Davido, Tiwa Savage,Flavour win six Africa music awards

Davido gets the two biggest awards of the night.

Nigerian artists, Davido, Tiwa Savage, Flavour and video director Clarence Peters, won six MTV Africa Music Awards ,MAMA, on Saturday night at a ceremony held at the International Conference Centre, Durban, South Africa.

Davido received two of the biggest awards of the night: Artist of the Year and Best Male Artist of the Year.

Clarence Peters also won two awards: Transform Today by Absolut and Best Video of the Year for directing the video of Burna Boy’s song, Run My Race.
Tiwa Savage got the Best Female Artist of the Year, while Flavour received the award of the Best Live Act.

The Nigerian entertainers won six awards out of the 18 categories available at the event, while South Africa followed with five awards.

Mafikizolo won the Best Group and Best Song of the Year while Gangs of Ballet got Best Alternative and Goldfish got Best Pop.

The song, Y-tjukutja, a collaboration between South African artists Uhuru, Oskido, DJ Bucks, Professor and Yuri Da Cunha of Angola won the award for Best Collaboration.

Other winners were Lupita Nyongo’o’ (Kenya) who got the award of Personality of the Year; Stanley Enow (Cameroun) – Best New Act; Sarkodie (Ghana) – Best Hip Hop; and Toofan (Togo) – Best Fracophone.

Other winners were Anselmo Ralph (Angola) – Best Lusophone; Pharrell Williams (U.S.A) – Best International Act and Ashish J. Thakkar (Tanzania) won the MTV Base Leadership Award.

Nigeria’s Davido, who spoke on the awards he received, said: “I am only 21-years-old and I am living my dream.”

He thanked his producer, Shizzi, and everyone who voted for him and dedicated the award to Nigeria.

Clarence Peters thanked his mother, a Nollywood actress, Clarion Chukwura, and his Manager, Tobechukwu Ejiofor (Ill Bliss) and dedicated his awards to God and Nigeria.

Flavour thanked everyone, especially his band which made the live performance possible, while Tiwa Savage who danced onstage with her husband, Tee Billz, thanked her fans and Don Jazzy, her producer.

There were musical performances by Flavour, Mafikizolo, D’banj, Sarkodie, Mazamo, Miguel, Dr Sid, Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Phyno, Ice Prince, Trey Songz, Diamond, Davido and French Montana.

Other highlights of the evening included an acoustic guitar tribute to Nelson Mandela by The Afro-Soul star, Simphiwe Dana, who performed in front of a giant time lapse video artwork by street artist, Rasty.

The multiple-Grammy winners, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, brought the house to its feet with their unexpected mash-up of various African hit songs including D’banj’s Oliver Twist.

The show ended with all the artists assembled on stage for a medley of French Montana songs, including Pop That, Freaks and Ain’t Worried About Nothin.

Some of the award presenters were French Montana, D’Banj, Nomzamo Mbatha, Goldfish, DJ Fresh, John Vlismas, Kajal Bagwandeen, DJ Edu, Minnie Dlamini, Sizwe Dhlomo, Dorcas Shola Fapson, DJ C’ndo and Efya.

The event was hosted by U.S. stand-up comic and actor, Marlon Wayans, who muddled up some names but described himself as an African-American and attributed the fault to the Whiteman in his tongue.

Wayans said he was excited to be in Africa for the first time and described the continent as the most beautiful place he had been to.

He blew the Vuvuzela and urged Africa to support the five African countries going to the world cup in Brazil.

Speaking after the show, Alex Okosi, the Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), described the show as spectacular.

He said “MAMA 2014 was truly spectacular and a true testament to the passion, commitment and creativity of contemporary music, youth culture and achievement on the African continent.”

Desmond Golding, the Head of Department of Economic Development and Tourism, KwaZulu-Natal Province, said the event brought the area to limelight.

“The MTV Africa Music Awards KwaZulu-Natal has fulfilled all its great promises in terms of spectacle, star power and bringing the eyes of the world onto our great province. We congratulate the winners, nominees and performers on a truly spectacular evening of entertainment. Through cultural events of this magnitude, we underline the stature of KwaZulu-Natal as a leading destination for tourism, economic development and cultural experiences.’’

MAMA 2014 was the fourth edition after it was held twice in Nigeria (Lagos 2008, Abuja 2010) and Kenya (2009) before it went into a four-year hiatus.
It was instituted by the music and lifestyle channel, MTV Base, to recognise creative African talents who excelled over the past years in the showbiz industry and society. (NAN)