By Nwabueze Okonkwo

ONITSHA—IT was a harvest of talents and display of dexterity at the special thanksgiving music festival organized by the staff and students of Archbishop Valerian Okeke Music Academy, AVOMA, penultimate Sunday at the Bishop Shanahan Hall of the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity cum Catholic Archdiocesan Secretariat, Onitsha, Anambra State.

The event also featured a musical competition that attracted various prizes to winners and their runners-up. During the music festival, various musical instruments and rhythms such as guitar solo, instrumental sax, sax solo among others were used for the entertainment of the large audience which filled the hall to the brim.

Among the clergy and the members of the Laity who attended the event included Archbishop Okeke himself.

In his opening speech, the Director of AVOMA, Rev. Fr. Stephen Ifeanyi explained that over 200 students were currently enrolled into the academy where he said all aspects of music and moral instructions were being taught during  evening lessons, after their normal daily academic activities in their various schools.

Ifeanyi who noted that the academy was still looking for sponsors to assist in the procurement of more musical instruments as well as the annual festival of the same nature in the coming years, added that the students had acquired musical knowledge, to the extent that if they could play to the satisfaction of the Pope and his cardinals among other world leaders, they would do it as perfectly as those who play in Vatican City, to the satisfaction of Pope Francis and his cardinals.

Also speaking, the sponsor of this year’s festival, Emenike Ebuluo said that he volunteered to bank-roll this year’s festival for the sake of children who he said needed this type of festival for the upliftment of their souls, rather than using their precious time to watch pornographic movies or engage in other ugly endevours that could ruin them in future.

According to Ebuluo, “At least, I have put in about N1.6 million so far and I am begging my God to help me sponsor the festival every year because no amount of donation to God will go in vain.”

In his closing remarks, Archbishop Okeke praised the students of AVOMA for displaying a high level of talent at the festival, asking them to devote more of their time, energy, discipline, attention, creativity and sensitivity in developing their musical talents.

Okeke who also prayed for the sponsor, Ebuluo and his wife, further said: “For those of you who are in secondary schools, I wish you good results in your WAEC examination so that you can get scholarships from both the Anambra State government and Onitsha Catholic Archdiocese since we have a package for such students. And for those of you already in the university, I wish you first class honours so that you will get automatic employment from either the government, individuals or corporate groups.”