No music awards this year

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Wednesday October 13, 2010 00:00

 

BOMU Secretary General Seabelo Modimo says the organisation has taken a stand after consultation with the stakeholders that the annual event does not give the sponsors ample time to exploit the awards as they only have six months to do so.

Mascom last year improved the awards sponsorship to P750, 000 although the figure does not include other expenses by the cell phone companies on BOMU's office equipment, cell phones, airtime and Internet.

Botswana Television (Btv), which beamed the live broadcast of last year's awards, also paid the BOMU P200, 000 in the broadcast rights.

Last year's awards were not without controversy either as big winners were unknown quantity, Traditional Dance Group, Barwakgodumo, won two of the most coveted titles - the Best Music Album and the Best Traditional Music Album, albeit amid murmurs of disapproval from attendees.

There was even more controversy after the Song of the Year Award was mistakenly swapped, only to be awarded to the rightful recipients, Culture Spears, 24 hours later.However, Modibe says BOMU also took the decision to review the awards after realising that many music categories - except for the traditional music category - jazz, and Afro pop, attract very few and poor entries.

The BOMU secretary general says the revamped BOMU Music Awards will see the organisation now hosting three sets of awards - the Mascom BOMU Awards, the Legends awards, while the third award event will recognise the contribution of the private sector to musical excellence.

Modibe says BOMU will be tabling a motion at its annual general meeting (AGM) in 30 days' time, seeking to establish a company that will have full-time staff to manage the awards event.  He says the new company will be a commercial wing of the union and will not be involved in the running of BOMU affairs.

Modibe says they hope the new changes will allow BOMU to concentrate on its advocacy role, as well as keeping the running of the awards from the politics of the day.