By Esther Onyegbula

Alchemy Group emerged winner of Nigeria’s first classical guitar competition for children, held in Lagos by the Chocolate Africa Classical Guitar Society of Nigeria.

The maiden competition featured students of the Chocolate Africa Classical Guitar (CACG) Academy who had undergone nearly one year of training in guitar performance, music literacy and sight reading. Alchemy Group clinched the top prize after performances by three student groups.

Speaking at the event, the Founder and Executive Chairman of Chocolate Africa Classical Guitar (CACG) Academy, Mr Adegoke Taiwo Oluwagbemiga, said the competition was organised to give young learners an opportunity to perform and to draw attention to classical guitar music, which he said remains limited in the region.

According to him, the CACG Academy operates as a non-profit music school focused on children from low-income communities, with Lagos as its pilot location. He said about 65 students are currently enrolled in the programme.

Oluwagbemiga explained that the competition assessed participants on performance, sight reading and music literacy, noting that regular performance opportunities are part of the students’ training process. He also said the society’s broader objectives include documenting and preserving Nigerian folk music.

Also speaking, the Co-founder and Director of the academy, Mr Hamilton Olushola Festus, said the competition featured three student groups, Imperial, Delight and Alchemy, formed according to age categories.

He said all participants are students of the academy and added that there are plans to extend the competition to other parts of the country in future editions.

A juror at the competition and Cooperation Officer at the French Embassy in Nigeria, Ms Marianne Ournac, said music education contributes to children’s creative and personal development.

The event ended with the presentation of prizes to participating groups, with Alchemy Group announced as overall winner of the inaugural competition.