# Kora Awards

The KORA All Africa Music Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. The awards were founded in 1994 by Benin born businessman, Ernest Adjovi, after a discussion in Namibia with the country's President Hage Geingob who was then a Prime Minister. The award is named after the kora, a West African plucked chordophone.
The awards have been subject to several postponements since 1994 with a variety of reasons given. Problems have arisen with contracts signed, large sums of monies have been paid and the event postponed.
In 2011 Adjovi was detained by the Nigerian Police Force with allegations he defrauded three Nigerian bodies. In 2008 Adjovi allegedly accepted [US]$2.5 million for the 2008 Awards to be hosted by the Cross River State Government. He later allegedly struck an agreement with the Lagos State Government for US$7.5 million but the awards were not staged until 2010 in Burkina Faso. At those awards brothers PSquare were named Artiste of the Year and were awarded a cash prize of $1 million but the prize was not forthcoming.
The 2015 awards were to be held 13 December in Namibia and a launch event was held in Namibia in May 2015. They were postponed to March 2016 and Adjovi was paid N$23,5 million. The awards did not take place and the whereabouts of Adovi is unknown. Namibia is trying to recover the money.
Since its inception, the KORA Awards has been staged eleven times on the African Continent. For the first ten years (1996-2005 - 9 Awards), the ceremony took place in South Africa. It has since moved to Burkina Faso (2010) and Côte d’Ivoire (2012).
Winners have come from many different countries: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Comores, Côte d'Ivoire = Ivory Coast, Republic of the Congo = Congo, England, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, île de la Reunion, Kenya, Mali, Mauitius, Morocco, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Réunion, Rwanda, Senegal, Seyschelles, South Africa, Sweden, Tchad, Togo, Uganda, United States and Zimbabwe.

## Winners

Source:
| Award | Winner | Award | Winner | Award | Winner | Award | Winner |
| 1996 ||||||||
| Best Male Artist of Africa | Youssou N'Dour (Senegal) | Best Male Artist of Africa | Papa Wemba (DRC) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Miriam Makeba (South Africa) | Most promising Male Artist of Africa | Lokua Kanza (DRC) |
| Most promising Female Artist of Africa | Brenda Fassie (South Africa) | Best Artist of North Africa | Cheb Mami (Algeria) | Best Artist of West Africa | Meiway (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Artist of Central Africa | Awilo Logomba (DRC) |
| Best Musician of Africa | Bheki Mseleku (South Africa) | Best Group of Africa | Bayete (South Africa) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Denzil Waela (South Africa) | LifeTime Achievement Award | Miriam Makeba (South Africa) |
| 1997 ||||||||
| Best Male Artist of Africa | Ismael Lo (Senegal) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Angélique Kidjo (Benin) | Most promising Male Artist of Africa | Cheikh Lô (Senegal) | Most promising Female Artist of Africa | Khadja Nin (Burundi) |
| Best Male Artist of North Africa | Cheb Khaled (Algeria) | Best Female Artist of West Africa | Cesaria Evora (Cape Verde) | Best Artist of Central Africa | Awilo Logomba (DRC) | Best Male Artist of East Africa | Ziskakan (île de la Reunion) |
| Best Artist of Diaspora Europe / Caribbean | Edith Lefel (France) | Best Traditional Artist of Africa | Angélique Kidjo (Benin) | Best Traditional Group of Africa | Nigui Saff K-Dance (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Boncana Maïga (Mali) |
| 1999 ||||||||
| Best Male Artist of Africa | Femi Kuti (Nigeria) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Brenda Fassie (South Africa) | Most promising Male Artist of Africa | Axel Govinda (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Artist of North Africa | Takfarinas (Algeria) |
| Best Male Artist of West Africa | Femi Kuti (Nigeria) | Best Artist of Central Africa | Bozi Boziana (DRC) | Best Artist of East Africa | Khadja Nin (Burundi) | Best Artist from Southern Africa | Ringo (South Africa) |
| Best Artist of Diaspora USA | Lauryn Hill (United States) | Best Artist of Diaspora Europe / Caribbean | Natali Lorio (France) | Best Group of Africa | Bisso Na Bisso (Congo) | Best Traditional Group of Africa | Nigui Saff K-Dance (Côte d'Ivoire) |
| Best Arrangement | Bisso Na Bisso (Congo) | Best Video | Bisso Na Bisso (Congo) | Lifetime Achievement Award Michael Jackson (USA) |
| 2000 ||||||||
| Best Male Artist of Africa | Wes (Cameroon) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Zenzi (South Africa) | Most promising Male Artist of Africa | Kaysha (DRC) | Most promising Female Artist of Africa | Zenzi (South Africa) |
| Best Male Artist of West Africa | Kojo Antwi (Ghana) | Best Male Artist of Central Africa | André Marie Tala (Cameroon) | Best Male Artist of East Africa | Jean Marc Volcy (Seychelles) | Best Male Artist from Southern Africa | jabu khanyile (South Africa) |
| Best Artist of Diaspora USA | Sisqo (USA) | Best Group of Africa | Extra Musica (Congo) | Best Traditional Artist of Africa | King Mensah (Togo) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Valerie Kimani (Kenya) |
| LifeTime Achievement Award | Kofi Annan (Ghana) | Best Video of Africa | Wes (Cameroon) |
| 2001 ||||||||
| Most promising Female Artist of Africa | Rokia Traoré (Mali) | Best Artist of North Africa | Rhany Kabbadj (Morocco) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Coumba Gawlo (Senegal) | Best Male Artis of Africa | Werrason (DRC) |
| Best Artist of Southern Africa | Mandoza (South Africa) | Best Artist of Diaspora USA | Bebe Winans (USA) | Best Group of Africa | Bongo Maffin (South Africa) | Best Female Artist of West Africa | Coumba Gawlo (Senegal) |
| Best Video of Africa | Sawt el Atlas (Morocco) | Jury Special Award | Brenda Fassie (South Africa) | Best Traditional Artist of Africa | Meiway (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Yvonne Chaka Chaka (South Africa) |
| Most promising Male Artist of Africa | Ernie Smith (Côte d'Ivoire) | Most Promising Female Artist of Africa | Felia Mballo (Senegal) | Best Female Artist of East Africa | Sandra Mayotte (Mauritius) | Jury Special Award | Awilo Logomba (DRC) |
| 2002 |
| Most promising Female Artist of Africa | Annie-Flore Batchiellilys (Gabon) | Most promising Male Artist of Africa | Blak Twang (England) | Best Artist of East Africa | Eric Wainaina and Henrie Mutuku (Kenya) | Best Group of Africa | Makoma (DRC) |
| Best Arrangement of Africa | Meyway (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Male Artist of Central Africa | Koffi Olomidé (DRC) | Best Female Artist of West Africa | Suzanna Lubrano (Cape Verde) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Judith Sephuma (South Africa) |
| Best Traditional Artist of Africa | King Ayaovi Mensah (Togo) | Best Artist of Diaspora USA | Shaggy (USA) | Best Video of Africa | Koffi Olomidé (DRC) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Koffi Olomidé (DRC) |
| Jury Special Award | Koffi Olomidé (DRC) |
| 2003 ||||||||
| Best Artist – West Africa – Male | Kojo Antwi (Ghana) | Best Artist – West Africa – Female | Suzanna (Cape Verde) | Best Artist – East Africa – Male | George Okudi (Uganda) | Best Artist – East Africa – Female | Chamsia Sagaf (Comores) |
| Best Artist – Central Africa – Male | Douleur (Cameroon) | Best Artist – Central Africa – Female | Mbilia Bel & Tshala Muana (R.D.Congo) | Best Artist – Southern Africa – Male | Oliver Mtukudzi ( Zimbabwe) | Best Artist – Southern Africa – Female | Busi Mhlongo(South Africa) |
| Best Artist Or Group Traditional | Machesa Traditional Group (Botswana) | Best African Group | Quartier Latin International (D.R. Congo) & nti-Palu (Ivory Coast) | Best African Video | Jeff Maluleke ( South Africa) | Best African Arrangement | Yvonne Chaka Chaka (South Africa) |
| Best African Gospel Female Artist | Rebecca (South Africa) | Best African Gospel Male Artist | Lundi (South Africa) | Best African Gospel Group | Notre Dame de la Salette (Gabon) | Most Promising African Female Artist | Barbara Kanam (D.R.Congo) |
| Most Promising African Male Artist | Jean-Paul Samputu (Rwanda) | Most Promising African Group | Macase (Cameroon) | Revelation Of The Year | Eben & Family (Gabon) | Most Promising Artist of the African American Diaspora | Ludacris (USA) |
| Best Female Artist of the African American Diaspora | Angie Stone (USA) | Best Male Artist of the African American Diaspora | R Kelly (USA) | Best Video of the African American Diaspora | R Kelly (USA) | Life Time Achievement Award | Oliver Mtukudzi (Zimbabwe) |
| Europe/ Caribbean Diaspora | Avalon (Mohombi & Djo Moupondo) (Sweden) | Special Judge Award | Soumbil (Ivory Coast) & Notre Dame de la salette (Gabon) |
| 2004 ||||||||
| Best Traditional Artiste | King Mensah (Togo) | Best West African Female | Kamaldine (Guinea) | Best West African Male | Kunle (Nigeria) | Best African Group | JJC&419 Squad (Nigeria) |
| Best African Video | Reggie Rockstone (Ghana) | Best Gospel Group | Schekina (Ivory Coast) | Promising Male Artist | Madson Junior (Burkina Faso) | Best East African Female | Achieng Abura (Kenya) |
| Best East African Male | Big Pin (Kenya) | Best Gospel Male Artist | Kunle (Nigeria) DNG (Kenya) | Best East African Female | Tsedenia Gebremarkos (Ethiopia) | Best Central African Male | Félix Wazekwa (DRC) & Werrason (DRC) |
| Best Male African Artist | Werrason (DRC) | Promising Female Artist | Dinally (Cameroon) | Best S.A. Male Artist | Kabelo Mabalane (South Africa) | Best S.A. Female Artist | Thandiswa Mazwai (South Africa) |
| Best African Group | Malaika (South Africa) | Best Gospel Female | Deborah Fraser (South Africa) | Best Traditional Group | Mahube (South Africa) | Promising Female Artist | Swazi (South Africa) |
| Best African Video | Zola (South Africa) | Best Arrangement | Wanda Baloyi (South Africa) | Revelation of the Year | Malaika (South Africa) | Best African Female | Thandiswa Mazwai (South Africa) |
| 2005 ||||||||
| Best Male Artist of Africa | Hugh Masekela (South Africa) | Best Female Artist of Africa | Adja Soumano (Mali) | Most Promising Male Artist of Africa | 2 Face Idibia (Nigeria) | Most Promising Female Artist of Africa | Kaz (Kenya) |
| Best Male Artist of West Africa | Martin Hod (Benin) | Best Male Artist of West Africa | Neji (Nigeria) | Best Female Artist of West Africa | Zeinab (Benin) | Best Female Artist of Central Africa | Naneth (Gabon) |
| Best Female Artist of East Africa | Neema (Kenya) | Best Male Artist of East Africa | Alain Auriant (Mauritius) | Best Video of Africa | Afrotenors (South Africa) | Best Group of West Africa and Africa | Ade Bantu (Nigeria) |
| Best Group of East Africa | Longombas (Kenya) | Best Female Artist of Southern Africa | Perola (Angola) | Best Group of West Africa | Praye (Ghana) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Toumani Diabate (Mali) |
| Best Artiste of Diaspora USA | Will Smith (USA) | Best Male Artist of Central Africa | Werrason (DRC) | Best Artist of Diaspora Europe / Caribbean | Kaysha (France) | Best Gospel Group of Africa | Maximum Melodies (Kenya) |
| Best Female Artist of West Africa | Adja Soumano (Mali) | LifeTime Achievement Award | Koffi Olomide (DRC) |
| 2010 ||||||||
| Best Female Artist of Africa | Asa (Nigeria) | Best Traditional Artist of Africa | Bassekou Kouyate (Mali) | Best Ragga Group of Africa | Chronik 2H (Senegal) | Best Group of Diaspora Europe / Caribbean | Mc Malcriado (Cape Verde) |
| Best Reggae Artist of Africa | King Wadada (Nigeria) | Best Traditional Group of Africa | Ladysmith Black Mambazo (South Africa) | Best Arrangement of Africa | Toumani Diabate (Mali) | Best Male Artist of Africa | P Square (Nigeria) |
| Best Gospel Male Artist of Africa | Sammie-Okposo (Nigeria) | Best Hip Hop Artist of Africa | Smockey (Burkina Faso) | Best Reggae Artist of Africa | Sasha Marley (Ghana) | Most Promising Female Artist of Africa | Chidinma (Nigeria) |
| Best Gospel Female Artist of Africa | Noellie (Togo) | LifeTime Achievement Award | Pierre Akendegue (Gabon) | LifeTime Achievement Award | Cesaria Evora (Cape Verde) | Best Gospel Group of Africa | Black Diamond (Senegal) |
| Best Group of Africa | P Square (Nigeria) | Best Video of Africa | P Square (Nigeria) | Best Female Artist of Diaspora Europe/Carrebean | Felia (Senegal) | Best Female Artist of Diaspora USA | Alicia Keys (Kenya) |
| 2012 ||||||||
| Best Artist of Africa | DJ Arafat (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Traditional Female Artist of Africa | Aida Samb (Senegal) | Best Artist of North Africa | Cheb Khaled (Algeria) | Best Female Artist of West Africa | Chidinma (Nigeria) |
| Most Promising Male Artist of Africa | Davido (Nigeria) | Best Female Artist of North Africa | Hasna El Necharia (Algeria) | Best Female Artist of East Africa | Juliana Kanyomozi (Uganda) | Best Male Artist of East Africa | Kidum (Burundi) |
| Best Male Artist of Central Africa | Lord Ekomy Ndong (Gabon) | Best Male Artist of West Africa | DJ Arafat (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Female Artist of Central Africa | Mounira Mitchala (Tchad) | Best Gospel Group of Africa | Seraphim Songs (Burundi) |
| Best Gospel Male Artist of Africa | Yvan(Benin) | Best Female Artist of Southern Africa | Zahara (South Africa) | Best Group of Africa | Magic Systeme (Côte d'Ivoire) | Best Female Artist of Diaspora Europe/Caribbean | Sega El (Reunion) |
| Most Promising Female Artist of Africa | Sessime (Benin) | Best Traditional Male Artist of Africa | Stanlux (Togo) | Best Male/Group of Diaspora Europe/Caribbean | Sexion D'Assaut (France) | Best Male Artist of Diaspora USA | Chris Brown (USA) |
| Best Female Artist of Diaspora USA | Rihanna (USA) | Best Traditional Group of Africa | Les Freres Guedehoungue (Benin) | Best Director of Africa | Gelongal (Senegal) | Best Male Artist of Southern Africa | The Dogg (Namibia) |
| Best Gospel Female Artist of Africa | Soeur Lydie (DRC) | | | | | | |