Showbiz
6th AFRIMA Receives Highest Entries with 8157 Submissions
By Adedapo Adesanya
The 6th edition of All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) in partnership with the African Union Commission, (AUC) has received its highest submissions yet with 8,157 songs/videos on its online portal as entry submission closed on Friday, August 2, 2019.
This year’s submission continues in the record-setting precedent of previous editions amassing the highest number of entries from African artistes, music producers, songwriters, Disc Jockeys (DJs), and video directors among others, since the inception of the biggest music event in Africa.
With 148 entries, the 2019 submissions exceeded the 2018 submissions and out of the 8,157 entries submitted this year as West Africa led the pack with 38 percent of the total entries followed by Southern Africa with 24 percent. Eastern Africa, Central Africa, and Northern Africa regions had 20 percent, 14 percent and 4 percent respectively.
The 13-man International Jury of AFRIMA arrived Lagos, Nigeria on Wednesday, August 7, 2019, for the week-long adjudication process ending on Tuesday, August 13.
They are charged with screening, categorising, assessing, grading and selecting into the 36 different Regional and Continental awarding categories nominees who will vie for the 23.9 carat gold-plated AFRIMA trophy.
In partnership with Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria, its hospitality partners, AFRIMA will provide a secure venue for the eminent international jury members who represent the five regions of Africa, the Diaspora (Europe and North America) and the African Union Commission.
The AFRIMA jury member occupying one of the slots for Eastern Africa is Tanzania’s Joett, a veteran vocal coach and artiste development manager whose songwriting skills earned him registered membership of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). On the other hand, is Tabu Osusa from Kenya. The veteran music professional has spent more than three decades in music production and promotion. He has chaired several musical projects within and outside Kenya.
Representing Central Africa from Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, is Charles Tabu, a Music Executive, with wide experience in artiste management and promotion. Charles has worked with major record labels across the continent including Sony, Universal, and Warner. The second jury member for Central Africa is Bob Ekukole, a renowned Cameroonian media, and music professional with 29 years of experience in media and broadcasting. He is currently the Director, TV Programmes and Production, Cameroon Radio and Television, CRTV.
Northern Africa is represented by Omar Essaidi, a Moroccan music programmer and artistic director. He brings to bear his practical experience as judge/juror for several musical contests in Northern Africa.
Zimbabwean radio DJ and Lawyer, Delani Makhalima, takes up one of the two slots for Southern Africa. The entertainment & media executive has also honed his professional experience in songwriting and music composition in the region. Filling the other slot is South Africa’s music professional and concert promoter, Chris Syren who is the co-founder and director of Making Music Productions (MMP), a music production company that has played a vital role in music promotion in South Africa.
Western Africa representatives include Olisa Adibua, prolific broadcaster, music executive and talent manager from Nigeria and David Tayorault, a Côte d’Ivoire music legend, whose work in the music industry has influenced the jazz, blues, soul, zouk and Brazilian samba genre in Western Africa countries.
Representing the Diaspora-Europe is Rita Ray, a UK-based BBC Radio 3 presenter, International Music Curator and popular Club DeeJay. Her counterpart representing Diaspora-North America is Hadja Kobélé Keita, a music executive whose career spans experience in Artiste and Repertoire management and Public Relations with Universal Music Africa/Island Africa. The African Union Commission is represented by Angela Martins, the Head, of the Culture Division of the AUC. Mrs. Martins, who is a citizen of Mozambique, is a professional African Culture Analyst and an African music enthusiast.
Speaking on the 2019 entry submission and adjudication process: Mrs Angela Martins, said: “AFRIMA, the Pan-African initiative, and music platform is gaining greater momentum, continental visibility, and recognition. This can be verified by the increased number of entries received for its 6th Edition, to be held in November 2019.
In partnership with the African Union, the awards recognising and rewarding musical creativity and talents of Africans is scheduled to hold in November 2019 during a four-day fiesta of music, glamour, Afrocentricism, and entertainment in the official awards Host City.
The four-day AFRIMA event commences with the Welcome Soiree followed by the AFRIMA Music Village, the Host City Tour, the Africa Music Business Summit, the exclusive Nominees Party and concludes with the live awards ceremony.
Fans of African music globally can follow along and take part in the AFRIMA 2019 events on social media, live stream on the AFRIMA website, the AFRIMA App and by tuning to over 84 television stations which are AFRIMA partners.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A Nigerian actress, Temitope Osoba, fondly called Tope Osoba by her fans, has reportedly passed away.
She died barely a year after she survived a battle with breast cancer, reports say.
The 41-year-old entertainer left the acting world to cater to her health, but returned shortly after she had a successful treatment in 2025.
The movie producer, however, has not been very active in the past months, ostensibly due to her health.
Her demise has come as a shock to some of her colleagues and admirers, as she was very lively during her lifetime.
Details about the unfortunate incident, which became known to her fans on Wednesday morning, have not been given by her family.
The first official voting of Big Brother Naija Season 11 is here, and fans have the power to decide who stays in the House and who leaves the competition.
After a week of getting to know the housemates, watching alliances form and seeing personalities emerge, this is where fans move from watching the game to influencing it. If you’ve been thinking about voting, here are five reasons why now is the time.
1. This Is the Season’s First Real Eviction
First evictions are always significant. They set the tone for the weeks ahead, reshape the House and often change the direction of the game. Viewers hold the power to change the trajectory of the game as they influence who continues their BBN journey and who the first set of housemates to leave are.
2. It’s Too Early to Lose Someone You Enjoy Watching
You may not have settled on a favourite housemate yet, and that’s perfectly normal. It’s only the first eviction. But if there’s someone you’ve enjoyed watching over the past week, this is your chance to help keep them in the House. Waiting until you’ve picked a favourite could mean losing a housemate you wish had stayed a little longer.
3. Every Vote Shapes the Competition
Who stays and who leaves affects everything from alliances and rivalries to tasks and strategies. The decisions viewers make this week will have an impact on how the game unfolds in the coming weeks.
4. Online Buzz Doesn’t Keep Housemates in the House
A housemate may trend all week, but that doesn’t automatically translate into safety. At the end of the day, it’s the votes that determine who survives eviction.
5. Don’t Leave It to Someone Else
It’s easy to assume other fans will do the voting, but every vote contributes to the final result. If there’s a housemate you’d like to see remain in the competition, this is your opportunity to back them.
Here’s How to Vote
Voting is available through the MyDStv app and MyGOtv app, as well as the Africa Magic voting website.
To vote:
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Register or log in using your mobile number and password.
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Select your favourite housemate.
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Choose the number of votes you’d like to cast.
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Submit your votes before the voting window closes.
Looking to boost your voting power? You can also earn bonus votes by playing games and completing quizzes on the MyDStv app and MyGOtv app.
The voting window for the first eviction is now open and closes on Thursday at 10:00 p.m. If there’s a housemate you’d like to see in the House for another week, be sure to cast your votes before the deadline.
Catch all the drama live and 24/7 on DStv channel 198 and GOtv channel 49. BBNaija season 11 is also available to watch on DStv Stream and GOtv Stream. For updates and exclusive news, visit www.africamagic.dstv.com/
After days of anticipation, Flora and Aikou have been confirmed as this season’s Gambits after receiving the highest number of votes from viewers. This was revealed during Sunday’s live show, where host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu announced the pair as the viewers’ choices.
Introduced as a brand-new twist for Season 11, The Gambit guarantees two selected housemates a place in the House until the final day. Although they will participate in tasks and House activities throughout the season, they will not be eligible to compete for the grand prize.
Sunday’s live show also marked the end of the Ladies-versus-Gentlemen format that defined the opening weeks of the competition. With the teams officially dissolved, the housemates will now compete as individuals.
Biggie also unveiled this week’s wager task, Game On, challenging the housemates to define the identity of Season 11. Through a creative presentation incorporating elements such as a logo, slogan, song, artwork and props, the housemates have been tasked with capturing what they believe this edition of Big Brother Naija should stand for and how they want it to be remembered.
The excitement continues today with the second Head of House Challenge at 2:00 p.m., where housemates will once again battle for power in the House. This will be followed by this week’s nomination show at 7:00 p.m., when viewers will find out who will become the first set of housemates to face possible eviction.
With Flora and Aikou’s fate in the House secured till the last day and the housemates now playing as individuals, the stakes have never been higher as the battle for the grand prize gathers momentum.
Viewers can enjoy the 24/7 BBNaija Season 11 experience on DStv and GOtv, or stream every episode live on DStv Stream and GOtv Stream.
For more updates, visit Africa Magic’s Big Brother Naija page and follow #BBNaija on X (@bbnaija), Instagram (@bigbronaija) and Facebook (Big Brother Naija).
