Nii Okai Picks Three Awards At Ceval

Nii Okai, one of Ghana?s up and coming gospel musicians took away three out of the 12 awards at this year?s Ceval Gospel Awards which came off at the main auditorium of the Royal House Chapel in Accra last Saturday.

The 29 year old musician of Moko Be fame took home the Best Inspirational Song, Best Worship Song as well as Best Music Video among other prizes which included mobile phones and ATL fabrics.

Speaking with Graphic Showbiz, Nii Okai said ?I feel blessed receiving all these awards. I see this as a challenge to improve myself in the gospel music industry.?

Noble Nketia, who won the Album of the Year Award together with other prizes like free telecast of his music videos on TV Africa, also earned a place to represent Ghana at a Christian Awards programme to be held in Benin later in the year.

The Ceval Gospel Awards, which is an offshoot of a non-competitive awards programme organised by Ceval Consult to honour various contributors to the development of gospel music in the country, had 12 different categories for last Saturday?s event.

The categories were meant for gospel musicians whose works were released between 2005 and 2006. Other award winners were Diana Asamoah for Best Prayer Song, Georgia Adjei for Best Praise Song and Ohemaa Mercy for Discovery of the Year.

The rest were Kwaku Gyasi for Best Male Artiste and Most Popular Song of the Year, Christiana Love for Best Female Artiste, the Winneba Youth Choir for Best Choral Group and Commissioned Family for Best Contemporary Group.

Special awards were given to Big Ben Music Productions, Channel R, Gabriel Arko and Jayne Buckman-Owoo for being Producer, Gospel Radio Station, Radio Presenter and Gospel Music Reporter of the Year respectively.

Although patronage was low and it started two hours later than scheduled time, the event was nonetheless exciting and entertaining for audience present in the well decorated auditorium.

The programme began on a rather solemn note with a prayer from one Rev. Antwi and brief remarks by gospel musician Diana Akiwumi and Rev. Cephas Amartey, CEO of Ceval Consult who were the organisers of the event, spiced up with music interlude from the Winneba Youth Choir.

However, an exciting performance from Josh Laryea got everyone in the dancing mood as most of the audience stood up to dance to songs like Mede Makoma and Minako Magbo.

Other performances that kept the atmosphere lively were from Tongues of Fire, Daughters of Glorious Jesus, Kweku Gyasi and Alabaster Box.

It was a night of both music and laughter when Adom FM??s Rev. Gabriel Ansah, who compered the event with TV Africa Newscaster, Dzifa Nkansa, created humour with every statement he made.

Rev. Ansah who presents Nasem University on the Tema-based station made jokes about the stereotype video clips of gospel musicians, branding them as ?uncreative and boring?, which sent people reeling with laughter.

He was however taken by surprise when he was presented with a special award for his immense contribution to the growth of gospel music and events in Ghana by Rev. Amartey.