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The African Union ( AU ) has awarded the hosting right for the Pan African Music Initiative, All Africa Music Awards ( AFRIMA ), to Nigeria for another three years (2017-2019).
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Segun Adeyemi, Special Adviser to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Lagos on Sunday.
The minister said the hosting right was given to the country following its successful hosting of the 2014-2016 editions.
He said that the award of the hosting right was conveyed in a letter written ton him by the Commissioner of Social Affairs at the AU Commission, Mrs Amira Elfadil.
Mohammed said the AUโs commissioner commended the growth and inclusiveness of AFRIMA by reaching out to `many musicians, music producers and creative arts practitioners in generalโ.
He said that Elfadi noted that between 2014 and 2016, during which Nigeria hosted three editions of AFRIMA, it โhas become a very crucial event and movement of African musicians.โโ
The minister said that the AUโs commissioner also noted that AFRIMA โallows them to establish synergies and work towards the development of Africaโs music and promotion of music in the continent
and in the international arena.
โBased on this and other factors such as the willingness to create value and deepen the brand equity not only for Nigerians but also for Africans, the AU returned the hosting right of AFRIMA to Nigeriaโโ.
He said that governmentโs desire to retain the right was informed by the enthusiasm and sense of duty with which Nigerians embraced AFRIMA coupled with the prevailing international confidence in the present administration.
He said: โthe African Unionโs gracious concession to our request is beneficial for the creative sector in Nigeria and across Africa.
โThe Federal Government of Nigeria is calling on state governments and corporate Nigeria to partner with it and the African Union in ensuring a
successful hosting of AFRIMA 2017 which will bring immense socio-economic benefits to the selected host city,โโ he said.
Mohammed disclosed that the 2017 edition of AFRIMA is scheduled to hold from Nov. 10 to Nov. 12.
