A former governor of Ogun State and the incumbent Senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, on Sunday, emphasized the need for religious leaders to rise to the challenge of restoring the collapsed value system in the country. Daniel also urged Nigerians to use their God-given strengths and endowments to make a positive difference in society.
Speaking at the third annual Asiwaju of Remo Christians Choir Festival, sponsored by him and held at Abraham’s Terbanacle, GRA, Sagamu, Daniel highlighted the importance of every citizen contributing to the development and prosperity of Nigeria. He initiated the choir competition 16 years ago as part of his annual thanksgiving, aiming to improve the art of singing in the church and attract young people to attend services and listen to life-transforming messages.
“Basically, we feel that part of our responsibility to society is to help stem the collapse of our value system,” Daniel said. “I believe that the Christian church, and of course, the Islamic world, have significant roles in terms of moral suasion and sound preaching. From my angle as a Christian, I have decided to see what I can do by encouraging people to come to the church through the development of our singing art with annual choir competitions like this.”
He added, “By doing something like this, young people who might find sermons boring can be encouraged to come to church, even if it is to listen to these good music that have impactful and profound messages. Additionally, many successful individuals in the music and entertainment industry started from the church, where they developed their talents and skills. This annual choir festival is an investment towards helping to spot young talents, groom, and empower them to unleash their potential to the world.”
The festival saw six invited choir groups from Ogun, Lagos, Osun, and Ondo States competing for the N3 million prize. The De Emmeralds Choir from Akure, Ondo State, emerged as the winner, taking home the N3 million prize, with an additional N1 million reward from Sir Olu Okeowo. The Messiah Chorale from Ile Ife, Osun State, secured second place with a prize of N1.5 million, and The Chamber Chorale of Olabisi Onabanjo University came third, winning N1 million.
Other dignitaries at the event included Archbishop Emeritus Ayo Ladigbolu of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Archbishop Olusina Fape, Bishop of Remo Anglican Diocese and Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos, Rev Mrs. Esther Ajayi, the General Overseer of Love of Christ Generation, and prominent hip hop artist Zakky Adze, among others.
Senator Daniel concluded by expressing his vision for the choir festival to become a major tourist attraction, with future editions going international and expanding into a week-long event. He encouraged everyone to use their unique strengths to add value to society, just as other notable figures have done in their respective fields.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.
