After a week-long process of an exciting time of intense work, the members of the 13-person international jury for the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) were hosted to a private dinner by AFRIMA Patron, Dr. Bisi Onasanya, tagged: Patron’s Dinner with the Jury, in Lagos on Monday, September 6, 2021 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island.

The nominees list is expected to be released on Tuesday, September 14, 2021.

The Patron’s Dinner is an iconic event that recognizes and celebrates unrelenting support and service the Jury has given to AFRIMA and the African creative industry (music, arts and culture) at large.

In his elated speech, the AFRIMA Patron, Dr. Onasanya, 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.”

The private dinner drew an impressive number of AFRIMA International Jury, Hadja Kobele (Guinea); Robert Ekukole (Cameroon); Tabu Osusa (Kenya); Zineb Seyad (Morocco); Olisa Adibua (Nigeria); Charles Tabu (Democratic Republic of 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 included the Chief Executive Officer, Kennis Music, Kenny Ogungbe and Executive Director, Kennis TV, Idowu Ogungbe; President and Executive Producer of AFRIMA, Mike Dada; former Lagos State Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, Steve Ayorinde; Managing Director, New Telegraph Newspaper; Mr. Ayodele Aminu; Chief Executive officer, Seagle Properties, Otunba Yemi Lawal; as well as some of 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.

He expressed appreciation with Dr Onasanya over his contribution and support to AFRIMA.

The dinners 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 responsibility involves screening, categorizing, assessing, grading, and selecting the nominees into the 40 different regional and continental awarding categories from the total of 8,880 works received for 2021 awards edition.

The AFRIMA patron, Dr. 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.

All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC), is the ultimate recognition of African music globally.

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