By Tunde  Oso

It was not just a concert; it was a movement. On Thursday, 2025, the Assembly Hall of The Polytechnic, Ibadan pulsed with a revival energy as Oratorio Music Foundation hosted its powerful drug awareness campaign and concert tagged “Saved and Sound.” The initiative, anchored in the foundation’s long-standing vision of youth transformation through music, mentorship, and community outreach, united hundreds of students under one prophetic anthem: “You are known by the company you keep… so choose wisely.”

At the heart of this life-shaping event was Dr. Oyindamola Adejumo-Ayibiowu, convener and founder of Oratorio Music Foundation. A development economist, gospel artist, and daughter of the late comedy icon Baba Sala, Oyindamola has faithfully stewarded this vision since 1996, when she first launched Oratorio at the Federal Polytechnic Ede as a fiery young student with a call to inspire her generation. Nearly three decades later, her impact continues to ripple across campuses nationwide.

“Many students don’t plan to use drugs,” Oyindamola shared passionately during the panel session. “They fall because of wrong company, misplaced pressure, or the simple absence of mentorship. That’s why we created Oratorio, to provide a covenant space of safety, creativity, and destiny.”

Supported by the visionary leadership of Rector Dr. Taiwo Abideen Lasisi and Dean of Student Affairs, Mr. Makinde Joseph Akinwunmi, the event was a resounding success. Also present was Mr. Olamide Daniel Oladipupo, President of the Student Union Government and a biochemistry student, who added scientific insight to the conversation. “Energy drinks and other substances give temporary rush but come with long-term consequences when abused,” he explained. “We must choose strength through discipline, not shortcuts.”

The keynote address, delivered by a representative of the NDLEA, underscored the urgency of the moment. With alarming data showing that 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15–64 have used illicit substances, and one in every four users being female, the speaker urged students to invest in prevention strategies like peer accountability, healthy stress management, and spiritual grounding. “Prevention + Compassion = A Healthier Nigeria,” he concluded.

Moderated by Orat Peter Boluwatife, Acting Director of Oratorio’s Community Service Department, the panel session featured passionate voices across mental health, law enforcement, academia, and student leadership. Mrs. Oluwaranti Sanni, Deputy Commander of Narcotics at NDLEA, detailed how the agency is fighting the drug war not just with force, but with education. “We need citizens, especially students, to be eyes and ears of this campaign,” she noted.

Psychologist Dr. Olubunmi Ojelade stirred hearts when she said, “Drugs don’t always wear a dirty face. Some students use them to stay awake and study, but those pills kill silently from within.” Her call: break the silence, change the narrative.

Oratorio’s appointed staff adviser and lecturer at the Polytechnic, Mr. Olagoke Olawale Israel, offered a sobering insight into the subtle pressures on campuses today. “Soft drinks are now laced. Students skip classes, fall behind, and lean on substances. But your ability to say NO to drugs is your YES to destiny.”

The program climaxed in a spirit-charged music concert that featured heartfelt worship, dance, spoken word, and vibrant musical performances from the Oratorio Music Group, The Polytechnic Ibadan Chapter, led by Orat Omotola Okubanjo, President and Head of the Social Media and Branding Unit. Through harmonies and testimonies, the hall became more than an auditorium, it became an altar.

“This was not just a concert,” Omotola said afterward. “This was a rescue mission.”

Since its founding, Oratorio Music Foundation has operated on campuses as a holistic intervention model, where music is a tool, but the mission is deeper: to raise transformational leaders, sharpen destiny, and prevent the downward spiral of drugs and despair. With departments ranging from music & performance and prayer to social media and community service, Oratorio equips students to lead with conviction and creativity.

“As a Foundation, we are not just raising singers,” Dr. Oyindamola Adejumo-Ayibiowu remarked. “We are raising vessels, young people who will carry the sound of God to the nations, walk in excellence, and mentor the next.” The Polytechnic Ibadan chapter is a glowing example of this mission in action.

In a time when the nation searches for solutions to youth restlessness, drug abuse, and hopelessness, Oratorio is quietly scripting a different story, one of music, meaning, and mission.