Senegal: Baaba Maal honoured by Music In Africa Foundation

The event was attended by Goethe-Institut Senegal director Philip Kueppers as well as well-known personalities and representatives of local and international media outlets.

Maal, who delivered the keynote address at the inaugural Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases (ACCES) in Dakar last year, was honoured with the award retrospectively at the second edition of the recently concluded ACCES conference in Nairobi, Kenya, alongside Kenyan musician and activist Eric Wainaina.

In Kenya, Music In Africa Foundation outgoing chairperson Aisha Deme accepted the award on Maal's behalf before taking the trophy back to Senegal.

"I have collected many awards and trophies throughout my career but this one has a very special place in my heart," Maal said upon receiving the award in his home country last week. "It is awarded by a group of people who believe in a united Africa and who have come together under the unifying name, the Music In Africa Foundation.

"I am also happy to share this honour with Eric, a brother and an exceptional artist for whom I have a huge respect. On occasions like this, I remember the words of president Nelson Mandela, inviting us artists from the continent to reach the hearts of Africans with our inspiring messages. I am happy that I am able to live by these words and to continue this mission."

Deme said: "It is a pleasure to present this trophy to Baba Maal, who beyond his remarkable career and great contribution to the African music industry is a giant of an artist with the ability to bring out the brightest and most beautiful things in our cultures and show them to the world.

"This superstar honoured us last year with the inaugural keynote speech at our ACCES conference, offering a lecture to the participants and music industry professionals who attended this important event. The speech was worthy of the world's leading universities and touched on the realities of the African music industry. It is for all these reasons that we are celebrating him today."

The Music In Africa Honorary Award will be awarded every year to African artists who have made immense contributions to the music and cultural industries in their countries and Africa as a whole.

The Goethe-Institut gathering also saw Deme officially hand over her title as Music In Africa Foundation chairperson to fellow Senegalese Maimouna Dembele. This after the Foundation’s new Board elected a chairperson, deputy chairperson and treasurer, also last week.