By Mariam Williams
Wah Sa Halat is set to hold its 5th edition of the annual entertainment awards today, Friday, 31 January, 2020 at the Paradise Suites Hotel’s Pencha Mi Hall.
The Award is believed to be the most successful entertainment talk show since its inception in 2012. It has successfully brought together all the stakeholders in the entertainment industry in a way that puts them on the right position to host a truly authentic Gambian entertainment awards.
Speaking at a press conference, Sally Njie (sista Njie), CEO and Founder of the Wah Sah Halat, said they are a group of professionals looking way ahead, and that this year’s award is going to be bigger and better because it’s the fifth awards night.
According to Sista Njie, Wah Sa Halat is organised by a company called Brown Plus, adding that, this event is going to create opportunities for all the artists and presenters that are part of it, and also employment opportunities.“Companies think that they are doing us a favour, they don’t see this as a way forward for all of us,” she opined.
She pointed out that, they are facing challenges because organising such big awards is not easy. “We want artists to be flying when coming to the awards but is challenging; also getting Sponsorship and partnering are another challenges for them.
“The award will continue even if there is no financial support, because when we started money wasn’t our problem,” the CEO maintained.
For an artist’s song to be qualified as song of the year, “the song has to be original and it should not be a cover song.
“Don’t work for the award. You have a career to play with or without the award,” Sista Njie added.
She said people shouldn’t be misled by saying that their votes don’t count. “Every vote counts, be it online or via sms. Votes come in 50% and judges 50% and the selections starts from the fans,”she informed the public, through the media.
Xmyls, an organising committee member, said without the media, the music industry would not have been where it is today, noting that nomination is not all about winning. He encouraged that “every nominee is a winner”, adding that one’s song being on the first five top songs, “that alone makes you a winner”. He acknowledged that media plays a vital role in passing on information, and he said they appreciate that.
Queeny B, another Organising Committee member, said: “In every competition, there must be a winner and a loser; but in this competition, every nominee is a winner and to be nominated is up to the individual and the work ethics”.
Charreh Sanneh of the Organising Committee noted that this year the print and online media are part of the nominees because last year “we received a complaint that they should be part of the nominees”.
