LET'S HOPE THIS WILL CONTINUE...Entertainment Society: The first Celtel Luso Awards by Herbert Chandilanga, 11 February 2006 - 05:21:31 Way before it came, the Celtel Luso Awards Gala Night had been eagerly anticipated. For long, people held their breaths and kept fingers crossed. The story of the night made rounds in most of Blantyre City’s corners.
Now when it came on the night of February 3, it rolled in with fairly standard heat. The Mount Soche car park was filled to capacity.
Perhaps people’s response to the gala night could partly be measured by the large number of patrons that couldn’t find a place to sit. Those who came after 8:00PM, just less than 40 minutes from the start of the show, were sure to stand as almost all the seats had been occupied.
Apart from the similarity that, just like the Entertainers of the Year, Luso Awards aims at honouring talent that entertains people throughout the year, some differences could be noted at a glance.
For example, this year’s awards were partly modelled like many international awards, like the Grammys, where only the best is awarded among a list of nominees.

The Awards

First to get the honours was the fortress of the current theatre era, Gertrude Kamkwatira and her Wanna-Do Ensemble Theatre. Their Play, Betrayed, was voted the best in the year over Nanzikambe’s Playing With Food and TVM’s Tikuferanji while their outfit scooped the dignity of best drama group of the year ahead of Nanzikambe, Kwathu Drama Group and Mwambo Arts Theatre.
And accepting the honours, Kamkwatira let go a dose of jokes that left the room infected with laughter.
But Bonnie Kalindo, popularly known as Winiko, was not to be beaten to the title of Best Actor of the Year at the hands of the likes of Kwathu’s John Nyanga and Wanna-Do’s Gift Namachekecha and Gertrude Kamkwatira. The splendid comedy he staged on the night was a sure sign he deserved the crown.
Second in line were the media awards where it was announced some contenders had sunk so low as to rig their way to honours. But after the judges had separated wheat from chaff, the Best Radio Personality of the Year was MBC Radio One’s Albert Mungomo who soared over 102.5 FM’s threesome of Kenwood Kharika, Kennedy Nkombezi and Brian Banda .
Beating colleagues Thomas Chafunya, Kelvin Moyo and Tamara Mkandawire, the accolade of Best Television Personality of the Year deservingly went to Benedicto Mbewe who plies his trade on the Zamakolo programme under the name ‘Ambewe’.
The pint-sized personality, who some judge branded ‘vertically challenged’ had to wait for the mic to be adjusted so he could thank the fans who supported him to the reigns of glory.
Nation Publication’s dominated the Best Print Journalist of the Year race with three of its reporters––sports analyst Garry Chirwa, and news analysts Mabvuto Banda and Zainah Liwanda making it to the list of three top nominations. But it was the multi-award winning Chirwa who was at it again, bringing his tally of awards to taller than his modest stature.
The music category had its own surprises. Out of the nominees for the Secular Musician of the Year eminence––sensational Thomas Chibade, Mlaka Maliro, Lawrence Mbejere, Lucius Banda and Billy Kaunda––Kaunda was to carry the day amid cheers from the patrons.
Some patrons could not help but stare at Chibade in disbelief that despite the stir he had caused on the music scene with his too-hot-to-handle debut, Zatukusila, he did not win the best he deserved.
Equally surprising was the moment it was made known newcomer in the music limelight, Collins ‘Amfumu’ Bandawe, had his song Maluzi fly higher than its contenders––most of which could have been Chibade’s tracks–– to get the Song of the Year award.
Musician of the Year in the Gospel category went to Grace Chinga–Moffat who outdid names like Frank Chimpanzi, and Wambali Mkandawire.
The Band of the Year bliss could not escape the youthful Black Missionaries who over the recent years tormented music lovers with intoxicating and arresting reggae vibes.
In the sports category, celebrated female athlete Catherine Chikwakwa was all smiles when she emerged Best Athlete of the Year, beating the likes of Henry Moyo and Susan Tengatenga.
Experience proved what it is worth in the netball world when veteran and evergreen Mary Ng’oma–Waya came out the Best Netballer of the Year.
Young sensation Joseph Kamwendo, whose clever footwork is taking him far and wide in football circles, was in absentia crowned Best Footballer of the Year. It was no fluke for the tender talent who has just been offered a four-year contract by a top club in Denmark.
The country’s soccer giants Big Bullets once again reigned supreme and got away with the Best Football Team of the Year honours.
Best Sports Personality of the Year was none other than Walter Nyamilandu, a man who gave the country’s rocking world of soccer his own shoulder to lean on––helping the fraternity source sponsorship for the Fam Cup and Super League.
To crown it all was the Lifetime Achiever category introduced to honour a personality that has over the years been recognised as having talent or social contribution to the benefit of the nation. And it was Wambali Mkandawire whose contributions through music won the accolade.
Then it was a time of fun and happiness. The Judges Dance Troupe that mesmerised patrons, is taking the art of dancing to another level. They are fast making a name for themselves.
They come dancing in their imposing style. They bend, move and twist in captivating unison––their moves perfectly timed and conditioned to the pulse of a thundering drum. The result is a collection of crisp and tight moves that leave patrons amazed.
The Judges got nothing less than a deserved, nice applause from all the corners of the nicely lit hall.
When his time came, Wambali ‘Mtebeti’ Mkandawire wanted to remind patrons of the road he has walked to the glory he stands in today. His Manyasa band, which seems to have been spoiled by Mtebeti’s own music magic, helped him take patrons back to the good old days.
Among other songs, he did Mbalame, all to the delight of the faces and souls that filled the hall.
Matumbi Vibrations had some magic up their sleeve and when they let it go in their Afro-Jazz style, heads shook and feet tapped to the bass and drum.

Future of the awards

While some people were enjoying the awards, others were looking ahead at the future of the awards.
Luso Awards Chairperson Geoffrey Kazembe saw a lot of potential in the country’s artists. He observed that there was abundant talent that should be rewarded and that the awards on the night were one of the many ways in which the artists could be honoured and encouraged to do more.
Master of Ceremonies, Patrick Kamkwatira, challenged that in a year or two, the Luso Awards could grow to somewhere near Kora Awards. He might not be wrong, evidenced by the stylish trophies, big money and huge honour. This is a sure promise that a journey to better days has started with a humble leap.
And those that have missed the 2005 honours––mainly those who thought recognition could come via rigging and so on––should really shed tears, endless tears.
With each of the winners in their category carting home a cheque for K80, 000, it must be a sure thorn in the flesh to those who could not make it to the winners’ podium.
Celtel Malawi Managing Director David Hunter said the event was a great moment in the history of arts and culture in Malawi.
“I’m very delighted to witness this milestone and to be part of the organisation that made it happen,” he mused.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Jafali Mussa, observed that the awards were a pedestal for self employment in the country, saying arts have a potential to reduce levels of unemployment in the country.

So others rigged?

Some things never seem to end. Revelations from the panel of judges that there was massive attempts by some quarters to rig awards was one of those things.
After a watertight screening process, the chief judge Anne Magola said the panel found a sickening 46 bogus nominations sent through short messaging service (SMS) from one phone number yet with different names in support of a print journalist who works for a weekly paper as an editor.
Another misguided soul from the country’s only television station ––Television Malawi––sent 20 suspicious letters from one post station. Some even sent multiple nominations on one person from the same e-mail address.
And, according the judges, one radio personality had a whole class his wife teaches vote for him, a thing that led to his disqualification.
“The task was really tough but I’m glad I had a very good team that proved to be professional and non partisan. There were a lot of bogus votes. It took the competence of these able judges to discover this act promptly to avoid being misled by such votes. We had to be professional so as to convince Celtel to come again next year.
Magola beckoned artists to work hard and get the awards of excellence.
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