Paheja Siririka

Gospel star D-Naff has bashed the Namibia Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) organisers for their inconsistency in recognising local artists and speculated the possibility of them having issues against Christian or gospel artists.
He also urged the NAMAs organising committee to thoroughly look at the way they do their work and if he is by any means wrong, they can hold him accountable or enlighten him on how they conduct their vetting process. “Apart from Gazza and King Tee Dee (The Dogg), who else has more awards than me in this category? Check your audit and prove me wrong,” posted D-Naff on his official Facebook account, specifically referring to the latest addition of the Artist of the Decade category to the awards.
Born Naftalie Shigwedha Amukwelele, D-Naff said he is not in this to be included in the awards but creating a way for other artists and letting them know of the inconsistency that have ravaged the awards of late. “The vetting process should be well looked at, I don’t want them to put me in, I just want them to be transparent, what is the main aim of having an auditing process if it cannot be transparent,” wondered D-Naff. 
The organising committee last week announced that Oteya and Mushe are nominees in the Artist of the decade category, citing the realisation of the committee that a solo artist who was previously part of a group and won awards as part of the group deserves credit for such awards.
“If that is the reason for their inclusion, I should probably be added to that list since I was also part of Eagle’s Mentality which also won awards,” reasoned D-Naff, who has won about 13 NAMA awards, saying his living room is filled with awards from the prestigious ceremony. 
He went on to tell Entertainment Now! he has always been the front runner in the gospel category, despite the coveted award being scooped four times by other notable local artists. “My sitting room is well
decorated with your NAMA awards and I don’t even have space. Unless you have issues with Christian artists. I thought I should let you know. Nothing I want from you, just honesty and transparency in vetting,” an agitated D-Naff said.
He said there are indeed artists he cannot dispute against and do deserve a place in the nomination list but was against some issues such as Lady May Africa not getting nominated despite following the rules and regulations. “I have always followed the rules and regulations of the awards, I am always adhering to them and released albums and songs commercially on time because there is no year that passed and I didn’t release an album,” conveyed D-Naff.
Having established himself as a gospel artist in the early 90s, his record label, D-Naff Entertainment has to date produced 23 albums, of which 15 are his own. “I put in a lot of work and that’s why I have been consistent since 1991,” said D-Naff.
When approached for comment MTC’s Public Relations Officer Erasmus Nekundi said ”The credibility and transparency of the NAMAs is something that we always uphold. We have taken note of D-Naff’s complaints and we encourage him, and any other artist that may have any complaint to rather formally write to us, and we will look into their matter’.’
– psiririka@nepc.com.na