By Samuel Oyadongha,  Yenagoa

A graduate of Fine and Applied Arts from the Niger Delta University, Miss. Deborah Bomonyo Inafa, with stage name, Preiz, has emerged winner of the Bayelsa karaoke Season 5 singing competition.

At the grand finale of the show that started two months ago with over 50 singers, the young music talent and winner, Deborah, who hails from Ewoama community in Brass Local Government Area, was rewarded with the sum of one million, five hundred thousand Naira only and a one year recording deal.

Preiz, who sang the music of Omawunmi titled, “If you ask me”, in the finals beat another rising star, Miss Margaret Deinere Atimi from Ekeremor town with a stage name, “Liquid” to the second position.

While the second placed Liquid received a sum of one million naira, the third placed artiste, Ebiegberi Bright Taribio, was rewarded with five hundred thousand naira for his effort.

After the show, the lead organiser of the Bayelsa Karaoke Singing Competition, who is a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Entertainment, Mr. Joseph Emerada Okpeke, popularly called, MC Okpeke, said this year’s final was very competitive among the seven finalists.

“We used to admit six people for the final but this year we have so many amazing singers so we couldn’t make it six, we had to increase it to seven.

“The final was very competitive because all of them were good but definitely, a winner must emerge. We had to camp them for like one week, train them, you can see somebody that knows how to sing but doesn’t know the rudiment of music, so we had to coach them so they can understand music from the theory and not just the practical alone,” he said.

Mc Okpeke, who appreciated Governor Douye Diri and others for the support towards the success of the event, said the government of Assured Prosperity had in the past five years continued to provide platforms for young music talents to shine.

“All these  things are happening because of the kind of governor we have, so, will not stop thanking His Excellency, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri. Because if not for him, this talent development platform wouldn’t have been created easily. He has been the one sponsoring it, so kudos to  His Excellency!

God bless you sir we really appreciate this opportunity you have given us to create this platform to develop the music industry in Bayelsa State”, he stated.

Mr. Emerada Okpeke, said organisers of the show would continue to monitor progress of all past winners and star participants, insisting that his office will help nurture their music careers.