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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
“ROIL cooking oil started off being sold by small enterprises, but today, the arts have enabled us to improve the distribution to national level,” said United Refineries chief executive officer Busisa Moyo at the Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards (BAA) nominee’s dinner held last Thursday.

Every journey starts with baby steps and this is the story that defines the RoilBAA team who knocked on the doors of Bulawayo’s biggest industrial company and were welcomed with open arms.

The first year of the awards in 2017 was a test and an eye-opener for all involved. It showed the need for the corporate world to join hands with United Refineries in changing the arts scene in the Matabeleland region.

Five years down the line, things have changed with the region’s artistes being given a platform to shine.

This year, the event marked a new era when it was held in three segments starting off with the Theatre and Poetry Awards at the Bulawayo Theatre. The red carpet was dazzling with wordsmiths, dance and acting practitioners pulling off exceptional performances. The next day, which was the nominee’s dinner, gave a platform for creatives to mingle with each other as well as the corporate world.

The joy in each nominee who received their nominees’ certificate showed how they valued the printed papers and gold-coloured frames as recognition of working in a year filled with setbacks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic induced lockdowns. Wining and dining engulfed the night at a local conference centre with the drizzling weather being shunned off by the shiny suits and apparel dresses.

When the big day of the awards came, the city shook as if knowing that the white elephant that some saw was to turn fully functional and even set a pace for itself.

With rehearsals running up until almost an hour or so before the start of the awards ceremony, it was evident that from the organisers, dancers, singers, bands, media and security, it was all systems go with everyone dedicating their hearts for a blissful night.

When the red carpet was rolled out, glitz and glamour engulfed the entrance to the Large City Hall as attendees were dressed to kill.

In order to avoid a repeat of last year’s event where police officers halted the show due to curfew restrictions, organisers tried in vain to start the event at around 6pm.

The Large City Hall was full to the brim with people trickling in every minute as they came to the most supported event in the city.

From as far as the city of Gold Johannesburg, the capital Harare, Beitbridge, Gwanda, Lupane, Hwange, Victoria Falls, Matobo, Plumtree, you name it, people came in numbers.

The audience gave life to the event through the ululations, dances, screams and clapping of hands.  The highlight of the night was the last award to be presented, the People’s Choice Award that was bagged by gospel songstress Mai Mwamuka. Heading to the stage, she was weeping in joy and had to be held firmly by close friends and family because of the life-changing moment that any artiste in the Matabeleland region would wish for.

With a few years in the showbiz industry, her career has bloomed from winning awards, being a radio host to being a marriage counsellor.

The artiste was presented with a fully serviced housing stand and building material for winning the People’s Choice award.

“The 2021 RoilBAAs is an experience I will never forget as it was an outstanding event that impacted my life beyond words. I am grateful to God, the RoilBAA Trust and all the sponsors (Habbakuk Trust) for the Gospel Artiste category. I appreciate them and the people who stood by me as they spent their money voting.

“I haven’t recovered yet from the impact of that night and I think it will take me a while,” said Mai Mwamuka.
She called on corporates and individuals to continue supporting the awards for a bigger and better sixth edition.

“My husband and family are grateful. I’d like to say long live RoilBAAs as I wish you much bigger and better events. Through the awards, I met outstanding women and I believe that as women, it was our season to excel.
Speaking after the successful hosting of the event, one of the organisers, Raisedon Baya said he was happy that the awards conquered Covid-19.

“We had doubts about this year’s event as the economy was shut down by the pandemic and we weren’t able to go out there and hunt for sponsorship.

“But we’re happy for this year’s success. Local young entrepreneurs injected various sponsorship into the awards and it’s a sign that Bulawayo artistes are finally getting local support,” said Baya. — @mthabisi_mthire