By Nnamdi Ojiego

The co-founder, Ibrahim Dende Foundation, better known as IBD Foundation, Lara Dende, has explained that the annual Yewa’s Got Talents, YGT, was initiated to discover and groom young talents from the area.

IBD Foundation is a non-profit organization founded to improve the lot of the less fortunate in the society.

However, the foundation recently introduced a talent hunt, Yewa’s Got Talents, in its charity gesture and drive, an exciting improvement on the foundation’s annual charity event.

The maiden edition of the show which was held during the last Sallah celebrations, at Ebute-Igbooro area of Ogun State, recorded an impressive turn out of guests and participants.

Speaking at the event, Mrs. Dende said the talent hunt show was designed to support local talents of Yewa origin and give them a platform to showcase their talents.

Giving account of the foundation’s activities in the past three years, the co-founder said: “We have been able to put smiles on the faces of over 20 school children through our scholarship programmes by paying for their school fees.

“The foundation has also been in forefront of championing health related challenges. Even as I speak, the foundation has taken up the challenge to pay N4.5 million for the surgery for Master Falola Abideen Adeyemi who had esophagostomy, a condition which made him unable to eat through his mouth but through a syringe as a result of damaged esophagus.”

The YGT maiden edition saw 60 contestants qualify for the grand finale which produced winners in different categories like Modeling, Music, Acting, Comedy, Drumming and other special talents. The foundation also presented scholarships to three students in desperately need of help.

The icing on the cake was the recognition of the Show as one of West Africa’s charity platforms to help develop talents and a special letter of invitation to the founder of the oundation, Ibrahim Dende, by the United Nations’s representatives ahead of a proposed trip where he is expected to lead a West African delegation to New York.

The highlight of the event include energetic performances by the duo of Small Doctor and Bella Shmurda who thrilled the enthusiastic crowd non-stop. Expectedly, the event attracted a large turn out of celebrities including Nollywood actor, Itele D Icon, who was one of the judges for the talent show. Also on the roll call of guests include DJ Hotega of Raypower FM, Faaji FM’s MC Headward, hypeman Whizkaba, Ewa Ede and MC DVD, the host.

The Grand Finale had in attendance various dignitaries which includes the UN representative, a popular Fuji Musician, Alhaji Sefiu Alao, the Oloja of Oja Odan, Oba Oyebanji Adetunji, the Oniwoye of Iwoye, the Ogun State House of Assembly member, Hon. Wahab Abiodun Egungbohun, among many others.