Ariya Eko: Lagos Celebrates Nigeria @60 With Music
By DAPO FALADE
Lagos State government will set the state, nay the country, agog as it prepared to celebrate Nigeria’s 60th Independent Anniversary with music.
The state, otherwise known as the Centre of Excellence, has been the heartbeat of entertainment, long before the attainment of independence and it has remain at the forefront, fostering generations of musicians from diverse cultures.
This informed the decision of the organisers of Ariya Eko, Evergreen Music Company Ltd, to put together the celebration of 60 iconic gatekeepers of Nigerian musical history who have contributed to the economic growth of Lagos State since independence.
Ariya Eko is a yearly music festival put together to promote core indigenous music and encourage band culture across the country.
According to the organisers, this year’s theme, WAZOBIA Independence Musiv Festival, centres on celebrating 60 years of the Nigerian musical journey in its diversity and will feature different musicians from different culture, with a State Ball Performance as a reflection of Lagos as a cosmopolitan city.
The festival, endorsed by Lagos State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is in partnership with Africa’s largest custodian and promoters of music of yesteryears, Evergreen Musical Company Ltd.
Bimbo Esho, the Managing Director of the company, in a statement made available to PeesReporters, said: “Lagos state is a melting point of people of diverse culture with deep rooted history, colourful traditions and immense resilience. Event of this nature has become pertinent in order to tell our musical stories and showcase our musical heritage to the world.”
Last year, the maiden edition featured over 18 popular Nigerian musicians, notable among them are Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, Sir Shina Peters, Dr Tee Mac, Obesere, Sir Jimi Solanke, Yinka Davies and Jesse King Buga.
Also in attendance at the ceremony were the crème de la crème of business, politics, entertainment and traditional institutions.
The high point of the event was the induction into the Evergreen Hall of Fame of one of Nigeria’s leading musical giant, Ebenezer Obey, who has the highest song ever recorded in the country.
Part of the event line up for this notable year is ‘A Lifetime Achievement Award’ designed to recognise iconic music grandmasters, both dead and alive in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
Also lined up is the Lagos Music Hall of Fame Award, in recognition of three prominent musicians from the three major tribes in Nigeria who attained the peak of their musical career in Lagos State.
“Do You Remember Segment” will also be introduced at this year’s event as upcoming musicians will be paying homage to the grandmasters of the various African beats.
The organisers promised a low-key event, in line with measures put in place for the COVID-19 pandemic, but assured that the event will be broadcast live on the various social media handles so that Lagosians and lover’s of music would not missed out of the event.
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