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African Union Kicks Off AFRIMA 2019, Releases Calender Of Events

Published

7 years ago

May 15, 2019

Editor

The African Union Commission, AUC, has formally unveiled the calender of events for the 2019 All Africa Music Awards, tagged; 6TH AFRIMA.

The ceremony held at the African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was attrnded by key officials of AU Commission and AFRIMA.

In a press release signed by the Acting Director, Social Affairs Department, African Union Commission, Mr. Machacha Shepande, the first activity on the continental awards event calendar is submission of entries which opened globally on www.afrima.org to African music professionals either living on the continent or in the diaspora from Wednesday, May 15 and closes on Friday, August 2, 2019.

Further details on entry submission guidelines are available on the AFRIMA website.
The submission of songs and videos must be produced or released under the year in review i.e. August 1, 2018 to August 2, 2019. African music artistes, managers, producers, record label owners, recording companies, video directors, Disc Jockeys, Choreographers/dancers, publicists and entertainment/music journalist are eligible to submit their works or submit on behalf of their clients in any of the 36 AFRIMA award categories.

Other activities on the event calendar are; the 13-man jury adjudication process and nominees selection from August 6 to August 12. A ‘World Media Announcement of 6TH AFRIMA Nominees’ List’ will take place on August 13 to publicly unveil African artistes and/or works that have been nominated in the regional and continental categories leading to winners of the AFRIMA 23.9 carat gold plated trophy.
On August 19, ‘AFRIMA Public Voting’ process will open to academy of voters, African music fans and followers around the globe which closes 24 hours before the main awards ceremony, and would be monitored and audited by a reputable International Auditing firm.

The statement further revealed that the Main Awards Ceremony, a four-day fiesta of music, glamour, Afrocentricism and entertainment, holds from November 6 to November 9 in the official awards Host City.

It will be preceded by Welcome Soiree, AFRIMA Music Village, the Host City Tour, the Africa Music Business Summit, and the exclusive Nominees Party.

Other build up activities leading up to the main awards ceremony include conferences, stakeholders meetings, festivals, speaking engagements, University Campus Concert and courtesy visits to heads of governments and leaders of institutions in corporate and government sectors across the five regions of Africa to achieve an all-round engagement with all relevant AFRIMA stakeholders.

AFRIMA, in partnership with the African Union, is a music-focused ceremony that recognises and rewards the work and talent of a myriad of African artistes from the old to the new generation

It also stimulates conversations among Africans and between Africa and the rest of the world about the potential of the creative arts for real humanizing enterprise on the continent, contributing significantly to social cohesion, national, regional and continental integration as well as sustainable development in Africa. The live awards show is broadcast to over eighty countries around the world.

The 2018 edition of AFRIMA ceremony was hosted by the Republic of Ghana, through the partnership of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
Fans of African music globally can follow along and take part in the AFRIMA 2019 events on social media, live stream on the AFRIMA website, the AFRIMA App and by tuning to over 84 partner television stations.

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UK Court Acquittal: Diezani Goes Spiritual, Says God Will Always Be God

Published

3 days ago

June 18, 2026

Eric

Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has reacted to her acquittal by a London court after bribery charges brought against her were dismissed.

The Southwark Crown Court in London, United Kingdom, on Wednesday acquitted the former minister of all charges, including five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.

Reacting to the judgment, Alison-Madueke expressed relief and said she and her family had endured years of emotional distress over the case.

Speaking to News Central, she said she has remained in the United Kingdom since the legal proceedings began 11 years ago.

She said: “I’m just thankful to God, it’s been arduous, almost 11 years. It’s been traumatic not just for me but for my family, friends, my 93-year-old mother in Port Harcourt and for my son.

“It has been a hard journey, but I tell you this, God will always do as He will. God will be God and God is not a man that He should lie; when He promises you something, He will see it through.

“For almost 11 years I have been here. I did my job to the best of my ability.”

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I Never Saw Report that Led to Natasha’s Suspension, Says Ireti Kingibe

Published

3 days ago

June 18, 2026

Eric

The lawmaker representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), at the Senate, Ireti Kingibe, says she did not see any report that led to the suspension of Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Kingibe made this disclosure on Wednesday when she featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.

She said she was at a retreat with Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, when she heard about the report.

“I never saw the report that led to Natasha’s suspension. I was at a retreat. I had earlier stated that I was there with three or four other senators who are members of the committee.

“We attended the Committee on Petitions and Public Complaints, signed the attendance register, and I later left for the tax reform retreat, which I considered more important at the time.

“It affects my constituents much more than disciplining a senator, and I figured that the other people who were not part of that committee would take care of it.

“I even complained to other Senators, specifically to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe. I complained to him very bitterly that I had not seen that report. I didn’t see it then. I have not seen it till now,” she said.

Headline

UK Court Clears Ex-Petroleum Minister Alison-Madueke of All Corruption Charges

Published

4 days ago

June 17, 2026

Eric

Former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke was on Wednesday found not guilty by a London jury of six bribery charges, after ‌a rare corruption trial of a high-profile former energy official.

Alison-Madueke, minister for petroleum resources between 2010 and 2015 under then-president Goodluck Jonathan, stood trial charged with five counts of accepting bribes and a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery, which she denied.

Prosecutors ⁠alleged Alison-Madueke, 65, was given “a life of luxury” in London from oil and gas industry figures seeking lucrative contracts in Nigeria, which has long grappled with mismanagement and corruption.

But the former minister, who was also briefly president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, said she never took any bribes and had no real influence over the awarding of lucrative government contracts.

After a trial at London’s Southwark ‌Crown ⁠Court, Alison-Madueke was acquitted by a jury of all six charges she faced after more than 46 hours of deliberation.

The not guilty verdicts are a major blow to British authorities, which began their investigation into corruption allegations against Alison-Madueke ⁠more than a decade ago.

Alison-Madueke stood trial alongside oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who was charged with one count of bribery relating to Alison-Madueke ⁠and a separate count of bribery of a foreign public official.

Alison-Madueke’s brother Doye Agama, 69, was charged with conspiracy to commit bribery ⁠with his sister relating to payments made to Agama’s church.

Both Ayinde and Agama denied the charges against them and were also acquitted by the jury.

Source: Reuters