New Era newspaper has been chosen as the official media partner for Kora Awards that would take place on December 13 this year at Windhoek Country Club Resort and Casino.
“We identified New Era as the appropriate medium to help disseminate news about
this important continental showpiece,” said Ernest Coovi Adjovi after clinching the deal with New Era Publication Corporation (NEPC) management on Friday.
NEPC is the publisher of New Era and Kundana, the owner of Profectus agency and jointly owns The Southern Times with ZimPapers, the Zimbabwean listed media company.
“At the Kora Awards we have been unwavering in our commitment to rewarding and celebrating excellence in African music. From the beginning, we have been clear on this goal. We are delighted to be back home in Namibia, and look forward to delivering an extravaganza that the entire world will tune in to watch. We have little doubt that the powerful partnerships we have forged will help us realise an awards ceremony to remember,” explained Adjovi.
The Kora Awards have shaped the African music industry. Previous events have been graced by celebrities such as Angelique Kidjo, Kofi Olomide, Miriam Makeba, Thandiswa Mazwai, Michael Jackson, Shaggy, Rihanna, Salif Keita and Oliver Mtukudzi, among others. This would be the largest showbiz event Namibia has ever hosted after the Miss Universe pageant in 1995.
“Namibian President Hage Geingob has also been the former patron of the awards. It is therefore, only fitting that the award ceremony is hosted in the country under the theme ‘Back Home’,” said Adjovi.
Dr Audrin Mathe, the Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, said the partnership with Kora Awards “signals NEPC’s commitment towards national duty as a national institution. We are mandated to help in matters of national interest. This is one such opportunity of doing so.”
Since its inception in 1996, the Kora All-Africa Music Awards have been hosted by South Africa, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. Throughout, the Kora Awards event has maintained its status as an incredible marketing platform for African talent, and fertile ground for collaborations and partnerships among African artists as well as boasting a live viewership of over 700 million in more than 54 countries worldwide.
This year, the organisers have upped the ante, and have introduced a grand prize of US$1 million for the ultimate winner of the African Artist of the Year category. Additionally, various category and genre winners will all take home between US$25 000 and US$50 000 depending on the category.
Kora Awards local Goodwill Ambassador, Naftalie Shigwedha Amukwelele aka D-Naff said hosting the awards in the country is beneficial to local artists and local businesses at large. “This is thrilling. This is a life-changing opportunity not only for artists but for Namibia. The time has come for Namibia to shine. We look forward to one of the biggest awards ceremonies in Africa in our country,” said D-Naff.
Female musician, Lize Ehlers said she is “excited and so proud and humbled that they decided to host this big event in our country. This is new opportunity revived. We can call it the Grammy’s of Africa and this is a chance for us to step up our game as artists, as this is not a confidence boost, it’s a reality check.”
The event will be preceded by a fashion show on December 11 that will feature six accomplished designers from across the continent. The Koras have historically been a site of incredible glamour and fashion, African style, and the fashion show fully intends to honour that tradition of African chic.