Ariya Eko: Lagos Takes The Lead, Set To Celebrate Nigeria @ 60 With Musical Fiesta

Ariya Eko: Lagos Takes The Lead, Set To Celebrate Nigeria @ 60 With Musical Fiesta

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Come October 2020, Nigeria will be witnessing yet another landmark celebration in the Centre of Excellence, Lagos State.

 

 

Before the country’s Independence in 1960 and till date, Lagos State remains the heartbeat of entertainment and continues to foster different generations of musicians from diverse culture.

 

 

Gov Sanwo-Olu (left) with Bimbo Esho

It is against this background that the organisers of Ariya Eko has decided to take the lead in the celebration of 60 Iconic gatekeepers of Nigerian musical history who have contributed to the economic growth of Lagos State in the last 60 years.

 

 

According to the organisers, Ariya Eko Music Festival is a yearly music festival being put together to promote core indigenous music and encourage band culture. This year’s theme, ‘Wazobia Independence Music Festival’, we gathered, is centred on celebrating 60 years of Nigerian musical journey in its diversity and will feature different musicians from different cultures with a state ball performance.

 

 

The festival is a yearly event endorsed by the Lagos State Ministry of Culture and Tourism in partnership with Africa’s largest custodian and promoter of music of yesteryears, Evergreen Musical Company Ltd.

 

 

Bimbo Esho, the managing director of Evergreen Musical Company, in a statement, said Lagos State is a melting point of people of diverse cultures with deeprooted history, colourful traditions and immense resilience, adding that “an event of this nature has become pertinent in order to tell our musical history and showcase our musical heritage to the world.”

 

Bimbo Esho

Last year, the maiden edition featured over 18 popular Nigerian musicians like Chief (Commander) Ebenezer Obey, Sir Shina Peters, Dr Tee Mac, Obesere, Sir Jimi Solanke, Yinka Davies, Jesse King Buga, and many more, with the crème de aa crème of business, politics, entertainment and traditional institutions in attendance .

 

 

The high point of the event was an induction ceremony into the ‘Evergreen Hall of Fame’ of one of Nigeria’s leading musical giant of Juju music, Evangelist Ebenezer Obey, who has the highest song recording in Nigeria.

 

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Part of the event lineup for this year, according to Bimbo, is ‘A Lifetime Achievement Award’ being designed to recognize iconic music grandmasters both dead and alive in the Nigerian entertainment industry. Also the ‘Lagos Music Hall of Fame Award’ is in recognition of three prominent musicians from the three major tribes in Nigeria who attained the peak of their musical career in Lagos State.

 

 

An introduction of ‘Do You Remember Segment’ has become pertinent in this year’s event as upcoming musicians will be paying homage to the grandmasters of the African Beat.

 

The organisers have promised a low-key event this year due to the Covid 19 pandemic challenge while ensuring that strict measures and complaince will be put in place.