission closed at 11:59am (WAT) of August 1, 2018.
This year’s submission sets a record as the highest number of entries from African artistes, music producers, songwriters, Disc Jockeys (DJs), video directors among others, since the inception of the most prestigious music event in Africa.
The progress and increase of 63 percent against the 2017 edition of 4,816 entries is a positive marker that has elicited satisfaction from the African Union, the International Committee of AFRIMA as well as the Jury members of AFRIMA.
Reacting to the development, the Acting Director of Social Affairs, African Union Commission, Mr Machacha Shepande, congratulated Africa’s creative industry sector for participating in the 5th All Africa Music Awards, which opened entries on May 25, 2018.
“The AU commends the creative sector of Africa for participating so well in the AFRIMA entry submission process which closed on August 1, 2018 and in ensuring that the music industry remains relevant for the sustainable growth of Africa’s economy which the African Union (AU) is championing through the cultural and creative agenda,” Mr Shepande said.
“The receipt in the All Africa Music Awards platform, this year, of over 8,000 of entries across the five (5) regions of Africa shows clearly the growth and importance of this continent wide platform in the promotion and development of the cultural and creative industries on the continent more specifically the creative industry of music.
“The significant rise in the entries has also shown that African talents spread across the continent are awakening to the call to promote our cultural and creative industry continentally as well as to the world at large. The continent’s creative industry can only grow when we give relevant support to our creative talent and craft.
“Thus, the AUC calls upon AU Member States, and other stakeholders in the music industry to continue supporting its efforts in the development and promotion of the creative economy sector through the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) platform and other Pan-African cultural initiatives,” Mr Shepande concluded.
Similarly, a member of the International Jury of AFRIMA representing Central Africa, Mr Bob Ekukole, expressed a poetic insight while lauding the effort of the African music industry in entering their works for the annual AFRIMA entry submission process; “The muse of music seems to happily hover over the hills and valleys of our beautiful continent with AFRIMA as the fulcrum.
