Abijan, Côte d’Ivoire, came alive with music, culture and robust conversations on Tuesday, February 18, as Francophone stakeholders gathered to celebrate the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) at the Road to the 10th Edition Media and Stakeholders’ Parley.
  
The first Road to 10th AFRIMA engagement was held last month in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The campaign train made its first stop in the East African country, where artistes, including award winners Juma Jux and Folex, along with industry executives and government officials, gathered to assess the awards’ impact and promote stronger continental collaboration.
   
The Abidjan parley, the second stop on the global build-up to the landmark 10th edition, sent a clear message that the city is ready to host a future edition of Africa’s global music awards. The high-level engagement drew strong participation from government officials, culture industry leaders, artistes and media representatives, underlining Abidjan’s ambition to become a key hub for AFRIMA activities in Francophone Africa.
  
Speaking at the event, Deputy Director General of the Ivorian Bureau of Copyright (BURIDA), Serge Akpatou, said, “AFRIMA adds real value to Africa’s creative ecosystem. It promotes our artistes, strengthens intellectual property awareness and connects us to the rest of the world. Abidjan has the capacity and the cultural depth to host a future edition, and we sincerely hope that opportunity will come.”
  
Representative of the Minister of Culture and Francophonie, Mr. Hein Sie, described AFRIMA as a powerful instrument of cultural diplomacy and economic growth. “Events like AFRIMA are important for our continental visibility.  
  
“They celebrate African excellence, create opportunities for our creatives, and reinforce our identity. Cote d’Ivoire is proud of its artistes who have done us proud on a massive platform like AFRIMA, and we are ready to support initiatives that position our country as a creative force,” he said.
  
Leading the International Executive Committee of AFRIMA at the parley were Associate Producer, Victoria Nkong, and International Jury Member, Messie Mboukou. They were joined by Ivorian winners of the 9th AFRIMA notably Didi B (Best African Lyricist/Rapper), Milo (Best Male African Inspirational Music), Morijah (Best Female African Inspirational Music), Team Paiya (Best African Duo, Group, or Band) as well as Axel Merryl (Best African Contemporary) from Republic of Benin, and DJ Moh Green (Best African DJ) from Algeria.
  
Mboukou who is from Congo Brazzaville and represents Central Africa on the AFRIMA International Jury in his welcome remarks, said: “This gathering is not only about celebration. It is about dialogue, transparency and building stronger bridges between artistes, the media, cultural institutions, policy makers and AFRIMA. As we approach the 10th edition, continuous collaboration with Francophone Africa is vital for us not to be left out in the AFRIMA movement.”
  
Addressing questions about the awards process, he emphasized, “The adjudication process is thorough and structured. It is supervised by the African Union and independently audited by a globally reputable auditing firm. After nominations are decided by the 13-man AFRIMA Jury, the AFRIMA Academy of voters and public vote, and the final results are exclusively collated independently by the professional auditors. No one can manipulate the outcome.”
  
One of the highlights of the event was the formal presentation of the 9th AFRIMA Trophy for the Best Female Artiste in African Inspirational to Morijah, who couldn’t attend the main awards ceremony due to medical reasons.
  
Receiving her trophy, Morijah said, “This award represents years of sacrifice and dedication. I am grateful to AFRIMA and Africa for recognising my work on such a respected global African platform.”
  
Other winners shared their experiences of the awards. “We did not expect to win. Being announced as winners has boosted our confidence and shown that our music can reach beyond Côte d’Ivoire,” Zagba of Team Paiya admitted.
  
Describing AFRIMA as more than an award ceremony, Didi B said, “This is not my first international award.  AFRIMA opened a wider network for me. I met artistes from different countries, collaborated on songs and even shot a music video with Qing Madi. Even if you don’t win, just being nominated gives you exposure that money cannot buy.”
  
“I was nominated at AFRIMA four times, four editions before winning. Nobody promised me anything. This victory shows that consistency and dedication pay off,” declares DJ Moh Green.
  
The event also attracted respected industry stakeholders, including Margaux Demeerssseman, Music Market Analyst from the French Ministry of Europe & Foreign Affairs in France; Angelo Kabila, President of APRODEMC; media pioneer Jhon Zairois Jay, and producer and filmmaker Franck Vlehi.
  
Artistes such as Elown, Kikimoteleba, Shado Christ, Fior2Bior and Rocky Gold lent their support, while brand partners and members of the media turned out in large numbers. The parley was also supported by Air Cote d’Ivoire as the Official Airline Partner.