Tenor’s Canal d’Or win sparks controversy

Winners of the 2021 Canal d’Or, Acte 13 have been known. They were presented their trophies at the grandiose award ceremony yesterday in Douala.

Among the key winners at the award was Locko who took home the award for Best Male Artist and Coco Argentee for Best Female Artist.

Happy d’Effoulan was awarded as Revelation of the Year, and ‘Be Proud’ crooner, Witty Minstrel as Best Folklore Artist.

In what was both a shocker and a joy to many, Tenor who was present at the show with his Ivorian companion, Eunice Zunon took home the award for Best Afro Urban Male Artist.

While many have expressed joy that the rapper is fast finding his feet after rough months ignited by his car accident in which a young girl lost her life, others think that his win is not for the better of the industry. Among them, is ace manager, Jules Nya.

“Giving honors to Tenor is synonymous to not only insulting the collective intelligence of millions of Cameroonians but as the English would say, ‘sparing the rod and spoiling the child. The move is not only out of place by every standard but above all impetuous,” he wrote.

To Nya, the rapper should not have been nominated in the first place, talk less of being given the award.

“How on earth can an individual who admitted barely a while ago he was drunk on the driver’s seat after a fatal accident that led to the untimely death of a young beautiful soul be not only nominated but granted the award?” he quizzed.

Others on the other side of the carpet, however, believe the artist’s work and his personal life should not be brought together in this instance, given that the award was handed for his works before the incident.

Tenor, however, has since remained mute, apparently borrowing a leaf from hasty communication like that which stirred controversy after his accident in July.