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Dear Elvas Mari
How are you my brother? I hope you are well and looking forward to a great ceremony at the upcoming National Arts Merit Awards. I am also looking forward to the ceremony with anticipation.You see my brother, Elder Zex has not been able to attend the ceremony since you made it a strictly-by-invitation event. I make sure that I watch the ceremony on television and I am happy that ZTV broadcasts most of the ceremonies.
Sometimes I feel sorry for you when you are bombarded by critics for various shortcomings after the event.
I always sympathise with you. It should be a trying time for you. I know you were not amused last year when guys from H-Metro picked you for their “Mampara of the Week” award.
You tried to explain what it takes to have those awards. It is not easy to make everyone happy and I know you do your best to come up with the best at the ceremony.
Your organisation has been consistent in bringing us Nama and it is encouraging that you took the ceremony to Bulawayo twice.
I hope you will also take it to my home province in Manicaland and hold the ceremony in Mutare. I hope you will also take it to other big cities. People in some parts of the country also want to experience the Nama feel.
Elder Zex hears many people commenting about the awards after watching them on television.
It would be great to take the ceremony to other towns and give people a chance to feel the vibe in their background. I know you have a challenge of resources. Just hoping some corporates will chip in to make the ceremony more exciting.
Well, Mr Mari, the main purpose for this letter is to remind you to put everything in place before and during the ceremony.
As I said before, I always sympathise with you when people hammer you left, right and centre for shortcomings of the ceremony.
Some have already begun questioning this year’s list of nominees, but I will not dwell on that.
I am just waiting for the day to see how the ceremony goes. A friend promised me an invitation card this year and I am excited. I am really looking forward to the awards.
If I do not get the invitation, I hope to see the ceremony live on television. I know you will put your usual effort to have it broadcast live.
I also want to have my say after the awards and I am hoping to see them at the venue or on TV.
It is unfortunate that during my days as an active singer, I never got a nomination. I know there were better musicians and they deserved the nominations and awards. I never felt robbed. I was always happy for those that won. I am also happy for those that were nominated this year.
I encourage you to do thorough preparations. Do not expose yourself to criticism over things that you can control.
Elder Zex knows that it will not be easy for people to agree on the outcome of the awards. It is the norm across the world. People never agree on winners because they have different favourite artists.
Do not worry when people nail you for the outcome. Be very worried when people question the flow and organization of the ceremony.
Just try to make it as smooth as possible. We do not want to see you as a ‘mampara’ again. Do your groundwork and make the ceremony memorable. I am looking forward to an exciting Nama ceremony.
Elder Zex is a multi-talented artiste and arts critic
Online Reporter