The Africa4U Song of The Year Online Awards for New and Upcoming Nigerian Artists is organised each year by Tony Tokunbo Fernandez- Published Writer, Compere, Mentor, Public Speaker and Radio Presenter and Producer for Africa4U Radio Show.

The aim of the awards is to encourage, empower and inspire upcoming Nigerian artists in various parts of the world who are not only talented and driven, but who are potential Role Models for the future.

Thirteen Artists were nominated for the awards which took place on Tuesday the 11^th of June at 6pm, their songs were aired on Africa4u radio Show hosted by Tony Fernandez and listeners from all over the world began to send in their votes by text.

The nominees were:

1. TJ SPOON- FOURFINGAZ –
2. PRINCE PINTINZ
3. JOY IDASO –
4. FAME-
5. KOREDE BELLO-
6. NG ONYEAKWU-
7. OLUWAFEMI ODURU –
8. FO- GBELE MO
9. OLUBOGU KINGZMEN –
10. PRINCE NSOOR- UNITY
11. ISRAEL ONORIODE-
12. SIR NOTIE- SOMI SOMI
13,. C R H Y M E

The Winner of The Awards was Prince Pintinz (birth name: Osasre FranklinAgbonzikilo ) a talented singer, comedian, songwriter and performer from Beninn City Nigeria.

He kicked of his singing at the early age of 11 as a chorister in a new convenant gospel church in Calabar and later became the music director in Glorious light pavillion, Benin City.

After his huge impact in the south south music industry in 2012 with his hit single “Bend down low”

He is a graduate of Geology at The University of Benin and is now studying his Masters in Petroleum Geology at The same University.

Pintinz is also going to be Mentored by the organiser of The Awards- Tony Fernandez for the next 12 months and will also be working alongside other nominees who took part in the contest.

MORE GREAT SHOWS COMING YOUR WAY ON AFRICA4U, IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS INCLUDING GREAT GUESTS LIKE MR Deji Yusuf (MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER AND PUBLISHED AUTHOR), Dr-Dickson Aleroh (MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER AND PROFOUND ENTREPRENEUR), Mufalo Akayombokwa (READING BASED LECTURER AND ROLE MODEL), MRS Cecily Mugo (PUBLISHED AUTHOR, COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR AND PRESIDENT OF UTULIVU WOMEN, READING), MR Robert Ntefon (PASTOR, RELATIONSHIP COACH AND PUBLISHED AUTHOR). MR ALOK SHARMA (MP FOR READING) AND SO MUCH MORE.
AFRICA4U IS THE RADIO SHOW FOR AFRICANS AROUND THE WORLD, TO LISTEN TO US LIVE EVERY TUESDAY AT 6PM, LOG ON TO WWW.READING4U.CO.UK

THE HEAT IS ON, ITS TIME TO CELEBRATE TRUE TALENT, GREAT ROLE MODELS AND THE MUSICAL LEADERS OF TOMORROW
THE VISION OF NIGERIA GOES BEYOND THE IMAGE OF A NATION, IT ALSO ENTAILS THE IMPRESSION WE MAKE ON OTHERS
THE AFRICA4U SONG OF THE YEAR ONLINE AWARDS FOR NEW AND UPCOMING NIGERIAN ARTISTS IS BEING ORGANISED TO ENCOURAGE, EMPOWER AND INSPIRE UPCOMING NIGERIAN ARTISTS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD. 
NEXT WEEK TUESDAY THE 11TH OF JUNE 2013 AT 6PM, I WILL BE PLAYING THE MUSIC OF THIRTEEN NIGERIAN PARTICIPANTS/NOMINEES FOR THE AFRICA4U SONG OF THE YEAR AWARDS FOR NIGERIAN ARTISTS.
THESE ARTISTS HAVE BEEN SELECTED BASED ON THEIR ORIGINALITY AND PROFOUND CONTENT.
THEY INCLUDE THE LIKES OF Fame Daniel Atuah, Fombo Olumayowa , Phemz Oluwafemi Oduru, TJ Spoon Prince Franklin Agbonzikilo Pintinz, Olubogu Kingzmen Petwyz, Joy Igbelabo, Prince Ifediba Chidalu Nsofor, Korede Bello inspired by Casmir Casper, NG Onyeukwu Master Ngizzy, Enotie Paul Ogbebor, Bradley Iy (YOUNG CHRYME) and Israel Onoriode
CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEARS NOMINEES FOR AFRICA4U SONG OF THE YEAR ONLINE AWARDS TAKING PLACE ON TUESDAY THE 11TH OF JUNE
TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW, ON TUESDAY THE 11TH OF JUNE 2013 AT 6PM, LOG ON TO – WWW.READING4U.CO.UK – (VOTES CAN BE MADE BY TEXTING THE NAME OF THE ARTIST TO 447882809005

The Beautiful thing about Life is that Secrets have no hiding place. What we do in the dark, is soon revealed by light and the bullets of Karma always catch up with those who embezzle bad thoughts and intentions into the empty arms of a false dream.

A Secret is put to shame when its presence is revealed by light and then there becomes no hiding place. A Secret has no home, it is always running, moving and hiding. – nothing is hidden under the sun.

Over thirty years ago, I became friends with a boy called Solomon in a faraway village in Northern Nigeria. Each day we would take long walks together through paths of hot sands for miles. There was nothing that my ears did not hear, the stories were endless. I heard of men in rich clothing who had brought nations to a standstill and stolen the secrets of other nations. I heard the stories of politician, pastors, masquerades and married women and all the time, I did not have to be told that these secrets were for my ears only. I promised him that I would not reveal “The Great Secrets”

I felt the pain, the grief, the fear and the guilt, but each time, I kept on saying “You better come out and reveal yourself, Life is short”, But he never listened,

We bathed together, we ate together, we laughed together and we fought together and there were times I even had to defend Solomon in public.

I knew that Solomon was living on borrowed time and so one day, I decided to tell him a story.

On this day we did not walk through the paths of hot sand but we went in the opposite direction and ended up in the outskirts of the buzzing town of Azare in a little kiosk that sold the best fried yam, plantain and fresh fish. It was towards the end of the school term and I had saved up money for this treat. I was worried for Solomon, he was a boy with potential.

As we sat by the table, I pulled my stool towards him and waited for Mama Benji to finish serving us. She stared at us repeatedly. The food smelt nice and fresh. I was Solomon’s only friend.

I leaned forward preparing to tell my friend what he needed to hear, but before I could open my mouth, the unexpected happened. It happened so quickly and felt like a dream. A Big Black Jeep pulled outside Mama Benjis Kiosk. The tyres screeched on the concrete and I nearly fell of my chair and landed on the ground. Two armed men with white masks came out of the car and dashed towards Solomon. Mama Benji began to scream. They grabbed both of his arms and smashed his head against the wall. They threw him into the boot of the Jeep and drove off. . I never saw Solomon again. That day when I got back to my room, I cried for hours beneath the loneliness of my warm blanket, I felt as if a part of me had been taken away and I dreaded the feeling of facing the music each day would bring. The mood of the evening was strange, it suddenly felt like a new season overwhelmed with a dry spell of sadness.. Each day I prayed that I would meet Solomon again. That night when I slept, I dreamt of him chasing me round the dormitory. It was pitch dark and all the Seniors were fast asleep. I screamed and screamed but no one woke up. His eyes were filled with fury. I will never forget that day

I never saw Solomon again, but I still think about those secrets because these are Secrets that help to govern nations.

BY TONY TOKUNBO FERNANDEZ

• THE READING4U COMMUNITY CONCERT & AFTER PARTY SHALL BE TAKING PLACE ON SATURDAY THE 27TH OF APRIL AT 2PM THIS ANNUAL FREE EVENT IS AIMED AT PROMOTING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CULTURAL AWARENESS AMONGST VARIOUS COMMUNITIES IN THE READING AREA AND OTHER PARTS OF THE SOUTH EAST OF THE UK. THE EVENT TAKES PLACE AT THE WAREHOUSE, 1A CUMBERLAND ROAD IN READING,  BERKSHIRETHIS I ALSO A FUND RAISING EVENT FOR READING4U COMMUNITY RADIO STATION AND ALTHOUGH IT IS A FREE EVENT, DONATIONS ARE ENCOURAGED TO HELP SUPPORT THE OUR COMMUNITY RADIO STATION WHICH REPRESENTS THE VOICE AND THE DIVERSITY OF THE COMMUNITY.THE EVENT IS ALSO AIMED AT CELEBRATING THE GREAT WORK OF ROLE MODELS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS, MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS,BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS, CREATIVE ARTISTS, SINGERS, POETS, PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO LIFECOME AND ENJOY LIVE MUSIC BY VARIOUS ARTISTS, MOTIVATIONAL TALKS, POETRY, AFRICAN DRUMMING AND SO MUCH MOREMC/COMPERE AND MAIN ORGANISER-TONY TOKUNBO FERNANDEZ FUND RAISING DONATIONS- JAMES CROWTHER SOUND TECHNICAN- CHRIS GAYLEPERFORMING ARTISTS TJ SPOON JOY AND THE 4 SEASONS BAND- GOSPEL MUSIC PINTINZ- WINNER AFRICA4U AWARDS & AFRICA4U AMBASSADOR ETHEL ELAKA GONDIWE- UK BASED ZAMBIAN ARTIST RAPHAEL OBRIKE AND HIS BAND- READING BASED MUSICIAN ISRAEL ONORIODE AND HIS BAND – READING BASED MUSICIAN FRANCIA – READING BASED FEMALE ARTIST CNERGY – READING BASED ROCK ARTIST KAFY SHIYNE- AFROBEAT FEMALE ARTIST GEORGE EHONDER- AFROBEAT ARTIST MALCOLM EFFIONG- URBAN MUSIC MANY MANY MORE SPEAKERS MR WINSTON ELLIS- BRITISH BORN FILM STAR DR NKEM JOHNSON – SPEAKER, AUTHOR AND CONSULTANT DR ALEROH CECILY MWANIKI- UTULIVU WOMENS GROUP NGOZI FAKEYE- AFRICANS UNITE MS CHERMiIAH – CEO OF HART CULTURE JOSHUA – PRIDE OF READING- YOUNG PERSON OF THE YEAR- CLAIRE – ANGELS CHARITY OF READING AND WOKINGHAM DES O CONNOR- UKS NUMBER 1 BLACK RELATIONSHIP COACH JACQUELINE WABARA- FOUNDER OF MISS NUBIAN FOUNDATION TONY CHARLES SPEAKER, MENTOR AND POET EBELE OBUMSELU – FREELANCE RESEARCH CONSULTANT   The Warehouse Community Centre, 1a Cumberland Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 3LB Postcode is RG1 3LB and it is situated on the A329 Eastbound close to Reading Town Centre, and Junction 10 of the M4. It is served by many buses and has a large car park for up to 70 cars.     THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK, PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS, HAVE FUN AND BE EMPOWERED BY GREAT ROLE MODELS MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO TH LIVES OF OTHERS THE EVENT IS ORGANISED BY TONY TOKUNBO FERNANDEZ-

For seven years, I had been travelling to work on the very same route and for most of the time, I found the journey dull, bleak and boring. In the last three years, i felt myself slowly embracing  a familiar sense of emptiness and I could not figure out why.

In all those years, I had not noticed the colourful energy of The beautiful trees and  their new language each morning and even the bright sun had given up on feeding me with its subtle rays of brightness.

I had not even noticed those smiling faces that greeted me wih the first fresh songs of the day- GOOD MORNING – even though the signs were clearly written in their eyes. I had become a prisoner in the puzzle of routine, I had become a lost passenger.

And then one day, as I got back from work, I saw a big signboard just before I could open my door-  the words on the sign board were bright and had been made out of light bulbs in different colours-  its read “if he sky is clearly blue, but you are seeing it in red, the chances are- its probably you- Change and Happiness starts from within- What matters is not what you see but how you see it”. I stood in silence and a whole new journey dawned on me- a journey i had not read in detail and yet, I knew i was not born to be a passenger.

The next morning when I woke up, I instinctively tok a different route to work, I took a slower route that had no shortcuts, I wanted to explore detail, I wanted to drink from nature and I wanted to be part of the music that danced in circles in the wind.

For the very first time, I began to take notice of the simplicities of warm signals I began to understand the language of the beautiful trees and the open secrets of the smiling sun.

On my long route to work, I now stopped and spoke with those strangers who had blessed me with smiles all along-  and as months passed by- thier story became part of their story, my story became part of their song and I began to understand how everything around us is connected.

I now only take that long route to work- even though I am now always late- but my boss of seven years does not mind- he would rather see me late than sad

written by Tony Tokunbo Fernandez

The pockets of the sky are dressed in Secrets

New riddles rise before the dawn

The lips of the clouds are completely  sealed

In profound programmed hesitation,

Our People say “When it rains- there is revelation”

Yet the Rain has been selfish for thirty days

Is it Me, Is it my People, Is ti the Rain?

Its time to look within

And until then  ………………..

The pockets of the Sky are dressed with secrets

WHO RAPED OUR SUNSHINE?

The fear was a tradition of torment

Of broken dreams from a thirsty mind

But somehow

Sunshine had managed to outplay Darkness

Avoiding each strain from the troubled storm

Fear had been raping Sunshine

Behind the hills on an open path

And the rivers kept quiet like they always do

Yet the evil mind began to laugh

Our sunshine has survived from a story

On a windy night in June

Her eyes reached out for glory

With a silver shield and a golden broom

Palm oil and pasta

The blend was awesome

A unique portrait filled with brilliant conversations

The boat was empty

Waiting for passengers that had accustomed new cultures

The Ocean . . .

My homeland of wisdom

A parent to many boats

Having sailed through many shores

Before the dawn had opened its mouth

Tonight my lips are sealed with palm oil and pasta

The liberal statement from a curious tongue

A tongue filled with oil

Oil that has kissed the skin of the land

Oil filled with blood

The blood of my people

With different strokes but a common cord

JUST A MOMENT

A little moment to myself

To breathe

And taste the fruits of this fresh air

To sing in the palace of my bathroom

And bathe my thoughts with the soaps of sweet proverbs

A little moment…

To cook a meal for a thousand people

To listen to the voices of a crying baby

And embrace the hearts of the elderly

A little moment to myself

To give and share

To feel and pray

Again and again

A little moment to myself

To breathe

Slowly

And rest upon the beeches that surround the Ocean

One moment

To touch

To grow

To kiss

And love

To say sorry to the people I have hurt

And thank you to those that make my day.