Did Jah Prayzah deserve three awards at Nama?
Jah Prayzah emerged the biggest winner at the National Arts Merit Awards in the music category, but many felt there was no justification to have his song “Ndini Ndamubata” winning the Most Outstanding Song ahead of “Pamamonya Ipapo” by Soul Jah Love.
Indeed there was something wrong about the adjudication and when Jah Prayzah went to take the award for the outstanding song at the Nama ceremony that was held at Reps Theatre on Saturday night, there were sounds of disgruntlement.
It is a fact that Jah Prayzah was the most outstanding male musician of 2017. It is also a fact that Jah Prayzah’s album “Kutonga Kwaro” was the most outstanding for 2017.
But it raises a lot of questions to say “Ndini Ndamubata” from the same musician was the most outstanding song ahead of Soul Jah Love’s “Pamamonya Ipapo”.
Nama adjudicators decided otherwise and they deservedly got a backlash from followers of the awards.
No one will contest the fact that Jah Prayah is the man-of-the-moment, but it defies logic to say “Ndini Ndamubata” beats “Pamamonya Ipapo” in terms of popular songs of 2017.
Well, that is part of the list of Nama awards and Jah Prayzah went away with three accolades.
He was the biggest individual winner of the awards, but he comes second to Mirazvo Productions that collectively bagged four awards.
Mirazvo won the outstanding actor, outstanding actress, outstanding full length film and outstanding director awards for its productions “Muzita Rababa” and “Kushata Kwemoyo”.
Zimpapers also celebrated with many other winners when The Sunday Mail’s Prince Mushawevato got the outstanding arts reports award in the print category.
It was a night of fun and excitement as many performers spiced up the night although some questioned why the adjudicators decided to conclude that there were no deserving works in some categories when they had chosen nominees. What were the nominees for? Winky D proved that he is the man of the people when he scooped the people’s choice award when his name was nowhere near the nominees.
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe did well by choosing a sound company that stood to the occasion and provided exceptional sound and lighting.
Complaints were about the winners, not the sound glitches.
Below is the full list of winners of Nama accolades held last Saturday:
1) SPOKEN WORD AWARDS
Outstanding Actor – Tinashe Tafirenyika
Outstanding Comedian – Mandlenkosi Mathe aka Da Comedian
2) LITERARY AWARDS
Outstanding First Creative Work – No Winner
Outstanding Children’s Book – No winner
Outstanding Fiction – Stanley Mushava (Underclass Books & Film)
3) THEATRE AWARDS
Outstanding Actor – Leonard Phiri in Ihloka
Outstanding Actress – Charlene Mangweni
Outstanding Theatrical Production – The Incident directed by Elizabeth ‘Zaza’ Muchemwa
Outstanding Director – Elizabeth Muchemwa
4) DANCE AWARDS
Outstanding Female Dancer – Yeukai Zinyoro
Outstanding Male Dancer – Malcom E
Outstanding Group – M & M Factory
5) VISUAL ARTS AWARDS
Outstanding 2 Dimensional – Twisted Yoke
Outstanding 3 Dimensional – No winner
Outstanding Mix Media – Madam vebvoda foni
Outstanding Exhibition – Helen Lieros @ Delta Gallery
6) FILM & TELEVISION
Outstanding Actress – Kudzai Musungo (Muzita Rababa)
Outstanding Actor – Charles Mzemba (Kushata Kwemoyo)
Outstanding Music video – Over Again by Vimbai Mukarati
Outstanding Screen Production – Ruvimbo Wedding directed by Ben Mahaka
Outstanding Screen Production (Full Length) – Shem Zemura
7) MUSIC AWARDS
Outstanding Male Musician – Jah Prayzah
Outstanding Female Music – Janet Manyowa
Outstanding Album – Kutonga Kwaro (Jah Prayzah)
Outstanding Song – Ndini Ndamubata (Jah Prayzah)
8) SPECIAL AWARDS
Outstanding Promoter – Divine Assignments
Arts Service Award – Rootftop
Lifetime Achievement – Pathisa Nyathi
People’s Choice – Winky D
9) MEDIA AWARDS
Outstanding Journalist Radio – Nicola Ndoro
Outstanding Journalist Print – Prince Mushawevato
Outstanding Journalist –TV Sifiso Mpofu
Outstanding Online Media – Bustop.
Source: The Herald
