IMAN Awards 2017 To Honour Seye Kehinde, Ambrose Somide, Latifu Oloto, 7 Others

As a part of efforts to celebrate people from different walks of life who have contributed immensely to the growth of Islamic music industry in Nigeria, the organizers of Islamic Music and Associated Nominees (IMAN)Awards, Synergy Media, would be celebrating 10 distinguished personalities at IMAN Awards 2017 slated for July 16th in Lagos.

According to the organizers, a theme has been picked for the 2017 edition of the awards viz: "Opening The Hall Of Fame" and that is meant to constitute a basis to identify, select and celebrate everyone that has contributed their quota in different ways, to bring the Islamic music amidst other genres of music, to where it is today. And those people, depending on the number decided by the organizers, would be admitted into IMAN Awards Hall Of Fame on yearly basis, starting from 2017.

"We have seen the need that, apart from the voting categories of the awards, we should have a basis to celebrate and honour people who God has used to bring the Islamic music industry to the height it has attained today. And in that category for this year, we have selected 10 personalities including Dr. Seye Kehinde, the Publisher, Editor-in-Chief of City People magazine, Dr. Ambrose Somide, the Managing Director, Radio Services, Daar Communications PLC., Alhaji Abdul-Latifu Oloto, veteran Islamic artiste, Mr. Sunday Esan, the CEO, Okiki Films and Music Productions and Alhaja Kafilat Kaola, an Islamic scholar.

" Others are: Alhaji Abdul-Wasiu As-Sideeq, veteran Islamic artiste, Alhaji Bolaji Bello, veteran music producer, Mr. Dare Zaka, veteran music video director, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, the Treasurer NURTW, Lagos State Chapter, and Alhaja Rashidat Omobolanle, a fabric merchant, " the organizers revealed while adding that the basis for their selection would be made public at the awards.

More so, the organizers further explained that while some of the names listed above may still appear in the nominations for some of the voting categories of IMAN Awards 2017 as it might apply to them, that would not stop them from being admitted into the Hall Of Fame regardless of whether they win in the voting categories of the awards or not. And the reason is that the organizers determine people to be admitted into the Hall Of Fame while people's votes determine who wins in any of the voting categories.

While expressing optimism that a fast growing staple food brand would be coming on board to part sponsor IMAN Awards 2017, the organizers added that nominations and voting process for IMAN Awards 2017 would be rolled out in the next few days.

OGUN FIBAN CHAIRMAN, ALAWIYE FEDERATION RESIGNS,TO RECONTEST FOR SEAT

The chairman of Ogun State chapter of Freelance and Independent Broadcasters' Association of Nigeria (FIBAN), Com. Akinyemi Titus Olatoye better known as Alawiye Federation has resigned his chairmanship of the prestigious association. According to the very reliable information reaching Saheed Ojubanire Online, the action had to be taken for him to be able to recontest for the same seat being part of the dictates of FIBAN constitution. And a Caretaker Chairman in the person of Mr. Gbenga Oladunni a.k.a. Imalian Boy, the Board of Trustees (BOT) member from Ogun State has since taken over the running of Ogun FIBAN till election is conducted on June 25th, 2017.

Meanwhile, findings have shown that Alawiye Federation had a very meritorious reign while his three years at the helms of the association lasted in Ogun State. Since records don't lie, this blogger was painstaking enough to dig into his sterling record of achievements which are reproduced below:

In 2014,during Ogun FIBAN Week, he brought frontline human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo to deliver a lecture and further organised a well packaged musical show that featured Obesere, St. Janet, Dele Gold, Segun Blessing, Dr Sefiu Alao, etc. The event held at Ogun Government House multipurpose hall. Same year, he facilitated the bringing of the immediate past governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, (OGD) to a live program on Paramount f.m. as part of FIBAN Week activities amidst tension in the political terrain. And OGD was consequently awarded as the Best Performing Governor Ogun State ever produced.  Same 2014, Ogun FIBAN produced the first ever calendar of the association all over the country (no state including the national body ever did that before) and Ogun FIBAN since then, sustained the legacy.

In 2016, he championed a move to start honouring their leaders in Ogun FIBAN on the premise that they should learn to celebrate them while they are still alive and not when they are dead. So, the noble exercise was tagged: Ogun FIBAN Legends, where they awarded and celebrated  19 of their elders and leaders. Again, no state ever did that before. 

Also, Alawiye Federation's leadership sustained the Annual Gbenga Adeboye and Toba Opaleye Memorial Lecture that comes up April 30th of every year and never missed any year since his administration came on board, though his predecessor who initiated the idea, reportedly missed some years while in office. As a matter of fact, the 2016 edition attracted media gurus within and outside the state and all media stations in Ogun State were well represented as Alawiye Federation led his team to bring the then zonal director of Nigeria Broadcasting Commission  (NBC), Mrs Pauline Ehusani as the Guest Lecturer. The 2017 event also was a great one where Ogun FIBAN hosted Barrister Jiti Ogunye as the Guest Lecturer while senator Lanre Tejuosho was the Chairman of the Occasion.

Since one good term truly deserves another, what is reportedly being mumbled in groups and one on one conversations by the members of FIBAN in the state is that, since Alawiye Federation has thrown his hat in the ring for another term, he surely deserves to be given another chance. Because his achievements in the last term speak for themselves.