Chilee's Reviews: 2010 CHANNEL O MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS: A NIGERIAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN AFFAIR

2FACE

Nigerian artists won six awards out of their 17 nominations at this year’s edition of the Channel O Music Video Awards held at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa on the evening of Thursday, November, 4. They came a close second behind South Africa who won seven out the 14 categories of the award. The only other winner from another African country was Ugandan-born Obita for his video, “Everybody Dance” which features Loyiso.

The Nigerian winners were D’ banj for “Fall in Love” but he wasn’t in the house and Wande Coal who came up stage with a nerdy looking Sunday Are told the audience that he was in Kenya for some business. P-Square won for the Most Gifted Group or Featuring but were also not in the house and Nigerian South African-based video director, Godfather, collected their plaque on their behalf. Naeto C took the whole STORM RECORDS crew up stage to collect his award for the Most Gifted Hip Hop Video which came to him courtesy of the song, “Ako Mi Ti Poju.” 2face also continued his wonderful showing this year by carting away the prize for the Most Gifted Video with “Implication.” Another STORM RECORDS artist, General Pype beat off competition from heavyweights like Batman Samini of Ghana to win the prize for the Most Gifted Ragga with his song, “Champion (remix)”. The original version of the song has become one of the official tunes of the SUPERSPORT channel while the remix which won the award featured the late Da Grin who Pype reconised in his speech, Sasha, Vector, Naeto C and GT the Guitarman. The young Mo’ Cheddah who was making her first appearance at the event dusted the older Nigerian lady, KSB to the Most Gifted Female with her song “If You Want Me” which featured Othello of the Knighthouse crew. Mo’ Cheddah was accompanied to South Africa by another member of the Knighthouse, Rogba. M.I and Djinee who got the highest number of nominations, three, for the video of “Safe,” directed by Mex, didn’t win any award.

A special recognition award went to Somalian global star, K’ naan whose song “Waving Flag” was one of the official songs of the 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP held in South Africa. He also was absent from the event but made his acceptance speech via e-presence from Los Angeles and later performed another of his songs, “T.I.A,” via the same route at the end of the show.

The Sandton Convention centre was given a flight themed decoration and the co-hosts, Lungile Radu and Thomas Gumede, were in black pilots’ uniforms complete with the wings. Big Brother Africa host, IK was one of the presenters of the evening and he also had his pilot’s wings. Another was 100% Naija host, Tana Egbo, who joined a long list of guest presenters from the channel O family to make the evening a memorable one. Nigeria’s Sasha and Dama Do Bling of Mozambique led the performers list with a sassy display on the song, “Making Money,” while Liquideep, Teargas, Wyre, Buffalo Souljah, D-Black and Kwaku-T all made very strong showings at the event which was broadcast live on the cable network. Three brand new Chevy Sparks were given out to lucky winners who voted for the awards.

The Channel O Music Video Awards, also known as Spirit of Africa Music Video Awards is a Pan-African music award organized by South Africa -based Channel O television channel. The awards ceremony was first held in 2003 under the name Reel Music Video Awards. Since 2005 the awards have been held annually. The winners are voted by Channel O's viewers across the continent through SMS and on the internet at www.mva.channelo.tv.

HERE IS THE COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS AT THIS YEARS AWARDS:

AFRO POP VIDEO: D’banj: “Fall in love”

MOST GIFTED GROUP OR FEATURING: P-Square “E No Easy”

MOST GIFTED EAST AFRICA VIDEO: Obita ft.,Loyiso “Everybody Dance”

MOST GIFTED WEST AFRICA VIDEO: 2face “Implication”

MOST GIFTED SOUTH VIDEO: PRO “Sekele”

MOST GIFTED KWAITO: Big Nuz ft., DJ Tira: “Umlilo”

MOST GIFTED R ‘N’ B: Urban Reign: “Addicted”

MOST GIFTED RAGGA VIDEO: Gen Pype “Champion”

MOST GIFTED DANCE VIDEO: Liquideep “Fairytale”

MOST GIFTED FEMALE VIDEO: Mo’cheddah ft.,Othello “If You Want Me”

MOST GIFTED MALE VIDEO: Black Coffee “Juju”