Dar es Salaam — Four days after MTV Europe awarded the Best Africa Act award to Nigeria’s WizKid, it has been officially confirmed that the trophy belongs to Tanzanian musician Alikiba.
As a result, MTV Europe Music Awards has stripped Nigeria’s Wizkid of the Best African Act award and given it to AliKiba after days of public outcry.
The award, which was subject to a public vote, became a subject of discussion after votes via the MTV Europe Music Awards showed Alikiba was leading and had won, but MTVbase Africa declared Wizkid as the winner through their social media
On that night, Alikiba was performing at Tigo Fiesta climax at Leaders Club in Dar es Salaam. Therefore, he could not attend the ceremony.
Speaking to The Citizen exclusively, Christine Mosha, who manages Alikiba’s music business both locally and internationally, said after the announcement on Saturday night in Rotterdam, she constantly contacted MTV Africa for an explanation.
“I wrote to them immediately questioning why the award had gone to someone else yet their website indicated that it was Alikiba who had won the category through the public vote,” said Ms Mosha aka ‘Seven.’
Though it took a while for the administration to state what had transpired, MTV Europe Music Award finally admitted that both artistes had won, but in different categories.
“Alikiba had won the MTV Europe Music Best Africa Act category, whereas Wizkid had won the MTV Europe Music Best Worldwide Act,” added Ms Mosha.
It is still not clear who was responsible for the mix up but by press time, MTV Africa, which made both announcements, was yet to release an official statement regarding the clarification.
With Alikiba’s win, Tanzania retains the prestigious award. AliKiba went up against African heavyweights such as Black Coffee Casper Nyovest from South Africa and Wizkid and Olamide from Nigeria.
“I’ve just got the confirmation that the award is coming back to Tanzania, but I can’t talk much about it, we are still waiting for the official statement and when I will receive it,” Alikiba wrote on his Facebook page.
The faulty announcement was subject of online backlash as the singer and the fans demanded an explanation as to how it had happened yet the online confirmation indicated the Aje singer had won.
