Entertainment
Edo Excellence Awards organizers , clashes with financial crisis
Edo Excellence Award is an annual award to promote and recognize Edo people who have contributed significantly to Edo culture, Edo People in diaspora and in Edo State
The Edo Excellence Award, co-established by Sir Victor Uwaifo in 2004, recently reached 17th edition on February 14th 2021.
The colourful ceremony which was held in the heart of Benin City at Aisien Plaza in Benin city Edo state was memorable. During the prestigious ceremony, Nigeria Edo Funk music legend stated that “It’s time to modify our Edo Excellence Awards categories by adding more categories, that will also benefit non Edo natives” the idea was negatively disputed by other respected Edo indigenes from various arms of the Government and prominent Business men, who attended the venue.
After a long dispute, sir Victor Uwaifo who just celebrated his 80th year birthday asked Edo State most read Nigerian national newspaper Obaland Magazine and Newspaper if they could adopt the costly annual Edo Excellent Award ceremony by buying the brand and make sure the event doesn’t bankrupt or been mismanaged , due to his busy schedules and his aged, Obaland Magazine media is yet to unveil a close partnership or ownership deal with the Edolites .
Tide Newspaper reporters also gathered that since 2019, Obaland Magazine has been in a critical financial crisis after the news media company encountered with tax evasion and fraud crime related to 450,000 Euro , that led Italian authorities to freeze the company’s account . Obaland Magazine Chief editor Mr Lucky Omosigho who remained silent and promised to revert asap after the closing ceremony at the Aisien Plaza venue.
The Edo Excellent Awards was to benefit only Edo people who had contributed immensely to Edo culture at home and in diaspora with a concrete clarity from testimonies and public officers before nominations could be sorted. The idea of transferring Edo’s prestigious ceremony is under speculation nationwide, while celebrities from Edo State are contemplating if the 2022 event will hold will be a probability , as financial sponsors and investors aren’t willing to invest on the Edo Excellent Awards immediately, until CoronaVirus pandemic dies naturally.
The recently concluded 17th edition of Edo Excellent awards attracted 900 recipients from Edo State. The winners were legendary Edo Funk prominent singer, the son of Edo Funk pioneer, ace “Akaba Man” popularly known as Influence Akaba, who won at third position, , Esther Edokpaye bagged 2nd position and popular Afro American politician, Richard Iyasere, who became popular for creating Akwete dance style in 1980’s , a cosmopolitan popular dance style, finally peaked on 1st position. Richard Iyasere left the venue with multiple awards, winning “Exemplary Leader of the Year” and “Edo Patriotic of the Year”, the Award was presented to awardees by Sir Victor Uwaifo.