Arewa Creative Industry Heritage Vanguard has called on President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hanatu Musawa, to lead efforts in securing the hosting rights for the next two editions of All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) offered by the African Union Commission (AUC) to Nigeria and South Africa.
The culture and creative industry advocacy group wants to ensure that at least one edition of the prestigious event takes place in Kaduna, Jos or Abuja, due to years of deliberate marginalisation and deprivation of the North international of events of this nature.
President of the group, Dr Shehu Samadi, noted that the AU invited the governments of Nigeria and South Africa to submit bids for the hosting rights of the next two editions of AFRIMA.
The group, which comprises cultural enthusiasts, music industry stakeholders and advocates for Northern Nigeria’s music heritage, recognised the significance of AFRIMA in promoting African music and fostering cultural exchange across the continent and the rest of the world.
Samadi emphasised three reasons Tinubu should champion the cause of securing the hosting rights, including the President’s reception, in 2015, of the 23.9-carat gold-plated AFRIMA trophy as the pillar of Art and Culture in Africa from AUC, and the Nigerian Music industry’s astronomical growth with little or no input from government.
He added: “In addition to the big music superstars from this part of the country, Abuja, Jos and Kaduna have the infrastructure, capacity, and cultural significance to host AFRIMA successfully. It is time for Northern Nigeria to be given the recognition it deserves on the continental stage.”
