Winners Emerge As AFRICAN STARS SHINE AT AFRIMA 2016
It was a night of glitz and glamour at the third annual All Africa Music Awards ceremony, AFRIMA, held on Sunday November 6, 2016 at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Nigeria’s Ayo Balogun, known globally as WizKid, has emerged the Best Artiste in Africa, at the just concluded AFRIMA, held in Lagos Nigeria.
Diamond Platnumz, the Tanzanian kid dynamite’s song, “Utanipenda”, won the the Song of The Year, at the same event, held Sunday November 6, inside Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
While Moroccan Star, Ahmed Soultan won the Album of The Year award.
Again Nigeria remains the dominant force in Africa Music, carting away nine(9) of the awards, the most by any country, out of which Afropop singer, Flavour, won two.
Morocco/Cameroon came a 2nd with four(4) awards each.
South Africa’s Black Coffee, VVIP from Ghana, Uganda’s Cindy Sanyu, Bruna Tatiana of Central Africa, Flavour(Nigeria), Zainab, Benin Republic and Farz are some of the winners of these prestigious award
The prestigious event, which had dignitaries, music artistes, industry stakeholders, African Union officials, and media executives in attendance, had Lagos State as its official host city.
Also gracing the occasion was the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who came in the company of his wife and Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule.
AFRIMA 2016 had South African media personality, Bonang Matheba; Moroccan music Star, Ahmed Soultan,(who later won the Album of The Year Award at the event) and Cameroonian TV personality Ika Jong as hosts.
Ageless Manu Dibango (Cameroon) won the AFRIMA Legendary Award. Juju Music maestro, King Sunny Ade(Nigeria), who clocked 70 years in September 2016 was honored with a tribute song session during the event by star artistes, Sheyi Shay and Brymo. KSA also got a special recognition award for his unparalleled contribution to world music. Late Papa Wemba, one of Africa’s best artistes from Democratic Republic of Congo, who died while playing on stage in April 2016, was also given a post-humours Honour and Award..
The All Africa Music Awards(AFRIMA) was established, in conjunction with the Africa Union (AU), to celebrate and reward the creative impetus of Musicians in Africa, annually.
Started in 2014, this edition, the third, like in the previous, had thirty (30) categories contested for.
Below are the different categories and their respective winners:
CONTINENTAL CATEGORIES
| Award | Winners | Country | Track |
| Album of the Year | Ahmed Soultan | Morocco | Music Has no Boundaries |
| Song Writer of the Year | Unique | Uganda | Njogereza |
| Best African Group/Duo/Band | VVIP | Ghana | DogoYaro |
| Best African Collaboration | Eddy Kenzo and Niniola | Uganda & Nigeria | MbiloMbilo |
| Most Promising Artist in Africa | Amine Aub | Morocco | Feel the same |
| Best Artiste in African Contemporary | Flavour | Nigeria | MmegeMmege |
| Best Artiste in African Electro | Such | Zimbabwe | You |
| Best Artiste in African Hip Hop | Stanley Enow | Cameroon | Work Hard |
| Best Artiste in African Pop | Diamond | Tanzania | Utanipenda |
| Best Artiste in Reggae, Ragga& Dancehall | Patoranking | Nigeria | No kissing |
| Best Artiste in African RnB &Soul | Henok and Mehari Brothers | Ethiopia | EwediShalehu |
| Best Artiste in African Traditional Music AFRIMA Legendary Award | Zainab | Benin | Bolojo |
| Manu Dibango
| Cameroon |
| |
| Best Artiste in African Rock | M'vula | Angola | TristezaseAlegrias |
| Best Female Artiste in Inspirational Music |
Naomi Achu | Cameroon | Busy Body |
| Best Male Artiste in Inspirational Music | IchaKavons | DRC Congo | Testimony |
| Video of the year in Africa | VVIP | Ghana | Dogoyaro |
| Revelation of the African Continent | Falz | Nigeria | Bad BaddoBadest |
| Song of the Year | Diamond Platnumz | Tanzania | Utanipenda |
| Producer of the Year | Kuseim | Uganda | MbiloMbilo |
|
|
|
| |
| Artiste of the Year | Wizkid | Nigeria | Final (Baba Nla) |
| Best Artiste in African Jazz | Jimmy Dludlu | South Africa | Ha Deva |
REGIONAL CATEGORIES
| Award | Winners | Country | Track |
| Best Female in Central Africa | Bruna Tatiana | Angola | PrometoMudar |
| Best Male in Central Africa | Wax Dey | Cameroon | SakaMakossa |
| Best Female artist in East Africa | Cindy Sanyu | Uganda | Still Standing |
| Best Male in East Africa | Diamond Platinumz | Tanzania | Utanipenda |
| Best Female Artist in Northern Africa | ZinaDaoudia | Morocco | La WaheedWala Million |
| Best Male Artist in North Africa | DJ Van | Morocco | #Woman |
| Best Female in Southern Africa | Sally Boss Madam | Namibia | Natural |
| Best Male in Southern Africa | Black Coffee | South Africa | Come with me |
| Best Male Artiste in West Africa | Flavour | Nigeria | Dance |
| Best Female Artiste in West Africa | Aramide | Nigeria | I don't care |
AHMED SOOULTAN - ALBUM OF THE YEAR
AMINE AUB- MOST PROMISING ARTISTE IN AFRICA
BEST ARTISTE IN AFRICAN HIP HOP - STANLEY ENOW
DIAMOND PLATNUMZ - BEST ARTISTE IN AFRICAN CONTEMPORARY
HENOK AND MEHARI BROTHERSBEST ARTISTE IN AFRICAN RNB & SOUL
JIMMY DLUDLU - BEST ARTISTE IN AFRICAN JAZZ
KING SUNNY ADE - SPECIAL RECOGNITION
MAMA MARIE LOZOLO (WIFE OF LATE PAPA WEMBA) RECEIVED ON BEHALF OF HER HUSBAND LATE PAPA WEMBA - SPECIAL RECOGNIT ION
VVIP - BEST AFRICAN GROUP,DUO,BAND
