THE members of the 13-person International Jury for All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, were on Monday, September 6, hosted to a dinner at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island in Lagos.
Tagged; ‘Patron’s Dinner with the Jury, the dinner hosted by AFRIMA Patron, Dr. Bisi Onasanya, is coming after a week-long process of an exciting time of intense work to determine those who make the nominees list, expected to be released on Tuesday, September 14.
The Patron’s Dinner recognises and celebrates unrelenting support and service the Jury has given to AFRIMA and the African creative industry (music, arts, culture) at large.
AFRIMA Patron, Dr. Onasanya, in his speech, stated that, “AFRIMA has been a gracious movement supporting the creative industry and the huge population of youths in Africa. I have an insatiable and inestimable support to the work of AFRIMA. The importance of my work is to strengthen the commercial ties between AFRIMA and the corporate world. I have never been a part of failure and by God’s grace and the support of my wife, I will give my all.” Onasanya, retired at the apex of the banking industry after spending over three decades, and almost immediately went straight into his passion of many years, the real estate development and management industry.
The private dinner drew impressive members of AFRIMA International jury, including: Hadja Kobele (Guinea); Robert Ekukole (Cameroon); Tabu Osusa (Kenya); Zineb Seyad (Morocco); Olisa Adibua (Nigeria); Charles Tabu (DR Congo); AFRIMA patron, Dr. Bisi Onasanya and his wife, Mrs. Helen Omowunmi Onasanya; Representative of the African Union Commission, Allaa Zain Makky (Egypt), while other members of the Jury joined virtually.
Other guests were the Chief Executive Officer, Kennis Music, Kenny Ogungbe; Executive Director, Kennis TV, Idowu Ogungbe; President and Executive Producer of AFRIMA, Mike Dada; former Lagos State Commissioner of Tourism, Art & Culture, Steve Ayorinde; Managing Director, New Telegraph Newspaper; Ayodele Aminu; Chief Executive officer, Seagle Properties, Otunba Yemi Lawal, as well as some top African artistes from Nigeria — Praiz, Joeboy, Aramide, Lami, among others.
In her opening address, the representative of the Head of Culture, Social Affairs Division, African Union Commission, Alaa Zain Makky (Egypt), welcomed the patron on board and AUC and the creative industry in Africa. She also appreciated the contribution and support of Dr. Bisi Onasanya.
The dinner provided the perfect opportunity for meet and greet, bonding, and networking between the patron and members of AFRIMA International Jury representing the five regions of Africa.
AFRIMA Jury’s responsibilities involves screening, categorising, assessing, grading, and selecting the nominees into the 40 different regional and continental awarding categories from the total of 8,880 works received for the 2021 edition.
Below are some of the pictures from the event:
