Five Rivers Choirs Battle For NLNG’s N2.7m

All is now set for the finals of the first Rivers State Choral competition slated for September 24 in Port Harcourt. The choral competition which kicked off about a month ago is a new innovation to revive the dying traditional music and folklore in Rivers State. It is being sponsored by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) in partnership with some media organisations in Rivers State.

The media organisations include, the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (RSNC), publisher of The Tide Newspapers, Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation (RSBC) and the Rivers State Television (RSTV). Others are Rhythm FM, Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), African Independent Television (AIT), Treasure FM and Love FM, all in Port Harcourt.

The finals which come up this weekend attracts  prizes of 18,000 dollars for the winner and the first and second runners-up.

According to the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), the winner of the competition will go home with ten thousand dollars, while the first runners-up and second runners-up will smile home with five thousand dollars and three thousand dollars respectively.

So far, five groups have qualified for the finals. They are, the Afiba Music Academy Choir, Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Rivers State Central Choir and Choral Voices of Port Harcourt. Others are Trinity Cathedral Choir and St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir, Diobu, Port Harcourt.

It is not certain yet which of these five will go home with the mouth-watering prizes, considering their pedigree in choral competitions.

The NLNG, it was understood, decided to sponsor the competition because of the importance of music in the development of the society. It therefore takes it as a corporate social responsibility project which it must undertake and sponsor.

According to the NLNG,  “the Rivers State Choral Competition was inspired by the understanding that music is an integral part of our past and present culture, helping people to define who they are and forging important links between home school or work place and the wider world”.

“The company believes that music is one of the strongest unifying forces on earth and that the revival and celebration of Rivers folk song is necessary for the individual and collective healing of Rivers State to flourish.”

While the competition is expected to lead to the discovery and development of talents in music, NLNG believes that the competition “will stimulate creativity and writing of contemporary art music, thereby placing music at the centre of the Nigerian culture and reviving folklore and oral literary tradition through music”, it says.

Speaking during the semi finals of the competition which took place in Port Harcourt, on September 10, the Community Relations and Development Manager of NLNG, Mr. Andy Odey said that more than 30 choral groups registered for the event which started in August this year.

Odey who explained that the delay in the conclusion of the competition was due to the death of one of its initiators, Mr. Glory Joe, described music as part of human life.

According to him, the NLNG decided to sponsor the competition to revive this important aspect of human civilization and that the company will continue to sustain the cordial relationship between it and the Rivers State Government.

Also speaking, the Manager, Communications and Public Affairs of the company, Mr. Ifeanyi Mbanefo said that the NLNG, through the sponsorship of the choral competition, intends to bring music to the door steps of the people.

Mr. Mbanefo says the competition will help the youths to develop their skills which he believes, will be useful to them in future.

For the Chairman of the panel of judges, Professor Richard Okafor, the competition reminded him of the Festival of Arts in the old Eastern Region of Nigeria. He explained that the introduction of Latin song “Fortuna” and English song “water and wine” into the competition was to ensure that participants become abreast of the current trend of globalization.

Professor Okafor commended the NLNG for reviving this most important aspect of the Rivers culture and urged other companies to emulate it.

He, however, said that for the finals, the participants will be the judges on the quality of their indigenous songs.

In his own view, Alabo (Dr.) C.I.T. Wokoma, says the event provides an avenue for Rivers State to regain its lost glory as the golden voice of Nigeria. He believes the competition will engender spiritual growth among youths of Rivers State, while further enhancing the growth of professional musicians in the state.

According to him, the Rivers youths must be encouraged to develop interest in music, as a way of checking cultism and other social vices  in the society.

Meanwhile, Sodienye O. Mailey has described the competition as highly spiritual in nature, noting that both the Latin and the English songs embody deep spiritual meanings.

“I am happy that the NLNG is doing some thing like this. This company is making the state proud”, he said.