| KORA Awards | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Outstanding musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa |
| Country | Various |
| First awarded | 1996 |
| Website | koraawards |
| Television/radio coverage | |
| Network | Channel O |
The KORA All Africa Music Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. The awards were founded in 1994 by Benin born businessman, Ernest Adjovi, after a discussion in Namibia with the country's President Hage Geingob who was then a Prime Minister.[1] The award is named after the kora, a West African plucked chordophone.
The awards have been subject to several postponements since 1994 with a variety of reasons given. Problems have arisen with contracts signed, large sums of monies have been paid and the event postponed.[1]
In 2011 Adjovi was detained by the Nigerian Police Force with allegations he defrauded three Nigerian bodies. In 2008 Adjovi allegedly accepted [US]$2.5 million for the 2008 Awards to be hosted by the Cross River State Government. He later allegedly struck an agreement with the Lagos State Government for US$7.5 million but the awards were not staged until 2010 in Burkina Faso. At those awards brothers PSquare were named Artiste of the Year and were awarded a cash prize of $1 million but the prize was not forthcoming.[2]
The 2015 awards were to be held 13 December in Namibia[3] and a launch event was held in Namibia in May 2015.[4] They were postponed to March 2016 and Adjovi was paid N$23,5 million. The awards did not take place and the whereabouts of Adovi is unknown. Namibia is trying to recover the money.[5]
Since its inception, the KORA Awards has been staged eleven times on the African Continent. For the first ten years (1996-2005 - 9 Awards), the ceremony took place in South Africa. It has since moved to Burkina Faso (2010) and Côte d’Ivoire (2012).[6]
Winners have come from many different countries: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Comores, Côte d'Ivoire = Ivory Coast, Republic of the Congo = Congo, England, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, île de la Reunion, Kenya, Mali, Mauitius, Morocco, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Réunion, Rwanda, Senegal, Seyschelles, South Africa, Sweden, Tchad, Togo, Uganda, United States and Zimbabwe.
| Award | Winner | Award | Winner | Award | Winner | Award | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | |||||||
| Best Male Artist of Africa | Youssou N'Dour (Senegal) | Best Male Artist of Africa | Papa Wemba (DRC) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Miriam Makeba (South Africa) | Most promising Male Artist of Africa | Lokua Kanza (DRC) |
| Most promising Female Artist of Africa | Brenda Fassie (South Africa) | Best Artist of North Africa | Cheb MAMI (Algeria) | Best Artist of West Africa | Meiway (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Artist of Central Africa | Awilo Logomba (DRC) |
| Best Musician of Africa | Bheki Mseleku (South Africa) | Best Group of Africa | Bayete (South Africa) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Denzil Waela (South Africa) | LifeTime Achievement Award | Miriam Makeba (South Africa) |
| 1997 | |||||||
| Best Male Artist of Africa | Ismael Lo (Senegal) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Angélique Kidjo (Benin) | Most promising Male Artist of Africa | Cheick Lo (Senegal) | Most promising Female Artist of Africa | Khadja Nin (Burundi) |
| Best Male Artist of North Africa | Cheb Khaled (Algeria) | Best Female Artist of West Africa | Cesaria Evora (Cape Verde) | Best Artist of Central Africa | Awilo Logomba (DRC) | Best Male Artist of East Africa | Ziskakan (île de la Reunion) |
| Best Artist of Diaspora Europe / Caribbean | Edith Lefel (France) | Best Traditional Artist of Africa | Angélique Kidjo (Benin) | Best Traditional Group of Africa | Nigui Saff K-Dance (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Boncana Maïga (Mali) |
| 1999 | |||||||
| Best Male Artist of Africa | Femi Kuti (Nigeria) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Brenda Fassie (South Africa) | Most promising Male Artist of Africa | Axel Govinda (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Artist of North Africa | Takfarinas (Algeria) |
| Best Male Artist of West Africa | Femi Kuti (Nigeria) | Best Artist of Central Africa | Bozi Boziana (DRC) | Best Artist of East Africa | Khadja Nin (Burundi) | Best Artist from Southern Africa | Ringo (South Africa) |
| Best Artist of Diaspora USA | Lauryn Hill (United States) | Best Artist of Diaspora Europe / Caribbean | Natali Lorio (France) | Best Group of Africa | Bisso Na Bisso (Congo) | Best Traditional Group of Africa | Nigui Saff K-Dance (Côte d'Ivoire) |
| Best Arrangement | Bisso Na Bisso (Congo) | Best Video | Bisso Na Bisso (Congo) | Lifetime Achievement Award
Michael Jackson (USA) | |||
| 2000 | |||||||
| Best Male Artist of Africa | Wes (Cameroon) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Zenzi (South Africa) | Most promising Male Artist of Africa | Kaysha (DRC) | Most promising Female Artist of Africa | Zenzi (South Africa) |
| Best Male Artist of West Africa | Kojo Antwi (Ghana) | Best Male Artist of Central Africa | André Marie Tala (Cameroon) | Best Male Artist of East Africa | Jean Marc Volcy (Seychelles) | Best Male Artist from Southern Africa | jabu khanyile (South Africa) |
| Best Artist of Diaspora USA | Sisqo (USA) | Best Group of Africa | Extra Musica (Congo) | Best Traditional Artist of Africa | King Mensah (Togo) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Valerie Kimani (Kenya) |
| LifeTime Achievement Award | Kofi Annan (Ghana) | Best Video of Africa | Wes (Cameroon) | ||||
| 2001 | |||||||
| Most promising Female Artist of Africa | Rokia Traoré (Mali) | Best Artist of North Africa | Rhany Kabbadj (Morocco) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Coumba Gawlo (Senegal) | Best Male Artis of Africa | Werrason (DRC) |
| Best Artist of Southern Africa | Mandoza (South Africa) | Best Artist of Diaspora USA | Bebe Winans (USA) | Best Group of Africa | Bongo Maffin (South Africa) | Best Female Artist of West Africa | Coumba Gawlo (Senegal) |
| Best Video of Africa | Sawt el Atlas (Morocco) | Jury Special Award | Brenda Fassie (South Africa) | Best Traditional Artist of Africa | Meiway (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Yvonne Chaka Chaka (South Africa) |
| Most promising Male Artist of Africa | Ernie Smith (Côte d'Ivoire) | Most Promising Female Artist of Africa | Felia Mballo (Senegal) | Best Female Artist of East Africa | Sandra Mayotte (Mauritius) | Jury Special Award | Awilo Logomba (DRC) |
| 2002 | |||||||
| Most promising Female Artist of Africa | Annie-Flore Batchiellilys (Gabon) | Most promising Male Artist of Africa | Blak Twang (England) | Best Artist of East Africa | Eric Wainaina and Henrie Mutuku (Kenya) | Best Group of Africa | Makoma (DRC) |
| Best Arrangement of Africa | Meyway (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Male Artist of Central Africa | Koffi Olomidé (DRC) | Best Female Artist of West Africa | Suzanna Lubrano (Cape Verde) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Judith Sephuma (South Atrica) |
| Best Traditional Artist of Africa | King Ayaovi Mensah (Togo) | Best Artist of Diaspora USA | Shaggy (USA) | Best Video of Africa | Koffi Olomidé (DRC) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Koffi Olomidé (DRC) |
| Jury Special Award | Koffi Olomidé (DRC) | ||||||
| 2003 | |||||||
| Best Artist – West Africa – Male | Kojo Antwi (Ghana) | Best Artist – West Africa – Female | Suzanna (Cape Verde) | Best Artist – East Africa – Male | George Okudi (Uganda) | Best Artist – East Africa – Female | Chamsia Sagaf (Comores) |
| Best Artist – Central Africa – Male | Douleur (Cameroon) | Best Artist – Central Africa – Female | Mbilia Bel & Tshala Muana (R.D.Congo) | Best Artist – Southern Africa – Male | Oliver Mtukudzi ( Zimbabwe) | Best Artist – Southern Africa – Female | Busi Mhlongo(South Africa) |
| Best Artist Or Group Traditional | Machesa Traditional Group (Botswana) | Best African Group | Quartier Latin International (D.R. Congo) & nti-Palu (Ivory Coast) | Best African Video | Jeff Maluleke ( South Africa) | Best African Arrangement | Yvonne Chaka Chaka (South Africa) |
| Best African Gospel Female Artist | Rebecca (South Africa) | Best African Gospel Male Artist | Lundi (South Africa) | Best African Gospel Group | Notre Dame de la Salette (Gabon) | Most Promising African Female Artist | Barbara Kanam (D.R.Congo) |
| Most Promising African Male Artist | Jean-Paul Samputu (Rwanda) | Most Promising African Group | Macase (Cameroon) | Revelation Of The Year | Eben & Family (Gabon) | Most Promising Artist of the African American Diaspora | Ludacris (USA) |
| Best Female Artist of the African American Diaspora | Angie Stone (USA) | Best Male Artist of the African American Diaspora | R Kelly (USA) | Best Video of the African American Diaspora | R Kelly (USA) | Life Time Achievement Award | Oliver Mtukudzi (Zimbabwe) |
| Europe/ Caribbean Diaspora | Avalon (Mohombi & Djo Moupondo) (Sweden) | Special Judge Award | Soumbil (Ivory Coast) & Notre Dame de la salette (Gabon) | ||||
| 2004 | |||||||
| Best Traditional Artiste | King Mensah (Togo) | Best West African Female | Kamaldine (Guinea) | Best West African Male | Kunle (Nigeria) | Best African Group | JJC&419 Squad (Nigeria) |
| Best African Video | Reggie Rockstone (Ghana) | Best Gospel Group | Schekina (Ivory Coast) | Promising Male Artist | Madson Junior (Burkina Faso) | Best East African Female | Achieng Abura (Kenya) |
| Best East African Male | Big Pin (Kenya) | Best Gospel Male Artist | Kunle (Nigeria) DNG (Kenya) | Best East African Female | Tsedenia Gebremarkos (Ethiopia) | Best Central African Male | Félix Wazekwa (DRC) & Werrason (DRC) |
| Best Male African Artist | Werrason (DRC) | Promising Female Artist | Dinally (Cameroon) | Best S.A. Male Artist | Kabelo Mabalane (South Africa) | Best S.A. Female Artist | Thandiswa Mazwai (South Africa) |
| Best African Group | Malaika (South Africa) | Best Gospel Female | Deborah Fraser (South Africa) | Best Traditional Group | Mahube (South Africa) | Promising Female Artist | Swazi (South Africa) |
| Best African Video | Zola (South Africa) | Best Arrangement | Wanda Baloyi (South Africa) | Revelation of the Year | Malaika (South Africa) | Best African Female | Thandiswa Mazwai (South Africa) |
| 2005 | |||||||
| Best Male Artist of Africa | Hugh Masekela (South Africa) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Adja Soumano (Mali) | Most Promising Male Artist of Africa | 2 Face Idibia (Nigeria) | Most Promising Female Artist of Africa | Kaz (Kenya) |
| Best Male Artist of West Africa | Martin Hod (Benin) | Best Male Artist of West Africa | Neji (Nigeria) | Best Female Artist of West Africa | Zeinab (Benin) | Best Female Artist of Central Africa | Naneth (Gabon) |
| Best Female Artist of East Africa | Neema (Kenya) | Best Male Artist of East Africa | Alain Auriant (Mauritius) | Best Video of Africa | Afrotenors (South Africa) | Best Group of West Africa and Africa | Ade Bantu (Nigeria) |
| Best Group of East Africa | Longombas (Kenya) | Best Female Artist of Southern Africa | Perola (Angola) | Best Group of West Africa | Praye (Ghana) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Toumani Diabate (Mali) |
| Best Artiste of Diaspora USA | Will Smith (USA) | Best Male Artist of Central Africa | Werrason (DRC) | Best Artist of Diaspora Europe / Caribbean | Kaysha (France) | Best Gospel Group of Africa | Maximum Melodies (Kenya) |
| Best Female Artist of West Africa | Adja Soumano (Mali) | LifeTime Achievement Award | Koffi Olomide (DRC) | ||||
| 2010 | |||||||
| Best Female Artist of Africa | Asa (Nigeria) | Best Traditional Artist of Africa | Bassekou Kouyate (Mali) | Best Ragga Group of Africa | Chronik 2H (Senegal) | Best Group of Diaspora Europe / Caribbean | Mc Malcriado (Cape Verde) |
| Best Reggae Artist of Africa | King Wadada (Nigeria) | Best Traditional Group of Africa | Ladysmith Black Mambazo (South Africa) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Toumani Diabate (Mali) | Best Male Artist of Africa | P Square (Nigeria) |
| Best Gospel Male Artist of Africa | Sammie-Okposo (Nigeria) | Best Hip Hop Artist of Africa | Smockey (Burkina Faso) | Best Reggae Artist of Africa | Sasha Marley (Ghana) | Most Promising Female Artist of Africa | Chidinma (Nigeria) |
| Best Gospel Female Artist of Africa | Noellie (Togo) | LifeTime Achievement Award | Pierre Akendegue (Gabon) | LifeTime Achievement Award | Cesaria Evora (Cape Verde) | Best Gospel Group of Africa | Black Diamond (Senegal) |
| Best Group of Africa | P Square (Nigeria) | Best Video of Africa | P Square (Nigeria) | Best Female Artist of Diaspora Europe/Carrebean | Felia (Senegal) | Best Female Artist of Diaspora USA | Alicia Keys (Kenya) |
| 2012 | |||||||
| Best Artist of Africa | DJ Arafat (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Traditional Female Artist of Africa | Aida Samb (Senegal) | Best Artist of North Africa | Cheb Khaled (Algeria) | Best Female Artist of West Africa | Chidinma (Nigeria) |
| Most Promising Male Artist of Africa | Davido (Nigeria) | Best Female Artist of North Africa | Hasna El Necharia (Algeria) | Best Female Artist of East Africa | Juliana Kanyomozi (Uganda) | Best Male Artist of East Africa | Kidum (Burundi) |
| Best Male Artist of Central Africa | Lord Ekomy Ndong (Gabon) | Best Male Artist of West Africa | DJ Arafat (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Female Artist of Central Africa | Mounira Mitchala (Tchad) | Best Gospel Group of Africa | Seraphim Songs (Burundi) |
| Best Gospel Male Artist of Africa | Yvan(Benin) | Best Female Artist of Southern Africa | Zahara (South Africa) | Best Group of Africa | Magic Systeme (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Female Artist of Diaspora Europe/Caribbean | Sega El (Reunion) |
| Most Promising Female Artist of Africa | Sessime (Benin) | Best Traditional Male Artist of Africa | Stanlux (Togo) | Best Male/Group of Diaspora Europe/Caribbean | Sexion D'Assaut (France) | Best Male Artist of Diaspora USA | Chris Brown (USA) |
| Best Female Artist of Diaspora USA | Rihanna (USA) | Best Traditional Group of Africa | Les Freres Guedehoungue (Benin) | Best Director of Africa | Gelongal (Senegal) | Best Male Artist of Southern Africa | The Dogg (Namibia) |
| Best Gospel Female Artist of Africa | Soeur Lydie (DRC) | ||||||