No MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) for 2011?

Following the addition of ‘World Wide Act’ category to the 2011 MTV European Music Awards (EMA), which saw nominations for African acts  for the Africa/ India/ Middle East regions,  I have been wondering if that means that the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) will not take place this year.

Voters in the Africa/ India/ Middle East regions had to chose between Nigeria’s Wizkid, Congo DR’s Fally Ipupa, Egyptian Abdelfattah Grini, Angolan Cabo Snoop, and South Africa’s  Black Coffee and Scribe for a representations in the final ceremony. After weeks of voting Big Bang won for the Asia Pacific region and advanced to the finals along with Abdelfattah Grini (Africa/India/Middle East), Lena (Europe), Restart (Latin America), and Britney Spears (North America).

It would be recollected that MTV started recognizing the works of African acts first on the MTV European Music Awards when the ‘Best African Act’ category was instituted in 2005 with 2face Idibia winning the nod. Freshly Ground won the award the following year and in 2007, Dbanj won the last nod before the MTV Africa Music Awards was launched.  The MAMA has been holding since 2008 and last year’s edition was held in Lagos, Nigeria.

However it is not clear whether the MAMA will hold this year since the usual buzz that leads to the main ceremony has been clearly missing.  It’s already the second week in November, and there are no signs nominations, Road to MAMA parties among others.  Has the MAMA been cancelled? Are we going back to the days of African acts competing for a single honour at the EMA or as it stood this year, competing with world acts?

Meanwhile, Korean group, Big Bang won the ‘World Wide Act’ award at Sunday’s MTV Europe Music Awards ceremony in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Here is the full list of winners:

Best Song: Lady Gaga – “Born This Way”

Best Video:  Lady Gaga – “Born This Way”        

Best Female: Lady Gaga

Best Male: Justin Bieber

Best New Act:  Bruno Mars

Best Pop: Justin Bieber

Best Rock: Linkin Park

Best Alternative:  30 Seconds to Mars

Best Hip-Hop: Eminem

Best Live Act: Katy Perry

Best World Stage performance: 30 Seconds to Mars

Best Push Act: Bruno Mars

Biggest Fans: Lady Gaga

Best Worldwide Act: Big Bang

Global Icon: Queen

MTV Voices Award: Justin Bieber