IBA ONE, WIZKID, NIKITA KERING, FLAVOUR, BLAQ DIAMOND, MAKHADZI, FALLY IPUPA, KOFFI OLOMIDE, OTHERS WIN BIG AT AFRIMA 2021

The biggest Music Awards in Africa, All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) 2021 ended on Sunday, November 21, 2021, after four days of scintillating and world- class production of events as Iba One, Wizkid, Nikita Kering, Fally Ipupa, Mahadzi, Blaq Diamond, koffi Olomide and other African music superstars within the continent and the Diaspora were recognized and celebrated for their creativity through music.

AFRIMA 2021 held from November 18- 21 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria with live broadcast on 84 television stations in 109 countries.

The surprise of the night was Malian Singer, Iba One who emerged the top winner in five categories including ‘Best Male Artiste in Western Africa’, ‘Album of the Year’ and ‘Best Artiste, Duo, or Group in African Pop’. He also won in the ‘Best Male Artiste in African Inspirational Music’ and ‘Songwriter of the Year’ categories.

Wizkid who was nominated in six categories followed closely, winning in the ‘Best African Collaboration’, ‘Song of the Year’, and ‘Artiste of the Year’ categories with his hit song, ‘Essence’ featuring Tems. Kenyan teenage singer, Nikita Kering bagged two awards in ‘Best Female Artiste in Eastern African’ and “Best Artiste, Duo, or Group in African RnB’ categories. AFRIMA 2021 youngest nominee, 13-year-old Shanah Manjeru from Kenya emerged as the winner in the ‘Best African Female Artiste in Inspirational Music’ category.

Winners in other categories of the award are ‘Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa’ (Dizzy Dros – Morocco),  ‘Best Female Artiste in Western Africa’ (Djelykaba Bintou – Guinea), ‘Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Traditional’ (Yonas Maynas -Eritrea), ‘Breakout Artiste of The Year’ (Djelykaba Bintou-Guinea), ‘Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Jazz’ (Hornsphere-Kenya), ‘Best Female Artiste in Southern Africa’ (Cleo Ice Queen-Zambia), ‘Best African Artiste, Rapper or Lyricist’ (Elow’n -Cote D’Ivoire), ‘Best African DJ’(Dj Sinyorita-Tanzania), ‘Best African Video’ (Steven Awuku-Guinea), ‘Best Female Artiste in Northern Africa’ (Manal-Morocco), ‘Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Reggae, Ragga’ (Stonebwoy feat. Davido – Ghana), ‘African Fans Favourite’ (Fireboy DML-Nigeria), ‘Best Male Artiste in Central Africa’(Fally Ipupa feat. Dadju-Congo, Democratic Republic), and “Best African Artiste, Duo, Group or Band’ (Sauti Sol feat. Bensoul, Nviiri The storyteller -Kenya).

 The well attended event had dignitaries from all walks of life including ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps from 18 countries, chief executive of corporations, African Union Commission officials, executives of music labels and recording companies as well musicians across the world.

Other winners according to the result presented by the global auditing firm, Pricewaterhousecoopers (PWC) are ‘Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa’ (Eddy Kenzo-Uganda), ‘Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Rock’ (RASH-Kenya), ‘Best Male Artiste in Southern Africa’(Blaq Diamond -South Africa), ‘Best Global Act’ (Beyonce feat. Wizkid, Blue Ivy Carter & SAINt JHN-United States), ‘Best Female Artiste in Central Africa’-(Shan’L  feat. Fally Ipupa – Gabon), ‘Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Contemporary’ (Majoos feat. Koffi Olomide-Congo, Democratic Republic), ‘Producer of the Year’ (Legendury Beatz-Nigeria), ‘Best Female African Act in Diaspora’ (Naomi Achu-Cameroon/United States), ‘Most Promising African Artiste’ (El Grande Toto feat. Damso-Morocco), ‘Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Electro’ (Makhadzi feat. Mr Brown-South Africa), ‘Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Dance or Choreography’ (Flavour feat. Fally Ipupa & Diamond Platnumz-Nigeria), ‘Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Hip Hop’ (Cheque feat. Fireboy DML-Nigeria), and ‘Best Male African Act in Diaspora’ (Rotimi-Nigeria/United States).

For her role in the movement to make Juneteenth a national holiday in commemoration of the June 19, 1865 announcement of General Order No. 3 by Union Army general, Gordon Granger, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas, African-American 95-year-old activist, Opal Lee was given a lifetime achievement award at AFRIMA 2021. The award was received by her granddaughter who came into Lagos from the United States. Congolese Soukus singer, dancer, producer, and composer, Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba, known professionally as Koffi Olomide received AFRIMA 2021 Legend Award.

The award ceremony which was preceded by red carpet was electrified by many artistes with performances from Shanah, Patoranking, Makhadzi, Ruger, Zuchu, Ladipoe, Olakira, Chike, Blaq Diamond, Platini P, Calema, Remy Adan, Nomcebo of the Jerusalema fame, Zoe Modiga, Sorais Ramos, D’Banj, Cavemen and Aramide who rendered a song in honour of the late Sound Sultan and other music super stars that died in the year under review and during COVID-19 pandemic.

The President and Executive Producer of AFRIMA, Mike Dada, said: “AFRIMA was created to tell a positive African story through music rather than complain and lament about the negative perception of the continent by others.”

Since 2014, AFRIMA in conjunction with the African Union Commission has been regarded as the ultimate celebration of African talent in the continent and the Diaspora.

S/N	WINNER	CATEGORY	COUNTRY
1	SHAN’L	BEST FEMALE ARTIST CENTRAL AFRICA	GABON
2	FALLY IPUPA	MALE ARTIST CENTRAL AFRICA	DR CONGO
3	NIKITA KERING	BEST FEMALE ARTIST IN EASTERN AFRICA	KENYA
4	EDDY KENZO	BEST MALE ARTISTE IN EASTERN AFRICA	UGANDA
5	MANAL	BEST FEMALE ARTISTE IN NORTHERN AFRICA	MOROCCO
6	DIZZY DROS	BEST MALE ARTISTE IN NORTHERN AFRICA	MOROCCO
7	CLEO ICE QUEEN	BEST FEMALE SOUTHERN AFRICA	ZAMBIA
8	BLAQ DIAMOND	BEST MALE SOUTHERN AFRICA	SOUTH AFRICA
9	IBA ONE	BEST MALE ARTISTE WESTERN AFRICA	MALI
10	DJELYKABA BINTOU	BEST FEMALE ARTISTE WESTERN AFRICA	GUINEA
11	FIREBOY DML	AFRICAN FAN’S FAVORITE	NIGERIA
12	IBA ONE	ALBUM OF THE YEAR	MALI
13	WIZKID	ARTISTE OF THE YEAR	NIGERIA
14	NAOMI ACHU	BEST AFRICAN ACT IN THE DIASPORA (FEMALE)	CAMEROON & (USA)
15	ROTIMI	BEST AFRICAN ACT IN THE DIASPORA (MALE)	NIGERIA & (USA)
16	WIZKID, TEMS	BEST AFRICAN COLLABORATION	NIGERIA
17	DJ SINYORITA	BEST AFRICAN DJ	TANZANIA
18	SAUTI SOL	BEST DUO, GROUP OR BAND	KENYA
19	ELOW’N	BEST AFRICAN RAPPER LYRICIST	COTE D’IVOIRE
20	STEVEN AWUKU	BEST AFRICAN VIDEO	GUINEA
21	STONEBWOY	BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN REGGAE, RAGGA & DANCEHALL	GHANA
22	NIKITA KERING	BEST ARTISTE, DUO, OR GROUP IN AFRICAN R & B SOUL	KENYA
23	FLAVOUR	BEST ARTIST OR DUO IN AFRICAN DANCE OR CHOREOGRAPHY	NIGERIA
24	CHEQUE	BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN HIP HOP	NIGERIA
25	HORNSPHERE	BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN JAZZ	KENYA
26	RASH BAND	BEST IN AFRICAN ROCK	KENYA
27	YONAS MAYNAS	BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN TRADITIONAL	ERITREA
28	MAKHADZI	BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN ELECTRO	SOUTH AFRICA
29	MAJOOS	BEST ARTISTE, DUO OR GROUP IN AFRICAN CONTEMPORARY	DR CONGO
30	IBA ONE	BEST ARTISTE, DUO, OR GROUP IN AFRICAN POP	MALI
31	SHANAH MANJERU	BEST AFRICAN FEMALE ARTISTE IN INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC	KENYA
32	IBA ONE	BEST AFRICAN MALE ARTISTE IN INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC	MALI
33	DJELYKABA BINTOU	BREAKOUT ARTISTE OF THE YEAR	GUINEA
34	EL GRANDE TOTO	MOST PROMISING AFRICAN ARTISTE	MOROCCO
35	LEGENDARY BEATZ	BEST PRODUCER OF THE YEAR	NIGERIA
36	WIZKID, TEMS	SONG OF THE YEAR	NIGERIA
37	IBA ONE	SONG WRITER OF THE YEAR	MALI
38	KOFI OLOMIDE	LEGEND AWARD	DR CONGO
39	OPAL LEE	LIFE-TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD	USA
40	BEYONCE	BEST GLOBAL ACT	USA