The fifth edition of the All Africa Music(AFRIMA) Awards is set to hold this last quarter of the year in Ghana. Over six Cameroonian artistes were nominated.
The purpose of the Awards is to celebrate African Music by creating a platform where African artistes who are putting in significant work can be celebrated, by handing them a 23.9 Carat Gold Trophy in a prestigious event graced by music industry stakeholders from the 54 African countries that exist.
How then is this Award justified in the hands of the winning artiste, if fans have the possibility of buying votes to support their favourite artistes?
Yes, you read that right, AFRIMA is selling votes!
Voting for the winners of this 5th edition started on the 1st of September 2018, and you can vote via this link: https://afrima.org/voting2018/ .
Upon clicking, you are asked to register to be eligible to vote, with your email, phone number and password. Upon registration, you have access to the nominees in the different categories.
There are 36 categories, and for each category you have one free vote. So after voting for your favourite once, in a particular category, you cannot vote for them again in that same category, except you BUY votes.
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| After voting in one category, you get notified that you have 35 votes left |
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| If you try voting again in that same category, you receive this notification |
The votes are being sold on the same AFRIMA website via the link: https://afrima.org/voting2018/getpin The price range is as follows:
10 votes cost 1 USD, 110 votes cost 10 USD, 240 votes cost 20 USD, 500 votes cost 50 USD, 1,000 votes cost 100 USD.
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| Price plan as displayed on AFRIMA site |
If you choose a price plan, you have the option to proceed with payment via any of the portals in the screenshot below:
How then are the winners justified? So those whose fans have money to vote will win over those whose fans don’t? So indirectly the awards are bought instead of being earned!