I love awards and I also love controversies. And because every awards scheme comes with controversies, I cannot stop talking about them especially at this time when we are seeing one awards scheme or the other every now and then.
So my cherished reader, pardon me if you think my award reviews are becoming too much. At least you would bear me out that they would help shape this ailing industry of ours.
After the launch of the Radio and Television Awards barely a fortnight ago, another awards is scheduled to be launched on Friday. It is a scheme that seeks to honour professionals in film, theatre, music, sports and broadcasting. Nice idea, innit? I welcomed the news with excitement partly because it is from the stables of a venerated arts and entertainment critic. In essence, my effusive joy stemmed from the fact that this was a scheme hatched and being organized by someone whose tendentious criticisms have helped others in their various fields of endeavor. So, I could repose some trust in him, hoping he would not commit lots of mistakes.
The event dubbed “Most Popular Entertainer of Ghana(MPEG)Honours”,is an initiative of FDD Communications Consult, with Mr. Francis Doku as the Executive Producer. But as I kept mulling over the concept of the award scheme, it dawned on me that Francis’s MPEG Honours is not new after all. So I had to do some more thinking to get the name of the award scheme which is being virtually replicated by Francis Doku. Then eureka!
The name sprang to mind:”Showbiz Honours”. ‘Showbiz Honours’ happens to be the brainchild of Mr. Daniel Amoateng popularly known as Okyeame Quophi of ‘Emklan Entertainment’. Just like Francis Doku’s yet-to-be-born MPEG, Showbiz Honours’ mission is also to honour musicians, film makers, broadcasters and sportsmen. Last year’s edition saw renowned actress Nadia Buari as the honoree of the year.
Francis may have conceived the concept long ago but could not implement it then. However, because ‘Showbiz Honours came first, is it right to say MPEG Honours is patterned along the model of ‘Showbiz Honours’.
Aside the fact that the basic concepts of the two award schemes are similar, it will as well be fair to note the few differences therein. I infer from a news story published in last week’s ‘Graphic Showbiz’ that MPEG Honours is going to be an amplified version of ‘Showbiz Hounours’. Unlike the latter where one person is directly chosen by a college for the honours, MPEG will be such that finalists will be chosen from each discipline,”honoured with a trophy, certificate and accompanying prizes”,after which the college and public(voters)chose from the finalists who becomes the most popular entertainer of 2010.
Another difference is that,”at the main event to honour these entertainers, one other consummate entertainer would be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Honour for his or her contribution to the industry. Then apart from that another award will also go to a couple of institutions whose contributions have helped improve sports, broadcasting and the arts and entertainment.
Already, there is one question in town as to whether or not Okyeame Quophi will be coming out this year with another edition of ‘Showbiz Honours’. Well, I hope there will not be any copyright infringement here. Because now that copyright advocates have become ferocious like never before, and most industry players are becoming conscientized about the law that protects their intellectual property, don’t be surprised a whit to see a couple of entertainers and artistes heading for the docks this year.
Once again, I humbly welcome ‘MPEG Honours’ and also wish Okyeame Quophi well as he prepares to bring us another edition of ‘Showbiz Honours’ (I surely hope he will come again).