As the maiden edition of the Wale Olomu Memorial Awards (WOMA) gathers momentum, the organisers have announced the august members of the Roundtable aspect of the award ceremony.
According to the awards’ Steering Committee, the WOMA Roundtable shall include the following industry giants: Chief Tony Okoroji (veteran musician, music producer, former PMAN president, and current Chairman of the Collective Society of Nigeria, COSON); Orits Wiliki (veteran reggae artiste, music producer, and Chairman of Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria, MCSN); Mr. Olaolu Akintobi (aka Laolu Akins – legendary musician, former Artiste & Repertoire controller and multiple award-winning music producer); Otunba Kenny ‘Keke’ Ogungbe (ace broadcaster, radio owner, music label mogul and promoter); and Mr. Obi Asika (convener of The Omniverse, music label owner, and co-founder of Social Media Week Lagos).
Other discussants are multi-talented Afropop artiste, Paul ‘Play’ Dairo; velvety-voiced award-winning dancehall ace, Daddy Fresh; gospel music star and former music label executive, Kenny St Best (aka KSB); UK-based music promoter and producer, artiste manager, songwriter, and filmmaker, Kayode Samuel; and international toastmaster, former promotions manager at Premier Music, and artiste manager, Dayo Olomu (UK). The theme of the roundtable is ‘Business of Music: Artistes Vs Label Relations, Accountable Royalties & Other Matters’.
Speaking on the panel discussions, the steering committee chairman of Wale Olomu Memorial Awards, ace broadcaster, Tokunbo Ojekunle, said: “The Roundtable panelists will feature on “The Vintage Talkshow” anchored by veteran journalist, Femi Akintunde-Johnson (aka FAJ) on Top Radio FM 90.9, aired every Saturday (7 am). The discussions, alongside the award presentations, will follow a dedicated schedule within the live two-hour radio programme between the 9th and 23rd of December, 2023. The three-part Special Episode is designed as follows: 9th Dec.: Okoroji, Ogungbe & Dairo; 16th Dec.: Asika, Fresh, Samuel & KSB; 23rd Dec.: Akins, Wiliki & Olomu.
Ojekunle added that some of the categories being considered for the Special Recognition Awards (SRA) are: music producer, sound engineer, studio/artiste manager, music video editor, band manager, photographer, set designer, rhythm/bass guitarist, saxophonist, backup vocalist, percussionist, disc/video jockey, etc. This list is exclusive of the few distinguished veterans nominated for the lifetime achievement awards.
He also revealed that the award will be different from what usually obtains in the Industry because it will be held inside a live radio studio and participation/attendance is through online (Google Meet, Zoom, Facebook and YouTube live feeds). And winners will be picked through a rigorous process to unearth and celebrate those who have contributed to discovering and nurturing Nigerian talents who would otherwise have been wasted, and such people have largely been unappreciated or unrecognised – a position the committee believes is in tune with late Wale Olomu’s reportorial philosophy.
