John Dumelo, Jocelyn Dumas, Shamima Muslim & Inna Patty Mounts The Catwalk To Help German Swiss International School To Raise Funds For UNHCR To Suppo

On Saturday, Ghana Movie Awards 2010 ‘Best Supporting Male Actor’, John Dumelo together with Actress Jocelyn Dumas, the host of ‘The One Show’ on Viasat1, Shamima Muslim and Inna Patty-a former Miss Ghana mounted the catwalk to help the German Swiss International School in Accra to raise funds for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to support victims of the Ivorian war.

The West African country has been plagued by civil war after a disputed election which led Laurent Gbagbo to hold on to power, rejecting election results as well as diplomats’ efforts to end power struggle.

Until he was arrested, he held on to power because he believed there were lots of irregularities in the elections Allasana Quattara won.

This power struggle resulted in loyalist of both men fighting each other. Several homes were raided whiles thousands of inhabitants became homeless. Speaking to press men, Gretchen Krantz Evans, a parent of the school, also part of the organization of the Fashion Show told journalist that, this is the second edition of the show.

She continued that, the proceeds would be donated to UNHCR to support Ivory Coast. Before the main event, several arts and designs in various forms were displayed at the school premises for interested participants to purchase.

On the final event of the night, student and school officials modeled in designs by 5 selected designers; Mina Evans, K’Naf Couture, Brigitte Merki, Renee Q and Rima Fahrky.

After Jocelyn Dumas, Shamima Muslim, Inna Patty and John Dumelo mounted the catwalk to model in specially design clothes from four of the designers. Those designs were auctioned to the parents/participants.

Emmanuel Yawson Beats 3 Others To Win ‘Star Of The Future’ Season 5…

In the series of the Stars of the Future since its inception some years back, one contestant has always stand out as the ‘Show Stopper’ in each year of the competition. This year’s show stopper which the judges concurred was a man with a girlish mannerism; Emmanuel Yawson.

If I was a gambler and had gone ahead to use my lifetime savings to place a bet on him to win the ultimate, I would have become a millionaire now. After witnessing the launch of SOF 5 at the GhOne Studios several months back, I knew and it was very glaring that Emmanuel Yawson was the favourite to win this year’s competition. Aside his ‘gay’ mannerism, he had something that most of the contestants didn’t have.

He is such a great singer. He has the right attitude, good gestures and good stage presence. He is an entertainer as well as a performer. During the launch, the contestants performed R. Kelly’s ‘World Greatest’, Emmanuel on his turn made the needed impression that one needed to commence such a competition.

On the road to the grand finale, the following contestants were evicted from the competition; Abigail Bih, Asantewaah Essel, David De-Graft Crentsil, Elizabeth Joseph, Grace Ocansey, Henry Nuamah, Rauhel Halidou Yacouba and Reynolds Kwame Addow to make way for the remaining 4 finalist Emmanuel Yawson,, Daniella Dankwah-Coffie, Wiyaala Noela and Kwame Wiredu to battle each other for the grand prize.

The four opened the night with ‘Sign of Victory’ a song composed by R. Kelly for the World Cup in South Africa. Bertha, winner of the season four of the same competition was next, she performed ‘I’m A Star’, a song she performed to win the crown in 2009. She did another song of hers.

Now, the stage was set for the contestants to convince the judges why each of them deserves to win the competition and hoping the votes comes in to aid them win eventually. 19 years old Daniella officially opened the contest. She performed Beyonce Knowles’ ‘Halo’. She made the needed impression, the judges couldn’t agree more. They were impressed.

Second contestant to perform was 1987 born Emmanuel Yawson. He performed a rendition of Enrique Iglesias’ ‘Hero’. After this performance, it was obvious; Emmanuel had sent a strong signal of his readiness to win the competition. He relied heavily on his powerful voice, his creativity and command on stage. He received a standing ovation, when he sang the lyrics of the song in ‘Twi’ and in pidgin.

Sitting close to the judges, I overheard one of them say to the rest “This guy has raised the bar”. The judges were bereft of words to describe his performance. They agreed it was a winning performance. One could see the admiration on their faces as they utter those words.

If you are superstitious, you can say Emmanuel’s superb performance casted a spell on the next contestant Kwame, whose performance was nothing to write home about as he did Chris Brown’s ‘Crawl’. His performance was the weakest on the night and most people wondered how he managed to get to the finals.

If thunderous applauses and noise was something used to determine the winner, Kwame would have won. Though his vocal abilities cannot be contested, he failed to live up to the expectation. It wasn’t so clear what was worrying him but he looked nervous and tensed up.

The twenty five years old student of the Accra based Zenith University College disappointed hundreds of fans who had besieged the venue to support him. He was next to boring. He made the judges’ job easy as they made him know how badly and boring his performance was. It was hell sitting through the entire duration to listen to him.

Followed after Kwame’s abysmal performance was that of twenty two year old Wiyaala Noella who is a former footballer from Upper West Region. He performed the official World Cup 2010 song, ‘Waka Waka’ by Columbia singer Shakira. Yes, it was a party song but some songs are not cut for competitions and that song is an example. In as much as she performed well, the song didn’t bring out her vocal abilities. One of the judges pointed this boldly to her face.

Noella’s performance means, the competition was between her, Daniella and Emmanuel. Kwame needed to redeem himself in the second round if he is to win the competition or get a respectable position.

He failed again to convince the judges and his fans when he performed his own song ‘She De Go’ produced by Jayso. Kwame needs to up his game if he wants to be a musician and a song writer.

Noella performed her own song “Yoola”, another song I felt not cut out for a competition. The song s in her local dialect, though the tempo is too high, it’s not too bad to the ears. It was produced by Appietus.

Daniella on the other hand did ‘Love Note’, produced by Kaywa. It’s a song she wrote shortly after meeting her boyfriend. A song needs to be good to attract someone like Doreen Andoh, Joy FM presenter who promised to have the song on rotation on her show.

“It’s My Time” is the title of Emmanuel’s own song produced by Richie of Lynx Entertainment. The song has a catchy chorus which made it easier for the audience to join him, though it was the first time performing the song.

After the second rounds, Creative Efya, another product of the series mounted the stage and melted the hearts of the audience. She is the only vibrant product of the competition and continues to prove herself whenever she performs. She was on point and her creativity was at its peak. She brings one thing in mind; originality pays.

Emmanuel Yawon was deservedly crowned shortly as the winner of the Stars of the Future season 5 by MC Sedem Ofori with Daniella Dankwah-Coffie, Wiyaala Noela and Kwame Wiredu placing second, third and fourth respectively.

The contestants were judged by Joy FM presenter Doreen Andoh, music producer Zapp Mallet and CEO of EKB records, Kiki Banson.

D-Cryme, Zigi and Eazzy also treated the audience to some wonderful songs from their respective albums.

Big Brother Amplified: Confidence Haugen Is Up For Another Eviction! Can She Escape This Time Too…?

One of Ghana’s representatives to the ongoing Big Brother Amplified ‘Confidence Haugen’ has been nominated again for possible eviction coming weekend from the house. This is the second eviction nomination for the woman who has been touted as a ‘control freak’ in the house.

Confidence, who is in the ‘Heads House’ has been nominated for possible eviction alongside Sharon O from Uganda who had 4 nominations, Vina from Nigeria, Bernardina from Namibia and Michael from Mozambique with three nominations each.

Can Confidence escape eviction this time again?

Below are four ways you can vote to keep Confidence in the house:

1. VOTE VIA THE WEBSITE: Please note that your vote will be allocated to the country you are voting from.

Login to vote and click on the appropriate button. You can vote once per hour (http://bigbrotherafrica.dstv.com/Vote)

2. MXIT VOTING: To vote using MXit: open the browser on your WAP-enabled mobile phone, and type in m.mxit.com to download MXit for free. Then locate MXit on your phone in the applications or games section and register. Once in MXit, go to Tradepost -> Entertainment -> Mnet. You will find the Big Brother contact in the M-Net bot. Add the Big Brother contact. Please note that voting on MXit is free and you can vote up to 10 times on MXit per voting period.

3. WEBSITE / WAPSITE VOTING: Register on DStv Connect, or use your existing DStv Connect profile details to log in. (www.mnetafrica.com/bigbrother). Please note that voting on the website or wapsite is free and you are allowed to vote once per hour during the voting period.

4. VOTE VIA SMS: To vote via SMS: send the word VOTE followed by the Housemate’s name to the number for your country. For example if you are voting from Ghana send Vote Confidence to MTN, Vodafone, Tigo, Espresso, Airtel send to 1477 at GHC 0.60 per SMS. Please note that you can vote 100 times by SMS per telephone number during each voting period.

Voting begins immediately after the Nomination show on Mondays at 18:30 GMT and closes at 04:00 GMT on the following Sunday morning.

Interview: SYN! New Ghanaian Artiste Blames Ghanaian Musicians “They Don’t Study”!

The Ghanaian Music Industry is blessed with Africa’s most brilliant song writers. One of the newest gifted writers to grace the music scene and ready for mainstream success is a young man known as SYN, born and christened Safwan Alhassan, a twenty something year old graduate of Central University.

The young song writer has labeled Ghanaian musicians as people who don’t want to learn. He also accuses Ghanaian music as being too narrow and chastised musicians for limiting Ghana music to mainstream African boundaries, when it can cross to the world market.

Like many others, SYN discovered his singing abilities at a tender age. Trying to sound different in respect to the genre of music he does. He said: “I can’t specify the genre of music I do but I get my inspiration from any kind of music, any kind of tune, any kind of story I want to tell, I tell in a particular genre and I leave the audience to judge what kind of genre the music is”.

SYN is a Human Resource Management graduate from Central University but wants to pursue music to the fullest. The enthusiastic and dedicated artist is currently in music school studying music intimately and learning how to play some musical instruments, with his preferences on the guitar.

Syn goes onto explain how a lack of education is what is retarding the progress of the country’s music industry and advises fellow musicians to take courses in music to be abreast of what is happening in the music world. He challenged musicians to go to school and learn about music and not only offer courses in Management, Human Resource or Accounting.

His debut 13 track album ‘SYNED’ is ready to be released soon. SYN revealed to GhanaCelebrities.Com about himself and dwelled on his music life as well as what he hopes to achieve musically. Below are the excerpts …

GhanaCelebrities.Com: SYN can you tell us about yourself?

SYN: I’m SYN, a Ghanaian up coming artiste. I can’t specify the genre of music I do but I get my inspiration from any kind of music, any kind of tune, any kind of story I want to tell, I tell in a particular genre and I leave the audience to judge what kind of genre the music is.

I’m basically a graduate from Central University, Human Resource Management graduate but I want to pursue to music so I’m diverting. I’m really studying music intimately right now; I’m a music school now learning the pop guitar. I love pop music and that’s the trend I want to go. I want to infuse a lot of Afro-Pop, African instrument, live performances, so I’m really on the start and I hope to build to the top.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: Where do you take your inspirations from?

SYN: I take my inspirations from stories that I hear, from people’s experiences, not personally but recently the new compositions I’m doing most of them are personal, so I will say from my environment, I take my stories from my environment.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: You have a single ‘My Bebe’, can you tell us the concept behind that song?

SYN: The concept for ‘My Bebe’ is very hilarious; basically saying cut your coat according to your size. I picked it from a point where I was talking about a woman that I lost love to in the village where I’m now a rich guy in the city now and I cannot find happiness with all the riches, so I try to go back to my roots. Basically, the song talks aboutcut your coat according to your size, be content with what you have and be happy.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: So what’s the message are you putting out there?

SYN: I want to tell people that; the little that you have is not that bad; you can be happy about that if you don’t envy people but want to be someone else. I infused a lot of northern rhythm into the music by introducing a northern artiste as you can see in the video. It was really a tough job.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: Ghana has lots of languages but Twi and Ga dominates the rest when it comes to music. You decided to feature a Dagomba artiste, any special reason?

SYN: Yes I featured a Dagomba singer and I sang in pidgin. Basically that’s why we want to go; we know there are 46 tribes in Ghana, which means 46 different kinds of music store up in this country and we are just narrowing it down to some particular languages but certain languages have beautiful musical trends that’s we can tap into. Now I featured a Dagomba artiste and I did pidgin but certain songs that are coming that I will do in local languages.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: How long have you been on the music scene?

SYN: I have been trying for the past 5 years when I came into the industry and I was honest with myself that I knew I wasn’t prepared. So I went back to the drawing board, build my locals, I took vocal lessons. I really worked hard before I got here but it’s been 5 years but 1 active year of recording my album and getting it together.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: Any collaboration with any artiste?

SYN: Yes, I have worked with Jayso, who I’m still working with right now, we are about to do a collaboration with D-Black. I have worked with the Dagomba guy who is not popular here in Accra. I have worked with a couple of artistes. I have worked with the Skillions, Irene, Kwaw Kese. Those songs are not on my album but they are singles that we recorded.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: How soon should Ghanaians expect the launch of your album?

SYN: This year is basically our year for the new act, we are coming hard. We are trying to push and sell our talent. It’s not easy. The terrain is not easy. You need to know what to do and where to go. You sit back and look at the industry, you go good music, means its easy but you need people who know what you have to do and what you don’t have to do. So we are learning, making our mistakes and we are coming strongly.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: You are a singer. Do you also rap?

SYN: Yes I’m a singer. I don’t rap.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: What’s your impression about the Ghana music industry?

SYN: I think Ghanaian music is too narrow. I think we are limiting ourselves to our boundaries. I think the world is a cultural market, when you have something you have to sell it out there.

It’s a big market and music is one big multi-million industry and with the right things done, we can sell our talents, our creativity as Ghanaians to the world and bring lots of economic benefits, creating employment and the likes. So I think our industry is narrow, its limited and we have ourselves to blame. I think we have to go for the big things.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: Do you share the assertion that language is the major factor why Ghanaians can’t get their music up there on the world market?

SYN: No, not necessarily. There is a Nigerian singer Asa who performs in France and other places. They don’t understand the language but she’s good and she’s making it big in those countries, it’s not the language barrier. I think we [Ghanaian musicians] don’t study.

You watch a Ghanaian musician on TV saying that he’s going for education and he will be talking about Management, Human Resource or Accounting or something with that knowledge but music itself is a science that you have to learn into detail to know it before you can express it better to the world.

I think our musicians are limiting themselves in knowledge. I think we have to learn, we have to be educated. We do music in our universities but the extent that it should go. What we need is education and Ghanaian music will go somewhere.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: Musically which artists do you look up to?

SYN: [Laughs] Okay, locally I respect certain musicians; I don’t look up to them. But I respect and look up to old acts like Osibisa, Rex Gyamfi and the likes. The original highlife because I feel some languages have certain styles of singing that is perfect for these languages but today the contemporary highlifes and hiplifes …

I’m not saying they are not good but they are taking the quality of that kind of music. I respect Becca, I respect D-Black. I respect the Skillions, people think they are just rappers but if you go into the clique you will see that they are really into music, jazz and the likes.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: And the foreign artists?

SYN: I look up to songwriters like Neyo and Alicia Keys. Most artistes/singers look upto Michael Jackson and I happen to have a lot of people telling me that I have that kind of voice tone. The Michael Jackson kind of voice tone. I can’t do his dance moves; I just have his voice tone. I think I have his style of music too, it affects my music.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: Are you happy with the way Ghana Music Industry is moving?

SYN: No, I’m not happy. I think that we are being complacent because when you ask people, they tell you it’s moving on well but you if actually talk to those in the industry, you realized that, they don’t have the knowledge of how to run the industry.

They are from other sectors, specialist in engineering or other things but music is their passion, so they find themselves in there to try and promote something with the finances and do what they do. I think we need people who would learn the system, the industry, the music as an administration because these are courses they learn outside Ghana and I look to do a course like that too. We are just leaning on the faith of people appreciating good music.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: Do you think Ghanaians are ready for your kind of music?

SYN: Yes, I think Ghanaians are ready for my kind of music because Ghanaians appreciate a lot of music from out of country.

Day in day out there was a time that people say Ghanaians won’t appreciate music sang in English and the likes and though I do music in local dialects, I do lots of Pop, R&B and Rock music. Jon Germain came out with his album, though he didn’t break even in Ghana, people appreciate him. People love Michael Jackson, Neyo, and other international artistes like Asa.

To even look at artiste like Jason, you don’t expect people to love him but they have the kind of market in Ghana. So I think I have a group or fan base I can build in Ghana.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: Meaning of SYN?

SYN: I actually got the name SYN based on some initials in my name. But the SYN word later I learnt is a Greek word that means fusion or togetherness. Looking at the way I do my music, gathering different kind of styles together, I think it’s a perfect name.

GhanaCelebrities.Com: Thank you for your time.

SYN: My pleasure!

Celebrity Presenter: Mimi Davilish Hosts Drive Time On Hitz FM 103.7 FM

One of the Multimedia stations, Hitz 103.7 FM went topsy-turvy as Mimi Davilish yesterday hosted the station’s Drive Time show to mark the African Union’s day. The songstress joined in the list of celebrities who had earlier presented the drive show.

The singer who mounted the live stage at Reggie Rockstone’s Office some days back to kick start her tour to various cities in the country hosted the show which has been dubbed as ‘Topsy-Turvy’ as she got more closer and ‘intimate’ with her friends on the airwaves.

‘Topsy-Turvy’ is a new innovation from the multimedia stations. It is a special day or a holiday, where Ghanaian celebrities are given the opportunity to take charge of affairs in the studio to be on air and present or host programs.

Celebrities are therefore required to present the show like regular presenters on air. It affords them the opportunity to get closer to their fans via phone calls, messages through facebook and twitter as well as BB.

Expected to host the show like a regular presenter, Mimi hosted and interviewed two of Nigerian’s finest J Martins and 9ice who are both billed to perform at the maiden edition of the Ghana Meets Naija musical concert to hit the country on Republic’s day July 1.

Home girl showed she’s not well versed in radio present and doesn’t know the rudiments of radio presenting. She ‘confused’ listeners with don’ts on radio. Well, she can’t be found culpable for that. Check out the pictures below of home girl in the studio …

Nigeria Copied Ghana’s Style – R2Bees Voices Out At The Press Conference Of Ghana Meets Naija Musical Concert!

VIP, 4X4, Sarkodie, Castro, Guru, Ruff N Smooth, R2Bees, D-Cryme, Stay Jay and Efya are Ghanaian artistes who are ready to meet 2Face, Wande Coal, 9ice and J Martins from Nigeria in a musical showdown. The artistes above are ready to meet and share one stage to give patrons a feel of both countries.

However, one of the members of the Tema based rap duo R2Bees, Paedae has jokingly accused the Nigerian counterparts of copying the Ghanaian style in their music. The chap revealed this at the birth of a new musical showdown dubbed ‘Ghana Meets Naija’ to be staged on July 1, 2011.

Present at the press conference was Nigerian artistes 9ice and J Martins, the voices behind Gongo Aso and Cool Your Temper respectively. From Ghana was Lazzy, Coded [Abortion] and Paedae who both represented their various groups, VIP, 4X4 and R2Bees. Ghana’s fastest rapper Sarkodie was also present.

When Ghana and Nigeria is mentioned; sports preferably there is this sort of rivalry that pops up as both sides strives to be the best. In terms of movies and music, both countries are far ahead of the rest on the African continent.

The argument as to which country has copied from the other country so far as doing movies and music is concerned has always been on the lips of followers of both nations. The blame of who has copied from the other is not ending anytime soon.

The accusation has been resurrected by one of the talented chaps in the music fraternity in a rather comic way.

Paedae who was the first of the artistes to speak to the media of what to expect on July 1 said: “This is something [the show] I believe in. We know for sure that Nigerians copied our style but they took it to the next level”.

He continued “They [Nigerians] do quality music; if you go to Lagos, they play Ghanaian music too, though they don’t play a lot of our music but then again, our population is just 10% of theirs”. He concluded by saying he’s so excited about the show and promises, they [R2Bees] will give out their best on the night.

He ended with: “I so much believe in Ghanaian and Nigerian collaborations”.

‘Ghana Meets Naija’ is a brain child of Nathaniel Kwabena Anokye Adisi popularly known as Bola Ray under the tutelage of his Empire Entertainment. It’s scheduled for the Dome, at the Accra Conference Centre on Republic day July 1, 2011 to celebrate Ghana and Nigeria music.

According to Bola Ray, CEO of Empire Entertainment, he has nurtured this dream of having artistes from both countries mount and share one big stage. He believes this platform will bring the two countries more closely to each other than before.

The ‘Ghana Meets Naija’ musical concert will be an annual event to celebrate both music industries. It will feature artistes from the two countries who would be on top of their game.

If the artistes on board are something to judge by then ‘Ghana Meets Naija’ maiden edition is going to be made history as far as the two West African countries are concerned. It’s going to be bigger and mega come July 1.

Check out the pictures by clicking here

BET 2011 Nominee D-Black & Co. Charm The Garden City As The “Yes Boss” Tour Stops Over In Kumasi!

BET 2011 nominee for the Best International Act and Ghana Music Award 2011 Hip Hop Song of the Year winner with ‘Get On Da Dance Floor’, D-Black’s ongoing “Yes Boss” tour hit the Garden City, Kumasi last Saturday to mesmerize the thousands of fans at the Prempeh Assembly Hall.

Other artists present to support the “Yes Boss” crew on the night included D-Cryme, Dee-Money, Stay Jay, Nii, Bra Kevin, Trigmatic, Nii, Yaa Pono, Nana Boroo and Sarkodie. None of them failed to entertain the crowds.

The much anticipated 10 cities tour commenced on Easter Friday at Kwaku during the Easter celebrations. D-Black performed alongside some celebrated artistes on the bill. The tour has taken the crew to Kwahu, Cape Coast, Sunyani, Tema, Takoradi with Tamale and left with Bolgatanga, Ho and Accra.

After arriving in Kumasi on Friday evening, the crew which consists of D-Black, D-Cryme, Dee-Money, Stay Jay, Nii, Bra Kevin Beats, Trigmatic were welcomed in grand style. They visited several radio stations for short interviews as well as promote the show the next day. Sarkodie, Nana Boroo and Yaa Pono who were on other engagements joined the crew on Saturday.

The show was for a seated audience but the patrons who couldn’t help sitting and dancing in their seats walked to the walkway joined in the fun, consequently turning the show into a dance party. These continue after each of the artistes mounts the stage. From Nii to Dee Money to Bra Kevin to Stay Jay to Nana Borro to Yaa Pono to D-Cryme to Trigmatic to Sarkodie and finally to D-Black, the audience made up of mostly High School graduate had their money’s wealth.

Kumasi was a real success so it’s onto the next city to be toured is Tamale. According to the C.E.O. of Black Avenue Muzik, D-Black, he hopes to complete the tour before August 2011. The purpose of the tour is to promote the D-Black brand and also Hip Hop music made in Ghana.

He told GhanaCelebrities.Com “Not just my music but music from all the artists on the tour. The aim is to promote the music made in every corner of the country. To have fans appreciate the music and see the artiste perform live wherever they live from the Northern part of Ghana down to the Ashanti Region to the Greater Accra Region.”

He continued: “It’s also to give the fans an unforgettable experience”, adding that “I’m also using it as a platform to develop my skills as a performer on international stages.”

At the end of the tour, some of the proceeds of the tour will be donated to the needy and underprivileged children who need an education. “D-Black and the Black Avenue Musik team will give some underprivileged children in society a platform on which they can build their dreams by having a good, quality basic education.” He said.

Next cities to be toured are Tamale, Bolgatanga, Ho with Accra being the point.

Click here for the pictures

R&M Wins Maiden Edition Of Vodafone Icons, Divas Edition!

The maiden edition of the Vodafone Icons, Divas Edition has come to a triumphant end with the group ‘R&M’ emerging as winners after beating their fiercest rivals Kolors and Keshi 3 in the grand finale to win the prizes at stake; a major recording deal, a GH¢20,000 cash prize for each member of the group and a slot to perform at the upcoming ‘020 Live’ Vodafone’s musical concert.

The group Rhythms and Melody shorten to R&M was adjudged as winners after going through two separate stages in the grand finale at the Accra International Conference Centre [AICC] in the presence of judges, coaches, family and friends. The series started with 8 groups, 5 were evicted to make way to the last three to fight for the crown.



Performing Their Favourite Song Of The Season:
Right on the commencement of the grand finale, the contestants picked and performed their favourite songs of the season. Keshi 3, made up of Nana Frema, Danielle Dugan and January Messel were the first to open the show.

They performed Angelique Kidjo’s ‘Akwaaba’. R&M followed up by performing ‘Don’t Stop The Music’. Doreen, Gloria, Evelyn from Kolors completed that segment by performing Steve Wonder’s ‘Signed, Sealed & Delivered’.

Keshi 3, who had already been saved twice by the judges from eviction, looked to be forcing too hard to be noticed as the judges comments didn’t come to a consensus on their performance.
Regardless of that, they managed to get praises from the female judges. In all indication, R&M’s triumph on the night started with their performing of ‘Don’t Stop The Music’, they were exciting to watch, fun to listen to, their versatility was felt by everyone.

Without any doubt, they picked a perfect song suitable for their voices and they nailed it. They showed something, that, the other groups lacked; energy on the stage. They can be described as a dynamic group.
Kolors performed a rendition of ‘Signed, Sealed & Delivered’ by Steve Wonder which also attracted positive comments from the judges.

Comments From The Judges:

After their performances, the presenter, Benny Blanco welcomed comments from the judges. The two female judges, Gena West and Stephanie Benson collectively concurred that, Keshi 3’s performances was great but Quantos disagreed saying “… You did well tonight but I must say that, it isn’t a winning performance for me”.
On R&M’s performances, the three judges came to a consensus as they praised them for their originality, choreography and creativity. Quantos said “A truly spirited performance. You came in to the challenge and you’ve stated your case, we will see how it goes”.

The group scored an A from Gena West “…Rhythm & Melody, that’s what you are. You definitely get an A from me for originality, your choreography. It looked as if you were free-styling, I’m sure you rehearsed but you made it too easy. True entertainers, well done.”

Stephanie Benson continued the praises “… You girls [ladies] are fabulous and I think you know that, because you are so confident on the stage, that it makes us [judges] comfortable watching you.”
Kolors had a standing ovation from the judges when they performed Steve Wonder’s ‘Signed, Sealed & Delivered’ during early part of the competition, hence performing it again at the finals.

They explained that, they chose the same song because they had a standing ovation from the judges when they performed the song last time and believe that could do the magic for them and rightly so, the judges loved their performance.

Gena West said “Girls, you are absolutely adorable. You have the best harmonies of the entire series. You are spot on…I have said it before and will say it again, signed, sealed and you delivered.”

Stephanie’s comment wasn’t entirely different from Gena’s. Quantos was economical with words here, “Kolors, I just want to say one thing, you girls can sing.”


Evicting Of Keshi 3:
Shortly after the comments from the judges, Keshi 3 was evicted from the competition to make way for R&M and Kolors in the finals.

Their votes were not enough for them to continue the competition. Their eviction meant, they had taken the third place.

Contestants Singing Their Own Songs:

The eviction of Keshi 3 paved way for R&M and Kolors to compete in the finals. In this segment, both contestants performed their own songs. The former performed a song titled ‘Let Your Head Down’ whiles the latter performed ‘Victory’, their respective singles.

All songs were produced by the celebrated sound engineer Appiah Danquah, popularly known as Appietus.
The judges didn’t comment on this segment, since its difficult to judge and comment on a song they are hearing for the first time. But obviously, R&M’s approach to their song and performance on stage was what separated them from Kolors.

Though, Kolors didn’t disappoint either with their performance, R&M looked like they wanted the title more than Kolors. The rapturous applause that erupted the auditorium as they were declared winners confirm their acceptance as worthy winners of the maiden edition of the Vodafone Icons, Divas Edition.

For winning the competition, Uche Ofodile, the Chief Marketing Officer of Ghana Vodafone presented a key to their new 4×4 car as well as cheque of GHC60.000.

Stephanie Lindsey Baaba, Natasha Dedey Mann & Denice Williams making the group each gets GHC20.000. Also on the prize is a trip to London.

ICONS: Divas edition is Vodafone’s newest ground-breaking reality TV show that seeks to discover, groom and showcase Ghana’s first super-girl group. The whole idea is to empower women to reach for their dream while providing quality entertainment for everyone by getting them involved in choosing the best group.

It is called ICONS because it brings alive our brand promise of ‘Power to You’ – we want to create a group that is Big, Bold and has a presence in the minds of Ghanaians. That is what we believe an ICON is and we are sparing no expense in creating something like that in Ghana.

Auditions were held in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale, where hundreds of girls were auditioned. 35 were shortlisted and 24 picked out from the number after vigorous segments to compete for the final prize.
The 24 girls were split into 8 groups; DIAMONDS (Alberta, Belinda, Barbara), KOLORS (Doreen, Gloria, Evelyn), KYSES (Lilian, Abby, Ernestina), CHILLI (Monica, Abigail, Sussana), KESHI 3 (Nana Frema, Danielle, January), R&M (Staphanie, Natasha, Denice), BREEEZE (Emmanuella, Zephora, Anita) and EBONI (Lucy, Betty, Valentina).

The contestants were judged by Gena West, Quantos, and Stephanie Benson and coached Freeman Daniel (Voice Coach), Rashid (Choreographer), Bessa Simmons (Music Director).

Nana Akuffo Addo Doing The ‘All Die Be Die’ Dance At George Darko @ 60 Birthday Party & Launch Of His New Album ‘Lucky Star’ At Golden Tulip!

Nana Addo dancing with Paulina Oduro

Nana Addo dancing with Paulina Oduro

Yesterday at the poolside of the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra, an event was organized by Mirror Image Promotions to celebrate the 60^th birthday of highlife legend and King of Burger Highlife George Ampem Darko, popularly known as George Darko the Tufuhene of Akropong-Akuapim. The night was also to launch his 10th album ‘Lucky Star’ simultaneously.

The event brought together several top class musicians who performed their various tunes to the admiration of the participants. Musicians such as Efya, Bessa Simmons, Kwabena Kwabena, Kwame Zaggy all treated the audience to the rendition of their songs.


When it got the turn of Felix Owusu to perform, he managed to get the attention of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, who in turn was obliged to show off his dancing skills.

Nana Akufo Addo lost narrowly the presidential elections in the 2008 General Elections. Aside that, he is also known lawyer, human rights activist, a diplomat but one thing most people do not know is  that, the man can actually dance.

Immediately, he got up to walk to the stage with his entourage-Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, his wife and other people, he got the attention of everyone, specially from people who had not seen him dance before.
Before he started dancing, one patron shouted “Nana, this is all-die-be-die dance”. He couldn’t help than to laugh and show his dancing prowess. MusicianPaulina Oduro who was performing with Felix Owusu became Nana’s dancing partner as they do the ‘all-die-be-die’ dance together.



The well attended event was a night of good music. Highlife music at its best. The artistes were on rotation and the beauty of their performances was majestic.

Never-disappointing ‘Efya’ opened the night. After some performances, George Darko mounted the stage and treated the audience to some tunes of his previous album. Shortly, after he took a breather, it was preceded by the cutting of his birthday cake and launching of the ‘Lucky Star’ album.

When finally, the presenter KOD announced George Darko to mount the stage for the second time, it was as if the audience were longed to have him on stage again. Backed by his Jazz Kings Band, he dished out songs from the latest album including the title track ‘Lucky Star’. Not even his manager Kaicy Boakye Nhyira was able to stop him, that he’s had enough.

With his guitar firmly in his hands, he performed one song after the other to thrill the audience. And from the way they danced their hearts out, it meant one thing; they have had their money’s worth.

He was born in 1951 at Akropong in the Eastern Region; George Darko is credited with the introduction in the 1980s of Burger-highlife, a variation of West Africa’s popular genre, with his first hit ‘Ako Te Brofo’.

He was educated at the Presbyterian School at Akropong. After playing for an army band in the Middle East, Darko returned to Ghana and formed the Golden Stool Band. In the late 1970s the band moved to Germany, where he went solo and formed the Bus Stop band in 1982.

He returned to Akropong in 1988, where he was made Tufuhene of Akropong-Akuapim in 1991 with the stool name, Nana Yaw Ampem Darko and has since been combining his musical career with chieftaincy roles.

New Music Videos: ‘Say Aah’ By Akesifour Featuring Kwaadee & Joe Frazier

Zulu African Film Academy Awards (ZAFAA) Launched In Ghana! Calls For Submissions…

The 2011 edition of the ZAFAA has began in earnest with the organizers calling on movie producers to submit their movies to be considered into this year’s awards slated for October 20th to 22nd.

In a press conference in Accra to launch the awards in Ghana, the CEO of the awards Sam Anwuzia in his speech called on African movie makers to collaborate more to churn out better movies which will go a long way to help promote African movies. He said: “Even Bollywood, the Indian movie industry recognizes this fact today as most movies from their stable have Hollywood collaborations.”

He also talked about the failure of the African Movie Industry, which according to him is our inability to tap into the wealth of resources and opportunities at our disposal.

“There is one school of thought that our failure in the movie industry in Africa is largely due to our inability and in some case blatant refusal to tap into the wealth of resources and opportunities at our disposal. The underlying reason behind the foregoing is the increasing popularity of African movies in the world today”.

With the recent Ghana Movie Awards in mind, where some winners were presented with a statuette each in addition to a car and the pandemonium it has created, GhanaCelebrities.Com asked the Chief Executive Officer of the awards this: Apart from the statuette presented to the winners, what else does the award comes with?
Talking about the credibility of the trophy presented to the winners and answering the question, Mr. Sam Anwuzia said “This is an 18 carat gold trophy and I want those that have received awards from movie making in Africa to compare this statuette to what they have received.”

“This [trophy] is money. In the entertainment world, you give money’s worth, and you don’t give them money. I will not give stars a cheap trophy and give them ₤1.000 and be proud about it”, he ended.

ZAFAA is an acronym for Zulu African Film Academy Awards. It’s a London based awards. It’s an African award outside of Africa and its sole aim is to sell Africa to the international market, preferably non-Africans.
The dream is to bring all Africans to the awards but for now, the participating countries are Cameroon, Togo, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia and Tanzania. There are far advanced plans to bring on board film makers from other African countries to expose their works to the international market.

In the previous edition, Ghana’s Majid Michel beat Segun Arinze, Ramsey Nouah and Ekpenyong Bassey with his role in a movie by Vivienne Ejike ‘Silent Scandal’ to win the Best Actor, which also happens to be his first ever award in his acting career. Kalsoume Sinare Baffoe, also a Ghanaian won the Best Supporting Actress in her role in ‘Trinity’.


For more information, visit: www.zafaa.com.

Movie Review: ‘Anchor Baby’

Before watching the movie ‘Anchor Baby’, I read two reviews from Nigerian bloggers, since the movie was written, produced and directed by a Nigerian Lonzo Nzekwe. I wanted to have an informed look at how they see the movie. What I read was totally different from what I watched.

It’s like watching a football match and listening to commentators comment on the same match afterwards. Sometimes they make it sound as if the listener watched a totally different match from what they are talking about.

Quiet interesting, but that is the same way I saw those reviews -- they veered off totally. Though I won’t belittle the reviews, I thought they were too petty especially if the movie I watched was the same movie they watched.

Slavery in its entirety had been abolished several decades ago. But there is a new form of slavery which is a bit refined. People call it ‘Brain Drain’. There are many ways in which Africans in the Diaspora or illegal immigrants are exploited on daily basis under the pretext of helping them to acquire documents. The ‘Anchor Baby’ dwells on several themes; love, betrayal, dreams, desperation but highlighted just one; the exploitation of illegal immigrant.

A lot of thinking observably went into the movie! Sorry but the kind of thinking lacking in the Ghana Movie Industry is what went into the making of this movie.

Anchor Baby might not become the best ever movie produced by an African in the Diaspora but from now onwards, it will be classified as one of the best movies produced ever. If for nothing at all, the theme is what most illegal Africa immigrants will identify with. I will not sit here and force a square peg into a round hole when I know it won’t fit into the hole. The movie is a must watch.

Anchor Baby is a beautiful movie with a perfect theme. It’s a story of Nigerian couple Paul Unanga (British born Ghanaian actor Sam Sarpong) and Joyce Unanga (played by Nollywood actress Omoni Oboli) who lived in the United States of America. Three months after the expiration of their visas, they were ordered to vacate the country voluntarily or they forced to leave by deportation.

How can one stay in U.S. for two years and go back to Africa without anything? Man has to survive and go back to Africa with something to stand on or remain in America and play hide and seek with the U.S. Immigration. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with mandate from the U.S. government started tracking down illegal immigrants, arresting them and deporting them to their home countries.

Joyce had given up and was ready to leave the country as soon as possible but her husband Paul didn’t like the idea of them leaving the country when his wife was pregnant. He managed to convince Joyce who was 5 months pregnant that, they will leave to Nigeria after she has given birth in America which guarantee automatic U.S. citizenship to their son ‘Uche’, meaning God’s will’.

It is Paul’s dream that if they are to lose everything that, they have worked for in the past years by leaving the country to Nigeria, then his son has to be born in the country.

There was a swoop at Paul’s place of work. Several workers were arrested but he got the hint and ran for his life. But how far can a man bent on surviving the harsh atmosphere in America run? Paul escaped the officials of the I.C.E. but he was tracked down, arrest and deported toNigeria after losing his phone in the chase, which was used to track him.

Now pregnant Joyce has to fend for herself and the unborn baby. She has to live their American dream all alone. She can’t access health care because she has no work permit. She has no ID, all she has is her green passport; her Nigerian passport.

No insurance card means she can’t see a doctor. Five months and she still hasn’t seen a face of a doctor. She vacated their resident since I.C.E. left a note the morning her husband was arrested that, they will come back, which means she will be arrested if she stays around. But she couldn’t get any apartment without an ID.

After being turned down to see a doctor, Susan Backley (played by Terri Oliver), a freelance writer who is struggling to have a baby for her husband came into the picture to offer her a place to stay until she gives birth. God works in mysterious ways. For Joyce, Susan is a Good Samaritan sent from God to help her.

She was in a dare need that, she didn’t pause a while to ask herself, why a white woman will just approach an unknown black woman in distress and instantly help her out, counterfeit her ID and other documents for her. Quite strange.

Susan’s ID was counterfeited for Joyce so she can access health care and see a doctor. She started using the ID with the name ‘Susan Backley’. She became very ‘free’ to move around, see a doctor as well as get access to insurance with her new identity. Four months elapsed and Uche was born.

Back home in Nigeria, Paul was trying so hard to butter his bread. As an African man, he was filled with excitement when news of his wife given birth in America and consequently, acquiring American citizenship to his son was received. But then a new development pops up, a big problem.

When Joyce receives the American citizenship passport of his son, it bears the name ‘Uche Backley’ instead of ‘Uche Unanga’. What is next for Joyce Unanga? It’s up to you to find out. Anchor Baby is a movie that I will recommend to everybody. It’s a must watch for people who believe they can only survive by traveling to Europe and the Americas when in fact; they can end up losing everything they have worked for.

Acting was good but there is a room for improvement. It was shot in Brampton and Hamilton, Ontario, Canada but set in the United States.

“Anchor Baby” won the Best Film at the Harlem International Film Festival with Omoni Oboli winning the Best Actress at the same event.

It also won the Award of Merit Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood. It made the Official selection Africa Intl Film Festival and official selection Fans of Film Festival. Also, it emerged 20 at the Reelsworld Film Festival.

When A Hip Life Musician Rapes An Innocent Virgin Girl!

“I don’t believe in rape”, I said to one of my friends Kwame when he approached me to tell me that one of our former mates has been gang raped. The news was all around,on radio, television and in the newspapers.

I heard a lot about rape when I was growing up. I read about it in the newspapers, and listened to various radio shows about girls having been raped.

For me I think people exaggerate when they talk about rape. Especially when the girl in question is a well known flirt…It makes me wonder, who would rape a girl who is willing to give herself without any hassle?

As a young brainy lady with strong views about rape, I didn’t know I would fall victim to this degrading act. Now I sit here lonely because all my friends despise me. For the pass weeks, I have been praying that, death will just vent its spleen on me. “I want to just die”, I keep saying to myself. How I wish I can just fall and die at once. But no, death won’t come. How I wish I could buy death but no, it can’t be bought.

I muse over how I got myself into this mess which is making me want to end it all. My name is Obaa Yaa Boateng. I’m not either dark or fair; I’m what people will call chocolate in complexion.

I’m in my late teens and in one of the best Senior High Schools in Ashanti Region. I was an innocent virgin girl with a round face, pointed nose, good sets of teeth, great boobs and protruding backside. Does this give you a vivid picture of my physical outlook?

Sometimes you don’t need people to tell you certain things about yourselves, one is that I’m a very beautiful girl. If I was fair and a star, I would be more beautiful than Nadia Buari. However, I would wish to be as good as Jackie Appiah or as tall as Yvonne Nelson or as eloquent as Yvonne Okoro.

I know I have a very beautiful body that guys always salivate to grab. Aside that, I dress to kill. I love to dress hot. This never fails to make my male friends uncomfortable. Most of them had undressed me in their minds several times, I know.

Some of them have also come forward to woo me but they have always been turned down with the line “Sorry, I am not interested”. I love the celebrity lifestyle and the celebrities I have mentioned above are all my friends on Facebook. I randomly use their pictures on my profile.

During a show for a Hiplife artiste who was on a Senior High School Tour, I was asked by one of my friends, Serwaa Akoto to accompany her to meet the artiste who happens to be a friend of hers.

He is a hip life artiste who attained stardom overnight and have some really lovely tunes. My friends and I loved his music. Indeed, meeting him was a marvelous privilege. Serwaa introduced me as the one who was helping her with the arrangements for the show.

His striking looks and his warm hands when he shook and hugged me made my mind go blank. I fostered enough courage to let him know how much I liked his songs and “bla bla bla” about how I was helping with the arrangement for his show in our school the next day.

I don’t regret calling him a ‘beautiful guy’. The guy is handsome and his songs are all over the place. He is considered as one of the best rappers in Ghana now. But appearance, they say is deceptive. Nothing on his face showed he could do wrong; he carries such an innocent look. But I thought wrong, he was the devil himself.

As we walked to the shows’ venue he held my hands but anytime he looked at me, I could read exactly what he was thinking. The look in his eyes showed he wouldn’t mind ‘screwing’ me if I gave him the opportunity. After the show the next day, we exchanged telephone numbers, so I could call on him whenever I happened to be in Accra.

Few weeks later, school vacation was here. Akosua joined her parents abroad for the holidays. Even though going outside Kumasi during vacations had not been my thing, the thought of meeting again my Hip Life Artiste friend made me change my mind. I had a few old friends in Accra so I placed few calls and minutes later found myself heading to Accra.

After making the calls to Accra to let them know of my coming, I packed bags.I made sure I packed all my skimpy clothes. A lot had been said about Accra and for someone who was coming to Accra for the first time; I was indeed excited and ready to enjoy the 4-hour journey from Kumasi to Accra. I was Accra-bound and nothing was going to stop me.

In the bus, I realized I wasn’t the only person going to Accra for the first time; there were other first timers like myself. Midway through the journey I noticed some passengers had started dozing off. I tried to stay awake but I couldn’t cheat nature as I succumbed and dozed off.

Few hours later, the STC bus I was at Kwame Nkrumah Circle. When we got down, the time was quarter to 10pm and there was no sign of my friend. I begun to panic.

Then I heard someone shout my name from afar. I turned only to find my friend Naa Adjeley walking towards me and beaming with smiles as she welcomed me to Accra with a big hug.

We exchanged pleasantries. Since it was Friday night, Naa and I made the best of the night. We went from place to place after we had gone to leave my bags at her Dansoman residence.

I told Naa my reason for coming to Accra this vacation, you could see from her face that she was surprise at my reason. But I kept to myself the name of the hip life artiste. I didn’t trust Naa enough to confide in her such details. Men will always be men and women can be funny when you least expect.

After three days of staying with Naa, I phoned my hip life artiste friend. We talked at length but he had to cut it midway because he had studio sessions with his colleagues. However, he promised to call me later to meet him at a hotel in town.

I was worried why he wanted to meet me at a hotel instead of perhaps his own house. But I was too excited to be wavered away by this worry.

When I got to the hotel, I began to feel a bit funny as I entered the hotel room. I didn’t think he would do anything bad to me but I knew meeting him at his hotel room was just not right. I shrugged off the feeling anyway.

I said to myself that everything would be alright. I wore a nice face as he hugged me. He went out for drinks for us and came back with two bottles of Guinness. He handed one bottle to me and he took the other.

We talked as we enjoyed our drinks. We were locked in a long conversation. Soon, I felt dizzy. My vision became blurry. It felt like I had not slept for days based on what I was feeling. I yearned for sleep. I fell on the bed shortly and was gone, sleeping like a new born baby.

I woke up after a few hours but when I tried to get up from the bed, I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. I got confused and wondered what was happening to me. I became even more worried when I saw blood on the bed sheet.

I was horrified. Instinct told me to check myself to see where the blood came from. That was when I realized my virginity has been broken. “Oh God, have I been raped? Did he use a condom?” I wondered.

For minutes, I remained in shock. Like flashback in a movie, I begun to remember years back when my friends talked to me about rape. Everything had happened all too soon. I reached for my phone to call him but the feedback was heartbreaking. “The mobile you are calling is either switched off or out of coverage area”. I thought my world had come to an end. My dreams and promise of giving myself to my husband with my hymen intact can no longer be fulfilled.

Telling Naa was absolutely out of the question. After trying countless times to reach my friend, the rapist without going through, I had no option than to go back to Kumasi. Naa was worried but I stood on my feet and left. When the time for my monthly blood flow was due, I missed it. Then I began to feel these: serious headache, mood swings, nausea, my breast grew larger than they were. I was urinating frequently and I yearned for strange foods.

I checked at the clinic and my worst fear was confirmed, I was pregnant. I couldn’t tell my mother about it because she’d kill me if she found out. I decided to quietly get rid of it and the shame it came with.

I have not been able to tell anyone my shameful encounter because doing so would mean mentioning names and I couldn’t mention his name. After all, who’d believe me?

I will not disclose the identity of the hip life artiste because doing so won’t restore my virginity, it won’t take away the fact that I was forced to kill an innocent child or break my self promise of staying a virgin till my day of wedding. I know my friend is out there raping more girls which he can easily entice with his looks bu there I am raped and guilty of an abortion. But for once, I am lucky I did not contract HIV AIDS. How I wish…

New Music Video: ‘Faithful’ By Okyeame Kwame Featuring Bertha

New Music Video: ‘Ghana Lady’ By Mframa

AMAA 2011: Organizers Sponsoring Ghanaian Reporters To Nigeria, GC Has Been Selected!

Like any other award, the African Movie Academy Awards is an awards scheme which was conceived few years back to recognize excellence of African filmmakers as well as uniting the African continent through arts and culture. However, the connoisseurs of the movie industry upon careful look at the awards have termed it as the ‘African Oscars’.
The concept is great and it has been success over the years. Africans must therefore rally behind it and give it the necessary support.

Media coverage to the AMAA since its inception in 2005 has been firmly entrusted into the hands of the Nigerian media professionals. But with few days to the 2011 edition of the awards, which is scheduled for the 27th of March 2011, the organizers have decided to spread its media coverage tentacles to the rest of the African countries.

This well-timed decision according to the rep of the awards in Ghana “Judith Oluwole Kuwornu” at the orientation/meeting with the selected media houses said the Chief Executive Officer of the awards, Ms. Peace Anyiam-Osigwe has reiterated on several platforms that, though she is a Nigerian, she considers herself as more of an African than a Nigerian, hence the decision to spread her wings tothe rest of Africa and have them feel what the awards is all about.

According to her, commencing from this year, journalists will be selected from the rest of Africa, especially from participating countries to be part of the awards and share the experience when they return back home to their respective countries.

Media houses selected for the trip to grace the 7^th Africa Movie Academy Awards in Nigeria are: GhanaCelebrities.Com, Metro TV and Peace FM/Peacefmonline.Com.
The rest are Daily Guide/NewsOne, Graphic Showbiz, Myjoyonline.Com and Net2 TV.

Representatives from each of the media houses will fly to Nigeria on Thursday March 24 and return on Monday, March 28.

At the press orientation for the media houses, footage of the previous AMAA was shown, highlighting the growth of the awards’ organizations over the years with a promise of this year’s edition being very exciting.
According to the CEO, the good thing about this year’s AMAA is that our guests will experience Bayelsa in a new way as we have events line up for a whole week.

AMAA this year will not be a day event. There will be opportunity to network, share experiences and even make co-production deals with other filmmakers.  Visitors will explore the sights and sound of Bayelsa and feel the people and culture of the state.

With this year’s AMAA nominations, Nigeria trails Congo, South Africa as both countries got the highest nominations. ‘Viva River’, a film from Congo had the highest single nominations.

South Africa has four strong movies which have been nominated. The four South Africa films in the competition are ‘Hope Ville’ with 9 nominations, ‘Izulu Lami’, 7 nominations, ‘Shirley Adams’, 5 nominations and ‘A small Town Called Descent’ got 6 nominations. Together, South Africa has the highest nominations by country with total of 27 nominations.

Ghana’s ‘Sinking Sound’ has 10 nominations and Kenya’s ‘Soul Boy’ has 6 nominations while Nigeria has four films that are also prominent on the nomination list with Tunde Kelani’s ‘Maami’, ‘Inale’,a film directed by Jeta Amata, Niyi Akanji’s ‘Aramotu’, and Mahmood Alli-Balogun’s ‘Tango With Me’.Nigeria by country nomination trail South Africa with 23 total nominations.

Carlos Sakyi Chides Government Officials For The High Rate Of Piracy In Ghana @ The MTN Ghana Music Awards Forum!

 Musician “Carlos Sakyi” has chided the government of Ghana for its inability to clampdown pirates at the entry point in the country. He said he has had the opportunity to ‘arrest’ a pirate. According to him, the [pirate] showed him documents of duties and receipts of money paid to the Customs to enable him enter the country with the pirated goods.

Delving more into the Copyright Laws and its inaccuracies in Ghana, he said under the Copyright Laws, one is allowed to bring something into the country for his or her personal use only and other than that, the things has to be scrutinized and the pirate arrested.

“Under Copyright Law, you can only bring in things for your personal use. So anything beyond a certain level has to go through a system. You must show that you have authority to exercise the right of a copyright owner. But these things come in and undermine our local things, destroy jobs and create unemployment,” he added.

Citing an instance to buttress his point raised above, he said “I bought a CD, I want to know what was on, it has about 80 different movies on it and it costs only GHC1.50,” this he said creates confusing between movie makers and the consumers. Because selling one local movie at GHC5.00 is seen as ripping off the consumer when he or she can actually purchase over 80 movies at just less than GHC1.00.

He was one of the speakers at the just ended 2011 edition of the MTN Ghana Music Awards Forum at
the Alisa Hotel on Tuesday morning. In his presentation, he said, no music industry [Ghana] can survive without the intervention of the government.

“The music industry or any other creative industry cannot survive without the government’s intervention, without government’s playing its part, without the right legal environment being created,” he said.

“If the courts are not operating properly and you arrest pirates, what happens? The judge has no idea; the prosecutor doesn’t know the Copyright Law, what is going to be done? Nothing! So the piracy has become high revenue earning income business for pirates”

The owner of Galaxy Entertainment, a music and Production Company in Ghana and a strong campaigner for copyrights owners said this when he had his turn to talk about Copyright and Royalties, specifically in the Ghana Music Industry and in entertainment industry as a whole.

According to the ace keyboardist “Pirating is link to organized crime and terrorism. It’s one of the easiest ways of making money”. He therefore calls for the right framework to be put in place and protect the intellectual property of Ghanaians “We need to protect our intellectual property”.

He urged for the need for the various government agencies such as the Customs to be strengthened, to be educated, sensitized and let them understand that they are contributing to very negative things.

He ended with an advice to the government: “All we [creative industry] want from government is to create a conducive environment, create a proper legal environment, prosecution matter, institutions are very critical for survival, we need to make sure all these institutions play their parts, the minister of Trade and the Minister of Justice have to make sure our laws are right, the court [judiciary] has a role to play” Not forgetting the president of Ghana. Even the president of Ghana also has a major role to play”.

The Forum is organized annually as an important aspect of the Award Festival and it affords industry professionals a unique opportunity to channel some of the attention garnered by the Awards Festival to push specific agenda of the industry.

The theme for the 2011 MTN Ghana Music Awards Forum was “Help grow our Music – The Role of the State, Media, Financial Institutions, Artistes, Producers and Marketers” and it was divided into five segments which were addressed by personalities in the various sector of the creative industry. They segments include: [1] Copyright & Royalties, [2] Distribution, [3] Music Union (MUSIGA), [4] Marketing & Promotion and [5] Events.

Presents at the forum was government officials, musicians, industry professionals and the media such Theresa Ayoade of Charter House, the chairman of the National Media Commission, former ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire Kabral Blay Amihere, President of Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Diana Hopeson, Deputy Minister for Tourism, James Agyenim Boateng and Hon. Hanna Tetteh, the Minister of Trade and Industry who doubled at the Chairperson for the event.

Musicians like Samini, D-Black, Kwabena Kwabena, Borax, Richie, Amandzeba Nat Brew, Mary Ghansah, No Tribe and others were present. The MTN Ghana Music Awards is scheduled for Saturday April 9, 2011 at the Dome at the Conference Centre.

Nigerians ‘Kidnap’ Ghanaian Actor Majid Michel Ahead Of African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) ! Forced To Drink Palm Wine…

Majid Michel Kidnapped To Drink Palm Wine In Nigeria

 

Kidnapping of movie stars is very rampant in Nigeria. Nollywood actors such as Peter Edochie, John Okafor also known as Mr. Ibu have been kidnapped before and released later after payments paid to their kidnappers.

The latest movie star to be kidnapped in Nigeria is Ghanaian Actor “Majid Michel”. Ahead of the final day for the winners of the 7^th edition of the African Movie Academy Awards to be declared on Sunday, Ghanaian actor and nominee in the up coming AMAA has been kidnapped by a cross section of the Bayelsan citizen.
He was kidnapped when he visited the poolside where the delegates from the various African countries were assembled.

However this kidnapping didn’t involve guns and shooting. It was what people will call ‘mutual kidnapping’. This time, the actor wasn’t kidnapped for weeks and didn’t pay anything to be released. He was held for several hours to the chagrin of the organizers of the wedding ceremony.

The kidnappers didn’t come with gun, they had just come to the hotel to attend a wedding ceremony and midway through the event, the Ghanaian actor appeared from no where and immediately all attention was turned to him. For hours, they held him hostage and demanded he either take pictures with them or would not allowed to go.

Though Majid, who is nominated in the ‘Best Actor In Leading Role’ category for his role in the movie ‘Pool Party’ managed to escape the Nigerian spotlight at the airport when the aircraft he travelled in touched down at Muntala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, a time that activities at the airport had come to a halt, he couldn’t gather enough courage to say No to the kidnappers who were mostly women, children and young men.

Without any option whatsoever, the actor was then obliged to take pictures with each of the attendee. Photographers, who had come there to work, also took the opportunity to extort money from the people. They snapped and printed the pictures instantly for them.

Some of the women offered their babies to be taken pictures with by the Ghanaian actor who is competing with his compatriot ‘Ekow Blankson’ from the movie ‘Checkmate’, ‘Themba Ndaba’ in Hopeville, ‘Patsha Bay’ in Viva Riva, ‘Jimmy Jean-Louis’ in Sinking Sands, and ‘Antar Laniyan’ in Yemoja.

The wedding ceremony was put on hold, it commenced after the photo-taking section with the actor. Some men who were enjoying palm wine offered him some and forced him to drink it, which he did without hesitation.

Below Is The Full List Of This Year’s AMAA’s Nominations + Photos…

Best Short Film
Bongfen – Petra Baninla Sunjo (Cameroun)
Weakness – Wanjiru Kairu (Kenya)
No Jersey No Match – Daniel Ademinokan (Nigeria)
Duty – Mak Kusare (Nigeria)
Bonlambo – Zwe Lesizwe Ntuli (South Africa)
Zebu And The Photofish – Zipporah Nyarori (Kenya)
Dina – Mickey Fonseca (Mozambique)
Allahkabo – Bouna Cherif Fofana (Togo)

Best Short Documentary
Symphony Kinsasha – Diendo Hamadi & Dinta Wa Lusula (Congo)
Naija Diamonds (Feature On Dr. Rahmat Mohammed) – Nform Leonard (Nigeria)
After The Mine – Diendo Hamadi & Dinta Wa Lusula (DRC)
Stepping Into The Unknown – Rowena Aldous & Jill Hanas-Hancock (South Africa)
Yeabu’s Homecoming – Jenny Chu (Sierra Leone)

Best Documentary
Kondi Et Le Jeudi Nationale – Ariana Astrid Atodji (Cameroun)
Headlines In History – Zobby Bresson (Kenya)
Co-Exist – Adam Mazo (Rwanda)
State Of Mind – Djo Tunda Wa Munga (Congo)
Naija Diamonds – Nfrom Leonard (Nigeria)

Best Diaspora Feature
Suicide Dolls – Keith Shaw (USA)
Tested – Russell Costanzo (USA)
Nothing Less -Wayne Saunders (UK)
The Village -Wayne Saunders (UK)


Best Diaspora Documentary
Stubborn As A Mule – Miller Bargeron Jr & Arcelous Deiels (Usa)
Momentum- Zeinabu Irene Davis (USA)
If Not Now – Louis Haggart (USa)
Motherland – Owen Alik Shahadah (USA)
Changement – Chiara Cavallazi (Italy)

Best Diaspora Short Film
Cycle- Roy Clovis (USA)
Under Tow – Miles Orion Feld (USA)
Habitual Aggression – Temi Ojo (USA)
Little Soldier – Dallas King (USA)
The New N Word – Sowande Tichawonna (USA)
Precipice – Julius Amedume (UK)

Best Film For African Abroad
Anchor Baby – Lonzo Nzekwe (Nigeria/Canada)
In America: The Story Of The Soul Sisters- Rahman Oladigbolu (Nigeria/USA)
Mirror Boy – Obi Emelonye (Nigeria/UK)
Africa United – Debs Gardner-Brook (Rwanda/UK)

Best Production Design
Tango With Me
Viva Riva
Hopeville  6 Hours To Christmas
Maami

Best Costume Design
Inale
Yemoja
Sinking Sands
Aramotu
Elmina

Best Makeup
Inale
Sinking Sands
A Private Storm
Viva Riva
A Small Town Called Descent

Best Soundtrack
Viva Riva
Africa United
Izulu Lami
Inale
A Small Town Called Descent

Best Visual Effects
Aramotu
Nani
Who Owns Da City
Inale
A Small Town Called Descent

Best Achievement In Sound
Sinking Sands
Shirley Adams
Izulu Lami
Viva Riva
Tango With Me

Best Cinematography
Sinking Sands
Maami
Izulu Lami
Hopeville
Viva Riva

Best Screenplay
Soul Boy
Sinking Sands
Hopeville
Shirley Adams
Izulu Lami

Best Nigerian Film
Maami – Tunde Kelani
Aramotu – Niji Akanni
Tango With Me – Mahmood Ali- Balogun
Inale – Jeta Amata
A Private Storm – Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun/Ikechukwu Onyeka

Best Film In African Language
Aramotu – Niji Akanni (Nigeria)
Izulu Lami – Madoda Ncayiyana (South Africa)
Soul Boy- Hawa Essuman (Kenya)
Suwi – Musola Catherine Kaseketi (Zambia)
Fishing The Little Stone – Kaz Kasozi (Uganda)

Best Child Actor
Sobahle Mkhabase (Thembi), Tschepang Mohlomi (Chili-Bite) And Sibonelo Malinga(Khwezi) – Izulu Lami
Eriya Ndayambaje- Dudu In Africa United
Jordan Ntunga- Anto In Viva Riva
Ayomide Abatti- Young Kashi In Maami
Benjamin Abemigisha- Zebu In Zebu And The Photofish
Shantel Mwabi- Bupe In Suwi

Best Young Actor
Yves Dusenge (Child Soldier) And Roger Nsengiyumua (Footballer) – Africa United
Samson Odhiambo And Leila Dayan Opou – Soul Boy
Edward Kagutuzi – Mirror Boy
Donovan Adams – Shirley Adams
Junior Singo – Hopeville

Best Actor In Supporting Role
Osita Iheme – Mirror Boy
Hoji Fortuna – Viva Riva
Mpilo Vusi Kunene – A Small Town Called Descent
John Dumelo – A Private Storm
Desmond Dube- Hopeville

Best Actress In Supporting Role
Mary Twala – Hopeville
Joyce Ntalabe – The Rivaling Shadow
Marlene Longage- Viva Riva
Tina Mba -Tango With Me
Yvonne Okoro – Pool Party

Best Actor In Leading Role
Themba Ndaba – Hopeville
Patsha Bay -Viva Riva
Jimmy Jean-Louis – Sinking Sands
Ekon Blankson – Checkmate
Antar Laniyan – Yemoja
Majid Michel – Pool Party

Best Actress In Leading Role
Idiat Shobande -Aramotu
Omoni Oboli- Anchor Baby
Manie Malone – Viva Riva
Ama K. Abebrese- Sinking Sands
Denise Newman -Shirley Adams
Genevieve Nnaji – Tango With Me

Best Director
Soul Boy – Hawa Essuman
Shirley Adams – Oliver Hermanus
Viva Riva – Djo Tunda Wa Munga
Aramotu – Niji Akanni
A Small Town Called Descent – Jahmail. X. T Qubeka
Sinking Sands – Leila Djansi

Best Film
Viva Riva – Djo Tunda Wa Munga (Congo)
Sinking Sands – Leila Djansi (Ghana)
Aramotu – Niji Akanni (Nigeria)
Soul Boy – Hawa Essuman (Kenya)
Hopeville – John Trengove (South Africa)
A Small Town Called Descent – Jahmil X.T Qubeka (South Africa)

Majid Michel Kidnapped In Nigeria

Majid Michel Kidnapped In Nigeria

Majid Michel Kidnapped In Nigeria

Majid Michel Kidnapped In Nigeria

Majid Michel Kidnapped In Nigeria

Majid Michel Kidnapped In Nigeria

Majid Michel Kidnapped In Nigeria

African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) Is Tonight! What Is Their Expectation Today?

Tonight at the Bayelsa Cultural Centre, Yenagoa in Bayelsa State in Nigeria, the 7^th African Movie Academy Awards 2011 winners will be declared. It is very difficult to know who wins what tonight.

But virtually everyone here on the African Continent has an expectation. What is your expectations? GhanaCelebrities.Com spoke to some people in the movie industry on the continent. Read more …

MAJID MICHEL [BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE NOMINEE]: “I just want to have lots of fun tonight. I will be surprised if I win it and surprised if I don’t win it.”

FATIMA JABBE [ACTRESS AND ASSOCIATE PRODUCER FOR THE MOVIE ‘MIRROR BOY’ FROM GAMBIA/UK]: “This is my second time in Nigeria but my first time at the AMAA. I’m looking forward for a good show and a fair show. If your film is nominated, you always want to make sure you win but it’s the experience that matters here, we are meeting different people, we are talking, we are interacting, we are networking. Today is a day that you know that Africans have started realizing that we have something good to export to the rest of the world to acknowledge us”.

SAJANI SRIVASTAVA [A FILM MAKER FROM INDIA BUT HAS A COMPANY IN TANZANIA] HER MOVIE ‘NANI’ NOMINATED FOR BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: “This is my first time in Nigeria and in the AMAAs and my expectations for the awards is very high. I’m always positive. Let’s leave it to God.

Yes I’m confident I’m winning the award because my film won the best film in Zanzibar Film Festival as well as nominated in other film festivals, so I have high hopes for tonight. I have not seen the other movies I’m competing with but I know they are good movies also”.

DZIGBODI ALLOTEY [PRESENTER FROM GHANA]: “As usual I’m expecting to have fun. I’m expecting to see an improvement from last year’s awards. I have the feeling tonight is going to be great. I’m hoping to have more fun.
The nominations is tight, it’s very competitive. An AMAA win for any of them is a great achievement. More countries this year and more great movies this year. It’s not all about winning, if you are nominated is just great. I don’t know who is going to win but I hope we [Ghana] will take some awards home.”
AMEYAW DEBRAH [ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER FROM GHANA]: “I hope that Ghana will be made proud by Sinking Sands winning at least three awards and I’m expecting new faces to win lots of awards.”

EMMANUEL ARMAH [GHANAIAN ACTOR]: I’m expecting big things to happen. I hope that those who deserve it win it. Sinking Sands has been nominated in most categories and I hope it win about 5 awards. Good luck Ghana.”
YAW BOAKYE [INTERNATIONAL FILM DISTRIBUTOR]: Tonight is going to be one of the greatest nights with over 300 submissions for feature films. I know Ghana will win some awards tonight. Ghana is winning about 4 awards.”

LYDIA FORSON [CO-WINNER OF THE AMAA BEST ACTRESS LAST YEAR]: I’m expecting to have lots of fun, I love being here. This year’s AMAA is different because there is lot in terms of networking; it’s a very tight competition but I’m hoping Ghana will come up with great awards. It will be great to hand over to another great actress from Ghana.
BEVERLY AFAGLO [GHANAIAN ACTRESS]: “I’m hoping to have more fun tonight, that’s why I came here. I wish the Ghanaian nominees the very best of luck.”

EKOW BLANKSON [GHANAIAN ACTOR, NOMINATED IN THE BEST ACTOR IN LEADING ROLE CATEGORY]: Well I’m hoping to have a lot of fun, since I haven’t seen it before I don’t know what it looks like but I have heard so much about it and I expect it to be great. I have seen a lot of things, I have seen a lot of stars coming in, and may the best people win it. I pray to God to let me win my category.”

PETRA BANINLA SUNJO (CAMEROONIAN, HER MOVIE ‘BONGFEN’ IS NOMINATED FOR THE ‘BEST SHORT FILM’): “Maybe the best person win and whatever the outcome I will be happy to have been nominated in the first place and all the people I have met, all the connections I have been able to made so far has been worth it, so whoever wins, lets say thank goodness.”
SONNY MCDON-W [NIGERIAN ACTOR]: My expectation for tonight is fantastic. Today will be the best of all of AMAAs, we had more entries from African countries who have never entered AMAA before. The entry was more enormous far higher than previous years. We had filmmakers from the Diaspora from England, from USA, UK, and Italy and from India.”

EJIKE ASIEGBU [ACTOR AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN ACTORS GUILD]: “My expectations for tonight is that, I think AMAA is getting more bigger and better and I know that lot more African countries are taking more interest. AMAA has come of age. New entrance and new movies have entered into the competition and new actors, directors and kids actors as well as people who have won awards. People are beginning to take motion pictures industry in Africa serious and more talents are discovered. More networking is happening and will continue to happen.”

EBI BRIGHT-FASINTEI [NIGERIAN ACTRESS BASED IN GHANA]: “I have never been to AMAA before, so I’m expected to be blessed surprised. I’m very happy for those people that have been nominated; I think they are very deserving. I hope my favourites [those from Ghana] winning their categories.”

STEVE EBOH [NIGERIAN ACTOR]: “My God, I hope the best people will win the awards”.
FRANK RAJAH ARASE [NIGERIAN DIRECTOR BASED IN GHANA. PRODUCED AND DIRECTED POOL PARTY]: “As far as I’m concerned, I’m here get myself entertained and I’m happy my movie [Pool Party] is part of the best 5 and that alone gives me joy. I’m happy that my major characters were picked for the best and best supporting and we that I’m fine because from the movie in question [Pool Party], I never expected that much, it’s a movie I financed myself. I cut corners and try how best I can make it reduce cost but I did my best and the actors in question, Majid Michel [Best Actor In A Leading Role Nominee ] and Yvonne Okoro [Best Supporting Actress In A Leading Role Nominee]. I’m sure one of them will get something tonight if not both because they both did well but if none of them get something, I will be fine because it goes a long way to show that, myself I have been a hero in terms of African films cinemas because looking into it since the birth of AMAA, my movies has always been among the top 5, every single year, last year four of my movies was nominated. Every year, there has never been an AMAA without my movies in the top 5 and I’m happy and grateful for that. So far as I’m concerned Majid Michel is the best in Africa.”
PAUL OBAZELE [ACTOR & PRESIDENT, ASSOCIATION OF MOVIE PRODUCERS, NIGERIA]: “I have great expectation tonight that we have added further to our cup in Africa that every filmmaker has come here to day to talk with one voice. We talking about showing our own pictures to make the whole world know that we not know second class citizen. That is why I’m a proud black man, whether I’m fair or dark I’m still a black man.
Below Is The Full List Of The Nominations!
Best Short Film
Bongfen – Petra Baninla Sunjo (Cameroun)
Weakness – Wanjiru Kairu (Kenya)
No Jersey No Match – Daniel Ademinokan (Nigeria)
Duty – Mak Kusare (Nigeria)
Bonlambo – Zwe Lesizwe Ntuli (South Africa)
Zebu And The Photofish – Zipporah Nyarori (Kenya)
Dina – Mickey Fonseca (Mozambique)
Allahkabo – Bouna Cherif Fofana (Togo)
Best Short Documentary
Symphony Kinsasha – Diendo Hamadi & Dinta Wa Lusula (Congo)
Naija Diamonds (Feature On Dr. Rahmat Mohammed) – Nform Leonard (Nigeria)
After The Mine – Diendo Hamadi & Dinta Wa Lusula (DRC)
Stepping Into The Unknown – Rowena Aldous & Jill Hanas-Hancock (South Africa)
Yeabu’s Homecoming – Jenny Chu (Sierra Leone)
Best Documentary
Kondi Et Le Jeudi Nationale – Ariana Astrid Atodji (Cameroun)
Headlines In History – Zobby Bresson (Kenya)
Co-Exist – Adam Mazo (Rwanda)
State Of Mind – Djo Tunda Wa Munga (Congo)
Naija Diamonds – Nfrom Leonard (Nigeria)
Best Diaspora Feature
Suicide Dolls – Keith Shaw (USA)
Tested – Russell Costanzo (USA)
Nothing Less -Wayne Saunders (UK)
The Village -Wayne Saunders (UK)

Best Diaspora Documentary
Stubborn As A Mule – Miller Bargeron Jr & Arcelous Deiels (USA)
Momentum- Zeinabu Irene Davis (USA)
If Not Now – Louis Haggart (USA)
Motherland – Owen Alik Shahadah (USA)
Changement – Chiara Cavallazi (Italy)
Best Diaspora Short Film
Cycle- Roy Clovis (USA)
Under Tow – Miles Orion Feld (USA)
Habitual Aggression – Temi Ojo (USA)
Little Soldier – Dallas King (USA)
The New N Word – Sowande Tichawonna (USA)
Precipice – Julius Amedume (UK)
Best Film For African Abroad
Anchor Baby – Lonzo Nzekwe (Nigeria/Canada)
In America: The Story Of The Soul Sisters- Rahman Oladigbolu (Nigeria/USA)
Mirror Boy – Obi Emelonye (Nigeria/UK)
Africa United – Debs Gardner-Brook (Rwanda/UK)

Best Production Design
Tango With Me
Viva Riva
Hopeville
6 HOURS TO CHRISTMAS
Maami
Best Costume Design
Inale
Yemoja
SINKING SANDS
Aramotu
Elmina
Best Makeup
Inale
SINKING SANDS
A Private Storm
Viva Riva
A Small Town Called Descent
Best Soundtrack
Viva Riva
Africa United
Izulu Lami
Inale
A Small Town Called Descent
Best Visual Effects
Aramotu
Nani
WHO OWNS DA CITY
Inale
A Small Town Called Descent

Best Achievement In Sound
SINKING SANDS
Shirley Adams
Izulu Lami
Viva Riva
Tango With Me
Best Cinematography
SINKING SANDS
Maami
Izulu Lami
Hopeville
Viva Riva
Best Screenplay
Soul Boy
SINKING SANDS
Hopeville
Shirley Adams
Izulu Lami
Best Nigerian Film
Maami – Tunde Kelani
Aramotu – Niji Akanni
Tango With Me – Mahmood Ali- Balogun
Inale – Jeta Amata
A Private Storm – Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun/Ikechukwu Onyeka
Best Film In African Language
Aramotu – Niji Akanni (Nigeria)
Izulu Lami – Madoda Ncayiyana (South Africa)
Soul Boy- Hawa Essuman (Kenya)
Suwi – Musola Catherine Kaseketi (Zambia)
Fishing The Little Stone – Kaz Kasozi (Uganda)

Best Child Actor
Sobahle Mkhabase (Thembi), Tschepang Mohlomi (Chili-Bite) And Sibonelo Malinga(Khwezi) – Izulu Lami
Eriya Ndayambaje- Dudu In Africa United
Jordan Ntunga- Anto In Viva Riva
Ayomide Abatti- Young Kashi In Maami
Benjamin Abemigisha- Zebu In Zebu And The Photofish
Shantel Mwabi- Bupe In Suwi

Best Young Actor
Yves Dusenge (Child Soldier) And Roger Nsengiyumua (Footballer) – Africa United
Samson Odhiambo And Leila Dayan Opou – Soul Boy
Edward Kagutuzi – Mirror Boy
Donovan Adams – Shirley Adams
Junior Singo – Hopeville

Best Actor In Supporting Role
Osita Iheme – Mirror Boy
Hoji Fortuna – Viva Riva
Mpilo Vusi Kunene – A Small Town Called Descent
JOHN DUMELO – A PRIVATE STORM
Desmond Dube- Hopeville

Best Actress In Supporting Role
Mary Twala – Hopeville
Joyce Ntalabe – The Rivaling Shadow
Marlene Longage- Viva Riva
Tina Mba -Tango With Me
YVONNE OKORO – POOL PARTY

Best Actor In Leading Role
Themba Ndaba – Hopeville
Patsha Bay -Viva Riva
Jimmy Jean-Louis – Sinking Sands
Ekow Blankson – Checkmate
Antar Laniyan – Yemoja
MAJID MICHEL – POOL PARTY

Best Actress In Leading Role
Idiat Shobande -Aramotu
Omoni Oboli- Anchor Baby
Manie Malone – Viva Riva
AMA K. ABEBRESE- SINKING SANDS
Denise Newman -Shirley Adams
Genevieve Nnaji – Tango With Me
Best Director
Soul Boy – Hawa Essuman
Shirley Adams – Oliver Hermanus
Viva Riva – Djo Tunda Wa Munga
Aramotu – Niji Akanni
A Small Town Called Descent – Jahmail. X. T Qubeka
SINKING SANDS – LEILA DJANSI

Best Film
Viva Riva – Djo Tunda Wa Munga (Congo)
SINKING SANDS – LEILA DJANSI (GHANA)
Aramotu – Niji Akanni (Nigeria)
Soul Boy – Hawa Essuman (Kenya)
Hopeville – John Trengove (South Africa)
A Small Town Called Descent – Jahmil X.T Qubeka (South Africa)