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A fortnight ago we had the National Arts Merit Awards and I want to congratulate all the winners.
The event had its highs as well as lows.
However, since I was one of the nominees it sort of put me in a corner because no matter how objective I try to be there are those who will dismiss my analysis as sour grapes.
And because of that I decided not to critique the awards ceremony but rather I would want to point out just one thing, which I found absurd.
In this week’s issue of The Sunday Mail, Nicholas Moyo, the deputy director of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, was asked to explain the adjudication process of the Nama awards and he fumbled.
The reporter had asked Moyo, who was also the executive director of the awards ceremony, why a television drama titled “Hona Mwana Wako” was nominated in the Best Screen Production Television/Drama.
What was more startling was the fact that the film eventually won in that category although it was never shown on the national television – ZBC-TV.
Strangely enough, Moyo responded: ” . . . was the award for showing on national television? If it had been a book and had not been read in schools, does it mean the book cannot win an award?”
Mr Moyo, I think you got it all wrong, the question is not whether the book was a set book or not but if it was published at all. So how can a book still to be published win an award?
Even more sad, Moyo remained with an egg on his face after the producer of the film, Tendai Ruzvidzo, together with Sivukile Simango, the ZBC public relations officer, denied ever screening the film on their stations.
So Moyo should have referred all questions to the adjudicators who know how they came up with the results. This is what we have been saying time and again, Nama adjudication leaves a lot to be desired.
Yes, the awards ceremony was better organised than the previous years but when it comes to judging, Nama is never short of surprises.
Last but not least the scope of the awards should be broadened. I mean there is no way we can have sungura, jazz, urban grooves or mbira in one category.
And it is about time Nama recognises various music promoters in this country who have contributed a lot towards the development of artistes.
We have promoters like Chipaz, Red Rose, Simmad Entertainment and many others.
I know for a fact that Chipaz Promotions made Freddy “Kapfupi” Manjalima and Suluman Chimbetu what they are today. So it is only fair if Nama paid tribute to these music promoters for their efforts in developing these artistes and music in Zimbabwe.
The same can be said of visual arts. We have gallerists and curators whose works develop artistes.
Finally, the Nama 2010 ceremony was screened on ZBC-TV.
Elsewhere on DStv, with the February 27 deadline looming and just a week left for wannabe entrants to submit their entries for the Big Brother Africa 6, M-Net has made an exciting announcement for all those people who have left it too late to enter!
Auditions will be held between March 4 and 6 at the Meikles Hotel in Harare.
With a vast amount of entries streaming in from across the 14 participating countries, M-Net has confirmed that it will also run open auditions in the different countries so that those who didn’t submit a paper entry, will still get one last chance to try out for the new season.
To submit a written entry for the show, log on to www.mnetafrica.com/bigbrother and complete your entry form online or download an entry form from the website, complete and email it back to [email protected].
The deadline for all written entries was last week.
Entries are open to would-be housemates who are 21 years or older, English speaking, have a valid passport and are citizens of any one of the 14 participating countries (Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe).
According to M-Net, all entrants must be tolerant of views and lifestyle choices other than their own and must have the social flexibility to live in close proximity with others.
Big Brother Africa 6 begins on Sunday May 1 this year and, once more, the dedicated DStv Channel 198 will be providing 24/7 live coverage for the 91-day duration of the series.
Munyaradzi Chidzonga, Itai Makumbe, Bertha Zakeyo and Tapuwa Mhere have all raised Zimbabwe’s flag high in previous editions of the popular reality TV show.
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