Yinka Olatunbosun
The Music Africa Awake Foundation (MUAFA) is set to host six days of visual art exhibition and reggae music festival at the Elegushi Beach Resort at the second edition of the Nigerian Reggae Music Festival.
Running from November 11-16, the festival is aimed at restoring peace and unity in Nigeria and beyond. Billed to perform are 20 Nigerian reggae artistes, and 22 international stars which include nine from Jamaica, three-piece from Ivory Coast, Ghana, two-piece from Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom and a German reggae artiste. The festival is expected to attract over 500 international visitors.
In a media launch held recently at the Waves Beach, Elegushi Beach Resort, Lekki Lagos, President of Music Africa Awake Organization Vincent Omoko disclosed that the festival was the first of its kind in Nigeria adding that it was being staged in partnership with other organisations like Jamaica Embassy and Arts and Culture to showcase novelty of reggae music from nations around the world.
“We all know that insecurity has been the bane of development in Africa. While we have the Xenophobic attack in South Africa, there is kidnapping and banditry in Northern Nigeria. This is why we hash tagged the event Peace Concert to promote peace, love and unity amongst Nigerian at home and diaspora, and eradicate the issue of Xenophobic attack in South Africa.”
Omoko said there would be a workshop to X-ray risks of early marriage, pregnancy as well as substance abuse among youths. “Our plan is to use the festival to change the mindset of our youths and inculcate in them positive vibes and ideas that would bring progress and development to the country and the world at large.’’
Funds generated from this hybrid event would be used to promote upcoming artists, build hospitals, help widows and orphans and embark on community projects in Nigeria and Africa.
For the founder Music Africa Awake Foundation Prince Emeka Ojukwu peace, one love and unity are essential ingredients for development. “If you look at what is happening in Nigeria and other African countries, there is tension and attacks every day. We feel that Nigeria Reggae Festival could be used to preach peace and unity in Nigeria and Africa so as to build the kind of society everybody will be happy to contribute his/her quota to its growth,’’ he said.
The Project Manager Larry Mamilor who spoke on the tourism gains of the festival emphasized that the state government stands to gain in terms of tourism inflow.
He noted that tourism accounted for 10 percent of the national gross domestic product, seven per cent of world international trade and 30 per cent of the world export services adding that tourism also boast international investments.
On the workshop, Mamilor said that it will focus on how artistes can play music and live comfortably through collection of royalties.
The curator of the art exhibition, Bruno Eke observed that reggae music was is a global culture. for him, the world can glimpse the nature of the Nigerian culture through its contemporary art forms.
“In this festival, there will be a contest for contemporary artists and students with mouth-watering prizes in the offing. Artists will enjoy a residency programme in a location in Victoria Island for three days simultaneously with the show.”
