Akon announced as host of AFRIMA 2017

Akon, African-American superstar, will host the fourth All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA).

Organisers of the award, the African Union and the international committee of AFRIMA, made this known in a statement released on Tuesday.

“The Senegal-born superstar will handle the event proceedings of the live broadcast award show scheduled to air live on over 80 television stations and online platforms across the world with support from the co-host, Ms. Sophy Aiida, a Cameroonian-French entertainment broadcaster,” the statement read.

“With a track record of outstanding success in the global music industry that has brought immense recognition to Africa’s creative energy and originality, Akon, a multi-Grammy award winning singer, songwriter, record producer and actor, has put his name in the Guinness Book of World Record as the number one selling artiste for master ringtones in the world.

“Ranked the fifth most powerful celebrity in Forbes’s Africa list of 40, Akon is also a business man and philanthropist who is passionate about the African continent. He provides electricity for 15 African countries through his “Light Africa Project” and supports underprivileged African youngsters through his Konfidence Initiative. He runs music labels, Konvict Music and Kon Live Republic successfully.”

AFRIMA will be co-hosted by Sophy Aiida, a high-profile Cameroonian broadcaster.

“Sophy was born in Paris, moved to New York where she spent 15 years before returning to Cameroon to contribute to her homeland. The multilingual and multi-talented woman is regarded as one of Central Africa’s biggest show host. Sophy has also acted in rave African French-speaking movies and has also dropped a debut single,” the organisers said.

“Sophy Aiida is the co-founder of the Nakande Project, an initiative that supports the emergence of great young women through its education, empowerment and mentorship programmes. She has hosted various annuals show and events in Africa.

“Meanwhile, Africans on the continent and in the diaspora are in eager anticipation for the AFRIMA 2017 main awards ceremony and the AFRIMA Music Village scheduled to hold on Friday, November 10. The Music Village is an evening of non-stop open music festival of live performances from African stars and nominees, with an audience of 40,000 people. It will also be broadcast live and produced by a prominent experiential marketing/production agency in Africa, Backstage Pro.”

The 2017 AFRIMA is scheduled to hold on November 12 at the EKO Hotel & Suites, Lagos, and will be broadcast live across 84 countries in Africa.