Encomium
The Nigeria Music Video Awards (NMVA) has seen it all – good times, tough times – but it’s been nine years and counting, affirming the words of the brain the idea, Cally Ikpe who said it is “like a cat with nine lives…”
The 2015 edition tagged For a violence-free world is scheduled to hold on Thursday, December 17, 2015, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos and will see breathtaking performances from the likes of Kiss Daniel, Seyi Shay, Di’ja, Korede Bello, Harrysong, Runtown, Adekunle Gold and others.
This and much more the awards organizer, Cally Ikpe revealed in this chat with ENCOMIUM Weekly.
How prepared are you and your team to stage this year’s NMVA?
We are reasonably prepared and only looking out for all the resources to execute the grand plans. The only challenge has always been lack of adequate sponsorship.
What have you planned for this year’s edition, which is the ninth?
Fundamental plan is to keep the fire burning even in the face of frustrating circumstances, especially as it relates to sponsorship. Content wise, we are fixed on using the platform to promote the culture of non violence.
This year’s programme will witness robust participation from the United Nations Women agency and by extension, the EU.
What additions would be made to make this year’s edition better than previous ones?
The bar is increasingly being raised, and for us, we intend to broaden participation, and that is the reason we have decided to make Jackie Appiah, being a continental African film star of Ghanaian descent, as compere for the event.
She will combine with Nigerian veteran humour merchant, Okey Bakasi to add colour to the event. We plan to dwell more on performances this time than we have previously done; I mean, breath-taking performances, music and comedy. Not all award categories will be announced at the event, especially the categories where obvious winners are not present. The idea is to minimize boring moments.
“For a violence-free world” is the theme for this year’s awards, what’s the idea behind that?
Violence has gone from just being a vice to a culture that is becoming increasingly popular with young people. The society has regrettably not helped much as part of their response sometimes unwittingly serve to encourage this trend.
Indeed, many young people in Nigeria are increasingly getting to believe that taking to arms in some situations bring about quicker solutions as has been experienced in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and now the Boko Haram insurgency.
Also, brewing presently is the Biafran situation in the South-East with a potential to get really bad. Another kind of violence also pervades our media platforms, which is that of lewdness, obscenity and denigration of women. In this case too, many young people live with the illusion that getting vulgar and bizarre guarantees a quicker way to fame and fortune.
The victims in these situations are mostly women and children. Interestingly, one thing common to these situations is the cheap availability of young people for these evil acts. The idle youth, especially, the uneducated are ready arsenal in the hands of terror merchants.
To think that even well off kids have been radicalized by fundamentalist through the internet, and other forms, makes the army of poverty-stricken kids extremely vulnerable. While it may be impracticable to achieve a hundred percent non violence in the world, it is very possible to keep it very minimal by constantly campaigning against it in our words and our works.
It really should be everybody’s responsibility. Music, we believe, presents an ideal platform to further serve this cause, and that’s why the theme for this 9th edition of the annual Nigeria Music Video Awards is for a violence free world.
Who are some of the artistes billed to perform on the night?
Harrysong, Adekunle Gold, Seyi Shay, Timi Dakolo, Kiss Daniel, Runtown, Korede Bello, Di’ja, Orezi, Jimmy Jatt and many others.
Last year, an unlikely personality in DJ Jimmy Jatt hosted the awards. Who’s hosting this time and what informed the choice?
Jackie Appiah has never hosted a show before, so it will be interesting to watch her discover another side of her entertainment life.
Watching an idea grow gives one a feeling of fulfillment. Would you say that has been the case for you with NMVA?
It is definitely a fulfilling experience for me, given that the industry has no doubt recorded it for me as a landmark contribution to the growth of the entertainment industry. It can be a lot better, and it sure will with or without me, I am glad to have had the privilege of playing the role I have played.
What’s the plan for NMVA going forward?
NMVA going forward must be driven by multiple personalities interested in positioning the industry better. People with burning passion to make a difference, it must cease to be seen as just a Cally Ikpe thing.
What has 2015 been like for you?
About the toughest year I have ever experienced. It has been most challenging on almost all fronts. Most remarkably, a year God showed the most mercy.
What are your projections for 2016?
I am back on TV in 2016, as host of a magazine that promotes the culture of non violence. That should complement my other advocacy programmes in same regards. Interestingly, my doctorate programme that I just commenced at the Pan-Atlantic University will seek to research the role of popular music on youth involvement with violence.
-MICHAEL NWOKIKE
