Gospel award winners call for stronger industry support

Best female gospel artist Udochi Nwagboso and best gospel rap winner Leopold ‘Dee’A’ Vatilifa have called for greater opportunities, stronger industry structures and continued investment in Namibian gospel music.

The call follows the return of the Namibia Gospel Music Awards (Ngoma), which were held on Saturday at the University of Namibia’s Hage Geingob Campus in Windhoek, marking the third edition of the awards after a seven-year break.

For Nwagboso, the recognition was a sign that her work had made an impact despite periods of uncertainty.

“For me it is testament of the faithfulness of God that though sometimes delayed, its not denied with God. Both in the Ngomas making this amazing comeback after seven years, as well as for myself as an artist,” Nwagboso says.

She says receiving the award had reassured her that her music was reaching people.

“At times I’ve wondered if making music was having an impact but receiving this award is showing that indeed the work has produced great fruit,” she says.

Nwagboso says the growth of gospel music was also reflected in the increasing diversity of artists and their sounds.

“I think it shows an increase in creatives and the diversity of their sound. As a collective, artists are, therefore, able to reach wider audiences and relate the same gospel message through several distinct genres,” she says.

She says credibility would be important if the Ngomas were to maintain their value within the industry.

“I would say integrity and credibility add to the weight of the awards; making it something that as an artist, you’re proud to be a part of and as an industry we can stand behind,” Nwagboso says.

Vatilifa says his award represented recognition for a genre that has sometimes struggled for acceptance within gospel circles.

“Winning best gospel rap at the Ngomas means a lot more than just a trophy to me. It feels like validation for years of consistency,” he says.

“Gospel rap has always had to fight for its place in the gospel fraternity, many people still question if it’s ‘really gospel’,” he says.

He says the return of the awards after seven years made the recognition significant for younger artists who continued working despite limited platforms.

“It’s not just my win, it’s a win for every young gospel artist who kept pushing even when there was no stage to celebrate us,” Vatilifa says.

However, he says the industry still faced structural challenges, including limited gospel platforms, weak corporate investment, a lack of a united industry body and financial difficulties for independent artists.

“So we have the talent, but we don’t have the ecosystem,” Vatilifa says.

He says the Ngomas could help change this by connecting recognised artists to corporate and government opportunities.

“If [the] Ngomas positions its winners properly, corporates will start seeing us as marketable, professional brands and not just ‘church singers’,” he says.

Vatilifa says the organisers should also focus on what happens after the awards, including artist-development workshops, media exposure and year-round activities.

“Winners need PR. Interviews, playlisting, TV exposure, not just one night of celebration,” he says.

He also calls for easier and more affordable voting, citing the N$5 SMS fee and reliance on MTC participation.

Nwagboso urges artists to create their own opportunities rather than waiting for major events.

“Artists should not wait for platforms to open up to share their creativity,” she says, encouraging musicians to use churches, social media, weddings and other opportunities to perform.

Vatilifa says future editions should include tangible prizes such as recording deals, music video grants or performance opportunities.

“This comeback edition was a great start. Now we need to build on it so that the next seven years are not silent again,” he says.

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