For his contributions and support towards the growth of arts and culture in Africa, Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has been recognised by the African Union Commission, AUC, and the International Committee of the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, with the special award of Supporter of the Arts at the recently concluded 5th AFRIMA, the annual music awards held in Accra, Ghana, penultimate Saturday.
In her letter to Governor Ambode, Mrs. Amira Elfadil, Commissioner for Social Affairs, AUC, 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 Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Lagos State; Steve Ayorinde, received the award on the governor’s behalf and 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,” said Ayorinde.
“We have a saying in Lagos, we say ‘One Lagos’, and he knows that in Ghana too, it is One Ghana”.
The special recognition is a unanimous agreement by the AUC, International Committee of AFRIMA and a 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.
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.
Lagos hosted the four past editions of AFRIMA before this year’s edition which held in Accra. The Ghanaian government also promised to host the next three editions of the music fiesta during a courtesy visit by AFRIMA to the Ghanaian president which had the Ghana chief of staff to the president and the honorable minister for tourism in attendance.
Speaking at the courtesy visit, AFRIMA president, Mr. Mike Dada, commended the government of Ghana for hosting the event which had been hosted by Lagos state government for the past four editions.
“We really appreciate the government of Ghana, and our guests and media practitioners from all over Africa have also confirmed the great hospitality received from the people of Ghana, during their stay in ACCRA, the capital city of Ghana all through the period of the awards ceremony.”
AFRIMA, in partnership with African Union, is a music property that recognises and rewards the work of African artistes. AFRIMA also stimulates conversations among Africans and between Africa and the rest of the world about the potential of the creative arts.
