Starlight Media Institute is a first of its kind Audio Technology Institute In Nigeria. Headed by overseas trained Sound Engineer Steven Akuko, this novel institute celebrated the 10th Year Anniversary on the Tuesday the 16th April 2024. The event which was tagged :Achieving Exceptional Audio Quality Production In House Of Worship.
Attendees at the event were also treated to an elaborate and eye opening lecture at the event which took place at the Trem King Court, Oja Bus stop, Yakoyo Road, Off Ojodo Grammar School, Ojodu, Lagos . the anniversary also served as a book Launch. The Launch of this expository literary offering was titled ‘ “Microphone Demystified”
Speaking with the press at the ceremony, Eng. Steve Aluko disclosed that the Institute deemed it worthy to celebrate the 10th year anniversary with fanfare due to what the Institute had achieved in such a short time.
According to him, before the coming of Starlight Media Institute, there was no institute for the formal training of Sound Engineers In Nigeria. Practitioners were only trained by observation and hence, there was no established curriculum for training and this was the gap Starlight Media Institute was conceived to fill and has been filling for the past ten years.
Asked about his projections for the Institute and the future of Sound Technology and Engineering in Nigeria, Aluko explained that his vision was to see Sound or Audio Engineering in Nigeria being inculcated into a formal curriculum in higher institutions of learning in Nigeria. He posited that the way to achieve this since since there is not yet any established curriculum for the course in our our higher institutions is to segment the course into already existing related departments.
He disclosed that in where Sound Engineering is offered as a course of study in higher institutions, you have Sound Engineering B.A degree and Sound Engineering B.Sc. While a B.A Major specializes in the arts or entertainment aspect of Sound Engineering, a B. Sc graduate of Sound Engineering is a science student who is specialized in manufacturing of sound equipments.
Speaking on how he intends to encourage Nigerian youths to take more interest in Sound Engineering or Technology, Eng. Steven Aluko disclosed all that is needed to be done is to make them realize the opportunities the course offers them in various fields as against the present belief that it only lies in music or church audio productions.
According to him, Sound Engineering open vistas in music, film production, cinematography, theatre production and so many other areas of entertainment industry as well as acoustic or audio manufacturing.
Aluko advised Nigerian youth to see sound engineering and audio technology as a field with limitless opportunities.
The opportunities are not just limited to entertainment. He said you cannot be academically sound as a graduate of Sound Engineering and be looking for job. Rather, jobs will be looking for you. In radio and television broadcasting, in information technology where service providers like networks needs sound engineers and even in medical facilities where ultra scans are done, sound technologies are always and will continue to be in high demand. All that is needed is the training to encourage expertise in all these fields, and that is where Starlight Media Institute comes in. To provide Nigerian youth with the expertise needed in these fields.
Those that were award rat the event for there contributions to the growth of audio technology in Nigeria included Laolu Akins, Mr. Shola okiki, Mr. Pedro Fatai, Rev. Roland, Mr. David Joshua, Mr. Femi ojo, Mr. Tunde Spencer, Mr. Giwa Osagie, Mr. Diran Fajuyigbe, Engr. Sinmiloluwa Oyeeleye and Mr. Emmanuel Shalom.
–Akin Sokoya
