By Japhet Alakam
IT was not the usual yuletide season for songs. But the Shell Hall, Muson centre venue of last week’s choir extravaganza event was decorated with brilliant colours that foreshadowed the season with lights dimming on and off. But it was not the season; rather it was another created moment for relaxation put together by the Musical Society of Nigeria, MUSON as part of its 2012 New Era Artistes concerts which have been running since January 2012.

The atmosphere was calm as people sat comfortably like those in a worship service waiting for the arrival of the officiating minister and the dim within the hall has a dose of elderly people some with their suits and others with their traditional attires, while few younger people dressed very well to suit the night as it was not the usual hip hop dance for the youths.

The event eventually kicked off at 6.15 with the introduction of the Muson choir conducted by a music teacher/instructor and director, Alex Nwokedi ably assisted by Ifediora Obinna, a student conductor. With rich and varied repertoire, the choir took the audience to four African countries starting from Nigeria to Ghana, Zaire and South Africa and in all, performed Nigerian/ African indigenous choral music’s with traditional instrumental accompaniment to the delight of the audience.

The songs rendered were; Ibikea , an Ijaw song from Nigeria followed by Beto Tunga from Zaire, down to Akan in Ghana where they rendered Anigye Aba, meaning Happiness has come and finally to South Africa  from where they took one of those songs like the type they sang during the apartheid years titled, Bawo Thixo Somandla.

After that the Igbobi College Choir made up of youths, who dressed in their beautiful ankara attires took over and with the supervision of Adebola Ola who conducted their choir , they were able to show their large and diverse repertoire as they rendered four songs, Linden Lea, Let be, Ise Oluwa and Ere Ayo

The Igbobi choir was followed by the Heritage Choir under the supervision of David Aina, which also thrilled the audience with Ori l’ elejo, a Yoruba song, Alleluya Chim lee, an Igbo praise song, Let it be and Meja Yesu- My Father; Jesus from Akan speaking people of Ghana. Though all the songs received clapping ovation, it was the song, let it be rendered in a very melodious tune that moved the audience closer to nature and they responded with a sounding applause.

After the Heritage

choir, there was a fifteen minutes intermission and on resumption for the final lapse, the sad news of the Dana Air Crash was announced and a minute silence was observed for the souls of the victims affected in the ill fated air crash.

After that the Muson Diploma choir directed by Emeka Nwokedi mounted the stage and managed to   lighten the sad mood in the hall with their wonderful performance of three selected songs:  Mobo me senkuda from Fante, Ghana, Asiko l’aye , Yoruba, Nigeria and Teta, Igbo, Nigeria. And in that painful mood, the song Teta na ura meaning, wake up brought back the mood and the audience once more applauded to the tune.

Finally, the four choirs came together in what was called mass choir and gave the audience the parting gift with five wonderful songs from five ethnic groups from Nigeria and one from South Africa. It was truly a good evening for many who came to enjoy themselves as they were treated with such songs that touched souls ranging from hymns and chants to standard anthems and traditional African music.