Is this a true assesment of the MAMAS in Abuja and Nigeria generally or just a biased South African verdict?

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November 26, 2008

By Therese Owen

If award ceremonies, by definition, are supposed to be the flagship of a radio station, industry or TV channel, the inaugural MTV African Music Awards, or Mamas, sank before it even left the harbour.

Held at The Velodrome in Abuja, Nigeria, on Saturday, the show was the culmination of months of hype on MTVbase and included a tour of four African countries by rapper The Game. He and Kelly Rowland were the headline act with performances by, among others, Asa, Jozi, Cassette and HHP.

For the first two hours the South Africans were not permitted in the building as VIP guests. And as with everything in Nigeria, no one was prepared to say why.

So we hovered by the red "carpet", which was more like a red mat. VIPs, artists and nominees were scheduled to arrive at 6.15pm. By 7.30pm a few had trickled in.

When we finally did get in, at about 8pm, we waited another two hours before the show actually started.

I had already taken a sportsman's bet with my colleagues that the show would be at least two hours late. I should have bet real money.

Popular MTV VJ, Trevor Nelson, was the host. However, the sound was so appalling that we never heard a word he said. In fact, the sound was so incredibly shocking that we battled to hear who the winners were.

It broke my heart that when HHP joined Asa on stage with some fine ragga rapping, we could not hear it. Cassette looked fabulous, but their sound was garbled guitar and drums with vocals mixed somewhere underneath it all.

Jozi faced P-Square in a dance showdown. P-Square, in black military outfits and with über-rehearsed routines, whipped their Ama Kip Kip asses.

However, there was a proudly SA moment when the boy band won for Best Live Performance. Seether beat Coldplay, Goldfish and The Parlotones to win Best Alternative. They sent a recorded message which we could not hear.

Alicia Keys beat Loyiso, P-Square, Akon and Rihanna to win Best R'nB. She also sent a recorded speech and again we had no idea what she said . In fact, the sound was so bad that I only found out the next day as we were leaving that Zonke, too, had presented.

Security also seemed lacking. When The Game performed, the stage was invaded by over-eager locals. His giant-like body guard flicked them off like ants. Flo-Rida was impressive - the only artist who had a vaguely decent sound.

Another fave moment was when SA MTVbase VJ, Sizwe Dlhomo, announced the winner of a category which seemed to have no nominees - these people ran onstage, received the award, gave an excited acceptance speech and then ran off again. No one, except them, Sizwe and maybe some MTVbase production people know why.

There was a bizarre half-hearted attempt for a moments silence/ tribute to Miriam Makeba involving a picture of her and 10 seconds.

The crowd went crazy with national pride when the Lifetime Achievement award went to Fela Kuti.

Hiccups aside, the show ran rather smoothly (once it got going) and most of the performances were world class to watch.

I learned later that MTVbase were satisfied, because the TV feed for the post-production of the show, which airs on MTVbase on Saturday, was great. So it seemed the guests were there more as cattle fodder for TV show. I find that disrespectful and arrogant.

Would they allow that kind of live production to happen at the European or US awards? Understandably, this is the first Mamas and Nigeria is difficult terrain to navigate just in terms of finding a meal that doesn't consist of goat and foul-smelling soup.

However, more respect should be shown to invited guests, sponsors and the audience, some of whom paid the equivalent of R100 to attend a show that was two hours late and had appalling sound.

One would think the biggest and oldest TV music channel would get it right.

The Mamas did nothing to enhance or show MTVbase in a good light. Instead, it detracted from a 3-year-old TV station that, until this weekend, was making its mark as a good music TV station.

I'm not surprised.

A lot of South Africans are generally xenophobic, some are just more outspoken and violent than others.


But much of what she said is true sha.

Understandably, this is the first Mamas and Nigeria is difficult terrain to navigate just in terms of finding a meal that doesn't consist of goat and foul-smelling soup.

This quote was what really pissed me off!

So through out Nigeria, the only thing we eat is Goat and Foul smelling soup!

Jeez! What a Retard!

Ugly set of black morrafuckn negroes!
They were prob deaf dats y dey cldnt hear a damn thing!
How did d winners know they had won,if sound was a bad as they claim?
Fuckn retards

I seriously wudn't blame them! Nigeria never seems to fukk with sound engineering,  . they just set things as it is! I mean based on every Nigerian performances I've been to, they never get the sounds right. . . either the mic is too loud or the music is to loud. . . so I wudn't be surprised if they were having troubles understanding/hearing shit buit to talk down on Nigerians, Now whoever wrote that can burn in hell fuh reals! How da fukk do we only eat goat and foul smelling soup! Do u realize this is how bad blood spills between each countries? My Final verdict: Fukk Therese Owen and where she came from. . ol' sarafina lookin ass! [size=5pt]Bitch[/size]

Why naw God dont like ugly too, make them take time for SA oh,

foul smelling soup
na moto go jam persin wey write this thing
bit**

U sef u toooooo get anger issues, relax jare,

i dey yab person wey yab nigeria as a whole, u say i dey vex
i for dey laff abi

I feel u dear but dont explode is all im saying na,

explode ke
ust fiddling with ma keyboard

Thats why u are the best baby,

Read about this same show on one of naija dailies online and their report was worse than what the writer here put up.I have been to a couple of shows in naija too and time and sound production has always been the bane.Save for some of the xenophobic rants this writer expressed in some part of his/her write up,i will like some of these
organisers to look into this prob,as total negligence of the salient points here is synonymous with throwing away the baby with bath water.

huh?

tosinadeda:

Ugly set of black morrafuckn negroes!
They were prob deaf that is y dey cldnt hear a damn thing!
How did d winners know they had won,if sound was a bad as they claim?
Fuckn retards

Errm the sound was actually messed up.

Yeah and they cldnt hear a thing?

Post a link please,

Na wa o.
9ja and their style

when will we stop thinking like this when ?

Like how?

I was at the show and i must say that all that the writer wrote was true except the part about the food. the show started late. while coming in i saw Naeto C in  a jeep at the gate and u cant believe the dude couldn't get in. i got around to the venue around 7pm with my friends and the main gate was locked and you need to see the crowd at the gate with their tickets. we had to force the gate open and when we finally got in the entrance to the hall was also locked and people were kept outside with their tickets in their hands. One girl that came with VIP ticket was really complaining cos with her VIP ticket, she was made to stand on the line like the rest of us. IT was that bad, though we can excus them a bit cos it was the first time and you and i know say 9ja no easy.
IT took a long time for us to finally get in and when we did, behold the show hadn't even started. But finally the show started and the first to perform was I Go Die and people, we were not hearing a word he was saying, only those that were standing in front of the stage must have heard what he was saying. The sound was only better when the artists performed but when someone is giving a speech, you wont hear a damn thing. But the whole performances was world class. The crowd went wild with konga aso but i thing Asa's performance was the best cost she used real instruments and real instrumentalists. Others had a DJ spining out the beats for them.

Ok, apart from the fact that some SA's are a$$holes, i think this one is a retard that really needs a brain test, and the faster, the better.

Although Naija has always won the "Best Falling of Hand" award, that doesnt give anybody the right to tell us we're not doing it right when they can't even stop manslaughter in their rubbish country.

I've got love for loadz of South African's but this one, i wont pay even if she becomes a 3 cent LovePeddler.


Don't Hate, I know Naija bleeps up badly, but nobody should judge us cos we know ur bad side also. Abi them no know say Naija dey always Bleep up before them carry such international paroz enter naija

H.R.H Emmeno

Although Naija has always won the "Best Falling of Hand" award,

Best comic relief quote on NL so far