As the maiden edition of Wale Olomu Memorial Awards (WOMA) gathers momentum, the organisers have announced the august members of the Roundtable aspect of the ceremony. According to the awards’ Steering Committee, the WOMA Roundtable shall feature industry giants like Chief Tony Okoroji (veteran musician, music producer, former PMAN president, and current chairman, Collective Society of Nigeria, COSON); Orits Wiliki (veteran reggae artiste, music producer, and chairman, 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).
With the theme: ‘Business of Music: Artistes Vs Label Relations, Accountable Royalties & Other Matters’, other discussants are multi-talented Afropop artiste, Paul ‘Play’ Dairo; velvet-voiced award-winning dancehall act, 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).
Speaking, the WOMA steering committee chairman, ace broadcaster, Tokunbo Ojekunle, said: “The Roundtable panelists will feature on ‘The Vintage Talkshow’ anchored by veteran journalist, Femi Akintunde-Johnson (FAJ) on Top Radio FM 90.9 aired every Saturday at 7am. The discussions, alongside the award presentations, will follow a dedicated schedule within the 2-hour live radio programme between December 9&23, 2023. The 3-part special episode will feature Okoroji, Ogungbe and Dairo on December 9; Asika, Fresh, Samuel and KSB on December 16; Akins, Wiliki and Olomu on December 23.”
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, and Disc/Video Jockey etc. The list is exclusive of the few distinguished veterans nominated for the lifetime achievement awards.
He also revealed that the award would be different from what usually obtains in the industry, because it will be held inside a radio studio and attendance is through online (Google Meet, Zoom, Facebook and YouTube live feeds).
“Winners will be picked through a rigorous process to unearth and celebrate those who have contributed in 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 the late Wale Olomu’s reportorial philosophy,” Ojekunle concluded.