Tanzanian singer, Diamond Platnumz, beat top Nigerian acts including Davido, Wizkid, Olamide and Yemi Alade in the Artiste of the Year and Song of the Year Award categories at the 2015 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) held at the Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Sunday.
The 26-year-old, who earlier in the year defeated Davido and Yemi Alade to clinch the title of Best African act at the 2015 MTV EMA, was also named AFRIMA’s Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa.
Other big winners were Charlotte Dipanda for Album of the Year and Best Artiste in African Contemporary and Cassper Nyovest for Best Artiste in Hip Hop and Best Male Artiste in Southern Africa.
Although Nigerian acts lost out in the most coveted awards in the continental category, recognition came for Kiss Daniel as Most Promising Artiste in Africa, Adekunle Gold for Revelation of the Year, Darey Art Alade for Best Male Artiste Inspirational, Praiz for Best Artiste in African RNB and Soul, Kunle Ayo for Best Artiste in African Jazz, Olamide for Best Male Artiste in Western Africa and Yemi Alade for Best Female Artiste in Western Africa.
Former Governor of Lagos State and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Bola Tinubu was honoured as the Pillar of Art and Culture in Africa. He told the audience during an acceptance speech punctuated by shouts of “jagaban” and “Change” that “I believe what you believe and you believe what I believe, which is that art and culture is an effective tool for economic empowerment and social development.”
Hosted by popular Kenya hype man, DNG, and Ivorian actress, Aurelie Eliam, the event kicked off proper when veteran storyteller, Jimi Solanke, came on stage with a prologue that eventually introduced Cobhams Asuquo and South African male choral group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
With Solanke off the stage, Cobhams launched soon into ‘Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes’ from Paul Simon’s 1986 album, Graceland.
Like they did in the Simons original, members of Ladysmith Black Mambazo joined Cobhams and sang a refrain in Zulu which roughly translates to: “It’s not usual but in our days we see those things happen. They are women; they can take care of themselves.”
They also performed ‘Homeless’ together before the group, which traces its history to December 1960, was presented with Lifetime Achievement Award.
The night also witnessed performances from Waje, Victoria Kimani, AKA, Sauti Sol, Diamond Platnumz, Adekunle Gold, Betty Akna, Busiswa and Diamond Platnumz with his hit single, ‘Number One’.
Among those who presented awards were Lagos State Commissioner of Information, Steve Ayorinde; his Ogun counterpart, Dayo Adeneye; journalist, Kadaria Ahmed; 2face; Timi Dakolo; DJ Jimmy Jatt; Olisa Adibua and M’vula from Angola.
Some dark spots on a rather bright night were the absence of some winners, intervals between performances and presentations and late appearance of winners on the stage.
Olamide drew the curtain on the show with a performance that made up for his absence when his name was announced as best West African male artiste earlier.
LIST OF WINNERS:
ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Diamond Platnumz
SONG OF THE YEAR
Diamond Platnumz – Nasema Nawe featuring Khadijo Kopa
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Charlotte Dipanda – Elle n’a pas vu
BEST ARTISTE IN AFRICA (RnB & Soul)
Praiz Adejo – Nigeria
BEST AFRICAN REGGAE, RAGGA & DANCEHALL
Stonebwoy – Ghana
BEST MALE ARTISTE: INSPIRATIONAL CATEGORY
Darey Alade – Nigeria
BEST FEMALE ARTISTE: INSPIRATIONAL CATEGORY
Betty Akna- Equatorial Guinea
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Wiyaala – Ghana
BEST ARTISTE IN AFRICAN POP
Vanessa Mdee – Tanzania
BEST ARTISTE IN AFRICAN HIP HOP
Casper Nyovest – South Africa
BEST ARTISTE IN AFRICAN ELECTRO
Flavour – Nigeria
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Sauti Sol and Cedric Kadenyi – Kenya
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Joseph Chameleone – Uganda
REVELATION OF THE YEAR
Adekunle Gold – Nigeria
MOST PROMISING ARTISTE
Kiss Daniel – Nigeria
BEST ARTISTE IN AFRICAN CONTEMPORARY
Charlotte Dipanda
BEST ARTISTE IN AFRICAN JAZZ
Kunle Ayo – Nigeria
BEST MALE ARTISTE IN WESTERN AFRICA
Olamide – Nigeria
BEST FEMALE ARTISTE IN WESTERN AFRICA
Yemi Alade – Nigeria
BEST ARTISTE IN AFRICAN ROCK
M’vula – Kenya
BEST AFRICAN GROUP
Sauti Sol- Kenya
BEST AFRICAN COLLABORATION
AKA (South Africa) and Burna Boy(Nigeria)
BEST FEMALE ARTISTE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
Busiswa Ngoku- South Africa
BEST MALE ARTISTE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
Casper Nyovest- South Africa
BEST FEMALE ARTISTE IN NORTHERN AFRICA
Manal- Morocco
BEST MALE ARTISTE IN NORTHERN AFRICA
Ahmed Soultan- Morocco
BEST FEMALE ARTISTE IN EASTERN AFRICA
Tsedenia Gebremarkos- Ethiopia
BEST MALE ARTISTE IN EASTERN AFRICA
Diamond Platnumz- Tanzania
PILLAR OF CULTURE IN AFRICA
Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Jagaban)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO
