Organizers of the All Africa Music Award (AFRIMA) said their upcoming award event would aim at promoting the strength of Africa, to tell a positive story of the continent.

The organizers disclosed this during the 8th Edition of AFRIMA’s Adjudication Process and Patrons’ Dinner in Lagos.

Mr. Mike Dada, President, and Executive Producer, AFRIMA, said the organizers were committed and dedicated to the objectives of the platform meant to motivate Africa.

“We are not moving away from the objectives, which are simple – we use music and culture as a platform to unite Africa, to motivate Africa, and to create a peaceful Africa.

“We will use culture and music to ensure that jobs are created, more people are employed and more people are taken away from the streets; those are our objectives.

“In addition to that, we use the platform of AFRIMA to promote the strength of Africa and tell a positive story of the continent,” he said.

Dada added that it was a different year and the audience should expect peculiarities, newness, and other bumper surprises that Africa was capable of.

He advised that artists should not be limited by the challenges of the environment and that they should create the doors of opportunities themselves.

“There is going to be light at the end of the tunnel because the opportunities are boundless and there is no limit as to what they can become,” he said.

Amb Minata S. Cessouma, AU Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development, said AFRIMA was a great contribution to the development of the creative economy.

Cessouma was represented by Ms. Angela Martins, Head of Culture Division, Department of Health.

Cessouma said the AU Commission as a long-term AFRIMA partner, commended the leadership of AFRIMA, especially its Executive Producer, Dada, and his team for their commitment, enthusiasm, and efforts.

She said AFRIMA would promote the growth and development of the creative industry of music on the continent, despite various challenges, including the Ebola crisis in 2014/2015 and the COVID-19 Pandemic since 2020.

“This is a great contribution to the development of the creative economy of the continent and the creation of job opportunities for young people in the various music professions.

“The excellent work that AFRIMA is doing wouldn’t have made high strides without the support of committed well-wishers and believers in the potential and viability of the creative economy of the continent.

“The All Africa Music Awards adjudication process is long and requires professionalism, dedication, fairness, transparency, and hard work.

“It takes an African music and continent lover to perform their duties the way they have been doing since the inception of this process; jury members, we pay tribute and applaud you,” she said.

AFRIMA Patron, Dr. Bisi Onasanya, said he felt very proud to be associated with AFRIMA and that there was the need to acknowledge that Africa was taking the whole world by surprise in terms of music.

Onasanya said African music was being played outside the continent and that it was an achievement as African music was making waves like never before.

The official jury for the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) arrived in Lagos on Aug. 11 for an 8-day adjudication which would herald the list of nominees for this year’s edition.

The AFRIMA jury is composed of a 13-member panel, with two jurors representing each of the five regions and two others representing North America and Europe.

It also has a representative from the African Union Commission.