In a bid to reduce the spread of the raging Coronavirus disease, organisers of the seventh All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), have postponed the ceremony till 2021.
In a statement from the AFRIMA headquarters, the African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Committee of AFRIMA announced the deferment of the awards ceremony in the light of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID- 19) pandemic.
The decision to suspend the ceremony, which had been scheduled to hold in Nigeria between December 2 and December 6, 2020, was revealed earlier in the week.
The statement pointed out that the decision was reached after several months of monitoring the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and careful consultations with AFRIMA stakeholders on the continent and around the globe.
The African Union Commission and AFRIMA further stated that the cancellation brings with it great opportunities for future awards planning and preparation by utilizing the digital platforms and gains the new normal has thrust upon the world.
“The health and safety of the community of AFRIMA Stakeholders is of utmost importance to us. Many of our awards nominees and delegates travel from different parts of the continent and from other parts of the globe to Africa each edition and fully understanding the risks involved with such movements, the suspension of the 2020 edition of AFRIMA is the only prudent course for us.
“We work day and night each year to ensure we provide a world-class and safe awards event. Now, we are focusing all of our efforts on making our future events even better. We hope that the world will be able to take adequate action and that the spread of the virus will soon be contained.
“We would like to thank all our stakeholders and partners for their support, open discussions, and encouragement.
“We will continue to work with every one of you and share more information about our plans for the coming year which has been declared by the Policy Organs of the African Union as the year of Arts, Culture, and Heritage and will be celebrated under the theme ‘Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building Africa We Want’,” the statement read.
