14th July, 2015
Funsho Arogundade
South African artiste, Mkhululi Siqula best known as Heavy-k Drumboss was all joy as he received his 2014 AFRIMA Trophy at the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA stakeholders’ conference held last weekend at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, The Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa.
“At my age, winning and carrying this (AFRIMA) trophy, it is overwhelming and I am so excited right now. I just thank AFRIMA and fans across Africa, it means a lot to me,” said Heavy K after he accepted his award for Best Male in Southern Africa for the song Beautiful War featuring Professor.
The excited singer, who expressed regret for not being at the last edition of the awards held in Lagos late last year, assured that he will definitely be at the AFRIMA 2015 edition holding between 13 and 15 November also in Lagos.
Also received an award at the Johannesburg conference was Collin Mokgaotsi, the label manager of Mi Casa on behalf of the group (a trio of Dr. Duda, J’Something and Mo-T) who won the 2014 Best African Electro category for track “Jika”.
Meanwhile, the South Africa Stakeholders’ conference, which brought together artistes from Southern Africa, the media, AFRIMA partners and other music industry stakeholders, was centered on the vision, mission and transparent adjudication process of AFRIMA.
It also look into the 2015 AFRIMA Entry Submission which closes on Monday 20 July and other build up events towards 2015 AFRIMA ceremony coming up later in November including the Africa Music Summit and the AFRIMA Music Village 2015.
The conference featured panelists from Southern Africa region including award-winning South African Afro-pop, Malaika’s Tshedi Mholo; Matlou Tsotsetsi, AFRIMA Sponsorship and Communication Director (South Africa); Delani Makhalima, AFRIMA Jury members from Southern Africa, (Zimbabwe) and Yannick Tshimanga, Assistant Communication Manager, ONE campaign, (South Africa).
Other panelist from AFRIMA secretariat include Steve Ayorinde, Chairman, AFRIMA International Media Committee (Nigeria) and Mike Dada, AFRIMA Executive Producer/President among others from the secretariat.
Speaking as a panelist, Tshedi Mholo expressed delight for been on AFRIMA panel. “I have seen awards across Africa but AFRIMA is more than an award. It is a platform to sell our story, our uniqueness, and our culture as an Africa to the rest of the world,” he said.
Mholo continued, “The conference today has definitely enriched my knowledge that we (Artiste) are in business to sell Africa through our songs, our dressings, and our life style which is in line with the vision and objectives of AFRIMA aimed at showcasing Africa as a center of possibilities, development, peaceful and prosperous continent.”
The All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, the continental initiative conceptualized to celebrate, showcase, reward and promote the rich African music worldwide, thus reaching out to the millions of fans, and propelling African music to glorious pinnacles beyond the borders of Africa.
The awards will be broadcast to over 84 countries across the world on 109 television stations in November where the 23.9 Karat gold plated AFRIMA trophy will be given to winners.