MTN ambassador Cobhams Asuquo has told the graduands in the eighth MTN Foundation/MUSON Music Scholars Programme that they will never play unimportant music.
“You may never play popular music, but you will never play unimportant music,” he said.
Director of the school, Marion Akpata, while speaking at the end of the Graduation Concert for the eighth MTN Foundation-Muson Music Scholars Programme on Monday, July 7, said Mr. Asuquo had spoken the mind of the school to the graduating students.
Asuquo, who had been introduced by the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Nonny Ugboma, as one of the surprise special guests to perform for the evening, added: “None of you graduating here today will have someone write your music notes for you. Because you have been through music school and can read and write music, it means that no one will tell your musical story for you.
“You represent a very important part of our history, our generation and our nation, Nigeria. You have studied (all the periods in music), but the fact still remains that no one will tell the story or document apala, juju, fuji or Naija hip hop as we have it today. Not even those who make money from it.
“The reason no one will do it is because they do not have the power of music that you have. This gift that you have will start paying your bills, tell the story, the story of our music, and I am begging you to do that for us,” he said.
Before performing a soul-searching song, he further urged the graduating students to carry the goodwill from MTN Foundation further by teaching others what they have learned.
The other surprise special guest at the ceremony that took place in the capacity-filled Agip Recital Hall was Sound Sultan, who performed two of his popular songs accompanied by music from some the graduating students.
But before the two seasoned musicians got on the stage, the ceremony featured close to three hours of exhilarating performances from the 21 graduands, who earned Diploma in Music. They are the eighth set of beneficiaries of the MTN Foundation’s music scholarship programme. Beginning with ‘Prelude in C Minor’ by S. Rachmaninoff performed by Ayodele Adebayo and Paul Onalaja, it was smooth sailing all through followed by ‘I Believe’ by Eric Levi performed by Emmanuel Adetunji (tenor), Joyce King (soprano) and Ayodele Adebayo (piano). There was the saxophone trio of Temitope Adepoju, Alphonso Oluwasegun and Henry Nnakife who performed ‘Danza Pastorale’ by Antonio Vivaldi.
Other performances for the evening included an all female ensemble, a male one and then mixed, as well as a jazz ensemble.
The curtains fell on the performance by the world famous Muson Diploma School Choir conducted by Victoria Ajimah, one of the graduating students. They were performances not to be forgotten in a hurry, making the faculty of the school, the Musical Society of Nigeria and MTN Foundation very proud to be part of history.
The activities for the eighth edition began on Sunday, July 6, with a two-part opera concert and concluded on Tuesday, July 8 with a graduation ceremony and presentation of prizes to deserving graduating students.
The MTNF/MUSON Music Scholarship Programme was instituted to provide students with talent in music but less privileged, an opportunity to acquire qualitative music education. The scholarship covers tuition, books and daily stipends.
