By Temitope Ajayi
Published April 12, 2016
The 12th annual edition of Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) shall be held on June 11,2016 in the Nigerian Rivers State capital, Port Harcourt.
The Nomination ceremony of AMAA, a reward system for motion picture practitioners across Africa and the Diaspora, shall also take place in Port Harcourt on May 11, 2016.
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The Governor Nyesom Wike-led state which is the headquarters of the Oil & Gas industry in Nigeria, has signed the hosting right with the management of AMAA.
In a statement jointly signed by Tonye Briggs Oniyide, the state Commissioner of Culture & Tourism of Rivers State, and Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, the founder of the awards organization, hosting the award this year will be the beginning of a partnership that will add immense value to the people of the state and the host city in as the government positions Port Harcourt as a destination of choice in Nigeria and West Africa.
“We are repositioning Rivers State as a state ready for business to Nigerians and the rest of the world and our partnership with AMAA will become a veritable platform to attract tourists, and global and Nigeria icons in business and the entertainment industry,” Tonye Briggs Oniyide says. “We want to showcase Rivers State as a peaceful place where socio-economic activities thrive.”
The commissioner says the state will soon unveil a calendar of entertainment and tourist activities that will create job opportunities for the teeming number of youth of the state.
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Speaking on the new partnership with the state, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe says that it marks the beginning of a new phase in the journey of the continental awards that started 12years ago.
“We are very happy with this development and express our gratitude to Governor Nyesom Wike and the good people of Rivers State. We value this partnership and we promise that it will be a rewarding one for the government and people of this great state, †Anyiam-Osigwe says.
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As part of the pre-AMAA activities, Rivers state will host a sponsorship night to mobilise corporate sponsors for the awards while the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) has been signed on as the main broadcast partner for the awards night with a live telecast. Other media partners include Africa Magic, OHTV UK, SABC South Africa and ONTV.
