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Blow-By-Blow Account Of The Event
All roads led to Sagamu remo in Ogun State, on Sunday 30th April 2023, when Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the Ogun East Senator hosted the world, to his 2nd Choir Concert. The event called The Asiwaju of Remo Christians Choir Festival, is an annual gathering for choral performances by various Church Choirs, choral groups within and outside Ogun State.
The event started about 16 years ago, as part of the annual family thanksgiving programme of the former Ogun Governor, at the International Ecumenical Worship Center, called Abraham Tabernacle Sagamu, It is a worship place he built to honour God and immortalize his late father, His Grace , Most Revd Abraham Adebola Daniel, JP ( 1916 – 2011).
The Choir Festival has spiritual and moral essence for preaching the gospel through music and improving singing in churches. This is reflected in the motto of the festival, “Improving the art of singing in our churches”. Though, it started as part of a Thanksgiving event, it was separated and expanded as a distinct Programme and rebranded, “ The Choir Festival” in 2022, which marked the Maiden edition.
The Annual Choir Festival is sponsored by the former Governor. He is the initiator and founder of this laudable programme. He was inspired by the need to promote singing in churches in the community and beyond. Several organisations, Companies and individuals have now shown interest to become partners for the program, as it’s scope and impact as a vehicle for spiritual growth through singing continue to increase.
Now in its 2nd edition, this year’s Choir Festival had the theme “ Grateful Hearts”. The venue was The Abraham Tabernacle Church, Oba Erinwole Road, G.R.A, Sagamu. It is an Ecumenical Worship Center under the management of the Nigerian Baptist Convention ( NBC).
The aim of the Programme is to promote and enhance singing in Churches in the community and Nigeria at large.The Programme now draws Choirs from various Churches, Chorales at every edition, with the host Choir, the Abraham Tabernacle Choir and the Choir that is defending the title won in the previous edition, the only Choirs guaranteed automatic qualification each year. Other Choirs qualify to participate in the programme would be through invitation and audition. There are various categories of grading for the Choir Festival, which are : vocal quality, diction/articulation, interpretation, audience appreciation/response,dynamics and costume.
The Festival Director who also doubles as the Executive Secretary of the Board of Trustees ( BOT) is Dr. Opeyemi ADEYINKA Asaolu, a lecturer at the Department of Music, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State.
Otunba Engr. Gbenga Daniel, is the Asiwaju of Remo Christians, and this made him the Chief host.
Participating Choirs include the Tabernacle Choir, Great Remo Chorale, New Wine Ensemble, Viva de Chorale, The Chamber Chorale, The Emerald Choir, and the 6 other observer choirs. The event started around 11.25am with dignitaries well seated before the arrival of the host.
OGD’s ENTRY
Otunba Gbenga Daniel fondly called OGD and his beautiful wife, Yeye Olufunke Daniel arrived the venue around 11.15am with their entourage in a brand new black Jeep vehicle.OGD looked dapper as usual in cream native Agbada and black cap. Ever youthful looking Yeye Olufunke Daniel,wore green lace mixed with blue and blue Ipele and Gele,adding a stylish Sun glasses.Immediately they entered the Church Auditorium, OGD greeted all the guests present and paused to take photographs with some of them.
AND OGD DAZZLED
It is a well known fact among those close to OGD that he is a lover of Music and plays the Piano. All present at the event were pleased when he went straight to the Piano/ Organ set up in the Church and promptly started playing. The appreciative guests were well entertained as his dexterity was on full display.
ADRON HOMES GMD GIVES THANKS
Adron Homes GMD, Aare Adetola Emmanuelking is the Otun Asiwaju of Remo Christians. He was also at the event. Wearing a light green native Agbada with leaf green cap, he said he was excited to be part of the Choir Festival. Continuing,he said he saw the clips of last year’s edition and said, it was wonderful. Adding, “I can see the evidence of the spirit of God present here today, the vision was to gather people to worship together in harmony,it is a good thing to give thanks to God Almighty with a grateful heart and His Excellency , Senator-Elect Gbenga Daniel believes and knows that it is a good thing to give thanks to God. You know ,with all we have gone through in the past two to three years during the Covid era and the traumatic happenings in the past election, I think we need to give thanks to God”.
ONDO GOVERNOR REPRESENTED
Dr. Olubunmi Ademosu, who represented the Ondo State governor, Governor Akeredolu said, “ I am from the Sunshine State where the only thing you will find in us is peace, joy and happiness ,it is my first time of attending the event and I really enjoyed it. It is a good Programme that gets us out of tension and we pray for new beginning in Nigeria.
REV. ESTHER AJAYI ALSO IN ATTENDANCE
The respected woman of God said: I did not study Music, every good gospel Music is pleasant to me, so, I find it difficult from where I met the Programme to even choose who is the winner, it is amazing , they all sang gloriously and Music is the sign of love, that is what Angels do 24/7 in the presence of the Lord. It is an amazing thing and we pray for Baba Gbenga Daniel ,that God will always be with him and his family. God will continue to bless him always.
WHAT OBJ SAID
Former Nigeria President, President Olusegun Obasanjo who was present at the 2023 Choir Festival applauded. Otunba Gbenga Daniel for a job well done. He said: This idea came from our secondary school, OGD joined the school 20years after I left and we were taught Music in our school days. I don’t sing, though I love to sing, no one even comes to me in school then,to sing.I think I enjoyed myself here today, Grateful Hearts as the theme of today’s Programme means a lot, God is happy whenever we show appreciation to him, we need to be grateful to him at all times. There was a story of a man who was thanking God for the cars he has and he sees himself better than his neighbor. There was another man who was thanking God for having legs to walk and sees himself better than a man with no legs, there was also a man with without legs who was thanking God for not having legs but better than a dead man on the floor. We need to be grateful to God at all times to be able to make heaven.
OGD’S SPEECH
OGD appreciated every one for attending the event. He explained why the event came to be. He congratulated the winner of last year’s Choir Festival and he hoped as the event goes on the judges will continue to do a good job by choosing the true winner. He appreciated the Reverend who gave the sermon, and revealed he was his Senior in Engineering Department, University of Lagos who later became a Pastor and moved to Abuja, and that he came all the way from Abuja to attend the event. Also,he extended his appreciation to the Revd fathers who left their regular seats to sit in the congregation all because of the Programme declared that he would forever be grateful to people for the unprecedented support given to him at the polls.
According to him, the Choir festival has spiritual and moral essence for preaching the gospel through music and improving singing in churches in the community and Nigeria at large. Daniel explained that though Nigeria was currently beset with challenges bordering on economy, complete collapse of value system and other issues, the country would thrive if every citizen makes deliberate effort to add value to the system.
He said, “We have challenges in our country and all of us have responsibilities in our own little way to see what we can do to add value. You will notice that in the course of our campaign, what we were doing was to add value to the society.
“It’s not as if we don’t know what to do with money but what’s the meaning of money when the people next door to you are suffering and they are hungry and angry? And that is why you see that our campaign was just going around and helping people.
“I want to thank all of you, the amount of support you have given us was unprecedented. I was informed that of all the people who contested elections in Ogun State, it is only OGD’s election that has not been challenged by anybody. So, when we say we have a grateful heart, we know what we are talking about. We just must be grateful.”
Daniel also appreciated Former President Obasanjo for gracing the choir festival which, he noted, was the first time the former President would visit the church since it was built over 20 years ago in honour of his late father, Most Rev. Abraham Adebola Daniel.
MEET THE 2 HOSTS
The program was anchored by popular actor, filmmaker , director Yemi Shodimu and Dayo Benjamin Laniyan ( Enterprise Communicator) , they did a very good job. After different hymns, performances from the six choirs, the Winner was New Wine Ensemble from Lagos. 2nd was Viva de Chorale from Ibadan, 3rd was The Chamber Chorale from OOU, 4th was Great Remo Chorale from Sagamu, 5th is The host choir, Tabernacle Choir Sagamu and 6th is De Emeralds Choir, Akure
CHAIRMAN’S SPEECH
The Chairman of the event Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, the Group Chairman, Sifax Group was unavoidably absent but he was well represented by Dr. ADEYINKA Arami ,who delivered the goodwill message by appreciating God in the life of the incoming Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel and appreciated Almighty God for making 2023 Choir Festival a success.
SERMON
The message was delivered by Rev. Engr. Adeolu Olanrewaju Odusote. Rev. Adeolu was the Senior of incoming Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel in University of Lagos and in the same Engineering Department. He is from Foursquare Gospel Church, Asokoro, Abuja. He shared his experience as a Teenager, how God saved his life as he sang the song, Ese ibi te ti bere, eesee ibi te ba de, a du pe o Jesu, Ibi te nmu wa lo.
Thanksgiving is very beautiful, we must release our soul to God, our body, soul and body belongs to God, God owns our body, we must not allow our body to ruin us, we need to submit our soul to God. He picked his text from the book of 1st Thesalonians Chapter 5 verse 14 – 28, in every thing give thanks, help the needy around you and always be grateful. He ended the sermon by singing give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the only one, give thanks because he’s given Jesus Christ. His own etc
PRIZE PRESENTATION
The New Wine Ensemble, Lagos emerged the overall Winner of the Choir Festival 2023 Edition with a star Prize of N2Million presented by Otunba Daniel, who was accompanied by his wife, Yeye Olufunke Daniel.
The Viva de Chorale, Ibadan came second in the contest, winning N1million cash Prize, while the Chamber Music Chorale, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye emerged third with N700,000 prize.
In the overall group performance by criterion, the New Wine Ensemble emerged the best in vocal quality, Great Remo Chorale emerged best in diction and articulation while Viva de Chorale was the best in interpretation.
The Chamber Music Chorale emerged the best in audience appreciation, De Emeralds Choir emerged best in dynamics while Abraham’s Tabernacle Choir was the best in costume.
OGD SCHOLARS
There were 146 students in OGD scholars, they gifted him a big photo frame pictures.
MEET THE JUDGES
Prof. Kayode Oyesiku, Dr. Loko Omolara Olasunbo, Theophilus Adekunle Abidemi Oyesanya,Mrs Jokotade Oluremilekun Odebunmi and Mrs Kehinde Daniel Williams.
MEET THE BOARD
OF TRUSTEES
Otunba Gbenga Daniel – Chairman, Professor Kayode Oyesiku – Alternate Chair, Dr. Opeyemi Asaolu – Executive Secretary, Ms. Taiwo Adebusuyi – Member, Dr. Tunde Onadeko -Member, Mr. Babatunde Ogala SAN – Member, Otunba Seyi Oduntan OON – Member, Otunba Opeyemi Agbaje – Member, General Muyiwa Okunnowo – Member, Mrs. Omotayo Omotosho – Member, Apagun (Dr) Adeola Badru – Member, Mrs Sade Okoya – Member, Mrs . Dayo Benjamin – Laniyi – Member, Mr . Adekunle Oyesanya SAN – Member, Dr. Mrs. Omolara Loko – Member.
DIGNITARIES PRESENT
General Olusegun Obasanjo – Former President of Nigeria GCFR, Barr. Talabi Adekitan, Rev. Mother Abimbola Esther Ajayi, Tunde Awonuga, Oba Abdul Rasheed Omotayo, Cossy Salami, Oba Abdulrazaq, Olufemi Adebanjo, Oba Adedotun Oduneye Odusanya, Sen. Olugbenga Obadara, His Imperial Majesty Oba Dr . Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran, Ach Dunno Opayemi, Barr. Babatunde Oganla, Prof. Adegbemi Onakoya, Abagun Kole Omololu, All gateway principal officers, Oba Jamiu Sule Onasipe – Olu Gode of Igode, Oba Rotimi Oyedele, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, Sir Senmore Badejo, Mrs Modele Sarafa Yusuf, Egbe Bobakeye, Prof. Gbemi Onakoya, Oniraye of Iraye, Oludotun, Olofin of Illishan, Alajura, Onilaye of Ilaye, HRH Olalekan Fasesin, Oba Oladimeji Allison, Oba Odumade, Oba Joseph Fakoyo, Mrs Iyabode Odulate, Chief Olusegun, Femi Aderashidi, Oba Abdulrashidi, Adejorin Banjo, HRH Oba Abdulrazaq Adenugba, HRH Chief Olusola Adeoye, Chief Adegbenro Oduwaiye, Remo Women Forum Ewusi Palace Sagamu, Oba Abduganiyu Awokoya, Chief Gbenga Oduwaye, Oba Nosid Owodira, Oba Odunayo Solarin, M.O.M Sonuga, Oba Oladimeji Allison, HRH Engr Alade I.O, HRH Gbadebo Ibukun Adewale HRH Oba Raimi, HRH Oba Raimi, HRH Oba M.D Oseni, HRH Oba M.A.O Adenaike, HRH Oba J.A Quadri, Oba Adebisi Okubanjo, HRH Oba ADEYINKA Onakade, HRH Oba Suru Adetunji Osho, HRH Oba Ogunsola Oluseyi Muyideen, Senator Gbenga Obadara, Hon .Wole Adeyi ( Chief) Dr. Mrs Olubunmi Odumosu, Aare Adetola Olaniyi Emmanuel – King, Senator Olugbenga Obadara, Chief Bode Mustapha, Alakere Oba ADEYINKA Onakade, Babatunde Ogala, Engr. Dideolu Folabi, Oba Taiwo Taiwo, Oba S.O Dawodu, Oba Ogunsola Oluseyi Muyideen, Oba Olatunji Kalejaiye, Oba ADEYINKA Onakade, Oba Adetunji Osho, Oba G.O.A Adetoye, Oba Adekunle, Oba Mathew Sunday Akindele, Oba Adewale, Jimoh Musa, OGD scholars.
Reported by Titilope Akinbo Oshunlalu.
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